US3204059A

US3204059A - Magnetically latched relay

Info

Publication number: US3204059A
Application number: US237864A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore N Saaty
Original assignee: Wheelock Signals Inc
Current assignee: Wheelock Signals Inc
Priority date: 1962-11-15
Filing date: 1962-11-15
Publication date: 1965-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 1982-08-31

Description

Aug. 3l, 1965 T. N. SAATY MAGNETICALLY LATCHED RELAY Filed Nov. l5, 1962 FIG. 2

FIG. 5

INVENTOR. THEODORE N. SAATY ATTORNEYS FIG. 5

United States Patent C Jersey Filed Nov. 15, 1962, Ser. No. 237,864 12 Claims. (Cl. 200--87) This invention relates to a novel electrical relay in which provision is made for producing a bagnetic field which serves to actuate the relay and for bringing into operation another magnetic field which serves to lock the relay in its actuated condition.

More specifically, the relay of the present invention includes magnetically actuated contacts, an electrical coil or solenoid for actuating said contacts, and means for producing another magnetic field which is capable of being brought into operative relationship with the contacts, either by the magnetic `field of the solenoid with actuates the contacts or by a separate solenoid, in order to hold the contacts of the relay in their actuated condition.

yAlthough the relay of the present'invention can be designed to bring the latching magnetic field into or out of operation each time the solenoid is energized, an ancillary feature of the relay is that it can also be designed so that only the contacts of the relay will be actuated when the solenoid is energized by a weaker current and the latching magnetic field of the relay is brought into or out of operative relationship with the contacts only when the solenoid is energized by a stronger current.

In a preferred embodiment, the latching magnetic field is produced by a permanent magnet accommodated for movement within the relay from an inoperative position to a position at which its field exerts a latching effect on the conta-ots of the relay. In this arrangement, both the contacts of the relay and the permanent magnet are within and inuenced by the magnetic field produced by the solenoid. Thus, the contacts of the relay are actuated upon each encrgization of the solenoid, and when the magnetic field `of the solenoid is strong enough and of proper polarity, the permanent magnet is displaced thereby from one position to another.

Fora more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures of'the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view in longitudinal cross-section ofthe magnetically latched relay showing the solenoid thereof energized by an electrical potential of one polarity;

FIGURE 2 is a side view in longitudinal cross-section of the relay shown'in FIGURE 1 with the electrical potential which energizes the solenoid reversed;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the relay taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the relay taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direct tion `of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is a side view in longitudinal cross-section of another embodiment of the invention.

The magnetically latched relay 10, shown in FIGURE l, includes a hollow spool-like frame 11 of magnetically impermeably, rigid material, such `as Bakelite, The frame 11 has a shank 15 on which a core 14 of magnet wire is'wound between two

discs

12 and 13 which form the ends of the frame 11. The shank 15 is provided with `a longitudinal channel 16 extending therethrough Iand in communication with centrally disposed

apertures

17 and 18 formed in the

discs

12 and 13, respectively.

CTI

3,204,059 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 A switch 19, comprising a sealed capsule 20 of glass or some similar material and containing two partially overlapping

contacts

21 and 22, formed of ferrous or other magnetic material, is accommodated within the channel 16. The sealed capsule 20 can, if necessary, be resiliently mounted within the channel by one or more rings or sleeves interposed between the capsule and the frame 11. The

contacts

21 and 22 are embedded in and supported at opposite ends of the glass capsule, and the inner overlapping ends thereof yare normally spaced apart from each other when the coil 14 is not energized. The external leads 21 and 22 of the

contacts

21 and 22, respectively, project through and extend beyond the `apertures 17 v"and 1-8, respectively.

The shank 15 of the frame 11 also ycontains a channel or groove 23 which extends from the inner surface of the disc 13 to some distance beyond the midsection of the frame 11. In the embodiment shown, the channel 23 is in open communication with the channel 16and the outer surface of the glass capsule 20 defines part of the channel 23.

A permanent magnet 24 is accommodated within the channel 23 for sliding movement from one end to the other. A leaf spring 2S of wavy form is affixed to a side of the magnet 24 and bears against the Wall of the channel 23 with light friction so that the magnet 24 will be displaced by the magnetic field established by the coil 14 but will not move or slide laccident-ally under the iniiuence of gravity if it is oriented in different positions.

In operation, the energization of the coil 14 produces a magnetic field through the channel 16 of the frame, closing the

ferrous contacts

21 and 22. In addition, if the strength of the `magnetic field is sufficient-ly high and of proper polarity, the permanent magnet 24 will be displaced from one end of the channel 23 to the other.

When the permanent magnet 24 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1, that is to say, the position remote from the overlapping ends of the

contacts

21 and 22, its magnetic field will not have any significant effect on the cont-acts. When an electrical potential of proper polarity is supplied to the input terminals a, b of the coil 14, the permanent magnet 24 will be displaced within the channel 23 from the inoperative position shown in FIGURE l to the operative position shown in FIGURE 2, at which operative position the magnetic field produced by the permanent magnet will hold the

contacts

21, 22 closed even though the coil 14 is then deenergized. When the polarity of the electrical potential supplied to the input terminals a, b of the coil 14 is reversed, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the permanent magnet 24 will be displaced from `the operative position shown in FIGURE 2 to the inoperative position shown in FIG- URE l.

In the operation of the relay, the energization of the coil 14, irrespective of the polarity of the electrical potenial supplied to the input terminals a, b of the coil 14, produces a magnetic field through the channel 16 of the frame with maximum concentration through the

ferrous contacts

21 and 22, thereby closing the contacts. In addition, if the strength of the magnetic field is sufficiently high and of proper polarity, the permanent magnet 24 will be shifted between its inoperative position `and its latching position.

In one proposed type of relay of the present invention, the coil 14 of the relay is responsive both to stronger and weaker pulses of varying polarity. The weaker pulses, irrespective of polarity, will close the

contacts

21 and 22 of the relay for the duration of the energization of the coil 14. On the other hand, a stronger pulse of proper polarity will displace the permanent magnet 24 from the inoperative position shown in PTGURE 1 to the latching position shown in FIGURE 2 to maintain the contacts closed even beyond the duration of the pulse supplied to the coil 14. The magnetically latched

contacts

21 and 22 wili remain closed until a relatively strong pulse of opposite polarity is supplied to the coil 14 to displace the permanent magnet from the latching position to the inoperative position, whereupon after the duration of the pulse, the inherent resiliency of the contacts will restore them to open condition.

In the alternative embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 5, a second coil 26 is wound on an extended end portion of the shank separated from the coil 14 by a separator disc 27 of insulating material. The groove 23 continues into the extended portion of the shank 15, terminating at the inner surface of the disc 13. A permanent magnet 28 is slidingly positioned within the groove 23.

ln operation, the coil 14 is energized to close the

contacts

21 and 22. Moreover, the coil Z6 is independently Ienergized by impressing an electrical potential of proper polarity across the coil terminals c, d, where its magnetic field latches the

contacts

21 and 22 in closed condition. By reversing the polarity of the potential impressed on the coil terminals, the magnet can be restored to its initial inoperative position.

Thus in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURE 5, the permanent magnet is kept substantially out of the magnetic iield of the coil 14 in its inoperative position, lthereby reducing the demagnetizing influence of the magnetic iield established by the coil 14. Moreover, the motion of the permanent magnet 28 can be controlled independently of the magnetic field of coil 14, so that only the power necessary to actuate the

contacts

21, 22 need be supplied to the coil 14.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the above described exemplary embodiments are susceptible of modification and variation Without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited to any specified form or embodiment, except insofar as such limitations are expressly set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A relay comprising at least one magnetic reed contact, means for producing a magnetic iield which, when rendered operative, latches said contact in one condition of operation, and means for producing a reed-actuating magnetic field which is magnetically coupled with said contact and said lirst-mentioned means for producing a latching magnetic iield said reed-actuating magnetic eld actuating the magnetic reed contact and rendering operative the means for producing said latching magnetic field.

2. A relay comprising a pair of magnetically activated contacts normally in one position relative to each other in the presence of a magnetic iield, means for producing a iirst magnetic field magnetically coupled to the pair of contacts for shifting the contacts from one position to another, means for producing a second magnetic field which means is Within the iniluence of said first magnetic field so that if the tirst magnetic ield is of sutiicient strength and proper polarity the means for producing said second magnetic eld is displaced to a position where the second magnetic tield holds the contacts in their actuated position.

3. A relay comprising at least one magnetic reed contact, means for producing a rst magnetic tield which actuates the contact, and movable means for producing a second magnetic tield which holds the Contact in actuated condition, the movement of said movable means being determined by the polarity of said first magnetic field.

4. A relay comprising a frame, magnetic reed contacts supported by said frame, a Winding on said frame which,

when energized, actuates the contacts, and magnetic eld producing means supported for movement in said frame from a position at which the magnetic field has no influence on said contacts to a position at which the magnetic field holds said contacts in actuated condition, said movable means being displaced by the magnetic field of said Winding.

5. A relay comprising a spool-like insulated frame, a Winding on said frame, a scaled capsule mounted Within said frame, a pair of magnetic contacts within the capsule and actuated by the energization of the winding, and a permanent magnet within said insulated frame and accommodated for movement from a position in which the magnetic iield thereof has no significant iniiuence on the contacts to a position in which it holds the contacts in actuated condition, the displacement of said permanent magnet being controlled by the magnetic field produced by said Winding.

6. A relay as set forth in claim 5 including resilient means to hold said permanent magnet against displacement by gravity.

'7. A relay comprising a frame, magnetic reed contacts, a solenoid for actuating said contacts, a magnet accommodated for movement Within said frame from a position in which it does not hold the contacts in actuated condition to a position in which it holds the contacts in actuated condition and means for displacing the magy net from one position to the other.

8. A relay as set forth in claim 7 in which said means for displacing the magnet is a separate solenoid.

9. A relay comprising a spool-like insulated frame, first and second windings on said frame, a sealed capsule within said lirst Winding, magnetically actuated contacts Within the capsule and actuated by said iirst winding, and a magnet within said insulated frame and displaced by said second winding to a position in which it holds the contacts in actuated condition.

10. A relay comprising at least one magnetic reed contact, magnetic means movable in response to a magnetic lield of sufficient strength and given polarity from a position at which it does not intiuence the contact to a position at which it does iniluence the contact, and electromagnetic means energizable to actuate the contact and, when the magnetic field produced by the electromagnetic means is of suflicient strength and of proper polarity, to impart motion to the magnetic means to move it from one position to another.

11. A relay comprising a frame, at least one magnetic reed contact, a guide passage for a permanent magnet, the permanent magnet at one end of the guide passage holding the contact closed, and at the other end permitting vit to open, and electromagnetic means on each energization actuating the contact and, When of predetermined polarity, imparting latching movement to the permanent magnet.

12. A relay as set forth in claim 11 in which separate electromagnetic means actuate the contact and impart movement to the permanent magnet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,009,998 11/61 Pfleiderer 200--87l 3,040,146 6/62` Immel et al. 200-98 3,046,370 7/62 Adams et al. 200--87 OTHER REFERENCES Nitsch: (German application) 1,125,055, dated March 8, 1962, KL21c68/01.

Schonerneyer et al.: (German application) 1,134,147, dated August 2, 1962, KL21c68/01.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Examiner.

Claims

1. A RELAY COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE MAGNETIC REED CONTACT, MEANS FOR PRODUCTION A MAGNETIC FIELD WHICH, WHEN RENDERED OPERATIVE, LATCHES SAID CONTACT IN ONE CONDITION OF OPERATION, AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING A READ-ACTUATING MAGNETIC FIELD WHICH IS MAGNETICALLY COUPLED WITH SAID CONTACT AND SAID FIRST-MENTIONED MEANS FOR PRODUCING A LATCHING MAGNETIC FLELD SAID REED-ACTUATING MAGNETIC FIELD ACTUATING THE MAGNETIC REED CONTACT AND RENDERING OPERATIVE THE MEANS FOR PRODUCING SAID LATCHING MAGNETIC FIELD.