US3757069A - Contact spring set - Google Patents

Contact spring set Download PDF

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Publication number
US3757069A
US3757069A US00242972A US3757069DA US3757069A US 3757069 A US3757069 A US 3757069A US 00242972 A US00242972 A US 00242972A US 3757069D A US3757069D A US 3757069DA US 3757069 A US3757069 A US 3757069A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
spring
linear
counter
contact spring
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00242972A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
H Reuting
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ELMEG Elektro Mechanik GmbH
Original Assignee
ELMEG Elektro Mechanik GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ELMEG Elektro Mechanik GmbH filed Critical ELMEG Elektro Mechanik GmbH
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3757069A publication Critical patent/US3757069A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/32—Self-aligning contacts
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/24—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting
    • H01H1/26—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with resilient mounting with spring blade support

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priorit D t
  • a contact spring set has a generally rectilinear moving Apr. 21 1971 Germany P 21 19 428.5 mach Spring end of which is mvahle gagement with a co-operating counter-contact, the 52 us. (:1 200/166 J, 200/166 Bl-l mvihg Spring being Provided at that end with 51 1m. (:1.
  • the invention relates to a contact spring set comprising a contact spring which is gripped at one end, and at the free end of which there is provided a linear contact which extends transversely in relation to the longitudinal direction of the said spring and which cooperates with a counter-contact.
  • Such contact spring sets are employed in electromagnetic relays, in which the co-operating contacts can operate as ofi-normal, normal or change-over contacts.
  • linear contacts are, for example, prismatic or cylindrical form and riveted or welded on transversely to the longitudinal axis of the springs, so that the linear contacts and the countercontacts touch one another over the whole length of a common surface line at closing, if the contact crosssections are of appropriate shape.
  • the contact profiles are generally flattened in the region of this surface line due to the elastic or plastic deformation of the contact material which always takes place, the passage of current in this arrangement takes place over an area which is extended along the surface line.
  • contact spring sets in which the contact springs are provided only with point or tip contacts, a lower electric contact resistance is present when linear contacts are provided. Consequently, with equal strength of current to be switched, heating and arc erosion of the contacts are substantially reduced owing to the fact that the current density in the transfer region is substantially lower than in contact spring sets having point or tip contacts.
  • linear contacts of, for example, prismatic form resides in that, owing to their greater mass, they take up the necessarily generated heat more rapidly and more favourably, and owing to the fact that their area of heat transmission to the contact spring is larger, they give up more heat to the said contact spring and to the ambient atmosphere. Consequently, it is possible with linear contacts to switch currents of higher power without variation of the construction of a relay and without any breakdowns due to arc erosion of the contacts or deficient transmission capacity.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a contact spring set of the kind described at the beginning of this specification, wherein it is ensured, without adjustment work, that the linear contact always comes into contact with the associated counter-contact over its entire length. It is also intended that the spring force of the contact springshall not be reduced in the direction in which it is actuated and that the contact spring shall have good transverse rigidity, so that lateral pitching movements or vibrations, which might result in an indeterminate contact-make, are prevented.
  • the contact spring comprises two spring arms which are connect3d together by the linear contact.
  • the two spring arms supply in common the necessary spring force in the direction of actuation
  • the two spring arms in contrast to a contact spring consisting of only one arm, not only substantially reduce, with the same spring force, the resistance to torsion about the central axis of the contact spring, which in itself results in a better application of the linear contact to the counter-contact, but in addition any torsion of the contact spring which is necessary for obtaining parallelism between the linear contact and the counter-contact and hence a complete application along the common line of contact, is efi'ected with optimum utilisation of the force available for the operation of the contacts; because if the contact spring is twisted slightly in relation to the counter-contact, the force transmission bar which is present in relays and which is actuated by the electromagnet, first acts on the spring arm which is furthest from the counter-contact.
  • the said spring arm is moved towards the counter-contact with the full available force, which corresponds to the torsion of the whole contact spring consisting of the two spring arms and is generally sufficient in itselfto bring about a parallel alignment of the linear contact and of the counter-contact.
  • complete parallelism is established at the instant when one side of the linear contact encounters the countercontact.
  • the actuating bar acts with its full force substantially only on the spring arm which is furthest from the counter-contact and thus ensures that the counter-contact and the linear contact encounter one another over their whole common line of contact.
  • the contact force is distributed, in the end stage, substantially equally to the two spring arms and hence to the whole width of the linear contact.
  • the spring arms Owing to the connection of the two spring arms by the linear contact in the design according to the invention, a high lateral stability of the whole contact spring is obtained. In a further development of the concept of the invention, this can be further improved by connecting together the spring arms in the region in which they are clamped for mounting. This also facilitates manufacture and assembly, since the distance between the two spring arms no longer has to be adjusted for in fitting and clamping of the linear contact.
  • the spring arms may be constructed as leaf springs.
  • a good lateral stability is also obtained if the spring arms are constructed as rod-type springs, since lateral pitching movements are substantially eliminated by the clamping and the connection of the spring arms by means of the linear contact.
  • the linear contact and the counter-contact may cooperate as normally open or as normally closed contacts. It is equally possible to provide a further counter- I contact, in which case the two counter-contacts and the contact spring co-operate to act as a change-over contact. In this case, linear contact is provided on both sides of the spring arms.
  • FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a contact spring set constructed in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a section through the said contact spring set along the line II-II of FIG. I. l
  • the illustrated contact spring set comprises a bearing block 3 of insulating material, which is formed whith two slots 1 and 2.
  • a strip-form counter-contact 4 is disposed in the slot 1, while a contact spring 5 is held in the slot 2.
  • the counter-contact 4 and the contact spring 5 comprise soldering lugs 6 and 7 respectively which project out of the bearing block 3 at the rear end.
  • the contact spring 5 is substantially U-shaped, i.e. it has in the region in which it is gripped in the bearing block a base portion 8, from which two spring arms 9 and 10 extend in parallel relation to one another. These two spring arms are connected together at their forward free end by a linear contact 11, which has the form of a bisected cylinder.
  • a linear contact 11 which has the form of a bisected cylinder.
  • an actuating bar 12 which acts on the two spring arms 9 and 10 and which may be appropriately driven by the electromagnetic system of a relay.
  • the linear contact 11 and the countercontact 4 need not be aligned exactly paralle' to one another in the inoperative position, so that no complicated adjustment work is necessary.
  • the spring arm 10 is further from the counter-contact 4 than the spring arm 9, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the actuating bar 12 first comes into contact with this spring arm 10 in its upward movement.
  • the whole force of the actuating bar 12 thus first acts only on the said spring arm 10, whereby the whole contact spring 8 is slightly turned about its longitudinal axis, so that the linear contact 11 is generally already aligned parallel with the counter-contact 4.
  • this parallel alignment has not yet been completely reached, it is completed at the instant when the linear contact 11 bears against the counter-contact on the side of the spring arm 9.
  • the actuating bar 12 then further acts with its whole force on the spring arm 10, so that the linear contact also completely bears against the counter-contact in the region of this spring arm 10.
  • the linear contact is then pushed against the counter-contact 4 with substantially uniform distribution of force over its entire length.
  • the contact spring set may comprise, for example, a number of contact springs and corresponding counter-contacts.
  • the construction of the contact springs themselves may vary.
  • Thespring arms need not, for example, be connected together in the region of the points at which they are gripped. They may also consist of rod-type springs instead of leaf springs.
  • a contact spring set for use in a relay, said contact spring set being of the type which includes an insulating block and first and second contact members fixedly mounted in spaced relationship in said insulating block, said second contact member being selectively movable for engaging said first contact member in an electrical junction
  • an improved second contact member comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced bars and a linear contact, said linear contact connecting said spaced bars at their free ends, said spaced bars having a length substantially greater than their width and being of a spring material, said bar spacing, length, width, and material cooperating to define means for twisting said second contact member about its longitudinal axis, when misaligned with said first contact member for engaging said linear contact with said first contact member in a substantially linear electrical junction when said improved second contact member is moved into engagement with said first contact member.
  • said second contact member further comprises a base, said base being fixedly mounted in said insulating block, said pair of spaced bars extending outwardly from said base.

Landscapes

  • Contacts (AREA)
  • Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)
  • Springs (AREA)
US00242972A 1971-04-21 1972-04-11 Contact spring set Expired - Lifetime US3757069A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2119428A DE2119428B2 (de) 1971-04-21 1971-04-21 Kontaktfedersatz

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3757069A true US3757069A (en) 1973-09-04

Family

ID=5805417

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00242972A Expired - Lifetime US3757069A (en) 1971-04-21 1972-04-11 Contact spring set

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3757069A (enExample)
CH (1) CH537639A (enExample)
DE (1) DE2119428B2 (enExample)
FR (1) FR2133947B1 (enExample)
GB (1) GB1391287A (enExample)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4027129A (en) * 1973-08-24 1977-05-31 Giko Kabushiki Kaisha Push button switch
US4683358A (en) * 1985-03-05 1987-07-28 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contact arrangement in a relay for high breaking capacity
US5637882A (en) * 1995-01-13 1997-06-10 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Detector plate for use in imaging systems

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4027129A (en) * 1973-08-24 1977-05-31 Giko Kabushiki Kaisha Push button switch
US4683358A (en) * 1985-03-05 1987-07-28 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contact arrangement in a relay for high breaking capacity
US5637882A (en) * 1995-01-13 1997-06-10 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Detector plate for use in imaging systems

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2119428C3 (enExample) 1974-05-02
CH537639A (de) 1973-05-31
DE2119428B2 (de) 1973-10-04
FR2133947B1 (enExample) 1977-08-19
FR2133947A1 (enExample) 1972-12-01
DE2119428A1 (de) 1972-11-09
GB1391287A (en) 1975-04-23

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