US3819896A - Electrical switching device and contact spring set therefor - Google Patents

Electrical switching device and contact spring set therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
US3819896A
US3819896A US00350319A US35031973A US3819896A US 3819896 A US3819896 A US 3819896A US 00350319 A US00350319 A US 00350319A US 35031973 A US35031973 A US 35031973A US 3819896 A US3819896 A US 3819896A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
contact spring
elongated
spring
clamping
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
US00350319A
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English (en)
Inventor
A Ruhland
M Aidn
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.)
Siemens AG
Original Assignee
Siemens AG
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 Siemens AG filed Critical Siemens AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3819896A publication Critical patent/US3819896A/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
    • H01H1/24—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
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H50/00—Details of electromagnetic relays
    • H01H50/54—Contact arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H50/00—Details of electromagnetic relays
    • H01H50/54—Contact arrangements
    • H01H50/56—Contact spring sets

Definitions

  • each spring includes a stable flexing leg extending across the inner end of the spring and mounted in the base for the switch and having a right-angled portion extending parallel to the spring and mounted in a right-angled portion of the base for the switch.
  • the stable flexing leg has a terminal extending therefrom through a window in the right-angled portion of the base.
  • the stationary contact is mounted to extend between the contact springs and is flexible to a limited extent and fixed to an extension of the insulating base at its rear end and along one side of said contact.
  • the stationary contact is diagonally slit in a longitudinal direction along the support portion of the base extending parallel to the contact, to accommodate a limited flexing of said stationary contact and may be drilled to vary the flexibility thereof and provide the required elasticity of said contact, and determine the bending point thereof.
  • a contact spring to an insulation base in guiding slots of relatively low depth which serve as a stable mounting for the spring and attain this by providing at least two fixing edges for the contact spring in which at least one of these fixing edges forms a mounting for a leg which basically runs parallel to the freely movable contact spring.
  • the contact spring is given good directional stability and exact spacing from the base and also enables the spring structure to be adjustable.
  • the parts of the contact springs which serve for fixing the spring to its insulating base can be kept very small in the interest of a compact relay structure and the contact springs can have a relatively large, effective spring length with a resultant minimum error constant.
  • unavoidable production tolerances cause minimum differences in the force required to operate the spring and thereby enable the contact spring to be operated by a relatively low operating force.
  • each contact spring which run at right angles to each other.
  • the contact leg and the fixing leg of the contact spring can be made in one piece, although where the spring is made from thin spring material, the fixing part or leg may be made of a more stable material in a generally L-shaped form and riveted or otherwise secured to the contact spring, and extend across and to one side thereof.
  • the fixing leg of the contact spring may also have a solder lug extending from one side thereof and running perpendicular to the contact spring.
  • a principal advantage of the present invention is the provision of a firm insulating mounting for a contact spring, taking up a minor portion of the length of the spring.
  • Another advantage of the invention is that where the fixing of the contact spring is in slots formed in the right-angled walls of a single insulating base, a firm holding of the fixing leg and contact spring is attained by the use of outwardly curved entrance walls within which the fixing edges of the spring extend.
  • a further advantage of the invention is that the flexibility of the contact spring, free from its fixing leg, is attained by a slot between the contact spring and fixing leg, one wall of which is parallel to the side wall of the contact spring and the other wall of which is at an angle and converges toward the contact spring to provide a desired bending point of the spring which may be weakened in cross section and may be increased or decreased in accordance with the requirements for flexibility of the contact spring for different switching conditions.
  • FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a switch and contact spring arrangement constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention with certain parts broken away.
  • FIG. 1A is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line A-A of FIG. I, and illustrating the detailed structure of a clamping slot for one of the contact springs.
  • FIG. 2 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the switching contact shown in FIG. 1, with certain parts broken away and with the clamping areas of the switching contact and its fixing leg shown by dotted sectional lines.
  • FIG. 3 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 2, but showing a modified form of contact spring in which the contact spring and fixing leg are in one piece;
  • FIG. 4 is a detail view looking at the stationary contact from the bottom thereof and showing the clamping areas by dotted sectional lines.
  • FIG. 1 of the drawings we have shown in side elevation a portion of an electrical switching device and contact spring set constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, and including a base member 1 made from insulating material having two vertically spaced insulating slots 2 formed therein for receiving and forming a mounting for the inner ends of contact springs 4.
  • the base 1 has a central leg 1a extending between the contact springs 4 in the direction of said springs and having a generally U-shaped and widened outer end portion la, the legs of which form a mounting for an insulating member 17 having a slot 3 extending thereacross and forming a clamping area for receiving the rear end portion of an intermediate contact 5.
  • Each contact spring 4 extends along one side of a stable fixing leg 7 forming a mounting therefor and curves upwardly from the leg 7 to a peak engaging a stationary abutment 40 between the ends of the spring and gradually curves downwardly from said peak to the end of the contact spring, to form a flexible contact leg 6, shown in FIG. 2 as having a slot 60 extending along the central portion thereof and dividing the contact leg along its center to increase the flexibility thereof.
  • Contacts 9 are riveted or otherwise secured to the inside of each contact leg 6 for engagement with contacts 9a riveted or otherwise secured to opposite sides of the stationary contact 5. The gradual converging of the contact leg from its opposite ends to a peak engaging the abutment 4a biases the individual contact springs to engage the movable contacts 9 with the generally stationary contacts 9a.
  • the contacts 9 are disengaged from the contacts 9a by operation of a rectilinearly movable shifter 8 having a lug 80 extending between the contact springs and movable in opposite directions to disengage the contacts 9 from the contacts 9a of one contact spring and accommodate the engagement of the contacts 9 of the other contact spring with the contacts 9a by the bias of the spring.
  • the shifter 8 may be the armature of a solenoid. This provides an alternately operable switching device in which contacts can be alternately made and broken by a simple shifting operation.
  • the insulating base 1 may be made from any suitable insulating material and preferably may be made from a plastic insulating material, and is shown as having a back wall or end portion lb with a right-angled portion 10 projecting therefrom along the outsides of the contact springs 4 and contact legs 6 of said springs.
  • the right-angled portion 10 may form a mounting for the abutments 4a, abutting the peaked portions of said springs, and biasing said contact springs to engage the contacts 9 thereof with the contacts 9a on opposite sides of the intermediate generally stationary contact 5.
  • Each contact spring 4, as shown in FIG. 2, is made from a thin spring current conducting material, which may be phosphor-bronze or any other suitable currentconducting, spring-like material and is welded or otherwise secured to a leg 70 of a fixing part 7 which with the contact spring 4 and leg 7a are anchored at their trailing ends in the slots 2, shown in FIG. 1A as having converging entering portions, converging to the slots 2 having clamping areas 10 extending therealong.
  • the fixing leg 7 for each contact spring anchored along its leg 7a in the slot 2 of the base 1, is generally L-shaped in cross section and has a right-angled leg 7b anchored in an anchoring or clamping area 11 of a right-angled portion 1c of the base, extending parallel to the contact spring 4.
  • the right-angled leg 7b of the fixing leg 7 has a terminal 12 extending through the right-angled portion 10 and along the clamping area 11.
  • the terminal 12 may serve as a soldering lug or as a connecting plug and extends through a window or apertured portion of the right-angled portion 1c.
  • the terminal 12 may be secured to the right-angled portion 10 and anchoring area 11, against withdrawal in any suitable manner, which for example, may be by twisting of the terminal or molding the terminal within said wall to encapsulate the terminal in said wall.
  • a firm mounting for the contact spring 4 has thus been provided, enabling free flexing of the spring and positively mounting the spring in the base 1 at its extreme inner end portion, to enable the spring to have a relatively large effective spring length with a small error constant.
  • each contact spring and fixing part 7 is in one piece and clamped in the slot 2 of the clamping surface 10 and in a similar slot in a right-angled portion 1c forming the clamping area 11 for a portion 1b extending along said fixing or clamping area 11.
  • a terminal 12 extends outwardly from the portion 1b of the fixing area 11 of the arm lc, as in the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • the longitudinal extending portion 7b of the fixing leg 7 and the clamping or fixing area 11 are separated from the contact spring 4 by a deep slot 13 formed by an angular cut diverging to the contact spring and a second cut extending along the edge of the contact spring.
  • the intermediate or stationary contact 5 carried in the slot 3 of the clamping area 17 is supported outwardly of the clamping area for the contact springs 4, adjacent the outer end of the base 1 in the slot 3 formed in the clamping area 17 and a similar slot formed in a right-angled clamping area 18 formed in a bracket 18a extending along the stationary contact for a greater portion of its length.
  • the stationary contact 5 has a contact leg 14 with contacts 9a riveted to opposite sides thereof.
  • the contact leg 14 is shorter than the spring leg 6 of the contact spring 4.
  • Said contact 5 is diagonally slotted by a cut 15, with the right-angled surfaces of said contact fixed or clamped to the clamping areas 17 and 18 arranged in a generally L-shaped or right-angled form.
  • a lug or finger 19 is cut from the fixing-part 16 of the contact 5 and may be wedged in the slot 3.
  • the angular cut 15 in the contact 5 may determine the position of the desired bending point of the contact leg 14.
  • a hole 20 may also be drilled through the contact 5 to increase the flexibility of said contact particularly along the bending point thereof.
  • the position and size of the drilled hole may be varied in accordance with therequired bending point of the contact leg and flexibility thereof. At least two small holes may take the place of the large drilled hole 20 to accommodate the flexibility of the contact 5 and bending point to be readily adjusted.
  • the contact springs 4 and 5 have the common advantage that in addition to the right-angled clamping areas and 17 for the inner ends of the spring legs of respective contacts 4 and 5, second right-angled clamping areas 11 and 18 are provided for said respective contacts 4 and 5. With this clamping arrangement and the flexibility of the contacts relative to the clamping areas, the contacts are firmly held in position in the base and the exact positions of the contacts may be maintained where the contacts are carried in low depth clamping slots.
  • a variation of the L-shaped clamping of the contact figures, not shown herein, would be to have fixing or clamping grooves or areas running parallel to opposite sides of the clamping legs and separated by cuts, like the cuts 13 and 15, extending for portions of the length thereof.
  • a contact spring set including at least one elongated contact spring having a contact adjacent its free end and a mounting leg extending to one side of said contact spring
  • a relatively stationary flexible contact spring having a contact on its free end adapted to be engaged with the contact on the free end of said elongated contact spring
  • terminals extend from said mounting leg for said elongated contact spring through the portions of said insulating base forming the clamping areas extending generally parallel to said elongated and generally stationary contact spring sets.
  • each mounting leg for said elongated contact springs each have a stable L-shaped fixing part having a part secured to extend across the rear end of said contact spring, each mounting leg extending parallel to the elongated contact spring and having a terminal formed as a part thereof and extending outwardly of said base through the clamping area thereof.
  • the contact spring set of claim 8 in which the mounting leg for the elongated movable contact spring has a hole extending therethrough spaced from and cooperating with said inclined slot to define the bending point of said elongated movable contact spring.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Contacts (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Tumbler Switches (AREA)
US00350319A 1972-04-17 1973-04-12 Electrical switching device and contact spring set therefor Expired - Lifetime US3819896A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2218495A DE2218495C3 (de) 1972-04-17 1972-04-17 Kontaktfedersatz

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3819896A true US3819896A (en) 1974-06-25

Family

ID=5842199

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00350319A Expired - Lifetime US3819896A (en) 1972-04-17 1973-04-12 Electrical switching device and contact spring set therefor

Country Status (14)

Country Link
US (1) US3819896A (xx)
JP (1) JPS566084B2 (xx)
AT (1) AT337815B (xx)
CH (1) CH567331A5 (xx)
CS (1) CS173629B2 (xx)
DE (1) DE2218495C3 (xx)
DK (1) DK140237C (xx)
ES (1) ES413455A1 (xx)
FR (1) FR2180842B1 (xx)
GB (1) GB1397157A (xx)
IT (1) IT983733B (xx)
NL (1) NL7305381A (xx)
SE (1) SE393482B (xx)
YU (1) YU36238B (xx)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4027131A (en) * 1974-09-13 1977-05-31 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Spring contact assembly
US4087667A (en) * 1975-01-20 1978-05-02 Bunker Ramo Corporation Double-throw contact
US4194102A (en) * 1977-12-29 1980-03-18 Robertshaw Controls Company Condition responsive electrical switch construction and parts and methods therefor
US4300025A (en) * 1979-12-10 1981-11-10 General Electric Company Refrigerator door switch
US4363015A (en) * 1977-12-29 1982-12-07 Robertshaw Controls Company Condition responsive electrical switch construction and parts and methods therefor
US5719541A (en) * 1994-07-08 1998-02-17 Eh-Schrack Components-Aktiengesellschaft Relay
US6156982A (en) * 1999-09-24 2000-12-05 Honeywell Inc. Low current high temperature switch contacts
US6166341A (en) * 1999-09-24 2000-12-26 Honeywell Inc Dual cross edge contacts for low energy switches
US6184484B1 (en) * 1999-11-05 2001-02-06 Emerson Electric Co. Switch with slotted terminal arm

Families Citing this family (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2627168C3 (de) * 1976-06-16 1983-12-15 Siemens AG, 1000 Berlin und 8000 München Elektromagnetisches Relais mit zur Ankerrückstellung dienender Kontaktfeder
DE2753322C2 (de) * 1977-11-30 1984-05-30 Dynamit Nobel Ag, 5210 Troisdorf Verfahren zur Herstellung von α-Hydroxymethylen-nitrilen bzw. der tautomeren α-Formylnitrile
AT373441B (de) * 1978-03-31 1984-01-25 Rausch & Pausch Elektromagnetisches schaltrelais
AT388468B (de) * 1987-07-20 1989-06-26 Schrack Elektronik Ag Relais
CH676298A5 (xx) * 1987-07-20 1990-12-28 Schrack Elektronik Ag
DE9206669U1 (de) * 1992-05-20 1992-07-30 Doduco GmbH + Co Dr. Eugen Dürrwächter i.K., 75181 Pforzheim Kontaktfeder für Schwachstromanwendungen
JP3299691B2 (ja) * 1997-05-23 2002-07-08 ヒロセ電機株式会社 スイッチ装置
FR2789219B1 (fr) * 1999-02-02 2001-02-23 Schneider Electric Sa Grille de contact pour appareil electromecanique et son procede de fabrication
US7340914B2 (en) 2005-01-03 2008-03-11 Whirlpool Corporation Refrigerator with a water and ice dispenser having a retractable ledge
KR101665965B1 (ko) 2014-08-08 2016-10-14 코리아테스팅 주식회사 충돌시험용 하이브리드 서보 액추에이터

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2400452A (en) * 1943-02-26 1946-05-14 Automatic Elect Lab Electromagnetic relay
US2538815A (en) * 1945-08-25 1951-01-23 Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Electromagnetic counting device
US2945107A (en) * 1957-12-12 1960-07-12 Westinghouse Air Brake Co Electrical relays

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB858141A (en) * 1955-10-17 1961-01-04 English Telephone Company Ltd Improvements in or relating to contact spring-pile-ups for electrical switching devic es
FR1428594A (fr) * 1965-01-06 1966-02-18 Constr Telephoniques Perfectionnements aux empilages de ressorts de contact
DE1960865B2 (de) * 1969-12-04 1972-01-13 Standard Elektrik Lorenz Ag, 7000 Stuttgart Kontaktfedersatz fuer relais und aehnliche schalter

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2400452A (en) * 1943-02-26 1946-05-14 Automatic Elect Lab Electromagnetic relay
US2538815A (en) * 1945-08-25 1951-01-23 Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Electromagnetic counting device
US2945107A (en) * 1957-12-12 1960-07-12 Westinghouse Air Brake Co Electrical relays

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4027131A (en) * 1974-09-13 1977-05-31 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Spring contact assembly
US4087667A (en) * 1975-01-20 1978-05-02 Bunker Ramo Corporation Double-throw contact
US4194102A (en) * 1977-12-29 1980-03-18 Robertshaw Controls Company Condition responsive electrical switch construction and parts and methods therefor
US4363015A (en) * 1977-12-29 1982-12-07 Robertshaw Controls Company Condition responsive electrical switch construction and parts and methods therefor
US4300025A (en) * 1979-12-10 1981-11-10 General Electric Company Refrigerator door switch
US5719541A (en) * 1994-07-08 1998-02-17 Eh-Schrack Components-Aktiengesellschaft Relay
US6156982A (en) * 1999-09-24 2000-12-05 Honeywell Inc. Low current high temperature switch contacts
US6166341A (en) * 1999-09-24 2000-12-26 Honeywell Inc Dual cross edge contacts for low energy switches
US6184484B1 (en) * 1999-11-05 2001-02-06 Emerson Electric Co. Switch with slotted terminal arm

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS566084B2 (xx) 1981-02-09
JPS4916846A (xx) 1974-02-14
DE2218495A1 (de) 1973-10-25
GB1397157A (en) 1975-06-11
IT983733B (it) 1974-11-11
DK140237B (da) 1979-07-09
SE393482B (sv) 1977-05-09
CS173629B2 (xx) 1977-02-28
FR2180842B1 (xx) 1977-09-02
DE2218495B2 (de) 1977-06-23
YU84973A (en) 1981-06-30
YU36238B (en) 1982-02-25
NL7305381A (xx) 1973-10-19
DK140237C (da) 1979-12-03
ES413455A1 (es) 1976-01-16
ATA241973A (de) 1976-11-15
FR2180842A1 (xx) 1973-11-30
DE2218495C3 (de) 1983-03-03
CH567331A5 (xx) 1975-09-30
AT337815B (de) 1977-07-25

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