US3288972A - Magnetically actuated switching contact set - Google Patents

Magnetically actuated switching contact set Download PDF

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Publication number
US3288972A
US3288972A US474325A US47432565A US3288972A US 3288972 A US3288972 A US 3288972A US 474325 A US474325 A US 474325A US 47432565 A US47432565 A US 47432565A US 3288972 A US3288972 A US 3288972A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
contact
tongues
tongue
spring
contacts
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
US474325A
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English (en)
Inventor
Angermaier Hugo
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 and Halske AG
Siemens Corp
Original Assignee
Siemens Corp
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 Corp filed Critical Siemens Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3288972A publication Critical patent/US3288972A/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
    • H01H51/00—Electromagnetic relays
    • H01H51/28—Relays having both armature and contacts within a sealed casing outside which the operating coil is located, e.g. contact carried by a magnetic leaf spring or reed
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H51/00—Electromagnetic relays
    • H01H51/28—Relays having both armature and contacts within a sealed casing outside which the operating coil is located, e.g. contact carried by a magnetic leaf spring or reed
    • H01H51/287—Details of the shape of the contact springs

Definitions

  • This invention concerns a switching contact set which has fiat magneti zable spring contacts, at least in the switching area, which contacts also serve as electrical conductors. Such contacts are used in particular for sealed contact, or dry reed contact switches.
  • the spring contacts conduct the effective magnetic flux, as well as serve as electrical conductors.
  • the contact pressure upon actuation remain such as to hold the contacts together afiirmatively and fixedly until just before interruption of contact engagement, in order to avoid pitting of the contacts, and other adverse effects consequent of varying contact pressure, and the like.
  • the present invention has for its object the furnishing of a switching contact set which is simple in manufacture, and therefore less expensive, and which also takes up less space and has a longer dependable life span.
  • At least one of the spring contacts is provided with one or more slots to furnish at least a pair of tongues of different widths, one of the tongues being arranged to come into direct contact with the opposed spring contact upon actuation, but the narrower tongue having thereupon a layer of contact material which extends above the plane defined by the flat surface of the other tongue.
  • the other tongue therefore, need only be ICC designed for magnetic flux conduction purposes and may be selected and manufactured to have optimum characteristics for that purpose.
  • a further advantage of the construction of the present invention over that of the prior art, employing separate elements for the two different functions, is that a portion of the magnetic flux in the apparatus of the invention flows through the tongues of the spring contacts which serve to conduct electrical current. Therefore, more of the space which is taken up by the elements of the switching set is used to conduct magnetic flux, and the size of the apparatus may accordingly be decreased, even though the same magnetic attractive force can be achieved.
  • This is in addition to the reduction of size attendant the elimination of the need for additional springs and other parts, which are necessary in known arrangements provided for the purpose of the invention.
  • a further advantage of the construction of the invention is that the magnetic holding force required to be supplied to maintain the actuated contacts in engagement is kept at a minimum, since the broad tongues of the apparatus of the invention, in direct contact without an air gap, provide a high magnetic permeance.
  • a further advantage of the present invention arises out of the fact that there is only one variation, which gives rise to tolerances in the construction and operation of the switching apparatus, namely, the thickness of the contact layer. This is in contrast to the prior art solutions to the problems, by which a number of variations or tolerances in characteristics were to be expected.
  • the result of the invention is that the operating characteristics of the switching contacts may be confined to a very narrow tolerance range, during manufacture thereof.
  • a further advantage of the switching contact set of the invention is that a satisfactory contact pressure is maintained at all times from contact actuation up until just before interruption of the actuated contacts. This relationship occurs by reason of the added thickness of the tongue or tongues carrying the electrical contact layer, as compared with the tongue carrying the magnetic flux, primarily. By reason of this relationship, good contact engagement occurs even when the magnetic holding force between the parts of the spring contacts which directly engage each other is reduced to the level of the initial spring tension. Moreover, when, through the continued reduction of the magnetic holding force, the parts which are directly engaged (and primarily carry the magnetic flux) disengage, the parts primarily carrying the electrical current disengage very abruptly, since the initial spring tension of the parts in direct engagement is greater, by reason of their greater width.
  • a final advantage of the apparatus of the invention is that the life span and operational safety are quite high, since the spring contacts are simple parts being provided only with slots, and failure through wear and tear of spot-welded or otherwise afiixed additional components, as would occur in the known systems, does not happen.
  • the layer of contact material provided for the engagement between the narrower contact tongues, can be provided upon either of the spring contact members, or upon both of such members.
  • Such layer can be plated onto the spring contact, as well as being evaporated on that contact, or the contact layer can be provided through galvanization.
  • the spring contacts may also be slotted in such fashion as to each have two tongues of different widths, with the tongues of the same width in engagement with each other upon actuation of the contact set.
  • the different width tongues may be at opposite sides of the center line of the contact set, so that the small electrical contact tongues engage the large tongues of the opposite spring contacts.
  • a further embodiment of the invention employs switching contacts having two longitudinal slots therein such as to form three tongues, which are preferably symmetrically distributed along the width of the spring contact.
  • switching contacts having two longitudinal slots therein such as to form three tongues, which are preferably symmetrically distributed along the width of the spring contact.
  • either the center tongue or the two outer tongues may come into direct engagement with the opposite spring contact, without the intervening electrical contact material.
  • a double switching contact is of course developed, the advantages of such design being well known.
  • FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a pair of switching contacts constructed in accordance with the invention
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 are simplified diagrammatic views of the opposite surfaces of the switching contacts of FIG. 1, with FIG. 2 showing the contacts in rest position, and FIG. 3 showing them in engagement;
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 are views similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, showing the respective rest and engagement positions of a modified form of the contact set of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a further modified version of the apparatus of the invention.
  • FIGS. 7 and 8 are views similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing a further modified form of the invention in which both contact members are provided with longitudinal slots;
  • FIGS. 9 and 10 are views respectively similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the electrical contact element as including the center tongue of one of the switch contacts;
  • FIG. 11 shows the rest position of a double-throw form of the switching contact set of the invention
  • FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate the use of only a single slot in the apparatus of the invention.
  • FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate the use of a single slot on each contact element, but with the electrical contact members at opposite sides of the center line of the apparatus.
  • FIG. 1 shows two flat spring contacts of magnetizable material, 1 and 2, of the type which would be utilized in sealed contact sets of the kind termed dry reed contacts.
  • the two spring contacts overlap, with their free ends forming an air gap 3 between the parts thereof which are to engage.
  • the spring contact 1 is provided, in accordance with the invention, with two slots 4 and 5, so that three longitudinal tongues la-lc are provided at the end of the spring contact 1.
  • the center tongue 1b is wider than either of the outer tongues, and indeed the width is preferably such that it exceeds the sum of the widths of the outer tongues.
  • the outer contact tongues 1a and 1c are shown as provided with a special contact material 6 and 7 which extends upwardly from the plane defined by the flat upper surface of the contact member 1. These contact surfaces or layers 6 and 7 are preferably of material chosen for their good characteristics for electrical switching and may be plated onto the element 1.
  • FIGS. 2 and 3 contrast the unactuated or rest position and the operating position of the contact set, with FIG. 3 showing the spring contacts in engagement with each other to eliminate the air gap 3.
  • the magnetic flux path includes the central tongue 1b and the contact member 2
  • the electrical path includes the tongues 1a and 1c, the contact material layers 6 and 7 and the contact element 2.
  • FIGS. 415 are different design examples of the invention and are distinguished from each other and from those of FIGS. 1-3, only through dilferent arrangement of slots and positions of layers of contact material. Accordingly, similar parts in the various figures are provided with corresponding reference designations.
  • the spring contact 2 is also provided with plating material, in this construction.
  • the contact element 2 is provided with plating material, the spring contact element 1 not having such material.
  • both the spring contact elements 1 and 2 have the same tongue arrangement at their ends, as well as having the same contact layers.
  • the center tongue is used as the electrical current-conducting tongue, while the outer tongues are the magnetic contact elements. That is, the center tongue is provided with the contact layer, while the outer tongues function primarily to conduct magnetic flux.
  • FIGS. 9 and 10 could further be modified so that the spring element 2 was slotted, in similar fashion to the spring element 1.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates the use of the invention in connection with a double-throw type of switch.
  • the center member 12 is not slotted but does carry center electrical contact layers.
  • the two outer contact members 8 and 9 are both similarly slotted to form three tongues, with the center tongues provided with electrical contact material.
  • FIG. 11 shows the apparatus in the rest position.
  • FIGS. 12 and 13 employs only a single slot 5, so that the contact element 1 only has a single tongue which carries the electrical contact material.
  • the embodiment of FIGS. 14 and 15 has each contact element I and 2 provided with a single slot, but with the slots arranged at opposite sides of the center line of the contact set, so that the electrical contact tongue of the element 1 engages the large contact portion of the element 2, while the electrical contact material on the contact tongue of the switch contact 2 also engages the large non-plated tongue of the contact 1.
  • a sealed electrical contact set including a pair of spring contacts of magnetic material having end portions opposite each other which engage upon switch actuation and which must carry both magnetic flux and electrical current, the improvement comprising:
  • said spring contacts having at least a pair of longitudinally-extending tongues at said end portion defined by at least one slot extending inwardly of the contact from the end thereof, said tongues being of unequal width
  • the apparatus of claim 2 including a second electrical contact layer on the other contact in position to be engaged by said first-mentioned layer upon switch actuation.
  • both of said contacts have at least a pair of longitudinally-extending tongues at the respective said end portions defined by at least one slot extending inwardly of the contact from the end thereof, the tongues on each contact being of unequal width, each of said narrower tongues carrying an electrical contact layer.
  • At least said one contact has three said tongues defined by a pair of parallel said slots, with two of said three tongues being of equal width but of total width less than the third tongue, there being two electrical contact layers on at least one of the spring contacts in position such as to be between said two tongues and the opposite contact, so that the third tongue may be directly engaged with the other contact when the switch is actuated.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Contacts (AREA)
  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
US474325A 1964-08-13 1965-07-23 Magnetically actuated switching contact set Expired - Lifetime US3288972A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DES92626A DE1274732B (de) 1964-08-13 1964-08-13 Magnetisch betaetigbarer Schaltkontakt
DES0095738 1965-03-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3288972A true US3288972A (en) 1966-11-29

Family

ID=25997762

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US474325A Expired - Lifetime US3288972A (en) 1964-08-13 1965-07-23 Magnetically actuated switching contact set
US499415A Expired - Lifetime US3294944A (en) 1964-08-13 1965-10-21 Magnetically actuated switching contacts

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US499415A Expired - Lifetime US3294944A (en) 1964-08-13 1965-10-21 Magnetically actuated switching contacts

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (2) US3288972A (de)
AT (1) AT261723B (de)
BE (1) BE668307A (de)
CH (1) CH434506A (de)
DE (2) DE1274732B (de)
GB (1) GB1064139A (de)
NL (1) NL140090B (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5883556A (en) * 1997-12-15 1999-03-16 C.P. Clare Corporation Reed switch

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL7408907A (nl) * 1974-07-02 1976-01-06 Philips Nv Bistabiele schakelaar met strookcontacten.

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3188426A (en) * 1961-11-22 1965-06-08 Int Standard Electric Corp Make before break magnetically-operated reed-type contact

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1110308B (de) * 1959-06-03 1961-07-06 Siemens Ag Magnetisch betaetigter Schutzrohr-umschaltekontakt mit UEbergang

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3188426A (en) * 1961-11-22 1965-06-08 Int Standard Electric Corp Make before break magnetically-operated reed-type contact

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5883556A (en) * 1997-12-15 1999-03-16 C.P. Clare Corporation Reed switch
WO1999031691A1 (en) * 1997-12-15 1999-06-24 Cp Clare Corporation Improved reed switch and method of making same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AT261723B (de) 1968-05-10
DE1274732B (de) 1968-08-08
DE1514409A1 (de) 1969-05-08
CH434506A (de) 1967-04-30
BE668307A (de) 1966-02-14
NL6510066A (de) 1966-02-14
NL140090B (nl) 1973-10-15
US3294944A (en) 1966-12-27
DE1514409B2 (de) 1972-05-10
GB1064139A (en) 1967-04-05

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