JP2018107045A - Contact device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To decelerate a movable contact by a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A contact device 1 comprises a contact part 2, a movable member 7, a fixed member 8, and a cushioning member 6. The contact part 2 has a movable contact 21 and a fixed contact 22. The movable member 7 is displaced by power generated from a power generation source. The fixed member 8 faces the movable member 7. The cushioning member 6 is provided on at least one of the movable member 7 and the fixed member 8. In conjunction with the movable member 7, the movable contact 21 moves between a closed position for making contact with the fixed contact 22 and an open position for separating from the fixed contact 22. In the process where the movable contact 21 moves from the open position to the closed position, the cushioning member 6 damps force, in a direction toward the fixed contact 22, which acts on the movable contact 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates generally to a contact device, and more particularly to a contact device having a contact portion having a movable contact and a fixed contact.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a magnet switch control circuit (drive circuit) that controls a normally open contact (movable contact) of a magnet switch (contact device) has been known. The magnet switch control circuit described in Patent Document 1 is configured to control energization of a magnet coil (coil). When energized, the magnet coil generates magnetic force and closes the normally open contact of the magnet switch.

  In addition, the magnet switch control circuit controls the magnetic force generated by the magnet coil after the energization of the magnet coil is started to decelerate the normally open contact, thereby suppressing the bounce of the normally open contact. The magnet switch control circuit determines the start time of control for decelerating the normally open contact according to the voltage or current applied to the magnet coil.

JP 2002-089420 A

  However, in the above conventional example, in order to start the control for decelerating the movable contact, it is necessary to monitor the voltage or current applied to the coil, and there is a problem that the circuit configuration is complicated.

  This invention is made | formed in view of said point, and it aims at providing the contact apparatus which can decelerate a movable contact with a simple structure.

  The contact device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a contact portion, a movable member, a fixed member, and a cushioning member. The contact portion has a movable contact and a fixed contact. The movable member is displaced by receiving power generated from a power generation source. The fixed material faces the movable material. The buffer material is provided on at least one of the movable material and the fixed material. The movable contact is configured to move between a closed position in contact with the fixed contact and an open position away from the fixed contact in conjunction with the movable material. The cushioning material is configured to attenuate a force in a direction toward the fixed contact acting on the movable contact in the process of moving the movable contact from the open position to the closed position.

  In the contact device according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the cushioning material has a direction in which the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact in the process of moving the movable contact from the closed position to the open position. It is comprised so that a driving force may be generated.

  In the contact device according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the buffer material has elasticity that can be bent in one direction, and one end along the one direction is the movable material. Or it is fixed to the fixing material.

  In the contact device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the cushioning material has elasticity that can be bent in one direction, and both ends along the one direction are movable. It is fixed to the material and the fixing material.

  In any one of the first to fourth aspects, the contact device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention further includes an elastic material that imparts an elastic force in a direction toward the fixed contact to the movable contact.

  In the contact device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect, the elastic force of the elastic material is larger than the elastic force of the buffer material.

  In the contact device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the buffer material is composed of a pair of magnetic materials whose magnetic poles having the same polarity face each other. The pair of magnetic materials are provided on the movable material and the fixed material, respectively.

  A contact device according to an eighth aspect of the present invention further includes the power generation source in any one of the first to seventh aspects. The power generation source is configured to generate the power by a magnetic flux generated by energization of a coil.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the eighth aspect, the contact device further includes a capacitor that supplies electric power to the coil.

  In the present invention, the movable contact can be decelerated with a simple configuration.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing an OFF state of a contact device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an ON state of the contact device. FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the above contact device. FIG. 4A is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an off state of the contact device according to the first modified example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 4B is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an ON state of the contact device according to the first modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5A is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an off state of a contact device according to a second modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 5B is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an ON state of the contact device according to the second modified example of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6A is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an off state of a contact device according to a third modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6B is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an ON state of the contact device according to the third modification of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an OFF state of the contact device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing an ON state of the contact device. FIG. 9A is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an off state of a contact device according to a first modification of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 9B is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an ON state of the contact device according to the first modification of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 10A is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an off state of a contact device according to a second modification of Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 10B is a partially omitted cross-sectional view showing an on state of the contact device according to the second modification of the second embodiment of the present invention.

(Embodiment 1)
(1) Overview Hereinafter, the contact device 1 of the present embodiment (hereinafter referred to as “contact device 1A”) will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the contact device 1 </ b> A of the present embodiment includes a contact portion 2 having a movable contact 21 and a fixed contact 22, a movable material 7, a fixed material 8, and a buffer material 6. Yes. The movable member 7 is displaced by receiving the power generated from the power generation source. The fixed material 8 faces the movable material 7. The movable contact 21 is configured to move between a closed position in contact with the fixed contact 22 and an open position away from the fixed contact 22 in conjunction with the movable member 7.

  As an example, the contact device 1A of the present embodiment assumes a so-called hinge-type electromagnetic relay. Therefore, the contact device 1A further includes an electromagnet device 3 as a power generation source. The electromagnet device 3 (power generation source) is configured to generate the power by magnetic flux generated by energization of the coil 31.

  However, the electromagnet device 3 is not an essential component in the contact device 1A. Further, the contact device 1A is not limited to an electromagnetic relay, but can be applied to a switch or a breaker. In other words, in addition to the electromagnet device 3, the power generation source may be an operation handle that receives a human operation, for example.

  The buffer material 6 is provided on at least one of the movable material 7 and the fixed material 8. The buffer material 6 is configured to attenuate the force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 that acts on the movable contact 21 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the open position to the closed position.

  For this reason, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, the movable contact 21 can be decelerated only by providing the buffer material 6 without monitoring the voltage or current applied to the coil 31. That is, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, the movable contact 21 can be decelerated with a simple configuration.

(2) Configuration Hereinafter, the contact device 1A according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, in FIG. 1, the central axis direction of the coil 31 is defined as the vertical direction, and the first end 331 side of the mover 33 as viewed from the stator 32 is defined as the upper side, and vice versa. In the following description, in FIG. 1, the direction in which the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22 are arranged is the left-right direction, the fixed contact 22 side viewed from the movable contact 21 is the right side, and the opposite is the left side.

  1 and 2 show arrows indicating these directions (up, down, left, and right). These arrows are merely described for the purpose of assisting the explanation, Not accompanied. Further, the definition of the direction is not intended to limit the usage pattern of the contact device 1A of the present embodiment.

  In this embodiment, the case where 1 A of contact devices are mounted in the electric vehicle is made into an example. And in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the case where the contact device 1A is connected and used so as to insert the contact portion 2 into the DC power supply path from the traveling battery A1 to the load A2 is used as an example. And

  For this reason, in the contact device 1A of this embodiment, the supply state of the DC power from the battery A1 to the load A2 can be switched by opening and closing the contact part 2. The load A2 is, for example, an LED lamp or an inverter. Of course, load A2 is not limited to these, For example, a personal computer or a server etc. may be sufficient.

  The contact device 1A of the present embodiment is a so-called hinge-type electromagnetic relay, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact portion 2, the card 25 (movable material 7), the electromagnet device 3, and the drive circuit 4 (Refer to FIG. 3), a case 5, and a buffer material 6.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the contact portion 2 includes a movable contact 21, a fixed contact 22, and a pair of terminal plates 23 and 24.

  The pair of terminal plates 23 and 24 are each made of a conductive material (for example, copper (Cu)). The pair of terminal plates 23 and 24 are arranged so as to be aligned in the left-right direction, and each is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the up-down direction. The pair of terminal boards 23 and 24 are fixed to a body 51 (described later) of the case 5 described later at the lower ends.

  A fixed contact 22 is provided at the upper end of the first terminal plate 23 of the pair of terminal plates 23 and 24. A movable contact 21 is provided at the upper end of the second terminal plate 24 of the pair of terminal plates 23 and 24. The movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22 may be configured integrally with the pair of terminal plates 23 and 24, respectively, and may be formed separately from the pair of terminal plates 23 and 24 and fixed to the pair of terminal plates 23 and 24. May be. The second terminal plate 24 is a metal leaf spring, with the lower end portion as a fulcrum, a closed position where the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22, and an open position where the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22. It is comprised so that bending is possible so that the movable contact 21 may be moved between. The pair of terminal plates 23 and 24 function as terminals for electrically connecting an external circuit (for example, battery A1 and load A2) to the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22.

  The card 25 is formed in a plate shape that is long in the vertical direction as a whole by, for example, a resin material, and one end (lower end) thereof is fixed to the body 51 of the case 5. Specifically, the card 25 includes a card body 250 formed in a long plate shape, a first protrusion 251, and a second protrusion 252. The card 25 is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range with one end fixed to the body 51 as a fulcrum.

  The first protrusion 251 has a truncated cone shape and is formed to protrude rightward from a position slightly above the center in the vertical direction of the right surface of the card 25. The first protrusion 251 is configured to push the second terminal board 24 rightward when the card body 250 rotates (clockwise in FIG. 1). The second protrusion 252 has a truncated cone shape and is formed to protrude leftward from the center in the vertical direction of the left surface of the card body 250. The 2nd protrusion 252 is comprised so that the card main body 250 may be rotated by being pushed by the needle | mover 33 mentioned later.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electromagnet device 3 includes a coil 31, a stator 32, a mover 33, a yoke 34, a permanent magnet 35, and a coil bobbin 36. The stator 32, the mover 33, and the yoke 34 are all made of a magnetic material.

  The coil 31 is configured by winding an electric wire (for example, copper wire) around the outer peripheral surface of the coil bobbin 36. The electric wire may have a coating. The coil bobbin 36 is formed in a cylindrical shape from a material having electrical insulation properties such as a synthetic resin material. The coil bobbin 36 is disposed such that its axial direction coincides with the vertical direction. In the present embodiment, the coil bobbin 36 is formed integrally with the body 51. As shown in FIG. 3, the coil 31 is electrically connected to the power source A <b> 3 via the drive circuit 4. The coil 31 is energized by being supplied with power from the power source A3, and generates a magnetic flux.

  The power source A3 is configured by, for example, a DC / DC converter circuit, converts an externally input voltage (for example, 400V DC voltage) into a predetermined voltage (for example, 12V DC voltage), and outputs the voltage. The power source A3 may be configured to output DC power, and may be configured by, for example, an AC / DC converter circuit.

  The stator 32 is a fixed iron core formed in a columnar shape. The stator 32 is inserted through the hollow portion of the coil bobbin 36 such that both ends in the vertical direction are exposed from the coil bobbin 36. The upper end portion of the stator 32 faces a first end 331 (described later) of the mover 33. The lower end of the stator 32 is fixed to a first plate 341 (described later) of the yoke 34.

  The mover 33 is formed such that an intermediate portion 333 of a rectangular plate that is long in the left-right direction is bent so that a cross section thereof becomes an L-shape. The first end 331 of the mover 33 faces the upper end portion of the stator 32. The second end 332 of the mover 33 faces a second plate 342 (described later) of the yoke 34. The movable element 33 has a first position where the first end 331 contacts the upper end of the stator 32 and a second position where the first end 331 separates from the upper end of the stator 32 with the intermediate portion 333 as a fulcrum. It is comprised so that rotation is possible.

  The yoke 34 forms a magnetic path along with the stator 32 and the mover 33 through which the magnetic flux generated when the coil 31 is energized. The yoke 34 includes a first plate 341, a second plate 342, and a third plate 343. The first plate 341, the second plate 342, and the third plate 343 are all formed in a rectangular shape. The first plate 341 is provided below the central axis direction (vertical direction) of the coil 31. The second plate 342 is provided on the right side of the coil 31. The third plate 343 is provided on the coil 31 side (left side) surface of the second plate 342. The first plate 341 and the second plate 342 are integrally formed from a single plate. A permanent magnet 35 is provided so as to be sandwiched between the second plate 342 and the third plate 343.

  The permanent magnet 35 has a first magnetic pole surface 351 and a second magnetic pole surface 352 having different polarities on both surfaces in the left-right direction. In the present embodiment, the first magnetic pole surface 351 is described as “N pole” and the second magnetic pole surface 352 is described as “S pole”, but the N pole and S pole may be in an opposite relationship.

  The drive circuit 4 is a drive circuit for the contact portion 2 and includes a switch 41 and a control unit 42 as shown in FIG.

  The switch 41 is inserted in the power supply path L1 between the power source A3 and the coil 31. In the present embodiment, the state of the switch 41 is switched according to a control signal from the control unit 42. Specifically, when the control signal is an ON signal, the feeding path L1 is closed, and a first-direction current flows through the coil 31. Further, when the control signal is an off signal, the feeding path L1 is closed, and a current in the second direction that is opposite to the first direction flows through the coil 31. Further, when there is no control signal, the power supply path L1 is opened and no current flows through the coil 31.

  The control unit 42 includes, for example, a microcomputer (microcomputer) as a main configuration. The microcomputer realizes a function as the control unit 42 by executing a program recorded in the memory by a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The program may be recorded in advance in a memory of a microcomputer, may be provided by being recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card, or may be provided through an electric communication line. The control unit 42 controls the switch 41 to open and close the power feeding path L1 between the power source A3 and the coil 31.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the case 5 includes a body 51, a cover 52, and a support portion 53. The body 51 is formed in a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape by a resin material, for example. The cover 52 is formed in a box shape whose bottom surface is opened, for example, of a resin material. In the space between the body 51 and the cover 52, the contact portion 2, the card 25, and the electromagnet device 3 are accommodated. The support part 53 is a part of the case 5 and is formed integrally with the cover 52 so as to protrude downward from the upper wall of the cover 52. The protruding front end portion of the support portion 53 is disposed between the upper end portion of the card 25 and the upper end portion of the second terminal board 24 on which the movable contact 21 is provided. When the movable contact 21 is in the open position (see FIG. 1), the support portion 53 is disposed so as not to contact the second terminal plate 24. The support part 53 may be formed separately from the cover 52 and fixed to the lower surface of the upper wall of the cover 52.

  The cushioning material 6 has elasticity that can be bent in one direction (here, the left-right direction). In the present embodiment, the cushioning material 6 is a coil spring 61 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The buffer material 6 is provided on at least one of the movable material 7 and the fixed material 8. Here, the movable member 7 is a member that interlocks with the movable contact 21. In the present embodiment, the card 25 is the movable member 7. The fixed material 8 is a member that faces the movable material 7. In the present embodiment, the support portion 53 of the case 5 is the fixing material 8.

  In the present embodiment, the coil spring 61 is disposed between the card 25 and the support portion 53. The coil spring 61 has a first end (left end) of both ends fixed to the upper end of the card 25. The coil spring 61 is configured to be located at a predetermined distance from the support portion 53 when the contact portion 2 is in an off state (a state where the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22). That is, the second end (right end) of the coil spring 61 does not contact the support portion 53 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. Further, the coil spring 61 moves closer to the support portion 53 in conjunction with the rotation of the card body 250 in the process in which the contact portion 2 is switched from the off state to the on state (the movable contact 21 is in contact with the fixed contact 22). It is configured.

  Here, in the OFF state of the contact portion 2, the distance between the second end of the coil spring 61 and the support portion 53 is set to be smaller than the distance between the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22. Yes. Therefore, in the process in which the contact portion 2 is switched from the off state to the on state, the second end of the coil spring 61 contacts the support portion 53 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22.

(3) Operation Hereinafter, the operation of the contact device 1A of the present embodiment will be described. The function of the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) will be described in detail in “(4) Buffer material”. Here, it is assumed that the contact portion 2 is in an off state. In the OFF state of the contact portion 2, as shown in FIG. 1, the first magnet surface 351, the third plate 343, the second plate 342, the mover 33, the second plate 342, and the second magnetic pole surface 352 are in this order. A magnetic path through which the magnetic flux φ1 generated by 35 passes is formed. Accordingly, the second end 332 of the mover 33 is attracted to the second plate 342 by the magnetic attractive force between the second plate 342 and the mover 33 is held at the second position.

  At this time, the second protrusion 252 of the card 25 is not pushed rightward by the mover 33, and therefore the first protrusion 251 does not push the second terminal plate 24. Therefore, the second terminal plate 24 maintains a state of extending straight in one direction, that is, a state where the movable contact 21 is located at the open position. Therefore, when the contact portion 2 is in the off state, the pair of terminal plates 23 and 24 are not conductive. Further, when the contact portion 2 is in the off state, the second end of the coil spring 61 is located at a predetermined distance from the support portion 53.

  Here, when the switch 41 receives the ON signal, a current in the first direction flows through the coil 31, so that the coil 31 generates a magnetic flux. Then, a magnetic attraction force is generated between the mover 33 and the stator 32, whereby the first end 331 of the mover 33 is attracted to the upper end portion of the stator 32, and the mover 33 moves to the first position. (See FIG. 2).

  For this reason, when the mover 33 rotates with the intermediate portion 333 as a fulcrum, the second end 332 of the mover 33 pushes the second protrusion 252 of the card 25 to the right. Then, as the card 25 rotates, the first protrusion 251 pushes the second terminal plate 24 rightward, so that the second terminal plate 24 moves so that the movable contact 21 is located at the closed position. That is, the second terminal board 24 that has been in a state of extending straight in one direction when the contact portion 2 is in an off state is bent so that the upper end portion thereof moves rightward and is curved as a whole. Therefore, the contact portion 2 is turned on, and the pair of terminal plates 23 and 24 are electrically connected.

  In the ON state of the contact portion 2, the first magnetic pole surface 351, the third plate 343, the second plate 342, the first plate 341, the stator 32, the mover 33, the second plate 342, and the second magnetic pole surface 352 are sequentially arranged. A magnetic path through which the magnetic flux φ2 of the permanent magnet 35 passes is formed. Therefore, the mover 33 is held at the first position by the magnetic attractive force between the mover 33 and the stator 32. For this reason, even if the energization of the coil 31 is released, the contact portion 2 maintains the ON state.

  Next, when the switch 41 receives an off signal, a current in the second direction flows through the coil 31, so that the coil 31 generates a magnetic flux in a direction opposite to that when the switch 41 receives an on signal. Then, a magnetic attraction force is generated between the mover 33 and the second plate 342, so that the second end 332 of the mover 33 contacts the second plate 342, and the mover 33 moves to the second position ( (See FIG. 1). As a result, the force (power) that the movable element 33 pushes the card 25 to the right disappears, and the second terminal board 24 returns to the state of extending straight from the curved state, so that the movable contact 21 is in the open position. The contact portion 2 is turned off. At this time, the card 25 rotates (counterclockwise rotation in FIG. 1) by the elastic restoring force of the second terminal plate 24.

  At this time, as described above, since the magnetic path through which the magnetic flux φ1 of the permanent magnet 35 passes is formed, the mover 33 is held at the second position. Therefore, even if the energization of the coil 31 is released, the contact portion 2 remains off. As described above, the contact device 1 </ b> A according to the present embodiment is a latching relay that maintains the ON state (or OFF state) of the contact portion 2 even when the energization of the coil 31 is released.

(4) Buffer material Hereinafter, the function of the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) of this embodiment is demonstrated in detail. When the contact portion 2 is in the off state, the second end of the coil spring 61 is not in contact with the support portion 53 and is not bent. For this reason, the coil spring 61 does not give elastic force to the card 25.

  On the other hand, when the contact portion 2 is switched from the off state to the on state, the coil spring 61 moves toward the support portion 53 as the card 25 rotates clockwise. The second end of the coil spring 61 contacts the support portion 53 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22. Thereafter, the coil spring 61 is bent by being pushed into the card 25, and gives an elastic force to the card 25 by trying to return to the original state. Then, a force in a direction to rotate the card 25 counterclockwise is applied to the card 25, so that the force by which the first protrusion 251 of the card 25 pushes the second terminal plate 24 to the right is weakened.

  That is, the force directed to the fixed contact 22 acting on the movable contact 21 is weakened by the coil spring 61 (the buffer material 6). In other words, the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) attenuates the force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 acting on the movable contact 21 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the open position to the closed position. Here, the force relation that the movable element 33 generated when the coil 31 is energized pushes the card 25 to the right is greater than the sum of the elastic return force of the second terminal plate 24 and the elastic force of the coil spring 61. Is set. For this reason, the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 while decelerating.

  Further, when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state, the coil spring 61 applies an elastic force to the card 25 by returning to the original state. Then, a force in a direction to rotate the card 25 counterclockwise is applied to the card 25. That is, the elastic restoring force of the second terminal plate 24 and the elastic force of the coil spring 61 are applied to the card 25 in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the on state to the off state. Therefore, a propulsive force (elastic force of the coil spring 61) in the direction in which the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 is indirectly applied to the movable contact 21. In other words, the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) generates a propulsive force in a direction in which the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the closed position to the open position. For this reason, the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 while being accelerated by being given a propulsive force.

(5) Effect 1 A of contact devices of this embodiment shorten time (henceforth "opening-closing time") after the control part 42 transmits a control signal until switching of the opening / closing of the contact part 2 is completed. It is possible. Here, the opening / closing time is the sum of the operation time and the bounce time. The operation time is the sum of the impression time and the drive time. The moving time is the time required for the movable contact 21 to start moving after a control signal is transmitted (that is, after a current is passed through the coil 31). The driving time is a time during which the movable contact 21 is operating. Bounce is an intermittent opening / closing phenomenon of the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22 that may occur when the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 or when the movable contact 21 leaves the fixed contact 22. The bounce time is the time required for the bounce to settle after the bounce starts.

  Here, it is estimated that the bounce time depends on the separation force and the contact force when the contact portion 2 is switched from the off state to the on state. The detachment force is a force that causes the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22 to diverge, such as a repulsive force against an impact generated by the contact between the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22. The contact force is a force for bringing the movable contact 21 into contact with the fixed contact 22 such as a contact pressure of the movable contact 21 with respect to the fixed contact 22. Further, the bounce time is estimated to depend on the kinetic energy of the movable contact 21 when the movable contact 21 reaches the open position when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state.

  In the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, the movable contact 21 is decelerated in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the off state to the on state by providing the cushioning material 6 as described above. Therefore, the contact device 1A according to the present embodiment reduces the impact generated when the movable contact 21 comes into contact with the fixed contact 22 when the contact portion 2 is switched from the off state to the on state. Can be reduced. Therefore, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, when the contact part 2 is switched from the off state to the on state, the bounce time can be shortened, and as a result, the open / close time can be shortened.

  Here, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, the first end (one end in one direction) of the cushioning material 6 is fixed to the movable material 7 or the fixed material 8 (here, the movable material 7). For this reason, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, the second end of the cushioning material 6 is fixed by adjusting the distance between the cushioning material 6 and the movable material 7 or the fixed material 8 (here, the fixed material 8). 8, that is, the timing at which the buffer material 6 decelerates the movable contact 21 can be adjusted.

  If the timing at which the buffer material 6 decelerates the movable contact 21 is advanced, the bounce time can be shortened by weakening the impact generated when the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22. However, in this case, since the start of the decrease in the speed of the movable contact 21 is accelerated, the driving time becomes longer. On the other hand, if the buffer material 6 delays the timing at which the movable contact 21 is decelerated, the drive time can be shortened. However, in this case, since the impact when the movable contact 21 comes into contact with the fixed contact 22 is increased, the bounce time is increased. Therefore, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, it is possible to minimize the opening / closing time (particularly, drive time + bounce time) by appropriately setting the timing at which the cushioning material 6 decelerates the movable contact 21. is there.

  And contact device 1A of this embodiment can decelerate movable contact 21 only by providing buffer material 6. For this reason, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, there is no need to measure the execution timing of the control for decelerating the movable contact 21, so that feedback control for measuring the execution timing is unnecessary. Feedback control here is control which monitors the coil current or the coil voltage applied to the coil 31, for example, after energization of the coil 31 is started. That is, the contact device 1A according to the present embodiment does not need to include a circuit or the like for executing feedback control, and thus the movable contact 21 can be decelerated with a simple configuration.

  Further, the contact device 1A of the present embodiment accelerates the movable contact 21 by the propulsive force accompanying the return of the cushioning material 6 to the original state when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state. Can do. Therefore, in the contact device 1 </ b> A of the present embodiment, the interruption performance can be improved by increasing the speed of the movable contact 21 when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state.

(6) Modification Hereinafter, a first modification of the contact device 1A of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B. In this modification, the support part 53 is formed of a material having elasticity. That is, the support portion 53 has elasticity that can be bent in one direction (here, the left-right direction). And in this modification, the buffer material 6 is comprised by the support part 53 instead of providing the coil spring 61. As shown in FIG. That is, in the present modification, the support portion 53 is the fixing material 8 and the cushioning material 6. Here, in the OFF state of the contact portion 2, the distance between the upper end portion of the card 25 and the support portion 53 is set to be smaller than the distance between the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22. Therefore, the support portion 53 contacts the card 25 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the off state to the on state.

  Hereinafter, the function of the support part 53 (buffer material 6) in this modification is demonstrated easily. The support portion 53 contacts the card 25 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 when the contact portion 2 switches from the off state to the on state. Thereafter, the support portion 53 bends by being pushed into the card 25 and gives an elastic force to the card 25 by returning to the original state. That is, like the coil spring 61, the support portion 53 attenuates the force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 that acts on the movable contact 21 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the open position to the closed position. Here, the force relation that the mover 33 generated when the coil 31 is energized pushes the card 25 to the right is greater than the sum of the elastic return force of the second terminal plate 24 and the elastic force of the support portion 53. Is set. Therefore, the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 while decelerating.

  Further, when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state, the support portion 53 applies an elastic force to the card 25 by returning to the original state. That is, in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the on state to the off state, the elastic restoring force of the second terminal plate 24 and the elastic force of the support portion 53 are applied to the card 25. In other words, like the coil spring 61, the support portion 53 generates a propulsive force in the process in which the movable contact 21 moves from the closed position to the open position. For this reason, the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 while being accelerated by being given a propulsive force.

  As described above, the support portion 53 functions as the cushioning material 6 when formed of an elastic material. In this configuration, since it is not necessary to provide the coil spring 61, the number of parts can be reduced.

  Hereinafter, a second modification of the contact device 1A of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B. In this modification, the cushioning material 6 is not elastic, and is composed of a pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 with magnetic poles of the same polarity facing each other. Each of the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 is, for example, a permanent magnet. One magnetic member 62 of the pair of magnetic members 62 and 63 is fixed to the upper end of the card 25 (movable member 7). The other magnetic material 63 of the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 is fixed to the support portion 53 (fixing material 8) of the case 5 so as to face the one magnetic material 62. In the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63, both magnetic pole faces facing each other are N poles (or both magnetic pole faces are S poles).

  Hereinafter, functions of the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 (buffer material 6) in the present modification will be briefly described. The pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 repel each other as they approach each other below a predetermined distance. For this reason, when the contact part 2 switches from an OFF state to an ON state, before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22, repulsive force is given to the card 25 (movable member 7) and the support part 53 (fixed member 8). . That is, like the coil spring 61, the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 attenuates the force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 acting on the movable contact 21 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the open position to the closed position. Here, the force relationship is set so that the force that the mover 33 generated when the coil 31 is energized pushes the card 25 to the right is greater than the sum of the elastic return force of the second terminal plate 24 and the repulsive force. Yes. Therefore, the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 while decelerating.

  Further, when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state, the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 repel each other. For this reason, repulsive force is given to the card 25 (movable material 7) and the support portion 53 (fixed material 8). That is, in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the on state to the off state, the elastic restoring force of the second terminal plate 24 and the repulsive force are applied to the card 25. In other words, like the coil spring 61, the pair of magnetic members 62 and 63 generate a propulsive force in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the closed position to the open position. For this reason, the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 while being accelerated by being given a propulsive force.

  As described above, the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 function as the buffer material 6. In this configuration, the movable contact 21 can be decelerated from the time when the movable contact 21 starts to move from the open position to the closed position.

  In the present modification, the configuration in which the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 are in contact with each other when the movable contact 21 is in the closed position is not essential. That is, when the movable contact 21 is in the closed position, one of the pair of magnetic members 62 and 63 may be configured to be adjacent to the other magnetic member 63 in a non-contact manner. .

  In the present modification, the magnetic material 62 is provided on the card 25 (movable material 7), but the card 25 itself may be the magnetic material 62. In this modification, the magnetic material 63 is provided on the support portion 53 (fixing material 8), but the support portion 53 itself may be the magnetic material 63.

  Hereinafter, a third modification of the contact device 1A of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B. In the present modification, the coil spring 61 as the buffer material 6 is disposed between the mover 33 and the stator 32. That is, in this modification, the movable element 33 is the movable material 7 and the stator 32 is the fixed material 8. The first end (lower end) of both ends of the coil spring 61 is fixed to the upper surface of the stator 32. The second end (upper end) of the coil spring 61 is located away from the first end 331 of the mover 33 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. That is, the second end of the coil spring 61 does not contact the first end 331 of the mover 33 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. In addition, the second end of the coil spring 61 contacts the first end 331 of the mover 33 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the off state to the on state.

  Hereinafter, the function of the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) in this modification will be briefly described. The second end of the coil spring 61 contacts the first end 331 of the mover 33 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 when the contact portion 2 switches from the off state to the on state. Thereafter, the coil spring 61 bends by being pushed into the movable element 33 and bends to return to the original state, thereby applying an elastic force to the movable element 33. As a result, since the force for rotating the card 25 in the clockwise direction is weakened, the force for the first protrusion 251 of the card 25 to push the second terminal board 24 to the right is weakened. That is, the coil spring 61 attenuates the force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 acting on the movable contact 21 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the open position to the closed position. Therefore, the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 while decelerating.

  When the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state, the coil spring 61 applies an elastic force to the first end 331 of the mover 33 by returning to the original state. As a result, the card 25 is applied with a force that rotates the card 25 counterclockwise. That is, the coil spring 61 generates a propulsive force in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the closed position to the open position. For this reason, the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 while being accelerated by being given a propulsive force.

  As described above, in the present modification, the coil spring 61 functions as the cushioning material 6 as in the case where the coil spring 61 is disposed between the card 25 and the support portion 53.

(7) Other Modifications In the present embodiment, the coil spring 61 is cited as an example of the case where the cushioning material 6 has elasticity. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the cushioning material 6 may be a leaf spring, sponge, rubber, gel, or the like.

  Further, in the contact device 1 </ b> A of the present embodiment, the first end (left end) of the cushioning material 6 is fixed to the card 25, but the second end (right end) of the cushioning material 6 is fixed to the support portion 53. Also good.

  In the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, only one end of the buffer material 6 is fixed, but both ends of the buffer material 6 may be fixed. In other words, the cushioning material 6 has elasticity capable of bending in one direction (here, the left-right direction), and both ends along the one direction are the movable material 7 (here, the card 25) and the fixed material 8 respectively. (Here, the support portion 53) may be fixed. For example, as in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, if the cushioning material 6 is constituted by a coil spring 61, not only the first end of the coil spring 61 is fixed to the card 25 but also the second end. It may be fixed to the support part 53. In this configuration, the movable contact 21 can be decelerated from the time when the movable contact 21 starts to move from the open position to the closed position. In addition, both ends of the coil spring 61 may be in contact with the card 25 and the support portion 53 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. In this case, only one end of the coil spring 61 may be fixed to the card 25 or the support portion 53.

  Further, the contact device 1A of the present embodiment may be configured to include both the coil spring 61 and the pair of magnetic members 62 and 63 of the second modification. In addition, the contact device 1 </ b> A according to the present embodiment may be configured to include both the support portion 53 of the first modification and the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 of the second modification.

  Incidentally, the power source A3 may be composed of one or more capacitors. That is, the contact device 1 </ b> A may further include a capacitor (power source A <b> 3) that supplies power to the coil 31. The capacitor used for the power source A3 is preferably a capacitor having a relatively large capacity and a low internal resistance. The capacitor is charged with electric power supplied from an external power source. Since the capacitor generally has a small internal resistance, it is possible to supply a large amount of electric power (current) to the coil 31 as compared with a DC / DC converter circuit that is instantaneous but is limited in the power that can be supplied. Therefore, in this configuration, the speed of the movable contact 21 can be increased relatively greatly, and the driving time can be shortened.

  Further, in this configuration, since the number of turns of the coil 31 is small, the coil 31 can be downsized. Also, with this configuration, since the number of turns of the coil 31 is small, there is an advantage that the inductance of the coil 31 is reduced and the coil current can be easily controlled.

  On the other hand, in this configuration, if no measures are taken, the impact when the movable contact 21 comes into contact with the fixed contact 22 increases as the speed of the movable contact 21 increases, and the bounce time becomes longer. Here, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, the bounce time can be shortened by temporarily decelerating the movable contact 21 as described above. Therefore, in the contact device 1A of the present embodiment, the opening and closing time can be shortened as a result by shortening the driving time by adopting the capacitor and shortening the bounce time.

  In the present embodiment, the contact device 1A is a latching type relay, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the contact device 1 </ b> A of the present embodiment may be a single stable relay that switches the on / off state of the contact unit 2 by turning on / off the coil 31.

  In the present embodiment, the power source A3 is configured by a DC / DC converter circuit, but may be configured by, for example, a secondary battery in addition to the above-described capacitor. In addition, power supply A3 may be comprised with the primary battery. In this configuration, the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where a capacitor and a secondary battery are used.

(Embodiment 2)
(1) Configuration Hereinafter, the contact device 1 of the present embodiment (hereinafter referred to as “contact device 1B”) will be described in detail. However, in the configuration of the contact device 1B of the present embodiment, the description of the configuration common to the contact device 1A of the first embodiment is omitted. In the following description, in FIG. 7, the direction in which the stator 32 and the mover 33 are arranged is referred to as the up-down direction, and the stator 32 side is viewed upward from the view of the mover 33, and vice versa. Further, in the following, in FIG. 7, the direction in which the pair of contact bases 11 and 12 are arranged will be referred to as the left-right direction, and the other contact base 12 side as viewed from one contact base 11 will be described as the right side. .

  7 and 8 show arrows indicating these directions (up, down, left, and right). These arrows are merely described for the purpose of assisting the explanation, and the substance is Not accompanied. Further, the definition of the above direction is not intended to limit the usage pattern of the contact device 1B of the present embodiment.

  The contact device 1B of this embodiment is a so-called plunger-type electromagnetic relay as shown in FIGS. The contact device 1 </ b> B of the present embodiment is housed in a housing 19. The housing | casing 19 is formed in the box shape, for example with the resin material.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the contact device 1 </ b> B of the present embodiment includes a contact portion 2, an electromagnet device 3, a drive circuit 4 (see FIG. 3), and a movable material 7 (movable contact 13 and holder 15. ), A contact pressure spring 14, a shaft 16, a fixing member 8 (container 17), and a connecting body 18.

  The contact portion 2 has a pair of movable contacts 21 and a pair of fixed contacts 22. The contact portion 2 has a pair of contact tables 11 and 12.

  The pair of contact tables 11 and 12 are each formed of a conductive material (for example, copper (Cu)). The pair of contact bases 11 and 12 are arranged so as to be aligned in the left-right direction, and each is formed in a cylindrical shape having a circular cross-sectional shape in a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction. Fixed contacts 22 are respectively provided at the lower ends of the pair of contact tables 11 and 12. The fixed contact 22 may be configured integrally with the pair of contact stands 11, 12, or may be a separate member from the pair of contact stands 11, 12 and may be fixed to the pair of contact stands 11, 12. . The pair of contact bases 11 and 12 function as terminals for electrically connecting an external circuit (for example, battery A1 and load A2) to the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22.

  The pair of contact tables 11 and 12 are fixed to the container 17 joined to the yoke 34. The container 17 is formed in a box shape with an open bottom surface, and houses the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22 between the yoke 34. The container 17 is made of, for example, a heat-resistant material such as ceramic, and an opening peripheral portion thereof is joined to a peripheral portion of the upper surface of the yoke 34 via a connecting body 18. The pair of contact bases 11 and 12 are joined to the container 17 in a form inserted through holes formed in the upper wall 170 of the container 17.

  The container 17 is preferably configured as an airtight container that forms an airtight space therein. Further, it is preferable that an arc extinguishing gas mainly composed of hydrogen, for example, is enclosed in the container 17. In this case, even when an arc is generated when the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22, the arc can be rapidly cooled by the arc extinguishing gas and can be extinguished quickly. In addition, it is arbitrary whether the container 17 is comprised as an airtight container. That is, whether or not the inside of the contact portion 2 is hermetically sealed is arbitrary. Further, whether or not the arc-extinguishing gas is sealed inside the container 17 is also arbitrary.

  The movable contact 13 is formed from a conductive material in a rectangular shape that is long in the left-right direction, and a pair of the movable contacts 13 is arranged so that both ends in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) are opposed to the lower ends of the pair of contact stands 11, 12. Are disposed below the contact points 11 and 12. In the movable contact 13, movable contacts 21 are provided at portions facing the fixed contacts 22 provided on each of the pair of contact bases 11 and 12. The movable contact 21 may be configured integrally with the movable contact 13 or may be formed of a member different from the movable contact 13 and fixed to the movable contact 13.

  The holder 15 has, for example, a rectangular cylindrical shape with both left and right sides opened, and is combined with the movable contact 13 so that the movable contact 13 passes therethrough. The upper end portion of the shaft 16 is fixed to the holder 15. The shaft 16 is formed in a round bar shape extending in the vertical direction with a nonmagnetic material. The shaft 16 transmits the power generated by the electromagnet device 3 to the contact portion 2 via the movable member 7 (movable contact 13 and holder 15). The shaft 16 passes through the stator 32 and the return spring 37 of the electromagnet device 3, and the lower end portion thereof is fixed to the movable element 33. Here, the shaft 16 is formed of a nonmagnetic material, but may be formed of a magnetic material.

  The movable contact 13 is driven in the vertical direction by the electromagnet device 3. For this reason, each movable contact 21 provided on the movable contact 13 moves between a closed position in contact with the corresponding fixed contact 22 and an open position away from the fixed contact 22. When the movable contact 21 is in the closed position, that is, in the ON state of the contact portion 2, the pair of contact bases 11 and 12 are short-circuited via the movable contact 13. Therefore, in the ON state of the contact part 2, DC power is supplied from the battery A1 to the load A2.

  The contact pressure spring 14 is a coil spring that is disposed between the upper surface of the lower plate of the holder 15 and the lower surface of the movable contact 13 and applies an elastic force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 to the movable contact 13. is there.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the electromagnet device 3 includes a coil 31, a stator 32, a mover 33, a yoke 34, and a return spring 37.

  The yoke 34 forms a magnetic path along with the stator 32 and the mover 33 through which the magnetic flux generated when the coil 31 is energized. For this reason, the stator 32, the mover 33, and the yoke 34 are all made of a magnetic material.

  In the present embodiment, the yoke 34 includes an upper plate 344, a lower plate 345, a first side plate 346, and a bush 347. The upper plate 344 and the lower plate 345 are provided on both sides in the central axis direction (vertical direction) of the coil 31 and face each other. Both the upper plate 344 and the lower plate 345 are formed in a rectangular shape. Of course, both the upper plate 344 and the lower plate 345 may be formed in a shape other than a rectangular shape.

  The first side plate 346 connects the peripheral portions of the upper plate 344 and the lower plate 345 to each other. Specifically, a pair of first side plates 346 are provided so as to connect a pair of opposite sides on the lower surface of the upper plate 344 and a pair of opposite sides on the upper surface of the lower plate 345. The first side plate 346 and the lower plate 345 are integrally formed from a single plate. Of course, the upper plate 344, the lower plate 345, and the first side plate 346 may all be integrally formed, or may be formed separately. Moreover, it is also arbitrary how the board formed integrally and the board formed separately are selected among these boards. The bush 347 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a lower bottom. The bush 347 is formed integrally with the lower plate 345 so as to protrude upward from the central portion of the upper surface of the lower plate 345.

  In the present embodiment, the coil 31 is disposed in a space surrounded by the upper plate 344, the lower plate 345, and the first side plate 346 of the yoke 34. In addition, a stator 32, a mover 33, and a bush 347 are disposed inside the coil 31.

  In the present embodiment, the stator 32 is a fixed iron core formed in a cylindrical shape. The stator 32 protrudes downward from the center portion of the upper plate 344 of the yoke 34. The upper end of the stator 32 is fixed to the upper plate 344. A return spring 37 is accommodated inside the stator 32.

  In the present embodiment, the mover 33 is a movable iron core formed in a cylindrical shape. The mover 33 is arranged below the stator 32 so as to be aligned with the stator 32 in the vertical direction. The mover 33 moves in the vertical direction along the inner peripheral surface of the bush 347 inside the bush 347. In other words, the mover 33 is configured to be movable between a third position where the upper end surface is in contact with the lower end surface of the stator 32 and a fourth position where the lower end surface is in contact with the lower bottom surface of the bush 347. ing.

  The return spring 37 is a coil spring that is disposed on the inner side of the stator 32 and applies an elastic force in a downward direction (fourth position) to the mover 33.

  In the present embodiment, the cushioning material 6 is a coil spring 61 as in the first embodiment. The coil spring 61 is disposed between the movable contact 13 (movable material 7) and the upper wall 170 of the container 17 (fixed material 8), and is disposed in a space between the pair of contact tables 11 and 12. . The first end (lower end) of both ends of the coil spring 61 is fixed to the upper surface of the holder 15 attached to the movable contact 13. The coil spring 61 is configured to be at a predetermined distance from the upper wall 170 of the container 17 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. That is, the second end (upper end) of the coil spring 61 does not contact the upper wall 170 of the container 17 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. The coil spring 61 is configured to approach the upper wall 170 of the container 17 in conjunction with the upward movement of the shaft 16 and the holder 15.

  Here, in the OFF state of the contact portion 2, the distance between the second end of the coil spring 61 and the upper wall 170 of the container 17 is set to be smaller than the distance between the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22. Is set. Accordingly, the second end of the coil spring 61 contacts the upper wall 170 of the container 17 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the off state to the on state.

(2) Operation Hereinafter, the operation of the contact device 1B of the present embodiment will be described. The function of the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) will be described in detail in “(3) Buffer material”. In the present embodiment, the drive circuit 4 is configured to transmit only an ON signal to the switch 41 as a control signal. Here, it is assumed that the contact portion 2 is in an off state. In the OFF state of the contact portion 2, the mover 33 is positioned at the fourth position by the elastic force of the return spring 37 as shown in FIG. 7.

  At this time, the shaft 16 is pulled downward. The movable contact 13 is restricted from moving upward by the upper plate of the holder 15 fixed to the upper end portion of the shaft 16, and the pair of movable contacts 21 is positioned at an open position away from the pair of fixed contacts 22. Let Therefore, when the contact portion 2 is in the off state, the pair of contact bases 11 and 12 are not conductive.

  Here, when the switch 41 receives an ON signal, a current flows through the coil 31, so that the coil 31 generates a magnetic flux. Then, a magnetic attraction force is generated between the movable element 33 and the stator 32, so that the movable element 33 is attracted upward against the elastic force of the return spring 37 and moved to the third position.

  For this reason, since the shaft 16 is pulled upward, the holder 15 also moves upward. Then, since the upward movement restriction by the upper plate of the holder 15 is released, the movable contact 13 is pushed upward by the elastic force of the contact pressure spring 14. And a pair of movable contact 21 moves to the closed position which contacts a pair of fixed contact 22 (refer FIG. 8). Therefore, the contact part 2 is turned on, and the pair of contact points 11 and 12 are electrically connected. The contact portion 2 is maintained in the on state while the switch 41 receives the on signal.

  Next, when the switch 41 does not receive the ON signal, no current flows through the coil 31, and the coil 31 does not generate a magnetic flux. Then, the mover 33 is moved to the fourth position by the elastic force of the return spring 37 (see FIG. 7). And since the movable contact 13 moves so that the movable contact 21 is located in an open position, the contact part 2 will be in an OFF state. As described above, the contact device 1B of the present embodiment is a single-stable relay that switches the on / off state of the contact portion 2 by turning on / off the coil 31.

(3) Buffer material Hereinafter, the function of the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) of this embodiment is demonstrated in detail. When the contact portion 2 is in the off state, the second end of the coil spring 61 is not in contact with the upper wall 170 of the container 17 and is not bent. For this reason, the coil spring 61 does not give elastic force to the movable contact 13.

  On the other hand, when the contact portion 2 switches from the off state to the on state, the coil spring 61 moves toward the upper wall 170 of the container 17 as the movable contact 13 and the holder 15 move upward. The second end of the coil spring 61 contacts the upper wall 170 of the container 17 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22. Thereafter, the coil spring 61 is bent by being pushed into the movable contact 13 and the holder 15, and gives an elastic force to the movable contact 13 by trying to return to the original state. Then, since a downward force is applied to the movable contact 13, the upward force applied to the movable contact 13 is weakened.

  The force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 acting on the movable contact 21 is weakened by the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6). In other words, the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) attenuates the force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 acting on the movable contact 21 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the open position to the closed position. Here, the force of the mover 33 generated when the coil 31 is energized to push the holder 15 upward via the shaft 16 is larger than the sum of the elastic return force of the return spring 37 and the elastic force of the coil spring 61. , Force relationship is set. For this reason, the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 while decelerating.

  Further, when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state, the coil spring 61 applies an elastic force to the movable contact 13 by returning to the original state. Then, a downward force is applied to the movable contact 13. That is, in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the on state to the off state, the elastic contact force of the return spring 37 and the elastic force of the coil spring 61 are applied to the movable contact 13 and the holder 15. In other words, a propulsive force in a direction in which the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 is indirectly applied to the movable contact 21. In other words, the coil spring 61 (buffer material 6) generates a propulsive force in a direction in which the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the closed position to the open position. For this reason, the movable contact 21 is separated from the fixed contact 22 while being accelerated by being given a propulsive force.

(4) Effects Also in the contact device 1B of the present embodiment, the same effects as the contact device 1A of the first embodiment can be obtained. However, in the contact device 1B of this embodiment, the ON state of the contact portion 2 is maintained only while the switch 41 receives the ON signal, that is, while the coil current flows through the coil 31. For this reason, when maintaining the contact part 2 in an ON state, it is preferable that the control part 42 performs control which continues flowing an electric current through the coil 31 after an ON signal is input.

  The contact device 1 </ b> B of the present embodiment further includes a contact pressure spring 14 (elastic material) that gives the movable contact 21 an elastic force in a direction toward the fixed contact 22. For this reason, in the contact device 1B of the present embodiment, the contact pressure of the movable contact 21 with respect to the fixed contact 22 can be increased while the movable contact 21 is decelerated in the process from the open position to the closed position. .

  Furthermore, in the contact device 1 </ b> B of the present embodiment, the elastic force of the elastic material (contact pressure spring 14) is larger than the elastic force of the buffer material 6 at the closed position where the movable contact 21 and the fixed contact 22 are in contact. Yes. In other words, the elastic modulus of the elastic material (contact pressure spring 14) is larger than the elastic modulus of the buffer material 6. For this reason, in the contact device 1 </ b> B of the present embodiment, it is easy to apply an elastic force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 to the movable contact 21, and thus it is easy to ensure a sufficient contact pressure of the movable contact 21 with respect to the fixed contact 22.

(5) Modification Hereinafter, a first modification of the contact device 1B of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B. In the present modification, the cushioning material 6 is composed of a pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63, as in the second modification of the contact device 1A of the first embodiment. One magnetic member 62 of the pair of magnetic members 62 and 63 is fixed to the upper surface of the holder 15 attached to the movable contact 13 (movable member 7). The other magnetic member 63 of the pair of magnetic members 62 and 63 is fixed to the upper wall 170 (fixing member 8) of the container 17 so as to face the one magnetic member 62. The pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 have N-pole (or S-pole) magnetic pole faces facing each other.

  In the present modification, the pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 function as the buffer material 6 in the same manner as the second modification of the contact device 1A of the first embodiment.

  Hereinafter, a second modification of the contact device 1B of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10A and 10B. In this modification, the coil spring 61 as the buffer material 6 is disposed between the mover 33 and the stator 32 as in the third modification of the contact device 1A of the first embodiment. That is, in this modification, the movable element 33 is the movable material 7 and the stator 32 is the fixed material 8. A first end (lower end) of both ends of the coil spring 61 is fixed to the upper surface of the mover 33. The second end (upper end) of the coil spring 61 is located away from the lower end of the stator 32 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. That is, the second end of the coil spring 61 does not contact the stator 32 when the contact portion 2 is in the off state. Further, the second end of the coil spring 61 contacts the stator 32 before the movable contact 21 contacts the fixed contact 22 in the process of switching the contact portion 2 from the off state to the on state.

  In this modification, the coil spring 61 functions as the cushioning material 6 as in the case where the coil spring 61 is disposed between the movable contact 13 and the upper wall 170 of the container 17.

  In addition, the contact device 1B of the present embodiment can be modified in the same manner as the other modified examples of the contact device 1A of the first embodiment.

  Moreover, in the contact device 1B of this embodiment, although the movable contact 13 and the holder 15 are the movable materials 7, it is not the meaning limited to this. For example, the movable member 7 may be composed of only the movable contact 13. In this case, the shaft 16 is directly fixed to the movable contact 13.

  Moreover, although the contact device 1B of this embodiment is a single stable type relay, it is not the meaning limited to this. For example, the contact device 1B of the present embodiment may be a latching type relay.

  As described above, the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the first aspect includes the contact portion 2, the movable member 7, the fixed member 8, and the buffer member 6. The contact part 2 has a movable contact 21 and a fixed contact 22. The movable member 7 is displaced by receiving the power generated from the power generation source. The fixed material 8 faces the movable material 7. The buffer material 6 is provided on at least one of the movable material 7 and the fixed material 8. The movable contact 21 is configured to move between a closed position in contact with the fixed contact 22 and an open position away from the fixed contact 22 in conjunction with the movable member 7. The cushioning material 6 is configured to attenuate the force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 acting on the movable contact 21 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the open position to the closed position.

  According to this configuration, the speed of the movable contact 21 can be reduced only by providing the buffer material 6. That is, in this configuration, the speed of the movable contact 21 can be reduced with a simple configuration.

  Further, in the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the second aspect, in the first aspect, the cushioning material 6 has the movable contact 21 fixed to the fixed contact 22 in the process of moving the movable contact 21 from the closed position to the open position. It is comprised so that the driving force of the direction away from may be generated.

  According to this configuration, when the contact portion 2 is switched from the on state to the off state, the breaking performance can be improved by increasing the speed of the movable contact 21.

  Moreover, in the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, the cushioning material 6 has elasticity that can be bent in one direction, and is in one direction. One end is fixed to the movable member or the fixed member.

  According to this configuration, the timing at which the cushioning material 6 decelerates the movable contact 21 can be adjusted. However, this configuration is not essential, and the cushioning material 6 may be formed of a material other than a material having elasticity.

  Further, in the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the fourth aspect, in the first or second aspect, the cushioning material 6 has elasticity that can be bent in one direction, and is in one direction. Both ends are fixed to the movable member 7 and the fixed member 8, respectively.

  According to this configuration, the movable contact 21 can be decelerated from the time when the movable contact 21 starts to move from the open position to the closed position. However, this configuration is not essential, and it is arbitrary whether only one end of the buffer material 6 is fixed or both ends are fixed.

  Further, the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the fifth aspect is an elastic material (contact material) that applies an elastic force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 to the movable contact 21 in any of the first to fourth aspects. A pressure spring 14) is further provided.

  According to this configuration, the contact pressure of the movable contact 21 with respect to the fixed contact 22 can be increased while the movable contact 21 is decelerated in the process of moving from the open position to the closed position. However, this configuration is not essential, and whether or not an elastic material is provided is arbitrary.

  In the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the sixth aspect, the elastic force of the elastic material (contact pressure spring 14) is larger than the elastic force of the buffer material 6 in the fifth aspect.

  According to this configuration, it is easy to apply an elastic force in the direction toward the fixed contact 22 to the movable contact 21, so that it is easy to ensure a sufficient contact pressure of the movable contact 21 with respect to the fixed contact 22. However, this configuration is not essential, and the elastic force of the elastic material may be smaller than the elastic force of the buffer material 6.

  In the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the seventh aspect, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the buffer material 6 is a pair of magnetic materials 62, 63 opposed to the same polarity magnetic poles. It is configured. The pair of magnetic materials 62 and 63 are provided on the movable material 7 and the fixed material 8, respectively.

  According to this configuration, the movable contact 21 can be decelerated from the time when the movable contact 21 starts to move from the open position to the closed position. However, this configuration is not essential, and the buffer material 6 may be formed of a material other than a magnetic material.

  The contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the eighth aspect further includes a power generation source (electromagnet device 3) in any one of the first to seventh aspects. The power generation source is configured to generate power by magnetic flux generated by energization of the coil 31.

  According to this configuration, the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) can be provided as an electromagnetic relay capable of reducing the speed of the movable contact 21 with a simple configuration.

  The contact device (1, 1A, 1B) of the ninth aspect further includes a capacitor (power source A3) for supplying power to the coil 31 in the eighth aspect.

  According to this configuration, the speed of the movable contact 21 can be relatively increased, and the driving time can be shortened. However, this configuration is not essential, and whether or not the contact device (1, 1A, 1B) includes a capacitor is arbitrary.

  The contact devices (1, 1A, 1B) according to the first and second embodiments have been described above. However, Embodiments 1 and 2 described above are only one of various embodiments of the present invention, and the above Embodiments 1 and 2 can be various according to the design or the like as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved. Can be changed.

1, 1A, 1B Contact device 14 Contact pressure spring (elastic material)
2 Contact portion 21 Movable contact 22 Fixed contact 31 Coil 6 Buffer material 62, 63 Magnetic material 7 Movable material 8 Fixed material A3 Power supply (capacitor)

Claims (9)

A contact portion having a movable contact and a fixed contact;
A movable material that is displaced by the power generated from the power source;
A fixed material facing the movable material;
A cushioning material provided on at least one of the movable material and the fixed material,
The movable contact is configured to move between a closed position in contact with the fixed contact and an open position away from the fixed contact in conjunction with the movable material,
The buffer material is configured to attenuate a force in a direction toward the fixed contact acting on the movable contact in the process of moving the movable contact from the open position to the closed position. apparatus.   The cushioning material is configured to apply a propulsive force in a direction in which the movable contact moves away from the fixed contact to the movable contact in the process of moving the movable contact from the closed position to the open position. The contact device according to claim 1.   The said buffer material has the elasticity which can bend in one direction, The one end along the said one direction is being fixed to the said movable material or the said fixed material, The Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Contact device.   The said buffer material has the elasticity which can bend in one direction, and the both ends along the said one direction are being fixed to the said movable material and the said fixed material, respectively. The contact device described.   5. The contact device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic material that applies an elastic force in a direction toward the fixed contact to the movable contact.   The contact device according to claim 5, wherein an elastic force of the elastic material is larger than an elastic force of the buffer material. The buffer material is composed of a pair of magnetic materials whose magnetic poles of the same polarity face each other,
The contact device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of magnetic materials are provided on the movable material and the fixed material, respectively. Further comprising the power generation source,
The contact device according to claim 1, wherein the power generation source is configured to generate the power by a magnetic flux generated by energization of a coil.   The contact device according to claim 8, further comprising a capacitor that supplies electric power to the coil.

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