A relay includes a coil member having two through extending contact spaces parallel to the axis of the coil member. The contact tongues are arranged in the contact spaces and are anchored in common in a first coil flange to form working air gaps with pole pieces in the region of a second coil flange. The pole pieces are arranged in pairs and lie perpendicularly in a plane at an end face of the second coil flange. A permanent magnet arrangement having a plurality of magnetic poles corresponding to twice the number of pole pieces polarized the pole pieces. The permanent magnet poles facing away from the pole pieces are coupled to the bearing side of the contact tongues via flux guidance plates. The permanent magnet regions allow individual independent balancing of each and every pole piece to achieve synchronous switching of the two contact tongues.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention is related generally to a polarized electromagnetic 
relay, and more particularly to a relay including a coil member carrying 
an excitation winding and having two coil flanges and at least one axially 
extending through cavity. At least two armature contact tongues are 
arranged inside the coil member essentially parallel to the axis thereof, 
the armature contact tongues being seated at one side of the coil member 
in region of a first of the coil flanges. A plurality of stationary, 
cooperating contact elements serve as pole pieces and correspond in number 
to the number of contact tongues. The cooperating contact elements are in 
a region of a second of the coil flanges and are arranged opposite one 
another in respective pairs. The pairs of contact elements enclose a free 
end of corresponding ones of the contact tongues between them thereby 
forming working air gaps. A permanent magnet arrangement to which the pole 
pieces are coupled is provided so that the pole pieces of each and every 
pair are oppositely polarized. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
A relay of the foregoing type is disclosed, for example, in German 
published application No. DE-A-29 31 409. The relay includes two contact 
tongues and the contact tongues are seated in common in a coil flange in 
an exemplary embodiment therein and, as such, have their principle planes 
in one plane next to one another. The pole pieces are also arranged in 
pairs in a plane parallel to the plane of the contact tongues. A common, 
two-pole permanent magnet serves as a pre-magnetization means for both 
pole piece pairs. After the through-connection of a contact tongue, there 
is a risk that the magnetic circuit will close via this through-connected 
tongue and that the electromagnetic excitation is no longer sufficient 
under certain circumstances for switching the second contact unit. 
Additional measures are therefore provided in the known relay to improve 
synchronous switching of both contact tongues. For example, both contact 
tongues are enveloped with a common plastic part for the purpose of 
parallel guidance. Moreover, to fix the pole pieces in their respective, 
common plane, the pole pieces are additionally already enveloped in common 
before assembly. All of these measures require additional work steps and 
materials yet completely synchronous switching is nonetheless not 
guaranteed because of the unavoidable tolerances or variations. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a relay of the foregoing 
type which includes two or, under given conditions, more contact units in 
the coil member, whereby the individual contact tongues and pole pieces 
are structurally mounted independently of one another in simple way, but 
whereby a high reliability of synchronous switching is achieved for all 
switch units. In the present relay, the response values for the switch 
units are adjustable by adjustment or balancing, and even for compensating 
tolerances as warranted. 
This and other objects of the invention are achieved in that the contact 
tongues have their principle planes residing perpendicular to the 
connecting plane of the relay in planes parallel to one another. The pole 
pieces are essentially flat and are arranged next to one another in a 
common plane perpendicular to the connecting plane of the relay and to the 
planes of the contact tongues at the end face of the coil member at the 
second coil flange. The permanent magnet arrangement for every pole shoe 
comprises a separate polarization region having a polarization direction 
parallel to the coil axis, whereby one pole with a pole piece and the 
opposite pole facing away from the pole piece is coupled via a flux plate 
to the appertaining contact tongue in the region of the first coil flange, 
being coupled thereto in every polarization region. 
By arranging the contact tongues in planes that are perpendicular to the 
connecting plane of the relay and that are parallel to one another, a 
ratio of width to height of the coil member is achieved which is favorable 
with the switching units lying next to one another. In this way, moreover, 
all pole pieces lie next to one another and are perpendicular to an end 
face of the coil member. The pole pieces have their terminals directly in 
the same plane extending in a downward direction. An advantage is realized 
both in the manufacture of the parts as well as the assembly thereof. 
Moreover, this arrangement is beneficial for coupling of the permanent 
magnet arrangement as well as for magnetization and balancing thereof. 
The permanent magnet arrangement, which is expediently formed with a single 
cuboid or plate-shaped permanent magnet, has a separate pole pair for 
every pole piece in accordance with the invention. Thus, an eight-poled 
magnet is used for two switchover contacts having four pole pieces. The 
permanent magnet poles facing away from the pole pieces are coupled to the 
bearing location of the contact tongues in the region of the opposite coil 
flange via one or more flux plates. Since every pole piece comprises a 
separate permanent magnet region, the individual permanent magnet regions 
can also be separately balanced so that manufacturing tolerances or 
variations in materials and in the assembly spacings are compensated by 
correspondingly different magnetization of the permanent magnet regions. 
In this way, thus, the response values of the individual armature contact 
units are separately set and are matched to one another so that a 
synchronous switching or, as needed, an intentionally different switch 
behavior is set. 
To improve the insulation between the individual contact units, the coil 
member also comprises an axially through extending contact space for every 
contact tongue. The individual contact spaces are at least partially 
separated from one another by a partition lying parallel to the axis. The 
partition, or for more than two contact units, the partitions, also 
increase the stability of the coil member. Moreover, a cavity is provided 
in the partition in some embodiments and the cavity serves, first, to save 
on material and to guarantee a uniform thickness of material and, second, 
is capable of accepting, for example, a getter tablet or an auxiliary 
component part, as needed. In some embodiments, the partition is formed by 
a getter foil or sheet so that the getter tablet is omitted. 
As mentioned, the flux return from the permanent magnet poles lying at the 
outside to the fixing points of the contact tongues ensues via a common 
flux plate which may also be formed as a ferromagnetic cap. Alternately, 
the flux return may be through separate flux plates for every contact 
unit. The pole pieces themselves are expediently respectively positioned 
between ribs at the end face of the coil member and, preferably, their 
contact region comprises contact pieces bent slightly out of their 
principle plane in the direction of the contact tongue. The fastening ribs 
of the pole pieces expediently correspond in thickness to the thickness of 
the pole pieces, so that a largely planar seating surface is present for 
the permanent magnet arrangement. A plastic film for insulation and for 
preliminary sealing is thereby expediently provided, such as, for example, 
by being bonded on between the pole pieces and the permanent magnet. A 
corresponding insulating film is also expediently provided at the opposite 
coil member flange between the contact tongue ends and the flux plate or 
plates. The overall coil member unit together with the inserted pole 
pieces and the emplaced permanent magnet as well as the flux guidance 
plates are expediently embedded in plastic in a cap or in molded plastic. 
The pole pieces and the permanent magnet are thereby also finally fixed. 
The aforementioned balancing of the permanent magnet regions can 
subsequently ensue in a known way. As mentioned, each of the 
perpendicularly residing pole pieces comprises proceeding extensions as 
terminal elements. For special applications, however, it is also provided 
that two neighboring pole pieces are joined to one another and are of one 
piece and do not comprise a separate terminal element. For example, the 
through-connection of two normally closed contacts can thus be already 
provided in the relay without the necessity of an external contact, as is 
occasionally required in, for instance, telephone systems. 
The fastening and adjustment of the contact tongues ensues, for example, in 
a known way according to German published application DE-A-33 38 198 and 
corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,172, incorporated herein by reference, 
in that the contact tongues have a fastening end comprising T-shaped, 
applied fastening tabs glued in wedge-shaped grooves in the coil member 
and aligned during gluing in the manner set forth therein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
A relay is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for mounting on a surface, such as a 
circuit board. In the illustrated example, the surface on which the 
mounted relay rests is a connecting plane. The relay includes a coil 
member 1 having an excitation winding 11 applied between two coil flange 
members 2 and 3. It is also contemplated to provide two excitation 
windings in an alternate embodiment. The coil member 1 comprises two 
parallel, through contact spaces 12 and 13 (see FIG. 3) extending in a 
direction parallel to the axis of the coil member 1. The contact spaces 12 
and 13 are at least partially separated from one another by one or more 
partitions 14 proceeding entirely or partially through the coil member in 
a longitudinal direction. A cavity 15 is provided in the partition 14 or, 
when several are present, in the region of the partitions 14. First, this 
saves on the material during manufacturing of the coil member 1. Second, 
the cavity 15 serves to guarantee the dimensional accuracy of the coil 
member 1 during manufacture such as, for example, during injection 
molding, by guaranteeing approximately uniform material thickness. 
Further, the cavity 15 accepts, for example, a getter element 8 as shown 
in FIG. 1. In this case, passages 16 are provided between the cavity 15 
and the two contact spaces 12 and 13 to allow the getter element 8 to take 
effect. 
Proceeding from the side of the relay at the coil flange member 2, two 
armature contact elements 4A and 4B are inserted into the two contact 
spaces 12 and 13. The two armature contact elements 4A and 4B are formed 
and arranged as mirror images of one another. Each of the two armature 
contact elements 4A and 4B comprise a contact tongue 41 and a respective 
cut-free fastening tab 42 at both sides of the fastening end thereof in 
the region by which the contact elements 4A and 4B are fixed. The contact 
tongues 41 lie parallel to one another and are perpendicular to the 
connecting plane of the relay. The fastening tabs 42 are connected by a 
torsion ridge 43 to the respective contact tongue 41. The fastening tabs 
42 are inserted into bearing grooves 21 in the flange member 2 and are 
preferably glued thereto. While the glue is hardening, the contact tongue 
41 may be adjusted toward the center or toward one side, as disclosed, for 
example, in German published application DE-A-33 38 198 and corresponding 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,172, incorporated herein by reference, or in earlier 
German Patent No. P 35 43 099.0. 
Four pole pieces are arranged at the end face of the second coil flange 3. 
In particular, the pole pieces 5A and 5B as well as 6A and 6B are formed 
in pairs as mirror images of one another. All pole pieces 5A through 6B 
are essentially formed as planar plates that are arranged in a plane 
perpendicular to the connecting plane of the relay and also perpendicular 
to the axis of the coil 11. The pole pieces are respectively clamped 
between salient ribs 31 and lugs, or noses, 32 of the coil flange member 
3. The heights of the ribs 31 and lugs 32 is of a dimension corresponding 
approximately to the thickness of the pole pieces 5A, 5B, 6A or 6B so that 
a flush, substantially flat faces is provided thereby. In a downward 
direction, the pole pieces 5A through 6B comprise applied terminal pins 51 
and 61. Moreover, two pole pieces 5A and 6A enclose a free end 44 of a 
contact tongue between them, and similarly, two pole pieces 5B and 6B 
enclose a free end 44 of the other contact tongue 41 between them. In the 
region of the contact tongue end 44, the pole shoes 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B 
comprise somewhat cut-free contact pieces 52 or 62 which are slightly bent 
in a inward direction to provide each with a contact surface 53 or 63 that 
lies parallel to the surface of the appertaining contact tongue 41 (see 
FIG. 4). 
After assembly of the pole pieces 5A, 5B, 6A and 68, as well as of the 
armature contact elements 4A and 4B, the coil member 1 is provisionally 
closed by two insulating films or foils 71 and 72 as shown in FIG. 1. The 
insulating films 71 and 72 are applied to the end faces and are possibly 
bonded on. After bonding of the insulating films, a permanent magnet 7 is 
put in place on an outside surface of the pole pieces 5A through 6B over 
the insulating film 72. Two flux guidance plates 9A and 9B are then 
laterally applied or pushed over the coil member 1. A respective middle 
section 91 of the flux guidance plates lies laterally next to the winding 
11 with a first leg 92 covering two of the pole plates 5A and 6A or, 
respectively, 5B and 6B and an opposite leg 93 resting on an angled flux 
transition part 45 of the respective armature contact element, over the 
insulating film 71. 
The relay arrangement made in this way, which, however, is not yet fixed in 
terms of all of its parts, is placed into a cap 10 so that only the 
terminal pins 51 and 61 of the pole pieces as well as the terminal pins 46 
of the armature contact elements 4A and 4B and coil terminal pins 111 
anchored in the coil flanges 2 and 3 project therefrom. The cap 10, which 
is composed of plastic, is then filled with a casting compound to pot or 
embed the relay so that all parts are fixed relative to one another. The 
films 71 and 72 prevent the casting compound from flowing into the 
interior of the contact spaces 12 and 13. Subsequently, the permanent 
magnet can still be magnetized and balanced in the desired fashion, as 
shall be set forth later with reference to FIG. 4. The plastic cap can 
also be removed when the relay is potted or the relay can be extrusion 
coated in a form. 
Instead of the two U-shaped flux plates 9A and 9B, a single U-shaped flux 
guidance plate can also be used, which connects all pole pieces to the two 
bearing ends of the armature contact elements and, for example, proceeds 
over the upper side of the coil. A ferromagnetic cap may also be used for 
this purpose. 
In FIG. 4 is shown an assembled relay which has the same structure as the 
relay shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 but whose individual parts are not shown 
in great detail but instead are shown in somewhat schematic fashion. The 
permanent magnet 7 is magnetized in an eight-pole fashion with 
polarization directions proceeding parallel to the coil axis so that every 
pole piece has a separate permanent magnet region allocated to it. In 
other words, a first permanent magnet region 7a is allocated to the first 
pole piece 5A, a second permanent magnet region 7b is allocated to the 
second pole piece 6A, a third permanent magnet region 7c is allocated to 
the third pole piece 6B, and a fourth permanent magnet region 7d is 
allocated to the fourth pole piece 5B. The magnetization of the permanent 
of magnet 7 is undertaken on the basis of externally applied magnetization 
poles. Subsequently, a balancing of each and every individual region 7a 
through 7d is undertaken so that asymmetries in the construction and in 
the material of the magnetic circuit are compensated on the basis of a 
differing magnetization of these regions. It is thereby assured that an 
optimally synchronous response of two contact tongues 41 is achieved This 
balancing is carried out after the relay is completely assembled and 
potted so that the permanent magnet regions 7a through 7d are respectively 
produced in the proper allocation to the pole pieces 5A through 6B and 
independently of the physical arrangement of the cuboid permanent magnet 
7. 
FIG. 5 shows an end-face view onto the coil flange member 3 in a somewhat 
modified embodiment of the pole pieces. Two outer pole pieces 5A and 5B 
are shaped and arranged essentially unmodified from the foregoing 
embodiment. However, the inner pole pieces are combined to form a single 
pole plate 6 that does not have a separate terminal itself. When the two 
contact tongues 41 as illustrated in FIG. 4, lie against the inner pole 
pieces in the direction toward the coil axis, in other words, at the 
common pole plate 6 of FIG. 5, then a relay having two connected, normally 
closed contacts is created Such relay may be used in telephone technology. 
In this case, naturally, the coil flange member 3 must be correspondingly 
shaped to enable the common pole plate 6 to be fastened thereto. In other 
words, the middle rib 31 of FIG. 1 must be omitted. 
Thus, there is provided a relay in which synchronous switching of two 
contact tongues may be achieved by independent balancing of the permanent 
magnet regions allocated to each and every pole piece. 
Although other modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled 
in the art, it is the intention of the inventors to embody within the 
patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and 
properly come within the scope of their contribution to the art.