Electromagnetic relay

An electromagnetic relay (1) is formed by assembling a drive part (30), mobile body (50) that moves when the drive part (30) is driven, and a plurality of contact mechanisms (60, 70) that switch the contact and separation of contacts (61d, 62d, 71d, 72d) by the movement of the mobile body (50) in a body (40). Furthermore, a partition wall (21) is provided inside a case (20), which is fitted over the body (40), and a latching part (42) is provided in a location on the body (40) corresponding to the partition wall (21). In the state where the case (20) is fitted over the body (40), the front end of the partition wall (21) is latched to the latching part (42).

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2011/073641, filed on Oct. 14, 2011, which in turn claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2010-249967, filed on Nov. 8, 2010, the disclosures of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electromagnetic relay.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, as an electromagnetic relay, one is known in which a case is fitted over a body on which contact point mechanisms and an electromagnetic device are assembled (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1).

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

However, in the above conventional art, the case and the body are fixed to each other by bonding the peripheral portion thereof only. Accordingly, there have been cases in which the body becomes warped or deformed due to a surrounding temperature change when curing a bonding agent and so on.

In consideration of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic relay in which a body can be suppressed from being warped or deformed.

An electromagnetic relay according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a body with a drive part, a mobile body that moves upon driving of the drive part, and a plurality of contact point mechanisms of which contact points switch between contact and separation states assembled thereon; and a case which is fitted over the body. Partition walls are provided inside the case and latching parts are provided on the body at positions corresponding to those of the partition walls, and a tip end of each partition wall is latched to each latching part in a state where the case is fitted over the body.

In the electromagnetic relay according to a second aspect of the present invention, the tip end of the partition wall and the latching part is latched together with a bonding agent interposed therebetween.

In the electromagnetic relay according to a third aspect of the present invention, the plurality of contact point mechanisms are, respectively, partitioned by the partition walls in a state where the case is fitted over the body.

In the electromagnetic relay according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the latching part has a through hole for introducing the bonding agent, and a regulation part for regulating movement of the bonding agent is formed between the latching part and the partition wall.

In the electromagnetic relay according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the latching part has a groove part into which the tip end of the partition wall is inserted, and the tip end of the partition wall is latched in the groove part.

In the electromagnetic relay according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the groove part has an opening formed therein that opens to a side portion of the body.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to the present invention, the partition walls are provided inside the case and the latching parts are provided on the body at positions corresponding to the partition walls, so that the tip end of each partition wall is latched onto the latching part. By latching the partition wall provided inside the case onto the body in this manner, the body can be suppressed from being warped or deformed due to the surrounding temperature change.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a detailed description is made of an electromagnetic relay according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An electromagnetic relay1according to this embodiment is formed into a substantially box-shape by covering an electromagnetic relay main body part10with a case20from the above and then bonding and fixing the case20onto the body40.

The electromagnetic relay main body part10is formed by assembling thereon an electromagnetic device (drive part)30and a plurality of contact point mechanisms60,70.

Specifically, the electromagnetic relay main body part10is formed by assembling the electromagnetic device30on the longitudinal center portion of the body40and the plurality of contact point mechanisms60,70on both sides (three on each side in this embodiment) in the longitudinal direction of the body40(both end sides of the electromagnetic device30), and clamping later-described movable contact point parts61,71of the respective contact point mechanisms60,70with a card (mobile body)50.

Thereafter, the power is switched on to drive the electromagnetic device (drive part)30and to transmit the driving force to the cards50, so that the plurality of contact point mechanisms can be switched between an open state and a closed state.

A publicly known one can be used as the electromagnetic device (drive part)30, which can be configured by, for example, a permanent magnet, a yoke, an armature, a movable spring and a coil. The electromagnetic device thus configured enables the armature to be moved upon powering up the coil, and with the movement of the armature, enables the cards50to be moved along the longitudinal direction of the body40.

Further, the electromagnet device30is provided with substrate connecting terminals30ato be connected to a not-shown substrate. Each substrate connecting terminal30ais inserted through a terminal insertion hole44aformed on a recessed part44for mounting the electromagnetic device (drive part) of the body40and is pressed in so that each terminal30ais protruded out of the lower surface side of the body40. By this, the electromagnetic device30is assembled on the longitudinal center portion of the body40.

Further, on the both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the substantially rectangular body40, a plurality of silt holes41for fixing the contact point mechanisms are formed in an extending manner in the transverse direction, and between the adjacent slits41in the longitudinal direction of the body40, a slit42(latching part: groove) is formed into which a tip end of a later-described partition wall21of the case20is inserted.

Still further, an outer peripheral groove43for bonding the case20is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the body40. By fitting an outer peripheral part20aof the case20over this outer peripheral groove43, the case20is fitted over and mounted on the body40.

Then, on transverse center portions of the body40which are on both sides of the recessed part44for mounting the electromagnetic device (drive part), guide recessions45extending in the longitudinal direction of the body40are respectively formed. This enables the tip end of each card50to move within each guide recession45while being guided.

Additionally, the plurality of contact point mechanisms60,70are, respectively, provided with the movable contact point parts61,71and fixed contact point parts62,72.

The movable contact point part61is configured to include a sheeted leaf spring61awhich is clamped by the card50, a fixed plate61bwhich is attached to a base portion of the leaf spring61a, a substrate connecting terminal61cwhich is provided on the fixed plate61b, and the movable contact point61dwhich is provided at a tip end portion of the leaf spring61a.

Meanwhile, the fixed contact point part62is configured to include an upper fixed plate62a, a lower fixed plate62b, a substrate connecting terminal62cwhich is provided on the lower fixed plate62b, and the fixed contact point62dwhich is provided on the upper fixed plate62aand can be contacted with and separated from the movable contact point61d.

Further, the movable contact point part71is configured to include a sheeted leaf spring71awhich is clamped by the card50, a fixed plate71bwhich is attached to a base portion of the leaf spring71a, a substrate connecting terminal71cwhich is provided on the fixed plate71b, and the movable contact point71dwhich is provided at a tip end portion of the leaf spring71a.

Meanwhile, the fixed contact point part72is configured to include an upper fixed plate72a, a lower fixed plate72b, a substrate connecting terminal72cwhich is provided on the lower fixed plate72b, and the fixed contact points72dwhich are provided on the upper fixed plate72aand can be contacted with and separated from the movable contact points71d.

Then, each of the terminals61c,62c,71cand72cis inserted through the slit hole41in a protruding manner from the lower surface side of the body40, and the movable contact point parts61,71and the fixed contact point parts62,72are pressed into the respective slit holes41so that the movable contact point parts61,71and the fixed contact point parts62,72are assembled on the body40.

Here, in this embodiment, each of the movable contact point part61and the fixed contact point part62of the contact point mechanism60is provided with a single contact point which is the contact point61dand the contact point62d, respectively.

Moreover, the movable contact point part71is provided with two contact points71d, and the fixed contact point part72of the contact point mechanism70is provided with two contact points72d. In this embodiment, the vertically arranged two contact points71d,71dof the movable contact point part71and the vertically arranged two contact points72d,72dof the fixed contact point part72are arranged in parallel to each other. When the upper contact points71dand72dcome into contact with each other, the lower contact points71dand72dalso come into contact with each other.

As described above, the electromagnetic relay1according to this embodiment includes at least one contact point mechanism60in which the movable contact point part61and the fixed contact point part62, respectively, have one contact point61dand one contact point62d, and also includes at least one contact point mechanism70in which at least one of the movable contact point part71and the fixed contact point part72(both in this embodiment) has a plurality (two) of contact points which are the contact points71dand72d, respectively. By configuring in this manner, reliability of the contact points are improved and cost can be reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 6, the contact point mechanism70(one having the plurality of contact points) is configured as a normally-closed contact point. In other words, the contact point mechanism70(one having the plurality of contact points) is configured so that, when the electromagnetic device (drive part)30is not excited, the contact points71dand72dare in contact with each other, and upon excitation of the electromagnetic device (drive part)30, the contact points71dand72dbecome separated.

As described above, the contact reliability is further improved by using the contact point mechanism70(one having the plurality of contact points) which has higher contact reliability than the contact point mechanism60(one having only the single contact point) as the normally-closed contact point from which foreign object adhered to is difficult to be removed.

On the other hand, the contact point mechanism60(one having only the single contact point) is configured as a normally-opened contact point. In other words, the contact point mechanism60(one having the single contact point) is configured so that, when the electromagnetic device (drive part)30is not excited, the contact points61d,62dare separated from each other, and upon excitation of the electromagnetic device (drive part)30, the contact points61dand62dare brought into contact with each other.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 6, the contact point mechanisms are arranged from the electromagnetic device (drive part)30towards the right side, in the order of the contact point mechanism70as the normally-closed contact point, the contact point mechanism as the normally-closed contact point and the contact point60as the normally-opened contact point, and from the electromagnetic device (drive part)30towards the left side, three contact point mechanisms60as the normally-opened contact points are arranged.

Thus, by configuring the electromagnetic relay1as a multipolar electromagnetic relay as above, one electromagnetic relay can be applied to various circuits. Accordingly, the electromagnetic relay can be used as a signal controlling electromagnetic relay, a high current controlling electromagnetic relay and the like, according to various purposes.

The case20has a substantially box-like shape with an opened lower portion to cover the body40from above in a state where the electromagnetic device (drive part)30and the contact point mechanisms60,70are assembled on the body40. In this embodiment, the outer peripheral part20aof the case20is bonded to the outer peripheral groove43by a bonding agent to fit the case20over the body40. In addition, a reference numeral23ofFIG. 1is an air escape hole for preventing the pressure inside from becoming high upon bonding and curing the case20.

In this embodiment, the case20is provided with the partition walls21therein. Specifically, three (plural) transversely extended partition walls are arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction inside the case20. Further, at a transverse center portion of each partition wall21, a space part22is formed for allowing movement of the card50. In other words, six partition walls21are arranged in parallel, respectively, on one side and the other side in the transverse direction. Note that reference numerals24inFIG. 4are wall parts for reinforcing the later-described partition walls21and for restricting a movable region of the contact point mechanisms60,70.

Further, the latching parts are provided on the body at positions corresponding to those of the partition walls21. And the tip end portion of each partition wall21is latched to the latching part in a state where the case20is fitted over the body40.

In this embodiment, the latching part is configured to include a slit (groove part)42into which the tip end of the partition wall21of the case20is inserted, and a through hole42bfor introducing the bonding agent which is formed in the slit42so as to penetrate to the rear surface side of the body40.

Further, the tip end of the partition wall21and the latching part is latched by the bonding agent. In other words, when fitting the case20over the body40, the tip end of the partition wall21of the case20is made to be inserted into the slit42and, in this state, the bonding agent is introduced into the slit42through the through hole42bfrom the rear surface side of the body40, thereby bonding and fixing the tip end of the partition wall21and the latching part together.

By bonding and fixing the tip end of the partition wall21and the latching part as described above, the case20and the body40are prevented from warping and deforming due to expansion upon heating and contraction upon cooling of the electromagnetic relay1when bonding and solidifying (thermal curing) the case20to the body40.

Still further, in this embodiment, a regulation part is formed between the slit (latching part)42and the partition wall21, for regulating movement of the bonding agent.

Specifically, as shown inFIG. 7, a protrusion (regulation part)42cis arranged to be closer to the transverse center side of the body40than the through hole42bof the slit42, and this protrusion42cregulates the bonding agent not to flow inside of the protrusion42cin the transverse direction. Suppressing the bonding agent from flowing towards the transverse center side of the body40can suppress the bonding agent from inhibiting movement of the card50and the like.

Further, in this embodiment, the plurality of contact point mechanisms60,70are partitioned by the partition walls21in a state where the case20is fitted over the body40.

In other words, each partition wall21is functioned to partition each of the contact point mechanisms60,70from the others. By partitioning each of the contact point mechanisms60,70from the others, each of the contact point mechanisms60,70is insulated. This means, in this embodiment, the partition wall21also functions as an insulating member. In addition, in this embodiment, the partition wall is formed so that the tip end portion thereof becomes thin. This facilitates insertion of the partition wall21into the slit42, while improving insulation strength of each of the contact point mechanisms60,70.

Still further, in this embodiment, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 5, an opening part42ais formed in each slit42, which opens to the side portion of the body40. By forming the opening part42ain the slit42, the bonding agent used for bonding the outer peripheral part20aof the case20to the outer peripheral groove43permeates into the slit42to further improve durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay1.

As described above, in this embodiment, the partition walls21are provided inside the case20while the tip end portion of each partition wall21is latched onto the body40.

In particular, in this embodiment, the tip end portion of the partition wall21is latched onto the body40by introducing the bonding agent from the through hole42b.

Accordingly, when bonding and solidifying (heat curing) the case20to the body40, the case20and the body40can be suppressed from warping and deforming due to expansion upon heating and contraction upon cooling of the electromagnetic relay1.

In other words, like the conventional case in which the case20and the body40are fixed by bonding only the peripheral portions, the body40may possibly warp or deform. This causes assembled positions of the contact point mechanisms and electromagnetic device on the body40to become shifted, thereby to give great influence on characteristic change of the relay.

However, according to this embodiment, the body40can be suppressed from becoming warped or deformed. Therefore, characteristic of the relay can be suppressed from changing when bonding and solidifying (attaching the case20to the body40). Also, by providing the partition walls21and latching each partition wall21to the latching part provided on the body40, the durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay1can be improved.

Further, according to this embodiment, the contact point mechanisms60,70are configured to separate from each other by the partition walls21, allowing each of the contact point mechanisms60,70to be insulated from the others.

Further, according to this embodiment, the latching part has the slit (groove part)42into which the tip end of the partition wall21is inserted, and the slit (groove part)42causes the tip end of the partition wall21to be latched therein. Accordingly, the slit (groove part)42positions the partition wall21so as to bond (latch) the partition wall21more securely and also to improve the durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay1even more.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the protrusion (regulation part)42cis provided between the slit (latching part)42and the partition wall21, for regulating the movement of the bonding agent. Consequently, the bonding agent can be suppressed from flowing inside the slit (latching part)42, and as a result, the movement of the card50and the like do not become inhibited by the bonding agent. In other words, the protrusion42ccan suppress degradation in performance of the electromagnetic relay1due to the bonding agent.

Further, according to this embodiment, the opening parts42aare formed to open on the side portion of the body40. Therefore, the bonding agent used for bonding the outer peripheral part20aof the case20to the outer peripheral groove43can be permeated into the slit42, improving the durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay1even more.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described hereinabove; however, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications can be made.

For example, in each embodiment, the plurality of contact point mechanisms are arranged in parallel on both sides of the drive part in the above embodiment; however, the plurality of contact mechanisms can be arranged on one side of the drive part.

Moreover, the movable spring, the contact points and other detailed specifications (such as shape, size and layout) can be changed as appropriate.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, the electromagnetic relay is provided, in which the body can be suppressed from being deformed or warped.