A METHOD FOR ACCOMPLISHING A TIME RELAY FUNCTION, AND A DEVICE FOR UTILIZATION OF THE METHOD

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for accomplishing a time relay function, and a device for utilization of the method, and is intended to be used in connection with relays which can be plugged-in to a relay socket, thereby facilitating attachment and electrical connection. According to the invention, at least one time circuit (7) is used, located in an intermediate position between the relay and the relay socket, enclosed within a housing (1). At the planes of the housing (1) directed towards the relay and the relay socket, holes have been taken up in a configuration corresponding to the electric connecting points of same, and the connections not used for voltage supply to the relay coil are joined by means of combined tubular connectors/contact pins (6) arranged by corresponding holes in the housing (1), the contact pins being directed outwardly from the housing (1) towards the relay socket. At the connection points used for voltage supply to the relay coil, contact pins (5) extend from corresponding holes in the housing (1) from the plane directed towards the relay socket, and tubular electric contacts (4) are arranged by the second plane of the housing (1), connected to the time circuit (7). Furthermore, manually operable switching means (8) are preferably arranged, intended to facilitate adjustment of the time circuit (7), both with regard to function type and its time constant.

Description: A method for accomplishing a time relay function, and a device for utilization of the method The present invention relates to a method for accomplishing a time relay function, and a device for utilization of the method. For a large number of applications, various types of time relays are being used, which facilitate delayed make and/or break operation, or repeated make/break operation with predetermied time constants. Such relays are often of plug-in type, in order to facilitate simultaneous attachment and electrical connection against a relay socket. These previously known types of time relays can alternatively be arranged with predetermined functions, or include adjustment means, which facilitate adjustment of time constants within a predetermined range. Previously known types of time relays have been manufactured in a large number of types, both with regard to intended'delay and contact function, but also with regard to the type of delay intended to be accomplished. Furthermore, previously known types of time relays are also designed to besuited for the electrical voltages/currents#intended to be switched by the contacts of the relay. Time relays of the above described types are manufactured in rather small quantities and in a large variety, and are thus also fairly expensive. When designing and building relay boxes or frames, as well as other electrical installations including time relays, necessary time delay periods can not always be theoretically calculated, and as a result, the time relays used must often be changed to time relays of a different type when a final functional test is carried out. Also from service point of view, it is undesirable to use a larger number of time relays of different types intended for specific applications, since it can be extremely difficult to find suitable replacement types when a time relay must be replaced, e.g. when the relay contacts have been damaged. During design work, space must be reserved for any future additional relays, intended to facilitate accomplishment of necessary delay functions, and as a result, relay frames, relay boxes and similar structures have been dimensioned unnecessarily large. The object of the present invention is to disclose a method to accomplish a time relay function in connection with generally available conventional types of relays, which normally are not intended to be used for this purpose, and it is also possible to further enhance the functions of previously known types of time relays. The invention also relates to a device for utilization of the method, the relays used in connection with said device being of plug-in type. The method for accomplishing a time relay function according to the present invention is intended to be used for the type of relays which by means of a plug-in method are attached to a relay socket, and it is characterised in that as a first step is a member attached to the relay socket, said member having contact means extending towards the relay socket, said member further including a time circuit which when attached to the relay socket is electrically connected to the contact means at the relay socket intended to supply a voltage to the relay coil, and that as a final step a relay is attached to the member already attached to the relay socket by means of contact means directed towards the relay, application of a voltage to the connecting points at the relay socket normally used for feeding a voltage to the relay coil causing the applied voltage to be switched via the time circuit to the relay coil with intended time circuit function and time factor. The device for utilization of the method according to the present invention is mainly characterised in that the intermediately located member comprises a housing, at a first and towards the relay socket directed plane being arranged with a number of holes located in a configuration substantially corresponding to the electric contact points at the relay socket and with correspondingly located holes arranged at an opposed and second plane of the housing1 and with at least one electronic time circuit arranged located surrounded by the housing, electrically connected to contact pins extending from the first plane and located in the holes which correspond with the connections at the relay socket intended to be used to feed a voltage to the relay coil of a relay located at the relay socket, said time circuit being arranged to switch the applied electrical voltage to female contacts, located within the housing at the holes taken up in the second plane in a configuration corresponding to the contact pins, remaining holes at the first and the second plane of the housing, not used for feeding a voltage to the relay coil, being arranged joined by means of a combined female contacts/contact pins. The method according to the present invention, and an embodiment of a device for utilization of the method, is more fully described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view, viewed from above, of an embodiment of a device according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line II - II in figure 1. Figure 3 is a side view of the device shown in figures 1 and 2, located in an intermediate position between a relay socket and a relay. With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the shown wmbodiment of a device according to the present invention includes an outer housing, as a complete unit denominated as 1, the upper plane including a centrally located hole 2 including a key way, and with a corresponding studshaped member 3 extending from the lower plane of the housing 1. Annularly surrounding said hole 2 and the stud-shaped member 3, a number of holes are taken up in the housing 1, the holes which according to existing standards are used for voltage feed to a relay coil at the upper plane being arranged surrounding tubular electric contact members 4, 4' with contact pins 5 extending from corresponding holes at the lower plane. At the remaining annularly located holes are combined tubular contact members/contact pins 6, 6' arranged, the tubular portion being arranged enclosed within the housing 1, whereas the pin portion extends in direction from the lower plane of the housing 1. The housing 1 also surrounds an electric circuit board 7, which is electrically coonected to the tubular electric contact members 4, 4' and the contact pins 5, said circuit board 7 clearance holes for the combined tubular contact members/contact pins 6, 6'. By the upper plane of the housing 1, Fig. 1 also shows two electric switching means 8, 8', connected to the circuit board and manually operable. At the circuit board 7 are also necessary electronic components arranged to form a previously know type of electronic time delay circuit, which by means of the electric switching means 8, 8' manually can be set delayed make and/or break function, continously repeated make/break operation, as well as desired time constant. This function is achieved by influencing the period of time while the contact pins 5 are connected to the tubular contact members 4, 4', and in view of the fact that the electric circuit necessary for obtaining such a function can be arranged in a number of ways, and also must be regarded as previously known, an example of a suitable circuit is not given. In use, the above described device, also shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is attached to a conventional relay socket 9, located in an intermediate position between said relay socket 9 and a relay 10, as shown in Fig. 3. By means of the switching means 8, 8' is desired function set, e.g. a delayed make operation, and also desired time constant; When a voltage is fed to the contact pins 5 from the relay socket 9, necessary time delay is accomplished by the electric circuit on the circuit board 7, before the voltage is switched on to the tubular electric contact members 4, 4', and thereby also corresponding contact pins on the relay 10. In delayed break operation, the voltage is immediately switched from the contact pins 5 to the tubular electric contacts 4, 4', and this switched connection is maintained during preset delay time. Changes with regard to both type of function and time constant can easily ne made when desired, by manually influencing the switching means 8, 8'. The above described embodiment of a device according to the present invention thus makes it possible to use conventional and fairly cheap relays as time relays. This makes it possible to accomplish time relays for desired electric power at a very low cost, and servicing and replacement is also made easier, since conventional and fairly easy accessible relays are used. A further advantage is the possibility to accomplish a time function in connection to a relay, without an individual relay socket with associated time relay, and it is obvious that this fact makes it possible to considerably reduce the size of relay boxes and racks. Also from design point of view there are obvious advantages, partly due to the fact that desired delay functions easily can be obtained during testing or at a later time, partly due to the fact that documentation of simpler type can be used. A further interesting application is the possibility to use the device in connection with a conventional time relay, in order to increase the field of use for such a time relay. A time relay, e.g. having a delayed break operation, can thus receive a further and added function, such as delayed make operation, or alternatively can existing adjustment range be further increased. There is also a further possibility to obtain desired functions and time intervals. Accordingly, a number of devices according to the present invention may be arranged located adjacent to each other in an intermediate position between a relay socket and a relay, whereby desired combination of functions can be choosen, and such an arrangement would also offer large freedom with regard to time intervals to be set. The adjustment members, which previously have been referred to as electric switching means 8, 8', can also include other means than rotary switches or other similar means included in the term used. Switching between different functions, as well as time intervals, can for example be accomplished by use of a strapping field, or any other previously known method. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, only two tubular contacts 4, 4' and two associated contact pins 5 have been described connected to the circuit board 7, and in this case only one voltage path is influenced by the time circuit, whereas the second is necessary for accomplishing complete voltage feed to the components included in the time circuit. However, for certain applications, the device may also include two or more time circuits, e.g. in order to facilitate use in connection with relays including two or more individually voltage fed relay coils, in which case the number of combined tubular contact members/contact pins 6, 6' obviously is reduced correspondingly, and replaced by tubular contact members 4, 4' and contact pins 5 connected to the circuit board 7. For certain applications, the adjustment means 8, 8' may also be excluded, e.g. when type of function and/or time constant can be predetermined, and there is no need for adjustability. The configuration and type of the electrical connections 4, 4', 5, 6, 6' can obviously be varied as desired, in order to match same to relay sockets 9 and relays 10. It is also believed to be within the scope of the invention to arrange the opposed planes of the housing 1 with connections 4, 4', 5, 6, 6' of varied type and/or configuration, i.e. with one plane adapted to suit a certain type of relay socket 9 and with the opposed plane adapted to suit a relay 10 which normally can not be attached to the relay socket 9, thereby accomplishing an "adaptor function The embodiment described above can thus be modified in a number of ways within the scope of the inventive thought and the following claims, and is thus only intended to serve as an example of an embodiment for utilization of the method according to the invention.

Claims: Claims: 1. A method to accomplish a time relay function for a relay (10) intended to be attached to a relay socket (9) by means of a plug-in method, characterised in that as a first step at least one member is attached against the relay socket (9), said member having towards the relay socket (9) directed contact means and including a time circuit (7) which becomes connected electrically to the contact means at the relay socket (9) intended to supply a voltage to the relay (10), and that as a final step the relay (10) is attached to the member already attached against to the relay socket (9) by means of contact means directed towards the relay (10), a voltage supply to the connection points at the relay socket (9) normally used to feed the coil of the relay (10) being transferred to the time circuit and making same operative to switch the voltage to the relay coil with intended time circuit function and time delay factor. 2. Device for utilization of the method as claimed in claim 1, in which the intermediately located member comprises a housing (1), at a first and towards the relay socket (9) directed plane being arranged with a number of from each other spaced holes in a configuration corresponding to the electrical connecting points at the relay socket (9) and with holes arranged at an opposed and second plane of the housing (1), preferably located substantially similar to the holes at the first plane, and further including at least one electronic time circuit (7) enclosed within the housing (1), arranged electrically connected to contact pins (5) located in the holes corresponding to the connections at the relay socket (9) intended to be used for voltage feed of the coil of a relay (10) located by the relay socket (9), said time circuit being arranged to facilitate switching of applied electric voltage to female contact members (4, 4') enclosed by the housing (1) and located by the holes taken up in the second plane of the housing, remaining holes not used for voltage feed of the relay (10) at the first and the second plane of the housing (1) being joined by means of combined tubular connecting members/ contact pins (6, 6'), surrounded by the housing (1) and with the contact pins extending from the first plane. 3. Device as claimed in claim 2, in which the time circuit (7) enclosed by the housing (1) includes at least one manually operable adjustment means (8, 8'), arranged when manually influenced to facilitate adjustment of delay type and/or time constant for the time circuit. 4. Device as claimed in any of claims 2 and 3, in which a guiding member (3), co-acting with the relay socket (9), is arranged extending from the first plane of the housing (1), and that a substantially corresponding guiding hole (2) is arranged by the second plane of the housing (1). 5. Device as claimed in claim 3, in which the manually operable adjustment means (8, 8'), co-acting with the time circuit (7), is a switching means with rotary movement. 6. Device as claimed in claim 3, in which the manually operable adjustment means (8, 8'), co-acting with the time circuit (7), is a strapping field. 7. Device as claimed in any of claims 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, in which at least two devices are arranged located adjacent to each other in an intermediate position between.a relay socket (9)#and a relay (10). 8. Device as claimed in any of claims 2, 3, 4, 5,-6 and :7, in which the holes taken up at the first and the second plane of the housing (1) are located in a substantially corresponding configuration in relation to each other. 9. Device as claimed in any of claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, in which the holes taken up at the first and second plane of the housing (1) are located in a different configuration to each other.

Inventors: BOMAN, AGNE GOSTA, Boman, Agne Gösta
Applicants: BOMAN, AGNE GOSTA
Application year: 1983
Main classification: H01H50
IPC codes: H01H50