ELECTROMAGNETIC RELAY WITH LINEARLY MOVING ARMATURE ASSEMBLY

Abstract: This electromagnetic relay includes: a base assembly; an electromagnetic block assembly, mounted to the base, including an iron core and an electromagnetic coil wound around the core; a movable block assembly, which is selectively attracted by the electromagnetic block assembly according to energization of the electromagnetic coil thereof, and is movable along a direction perpendicular to the axial line of the iron core; a contact mechan­ ism including a movable contact support member actuated by the movement of the movable block assembly, a movable contact mounted to the movable contact support member near one extremity thereof, a fixed terminal member supporting the mov­ able contact support member from the base assembly near another extremity thereof, a fixed contact support member mounted to the base assembly opposing the movable contact support member, and a fixed contact mounted to the fixed contact support member opposing the movable contact; a means for guiding the movable block assembly along the aforesaid direction perpendicular to the axial line of the iron core; a projection formed on a surface of the movable block assembly facing the base assembly; and a guide projection wall, extending from the base assembly, along a surface formed on which the projection slides; the movable block assembly being engaged to the movable contact support member so as to be substantially fixed thereto with regard to mutual movement along the axial direction of the movable contact support member. Thereby, wobbling of the movable block assembly is prevented.

Description: The present invention relates to the field of electromagnetic relays, and in particular to an electromagnetic relay in which a movable armature assembly which actuates a contact mechanism is movable along a direction perpendicular to the axial line of the iron core of the relay. Conventionally, there is a per se known form of electromagnetic relay in which a movable armature assembly which actuates a contact mechanism is movable along a direction perpendicular to the axial line of the iron core of the relay. Such a movable armature assembly, in the prior art, has been supported by being engaged to a movable contact member. This is done in order to minimize mechanical contact resistance. A problem with this has been that, as the armature assembly moves, it tends to wobble and to be woggled, i.e. undergoes slight rotary motion, as it moves along its proper direction of motion perpendicular to the axial line of the iron core of the relay. However, nowadays with the increasing demands for reduction in size and weight of electromagnetic relays, even a slight such wobbling motion of the armature assembly may cause the contact pressure of the contact mechanism to be altered, and may cause fluctuations in the amount of magnetic coupling between the armature assembly and said iron core of the relay thereof, and this can produce the problem that accurate operating and restoring voltages are not maintained. Another problem that has arisen with electromagnetic relays is the following. Typically, the movable armature assembly has driven a movable contact member so as to cause it to cooperate with a pair of fixed contact members which are provided as opposing to one another, for engagement and/or disengagement of contacts. However, again with the increasing demands for reduction in size and weight of electromagnetic relays which are being made nowadays, because of the tendency for the distance between the iron core of the relay and the contacts of the contact mechanism to change due to deformation in the base structure of the relay, such as for instance can be caused due to thermal stress, the stroke of the motion of the movable armature assembly of the relay may be altered, and also the contact pressure of the contact mechanism has a tendency to change. According to this, again, accurate operating and restoring voltages are not maintained. Further, if the distance between the iron core of the relay and the contacts of the contact mechanism is reduced in view of the desirability of making the relay more compact, then the distance available for providing electrical insulation between said iron core of the relay and said contacts of the contact mechanism is reduced. From EP-A-167 131, representing prior art according to Article 54 (3) EPC, an electromagnetic relay is known having the features (a) to (d) and (g) of claim 1. There is no arc barrier wall, and the armature assembly is additionally supported by a further movable contact support member provided symmetrically to the movable contact support member with respect to the axis of the electromagnetic block assembly. From DE-A-3 320 000, an electromagnetic relay is known having an armature assembly moving in parallel to itself in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the electromagnetic block assembly. The armature assembly rests on a corresponding step of the yoke and is guided between vertical walls upwardly projecting from the base of the relay. From EP-A-49 088, an electromagnetic relay is known having a hinged armature acting on a contact operating member which rides through a neck portion thereof on a cutout provided in a wall disposed between the contact mechanism and the electromagnetic block assembly. In the relay according to the present invention as specified in claim 1 the armature assembly is supported at three separate points which define a triangle or a tripodal support configuration, and accordingly its motion is definitely and positively restricted to be only in one direction, i.e. said direction perpendicular to said axial line of said iron core. Accordingly, said armature assembly is constrained to move only in its proper direction of motion, and is prevented from undergoing any substantial wobbling or woggling motion. Thus, there is provided an electromagnetic relay which has improved properties of activating and restoring voltages, and which has a structure which prevents changes in the contact pressure of the contact mechanism thereof, as well as preventing changes in the magnetic coupling between the armature assembly thereof and the iron core thereof. Accordingly, this electromagnetic relay has a structure which reduces positional fluctuations of the pole portion of said iron core, and which maintains the distance between said iron core and the contacts of the contact mechanism. The present invention will now be shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments of the new relay, and with reference to the illustrative drawings. In the drawings, like parts and spaces and so on are denoted by like reference symbols in the various figures thereof; in the description, spatial terms are to be everywhere understood as referring to the orientation on the drawing paper of the relevant figure or figures and not in any absolute sense unless particularly so qualified; and: Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the the new electromagnetic relay; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the relay as seen through its cover; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the relay taken in a plane shown by the arrows III - III in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of a sub-assembly of the relay, particularly showing how different parts mounted to a base assembly thereof which is partially shown by double dotted lines; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the base assembly of the electromagnetic relay, for illustrating how a contact mechanism is assembled thereto. Fig. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the electromagnetic relay of the present invention in exploded perspective view, while Fig. 2 shows a plan view of said preferred embodiment as seen through its cover 25 and Fig. 3 is a sectional view of said preferred embodiment taken in a plane shown by the arrows III - III in Fig. 2. This relay comprises an electromagnetic block assembly A, an armature assembly B, a base assembly generally denoted by the reference numeral 7, a contact assembly C mounted to said base assembly 7, and said cover 25. The electromagnetic block assembly A is also mounted to the base assembly 7, and selectively moves the armature assembly B to selectively actuate the contact assembly C, the whole being covered over by the cover C for exclusion of moisture and the like. The electromagnetic block assembly A comprises a coil spool assembly 1, a yoke member 8, and a rod shaped iron core assembly 10. The coil spool assembly 1 comprises a central shaft portion 1a formed with a central bore 1g, and flange portions 1d and 1e are integrally formed at the two ends of this central shaft portion 1a. These flange portions 1d and 1e respectively are provided with terminal holder members 1b and 1c. The terminal holder member 1b is provided with two coil terminals 3 and 4, fitted to it and secured by insert molding, and likewise the other terminal holder member 1c is provided with a coil terminal 2, likewise fitted to it and secured by insert molding. The lower portions 2a and 3a respectively of the coil terminals 2 and 3 project downwardly from the lower sides of the terminal holder members 1c and 1b respectively to the outside of the base assembly 7, to define connecting terminal portions for selective supply of electrical energy from a source external to the electromagnetic relay to a coil 9 as will be explained hereinafter. A bearing assembly 5, more particularly described later in this specification, extends upwards from the upper side of the terminal holder member 1b. Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of the electromagnetic block assembly A, particularly showing how it is mounted to the base assembly 7 which is partially shown by double dotted lines. As shown in this figure, a chip resistor 6 is fitted by insert molding to said terminal holder member 1b and connects the coil terminals 3 and 4 together with a certain electrical resistance therebetween. A plurality of projections 1f are formed on the lower sides in Fig. 1 of the flange portions 1d and 1e, and these are fitted into corresponding depressions 7c formed in the base assembly 7 for locating the electromagnetic block assembly A thereon, with the yoke member 8 sandwiched between said electromagnetic block assembly A and said base assembly 7; the ends of these projections 1f sticking out on the other side of said base assembly 7 are thermally crimped, for securing the electromagnetic block assembly A and the yoke member 8 in a predetermined position on said base assembly 7. Thus, the base portion 8a of the yoke member 8 is positively positioned by being held between the projections 1f of the flange portions 1d and 1e on either side thereof, and further is held between the lower surfaces of said flange portions 1d and 1e and the upper surface of the base assembly 7. Further, the lower connecting terminal portions 2a and 3a respectively of the coil terminals 2 and 3 project downwardly through the base assembly 7, as shown in Fig. 4, to extend to the outside of the electromagnetic relay for electrical connection thereto. On the upper surface of the base assembly 7 there are integrally formed two arc barrier walls 7d and 7g. The arc barrier well 7g is formed as lying along one side of the electromagnetic block assembly A when said electromagnetic block assembly A is fitted to the base assembly 7 as explained above, and interposes between said electromagnetic block assembly A and the contact assembly C which will be described hereinafter. And this arc barrier well 7g is formed with a depression 7j for receiving a neck portion 12c of the movable armature assembly B. Thus, the movable armature assembly slidably supported by its neck 12c being fitted into said depression 7j. Further, the other arc barrier wall 7d is formed as extending substantially perpendicularly from one end of the above described arc barrier wall 7g, lying along one end of the electromagnetic block assembly A when said electromagnetic block assembly A is fitted to the base assembly 7 as explained above, and is formed with a depression 7e for receiving the end 10c of the pole portion 10b of the rod shaped iron core assembly 10 for fixedly holding and positioning it. The other end portion 10a of said rod shaped iron core assembly 10 is passed through the central bore 1g of the central shaft portion 1a of the coil spool assembly 1 and is fixedly crimped to an upwardly projecting piece 8a of the yoke member 8. Thereby, the iron core assembly 10 is held securely in its place as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. And an electromagnetic coil 9, only shown in Fig. 1 by dot dashed lines, is fitted around said central shaft portion 1a of the coil spool assembly 1, with its ends, as schematically shown in Fig. 4, electrically connected to the coil terminals 2 and 4. The armature assembly B comprises a permanent magnet member 13 secured to the underside of the main base portion 12a and two armature members 14 and 15 secured to opposite pole edges of said permanent magnet member 13 and projecting downwards away from said main base portion 12a as shown in Fig. 3 in cross section. When the armature assembly B is mounted as will be described shortly, the armature member 14 is located between one of two shield plates 16 and 17 which are mounted on either side of the aforementioned pole portion 10b of the rod shaped iron core assembly 10 and an upwardly projecting piece 8d of the yoke member 8, while the other armature member 15 opposes the other one 17 of said two shield plates 16 and 17. The contact assembly C is provided on the other side of the arc barrier wall 7g from the electromagnetic block assembly A, as previously mentioned, and comprises, as best seen in the plan view of Fig. 2 and the exploded perspective view of Fig. 5: a longitudinally extended strip shaped electrically conductive movable contact support member 24, to the free end of which are fixed two movable contacts 23, and which is formed with an engagement projection 24a extending upwards from an approximately central portion of its upper edge and is supported by its base portion 24b remote from said movable contacts 23 in a cantilever fashion from a terminal member 20 fixedly mounted to the base assembly 7 of the electromagnetic relay; a fixed contact support member 18 which is fixedly mounted to said base assembly 7 on one side of the aforesaid movable contacts 23 and bears a fixed contact 21; and another fixed contact support member 19 which is fixedly mounted to said base assembly 7 on the other side of the aforesaid movable contacts 23 and bears another fixed contact 22. Further, the lower portions 18a and 19a respectively of the fixed contacts 18 and 19 and the lower portion 20a of the terminal member 20 project downwardly through the base assembly 7 (as shown in Fig. 5) to provide connecting terminal portions which extend to the outside of the electromagnetic relay for electrical connection thereto. The movable block assembly B is so mounted as to be movable in the transverse direction of the electromagnetic relay indicated by the arrows A1 - A2 in Fig. 2 (hereinafter referred to as the direction of motion), but so as not to be wobblable or wogglable sideways to any substantial extent in any direction perpendicular to said direction of motion. The aforesaid main base portion 12a of the flat member 12 is provided with a projecting shaft portion 12e extending along the direction of motion, and further has two small projections 12f on its under side from the point of view of Fig. 1. And the previously mentioned neck portion 12c of the flat member 12 joins said main base portion 12a thereof to a contact engagement portion 12b thereof. The underside of this contact engagement portion 12b is formed with an engagement groove 12d which has a small depression formed in its bottom, said engagement groove 12d extending in the direction parallel to the movable contact support member 24. Thus, when the device is assembled: the two small projections 12f on the under side of the main base portion 12a of the flat member 12 slide on the upper plane surface 7f of the arc barrier wall 7d, one resting on one side of the depression 7e therein which holds the end of the iron core assembly 10 and the other resting on the other side of said depression 7e; the neck portion 12c is slidably engaged in the depression 7j of the other arc barrier wall 7g; and the projecting shaft portion 12e is slidably engaged into a depression 5b formed in a bearing member 5a comprised in the bearing assembly 5; this depression 5b has an open top, and the bearing assembly 5 further comprises a retaining projection 5c which extends in the direction for partially closing said open top of said depression 5b, so that during assembly the projecting shaft portion 12e is approached towards and inserted into the depression 5d from above by pressing said retaining projection 5c out of the way by bending it somewhat, and is thereafter prevented from coming out of said depression 5b by the retaining projection 5c. When the device is assembled, the upper edge of the movable contact support member 24 is engaged into the aforesaid engagement groove 12d formed in the contact engagement portion 12b of the flat member 12. The positions (a) of the two small projections 12f, (b) of the engagement point between the projecting shaft portion 12e and the depression 5b of the bearing assembly 5, and (c) of the small depression formed in the bottom of the engagement groove 12d into which the engagement projection 24a is fitted, approximately define an equilateral trapezium; and, considering only one of said small projections 12f, its position (a) together with the position (b) of said engagement point between the projecting shaft portion 12e and the depression 5b of the bearing assembly 5 and the position (c) of the small depression formed in the bottom of the engagement groove 12d into which the engagement projection 24a is fitted, mutually define a triangle. As a modification to the shown structure, there could be provided, for the bearing assembly 5, an upwardly projecting plate with a hole formed through it, and the projecting shaft portion 12e could merely slide in this hole. Such a construction would have the advantage of simplicity, over the construction outlined above and shown in Figs. 1 and 4, but would have worse assemblability. In Fig. 5 there is shown an exploded perspective view of the base assembly 7, for illustrating how the contact mechanism C is assembled thereto. This shows that the terminal member 20 and the fixed contact support member 19 are integrally molded into the base assembly 7 during its manufacture, while on the other hand the other fixed contact support member 18 is integrally molded into a mounting member 7n during its manufacture, said mounting member 7n then being fitted into a notched shape 7k formed on the base assembly 7 and being secured thereto by projections 7p in said notched shape 7k being inserted into and through holes 7q formed through said mounting member 7n and being crimped over, for example by thermal crimping. Thereby, the terminal member 20 supporting the movable contact support member 24 bearing the movable contacts 23 and the fixed contact support member 19 bearing the fixed contact 22 are integrally molded into the base assembly 7 and, as shown in Fig. 5, are intimately and integrally pressed against the arc barrier wall 7g thereof, while the fixed contact support member 18 bearing the fixed contact 21 is somewhat spaced away from said arc barrier wall 7g and is opposed to said fixed contact support member 19 bearing the fixed contact 22 with the movable contacts 23 being interposed between them. However, as an alternative method of forming this contact mechanism C as assembled to the base assembly 7, it would be possible first to integrally mold the terminal member 20 and the fixed contact support member 19 bearing the fixed contact 22 to said base assembly 7 by insert molding, and subsequently to insert the fixed contact support member 18 bearing the fixed contact 21 into the notched shape 7k formed on the base assembly 7 and to perform another act of insertion molding again. Now, the operation of the electromagnetic relay with the above described structure, and the peculiar advantages thereof, will be explained. The position of the device shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is a neutral state thereof, which cannot in fact be stably attained during its operation. In the non activated state of this electromagnetic relay in which no actuating electrical power is being supplied from the outside via the downwardly projecting lower connecting terminal portions 2a and 3a respectively of the coil terminals 2 and 3 to the electromagnetic coil 9, said electromagnetic coil 9 is exerting no magnetic force, and accordingly the iron core assembly 10 and the yoke member 8 are not themselves exerting any substantial magnetomotive force of their own. Thus, in this condition, the magnetic flux produced by the permanent magnet member 13 passes in a loop into and through the armature member 15, the iron core assembly 10, the yoke member 8, and the upwardly projecting piece 8d of the yoke member 8, to pass into the other armature member 14 and back to the permanent magnet member 13. As a result, the armature assembly B including said permanent magnet member 13 and said armature members 14 and 15 is displaced to the left from the position shown in Fig. 3, i.e. is displaced upwards in Fig. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow A1, so that the armature member 14 is moved as close as allowed within the physical constraints provided to said upwardly projecting piece 8d of the yoke member 8, and so that the other armature member 15 is approached to the pole portion 10b of the rod shaped iron core assembly 10, or rather to the shield plate 17 thereof, so as to minimize the magnetic resistance of said magnetic flux path. In this position of the armature assembly B, the movable contact support member 24 is moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 3, i.e. is displaced upwards in Fig. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow A1, so that the movable contacts 23 are definitely brought away from the fixed contact 22 borne on the fixed contact support member 19 and are moved so that one of said movable contacts 23 is brought into contact with the other fixed contact 21 borne on the other fixed contact support member 18, and thereby the lower connecting terminal portion 20a of the terminal member 20 is brought to be in electrical connection with the lower connecting terminal portion 18a of the fixed contact 18 but to be out of electrical connection with the other lower connecting terminal portion 19a of the other fixed contact 19. On the other hand, when actuating electrical power is supplied from the outside via the downwardly projecting lower connecting terminal portions 2a and 3a respectively of the coil terminals 2 and 3 to the electromagnetic coil 9, then, in this new condition of the apparatus, said electromagnetic coil 9 is caused to exert a certain considerable magnetic force which, in the aforementioned magnetic flux circuit, acts oppositely to the magnetic force of the permanent magnet member 13. In particular, the iron core assembly 10 and the yoke member 6 are so magnetized that the armature member 14 is attracted to the pole portion 10b of the rod shaped iron core assembly 10 on the side of the the shield plate 16 thereof, thus causing the armature assembly B including said permanent magnet member 13 and said armature members 14 and 15 to be displaced to the right from the position shown in Fig. 3, i.e. downwards in Fig. 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow A2, so that the armature member 14 is moved as far as allowed within the physical constraints provided from said upwardly projecting piece 8d of the yoke member 8, and so that the other armature member 15 is brought away from the pole portion 10b of the rod shaped iron core assembly 10, or rather from the shield plate 17 thereof. As this movement from the previously described non activated state of the electromagnetic relay occurs, the projecting shaft portion 12e of the flat member 12 slides in the depression 5b formed in the bearing member 5a comprised in the bearing assembly 5, the two small projections 12f on the under side of the main base portion 12a of said flat member 12 slide on the upper plane surface 7f of the arc barrier wall 7d, one on either side of the depression 7e therein, and the neck portion 12c of said flat member 12 slides in the depression 7j of the other arc barrier wall 7g; and, further, since the upper edge of the movable contact support member 24 is engaged into the aforesaid engagement groove 12d formed in the contact engagement portion 12b of the flat member 12, with the engagement projection 24a of said movable contact support member 24 fitted into the aforementioned small depression formed in the bottom of said engagement groove 12d, thereby this side of the flat member 12 is firmly supported during the motion of said flat member 12, and cannot wobble in any direction perpendicular to the direction of motion of said flat member 12 (the direction A1 - A2 in Fig. 2). In the final displaced position of the armature assembly B, the movable contact support member 24 is moved so that the movable contacts 23 are brought away from the fixed contact 21 borne on the fixed contact support member 18 and are moved so that one of said movable contacts 23 is brought into contact with the other fixed contact 22 borne on the other fixed contact support member 19, and thereby the lower connecting terminal portion 20a of the terminal member 20 is now brought to be in electrical connection with the lower connecting terminal portion 19a of the fixed contact support member 19 but to be out of electrical connection with the other lower connecting terminal portion 18a of the other fixed contact support member 18. Thus, the electromagnetic relay is switched over. And, further, when the coil 9 is energized in the opposite direction, the electromagnetic relay switches over again to its previously defined state, and is restored in the direction indicated in Fig. 2 by the arrow A1, again. Thus, because there is provided the projecting shaft portion 12e on the flat member 12 which is slidingly engaged in the depression 5b formed in the bearing member 5a comprised in the bearing assembly 5, and because further there are provided the two small projections 12f on the under side of the main base portion 12a of said flat member 12 which are arranged to slide on (for example) the upper plane surface 7f of the arc barrier wall 7d, and because yet further there is provided the engagement groove 12d formed in the contact engagement portion 12b of the flat member 12, with the engagement projection 24a of the movable contact support member 24 fitted into the small depression formed in the bottom of said engagement groove 12d, the flat member 12, and the armature assembly B as a whole, are supported at three positions (and in fact at four points), so as to be allowed to move, substantially only, in the preferred direction of movement as indicated in Fig. 2 by the arrows A1 - A2, perpendicular to the axial direction of the iron core assembly 10. Thereby, wobbling and woggling of said movable flat member 12 during its motion for switching over the electromagnetic relay is prevented, and this means that fluctuations in the contact pressure of the contact assembly C are prevented, and also fluctuations in the magnetic coupling between the armature assembly B and the electromagnetic block assembly A are prevented, and thus the actuating and restoring voltage properties of the electromagnetic relay outstanding. The arc barrier walls 7g and 7d are formed as extending in the general shape of a letter "L" across the top of the base assembly 7, between the electromagnetic block assembly A with the iron core assembly 10 and the contact assembly C, thus defining a guide projection wall structure, and because not only is the possibility of deformation under stress (especially thermal stress) of the base assembly 7 reduced by the stiffening effect of this wall structure, but also the tip portion 10c of the pole portion 10b of the iron core assembly 10 is supported by the arc barrier wall 7g, thereby, positional fluctuations of said pole portion 10b of the iron core assembly 10 are reduced and/or prevented, which means that the distance from the side of said pole portion 10b to the contact assembly C is kept substantially constant, which, again, means that fluctuations in the contact pressure of the contact assembly C are prevented by prevention in changes of the moving stroke of the armature assembly B, thus improving further the actuating and restoring voltage properties of the electromagnetic relay. Further the arc barrier walls 7g and 7d, since they extend across the top of the base assembly 7 in the general shape of a letter "L" between the electromagnetic block assembly A with the iron core assembly 10 and the contact assembly C, thereby improve the electrical insulation effect between the electromagnetic block assembly A and the contact assembly C, thus improving the electrical characteristics of the electromagnetic relay. Also, since the terminal member 20 and the fixed contact support member 19 are intimately formed with the arc barrier wall 7g on the base assembly 7, even if a stress (such as a thermal stress) which would deform said base assembly 7 is applied, nevertheless the positions of said terminal member 20 and said fixed contact support member 19 remain fixed due to the stiffening effect of the arc barrier wall 7g, and thus, again, fluctuations in the contact pressure of the contact assembly C are prevented. Although in the shown preferred embodiment of the relay according to the present invention the arc barrier walls 7g and 7d were formed as extending in the general shape of a letter "L" across the top of the base assembly 7, in another possible construction said walls could extend in the general shape of a square letter "C", i.e. in the shape of three sides of a square or rectangle. Such a construction would have the merits outlined above, as well as, perhaps, its own peculiar and particular advantages.

Claims: An electromagnetic relay comprising: (a) a base assembly (7), (b) an electromagnetic block assembly (A), mounted to said base assembly (7), comprising an iron core (10) and an electromagnetic coil (9) wound around said core, (c) an armature assembly (B), which is selectively moved by said electromagnetic block assembly (A) according to energization of said electromagnetic coil (9) along a direction perpendicular to the axial line of said iron core (10), (d) a contact mechanism (C) comprising a movable contact support member (24) actuated by the movement of said armature assembly, a movable contact (23) mounted to said movable contact support member near one extremity thereof, a fixed terminal member (20) supporting said movable contact support member (24) on said base assembly near another extremity thereof, a fixed contact support member (19) mounted to said base assembly (7) opposing said movable contact support member (24), and a fixed contact (22) mounted to said fixed contact support member (19) opposing said movable contact (23), a contact engagement portion (12b) of said armature assembly (B) being engaged with said movable contact support member (24) and being connected by a neck portion (12c) to a base portion (12a) of said armature assembly, (e) an arc barrier wall (7g, 7d) having a first portion (7g) extending from said base (7) between said electromagnetic block assembly (A) and said contact mechanism (C), a cutout (7j) being formed in said first portion in which said neck portion (12c) is slidably inserted, the arc barrier wall further having a second portion (7d) extending substantially perpendicular from one end of said first portion and having a surface (7f) which is substantially parallel to the plane of motion of said armature assembly (B) and extends below the base portion (12a) thereof, said base portion (12a) being sidably supported on said surface (7f) by small projections (12f) projecting from the base portion towards said surface, (f) a shaft portion (12e) protruding from said armature assembly (B) in parallel to the direction of motion of the armature assembly (B) and on the side thereof opposite to said neck portion (12c), said shaft portion (12e) penetrating a cutout (5b) of a bearing assembly (5) fixed relative to said base assembly (7) on the side of the electromagnetic block assembly (A) opposite to the arc barrier wall (7g), and (g) a connecting arrangement between the contact engagement portion (12b) of the armature assembly and the movable contact support member (24) which prevents movement of the armature assembly along the axial direction of the movable contact support member (24). A relay according to claim 1, wherein said cutout (5b) of said bearing assembly (5) is provided with a retaining projection (5c) retaining the shaft portion (12e) in the said cutout (5b). A relay according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said second portion (7d) of said arc barrier wall supports a tip portion (10c) of said pole portion (10b) of said iron core (10). A relay according to claim 3, wherein said fixed terminal member (20) is supported by the first portion (7g) of said arc barrier wall. A relay according to anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said arc barrier wall (7d, 7g) is formed in the general shape of a letter "L". A relay according to anyone of the claims 1 to 4, wherein said arc barrier wall is formed in the general shape of a letter "C".

Inventors: GENMA, KEIJI C/O OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO., MAENISHI, KOZO C/O OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO., SANO, TAKEZO C/O OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO., SATO, SHIGENOBU C/O OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO., TANAKA, TOSHIKI C/O OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO.
Applicants: OMRON TATEISI ELECTRONICS CO.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: H01H50
IPC codes: H01H11, H01H50, H01H51