Patent ID: 8836456

Claim:
An electromagnetic contactor, comprising: a contact device including a pair of fixed contacts disposed to maintain a predetermined distance, and a movable contact disposed to be capable of contacting to and separating from the pair of fixed contacts, magnetic plates, each having a C-shape mounted to cover an inner side surface of an intermediate plate portion of each of the pair of fixed contacts, and to shield a magnetic field generated by a current flowing through the intermediate plate portion of the each of the pair of fixed contacts, and insulating covers, each covering all except for a contact portion contacting the movable contact and mounted on the each of the pair of fixed contacts to regulate arc generation, wherein the insulating cover prevents an end portion of an arc from moving above the pair of fixed contacts when the arc is generated upon separation of the movable contact from the pair of fixed contacts, and prevents a leading edge of the extended arc from contacting the pair of fixed contacts.