Patent ID: 8575508

Claim:
A current switch comprising: a blade-type movable contact configured to extend in a radial direction from a pivoting center and reciprocatingly move such that a free end of the movable contact draws a pivoting track; a fixed contact including energizing members separated from the movable contact and arranged to be opposed to and substantially in parallel to each other on both sides across a pivoting surface of the movable contact and a shielding member configured to cover at least a periphery of the energizing members and shield the periphery of the energizing members from an external electric field and provided with an opening section substantially U-shaped in section into which the movable contact can penetrate; a movable arc contact provided in the movable contact; fixed arc contacts provided in the fixed contact; and a permanent magnet arranged on an inside of the fixed contact to generate a magnetic field that crosses an arc generated between the movable arc contact and the fixed arc contacts during contact and separation of the movable contact and the fixed contact, wherein at least an end of the permanent magnet is arranged in a vicinity of contact and separation points of the movable arc contact and the fixed arc contacts, arranged such that a magnetizing direction of the permanent magnet is substantially parallel to the pivoting surface of the movable contact and substantially orthogonal to a reciprocating moving direction of the movable contact, and, when viewed from the pivoting center, arranged further on an outer side in the radial direction than the contact and separation points of the movable arc contact and the fixed arc contacts.