Patent ID: 8653691

Claim:
A switching assembly comprising: a solenoid comprising at least a coil and a plunger movably responsive to electric current flowing through said coil; a contact plate; a plurality of electrically-conductive terminals cooperative with said solenoid and said contact plate such that upon said solenoid being energized, said plunger forces said contact plate into contact with said plurality of terminals to complete an electric circuit therebetween; and a plurality of arc-extinguishing magnets disposed about a region defined at least in part by said contact between said contact plate and said plurality of terminals such that a portion of a field created by said plurality of magnets impinges predominantly on a first portion of said contact plate while another portion of said field impinges predominantly on a second portion of said contact plate that is spaced away from said first portion such that said portions of said field impart a lower Lorentz force onto said contact plate than if an entirety of said contact plate were exposed to said field.