Patent ID: 8810343

Claim:
A method for operating an electromagnetic relay comprising at least one contact-set support ( 1 ), a plurality of contact springs ( 15 - 20 ) having a base end fixed to the at least one contact-set support, said plurality of contact springs comprising a plurality of passive contact springs ( 18 - 20 ) and a plurality of active contact springs ( 15 - 17 ), pairs of which form normally open and/or normally closed contacts ( 22 - 24 ), wherein at least one actuator ( 7 ) acts on respective ones of the active contact springs ( 15 - 17 ), said actuator ( 7 ) being movably driven in the longitudinal direction thereof by a magnet system ( 2 , 3 , 4 ) and having actuating surfaces ( 26 ) for acting on the respective ones of the plurality of active contact springs ( 15 - 17 ) to be actuated, the actuation surfaces ( 26 ) of the actuator ( 7 ) assigned to each of the active contact springs form an angle ( 36 ) in direction of actuation of the actuator ( 7 ), the method comprising during the stroke of the actuator ( 7 ) causing an actuation plane on which the actuator ( 7 ) acts on the active contact springs ( 15 - 17 ) to change from one actuation plane ( 25 ) to another actuation plane ( 27 ), wherein the shifting of a point of force application during the stroke of the actuator and action on the plurality of active springs ( 15 - 17 ) to be actuated, is moved from an upper point of force application to a lower point of force application.