Patent ID: 7859372

Claim:
A relay assembly comprising: a coil; a movable beam supporting a movable contact having a movable contact surface; and a stationary contact having a first contact surface inclined with respect to the movable contact surface; the movable contact having a second contact surface defining a contact area that engages the first contact surface, the second contact surface being a convex curved surface having an apex the movable contact being asymmetrically shaped such that the contact area and the apex are off-set with respect to a center of mass of the movable contact, the contact area being off-set with respect to the apex, the movable contact is moved along a driving path toward the stationary contact when current is passed through the coil, and the movable contact is moved along a wiping path different from the driving path after initial impact with the stationary contact; wherein at least a portion of the first contact surface defines a wiping contact surface, the stationary contact is oriented or shaped with respect to the movable contact such that impact energy of the movable contact is converted into rotational movement of the movable contact that is matched to a surface contour of the stationary contact to ensure that the movable contact engages, and wipes against, at least a portion of the wiping contact surface without separation from the stationary contact when the movable contact is moved along the wiping path.