Patent ID: 8289111

Claim:
An electromagnetic contactor, comprising: an electromagnetic device having an exciting coil, a contact mechanism disposed parallel to the electromagnetic device, and having a movable contact support, a return spring urging the movable contact support in one direction, a contact spring urging the movable contact support in a direction opposite to the one direction, a movable contact attached to the movable contact support, and a fixed contact, and a drive lever linking the electromagnetic device and the contact mechanism; wherein the electromagnetic device has a polarized electromagnet having a magnetic circuit that includes a permanent magnet generating a suction force that moves the movable contact support to a pole open position side when the exciting coil is not energized; the drive lever is fixed to either one of the electromagnetic device or contact mechanism, and contacts with the other with no gap at least when the movable contact support is moved to the pole open position side; and the return spring and the contact spring direct act on the movable contact support and are arranged so that when the exciting coil is not actuated, the return spring urges the movable contact to move close to the fixed contact without contact thereto against a force of the contact spring, and a return force of the contact mechanism in a vicinity of the pole open position is made by the suction force of the permanent magnet to thereby move the movable contact to contact with the fixed contact.