Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2011/073641, filed on Oct. 14, 2011, which in turn claims the benefit of Japanese Application No. 2010-249967, filed on Nov. 8, 2010, the disclosures of which Applications are incorporated by reference herein. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an electromagnetic relay. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, as an electromagnetic relay, one is known in which a case is fitted over a body on which contact point mechanisms and an electromagnetic device are assembled (for example, refer to Patent Literature 1). 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-344397 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     However, in the above conventional art, the case and the body are fixed to each other by bonding the peripheral portion thereof only. Accordingly, there have been cases in which the body becomes warped or deformed due to a surrounding temperature change when curing a bonding agent and so on. 
     In consideration of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic relay in which a body can be suppressed from being warped or deformed. 
     An electromagnetic relay according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a body with a drive part, a mobile body that moves upon driving of the drive part, and a plurality of contact point mechanisms of which contact points switch between contact and separation states assembled thereon; and a case which is fitted over the body. Partition walls are provided inside the case and latching parts are provided on the body at positions corresponding to those of the partition walls, and a tip end of each partition wall is latched to each latching part in a state where the case is fitted over the body. 
     In the electromagnetic relay according to a second aspect of the present invention, the tip end of the partition wall and the latching part is latched together with a bonding agent interposed therebetween. 
     In the electromagnetic relay according to a third aspect of the present invention, the plurality of contact point mechanisms are, respectively, partitioned by the partition walls in a state where the case is fitted over the body. 
     In the electromagnetic relay according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the latching part has a through hole for introducing the bonding agent, and a regulation part for regulating movement of the bonding agent is formed between the latching part and the partition wall. 
     In the electromagnetic relay according to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the latching part has a groove part into which the tip end of the partition wall is inserted, and the tip end of the partition wall is latched in the groove part. 
     In the electromagnetic relay according to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the groove part has an opening formed therein that opens to a side portion of the body. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     According to the present invention, the partition walls are provided inside the case and the latching parts are provided on the body at positions corresponding to the partition walls, so that the tip end of each partition wall is latched onto the latching part. By latching the partition wall provided inside the case onto the body in this manner, the body can be suppressed from being warped or deformed due to the surrounding temperature change. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an electromagnetic relay according to an embodiment of the present invention in a partially exploded manner. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a main body part of the electromagnetic relay according to the embodiment of the present invention in a partially exploded manner. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing the main body part of the electromagnetic relay according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing an inner side of a case of the electromagnetic relay according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view schematically showing a base of the electromagnetic relay according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view schematically showing the electromagnetic relay according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a transverse cross-sectional view schematically showing the electromagnetic relay according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, a detailed description is made of an electromagnetic relay according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     An electromagnetic relay  1  according to this embodiment is formed into a substantially box-shape by covering an electromagnetic relay main body part  10  with a case  20  from the above and then bonding and fixing the case  20  onto the body  40 . 
     The electromagnetic relay main body part  10  is formed by assembling thereon an electromagnetic device (drive part)  30  and a plurality of contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70 . 
     Specifically, the electromagnetic relay main body part  10  is formed by assembling the electromagnetic device  30  on the longitudinal center portion of the body  40  and the plurality of contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  on both sides (three on each side in this embodiment) in the longitudinal direction of the body  40  (both end sides of the electromagnetic device  30 ), and clamping later-described movable contact point parts  61 ,  71  of the respective contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  with a card (mobile body)  50 . 
     Thereafter, the power is switched on to drive the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30  and to transmit the driving force to the cards  50 , so that the plurality of contact point mechanisms can be switched between an open state and a closed state. 
     A publicly known one can be used as the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30 , which can be configured by, for example, a permanent magnet, a yoke, an armature, a movable spring and a coil. The electromagnetic device thus configured enables the armature to be moved upon powering up the coil, and with the movement of the armature, enables the cards  50  to be moved along the longitudinal direction of the body  40 . 
     Further, the electromagnet device  30  is provided with substrate connecting terminals  30   a  to be connected to a not-shown substrate. Each substrate connecting terminal  30   a  is inserted through a terminal insertion hole  44   a  formed on a recessed part  44  for mounting the electromagnetic device (drive part) of the body  40  and is pressed in so that each terminal  30   a  is protruded out of the lower surface side of the body  40 . By this, the electromagnetic device  30  is assembled on the longitudinal center portion of the body  40 . 
     Further, on the both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the substantially rectangular body  40 , a plurality of silt holes  41  for fixing the contact point mechanisms are formed in an extending manner in the transverse direction, and between the adjacent slits  41  in the longitudinal direction of the body  40 , a slit  42  (latching part: groove) is formed into which a tip end of a later-described partition wall  21  of the case  20  is inserted. 
     Still further, an outer peripheral groove  43  for bonding the case  20  is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the body  40 . By fitting an outer peripheral part  20   a  of the case  20  over this outer peripheral groove  43 , the case  20  is fitted over and mounted on the body  40 . 
     Then, on transverse center portions of the body  40  which are on both sides of the recessed part  44  for mounting the electromagnetic device (drive part), guide recessions  45  extending in the longitudinal direction of the body  40  are respectively formed. This enables the tip end of each card  50  to move within each guide recession  45  while being guided. 
     Additionally, the plurality of contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  are, respectively, provided with the movable contact point parts  61 ,  71  and fixed contact point parts  62 ,  72 . 
     The movable contact point part  61  is configured to include a sheeted leaf spring  61   a  which is clamped by the card  50 , a fixed plate  61   b  which is attached to a base portion of the leaf spring  61   a , a substrate connecting terminal  61   c  which is provided on the fixed plate  61   b , and the movable contact point  61   d  which is provided at a tip end portion of the leaf spring  61   a.    
     Meanwhile, the fixed contact point part  62  is configured to include an upper fixed plate  62   a , a lower fixed plate  62   b , a substrate connecting terminal  62   c  which is provided on the lower fixed plate  62   b , and the fixed contact point  62   d  which is provided on the upper fixed plate  62   a  and can be contacted with and separated from the movable contact point  61   d.    
     Further, the movable contact point part  71  is configured to include a sheeted leaf spring  71   a  which is clamped by the card  50 , a fixed plate  71   b  which is attached to a base portion of the leaf spring  71   a , a substrate connecting terminal  71   c  which is provided on the fixed plate  71   b , and the movable contact point  71   d  which is provided at a tip end portion of the leaf spring  71   a.    
     Meanwhile, the fixed contact point part  72  is configured to include an upper fixed plate  72   a , a lower fixed plate  72   b , a substrate connecting terminal  72   c  which is provided on the lower fixed plate  72   b , and the fixed contact points  72   d  which are provided on the upper fixed plate  72   a  and can be contacted with and separated from the movable contact points  71   d.    
     Then, each of the terminals  61   c ,  62   c ,  71   c  and  72   c  is inserted through the slit hole  41  in a protruding manner from the lower surface side of the body  40 , and the movable contact point parts  61 ,  71  and the fixed contact point parts  62 ,  72  are pressed into the respective slit holes  41  so that the movable contact point parts  61 ,  71  and the fixed contact point parts  62 ,  72  are assembled on the body  40 . 
     Here, in this embodiment, each of the movable contact point part  61  and the fixed contact point part  62  of the contact point mechanism  60  is provided with a single contact point which is the contact point  61   d  and the contact point  62   d , respectively. 
     Moreover, the movable contact point part  71  is provided with two contact points  71   d , and the fixed contact point part  72  of the contact point mechanism  70  is provided with two contact points  72   d . In this embodiment, the vertically arranged two contact points  71   d ,  71   d  of the movable contact point part  71  and the vertically arranged two contact points  72   d ,  72   d  of the fixed contact point part  72  are arranged in parallel to each other. When the upper contact points  71   d  and  72   d  come into contact with each other, the lower contact points  71   d  and  72   d  also come into contact with each other. 
     As described above, the electromagnetic relay  1  according to this embodiment includes at least one contact point mechanism  60  in which the movable contact point part  61  and the fixed contact point part  62 , respectively, have one contact point  61   d  and one contact point  62   d , and also includes at least one contact point mechanism  70  in which at least one of the movable contact point part  71  and the fixed contact point part  72  (both in this embodiment) has a plurality (two) of contact points which are the contact points  71   d  and  72   d , respectively. By configuring in this manner, reliability of the contact points are improved and cost can be reduced. 
     Further, in this embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the contact point mechanism  70  (one having the plurality of contact points) is configured as a normally-closed contact point. In other words, the contact point mechanism  70  (one having the plurality of contact points) is configured so that, when the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30  is not excited, the contact points  71   d  and  72   d  are in contact with each other, and upon excitation of the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30 , the contact points  71   d  and  72   d  become separated. 
     As described above, the contact reliability is further improved by using the contact point mechanism  70  (one having the plurality of contact points) which has higher contact reliability than the contact point mechanism  60  (one having only the single contact point) as the normally-closed contact point from which foreign object adhered to is difficult to be removed. 
     On the other hand, the contact point mechanism  60  (one having only the single contact point) is configured as a normally-opened contact point. In other words, the contact point mechanism  60  (one having the single contact point) is configured so that, when the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30  is not excited, the contact points  61   d ,  62   d  are separated from each other, and upon excitation of the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30 , the contact points  61   d  and  62   d  are brought into contact with each other. 
     Further, in this embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the contact point mechanisms are arranged from the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30  towards the right side, in the order of the contact point mechanism  70  as the normally-closed contact point, the contact point mechanism as the normally-closed contact point and the contact point  60  as the normally-opened contact point, and from the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30  towards the left side, three contact point mechanisms  60  as the normally-opened contact points are arranged. 
     Thus, by configuring the electromagnetic relay  1  as a multipolar electromagnetic relay as above, one electromagnetic relay can be applied to various circuits. Accordingly, the electromagnetic relay can be used as a signal controlling electromagnetic relay, a high current controlling electromagnetic relay and the like, according to various purposes. 
     The case  20  has a substantially box-like shape with an opened lower portion to cover the body  40  from above in a state where the electromagnetic device (drive part)  30  and the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  are assembled on the body  40 . In this embodiment, the outer peripheral part  20   a  of the case  20  is bonded to the outer peripheral groove  43  by a bonding agent to fit the case  20  over the body  40 . In addition, a reference numeral  23  of  FIG. 1  is an air escape hole for preventing the pressure inside from becoming high upon bonding and curing the case  20 . 
     In this embodiment, the case  20  is provided with the partition walls  21  therein. Specifically, three (plural) transversely extended partition walls are arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction inside the case  20 . Further, at a transverse center portion of each partition wall  21 , a space part  22  is formed for allowing movement of the card  50 . In other words, six partition walls  21  are arranged in parallel, respectively, on one side and the other side in the transverse direction. Note that reference numerals  24  in  FIG. 4  are wall parts for reinforcing the later-described partition walls  21  and for restricting a movable region of the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70 . 
     Further, the latching parts are provided on the body at positions corresponding to those of the partition walls  21 . And the tip end portion of each partition wall  21  is latched to the latching part in a state where the case  20  is fitted over the body  40 . 
     In this embodiment, the latching part is configured to include a slit (groove part)  42  into which the tip end of the partition wall  21  of the case  20  is inserted, and a through hole  42   b  for introducing the bonding agent which is formed in the slit  42  so as to penetrate to the rear surface side of the body  40 . 
     Further, the tip end of the partition wall  21  and the latching part is latched by the bonding agent. In other words, when fitting the case  20  over the body  40 , the tip end of the partition wall  21  of the case  20  is made to be inserted into the slit  42  and, in this state, the bonding agent is introduced into the slit  42  through the through hole  42   b  from the rear surface side of the body  40 , thereby bonding and fixing the tip end of the partition wall  21  and the latching part together. 
     By bonding and fixing the tip end of the partition wall  21  and the latching part as described above, the case  20  and the body  40  are prevented from warping and deforming due to expansion upon heating and contraction upon cooling of the electromagnetic relay  1  when bonding and solidifying (thermal curing) the case  20  to the body  40 . 
     Still further, in this embodiment, a regulation part is formed between the slit (latching part)  42  and the partition wall  21 , for regulating movement of the bonding agent. 
     Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 7 , a protrusion (regulation part)  42   c  is arranged to be closer to the transverse center side of the body  40  than the through hole  42   b  of the slit  42 , and this protrusion  42   c  regulates the bonding agent not to flow inside of the protrusion  42   c  in the transverse direction. Suppressing the bonding agent from flowing towards the transverse center side of the body  40  can suppress the bonding agent from inhibiting movement of the card  50  and the like. 
     Further, in this embodiment, the plurality of contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  are partitioned by the partition walls  21  in a state where the case  20  is fitted over the body  40 . 
     In other words, each partition wall  21  is functioned to partition each of the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  from the others. By partitioning each of the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  from the others, each of the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  is insulated. This means, in this embodiment, the partition wall  21  also functions as an insulating member. In addition, in this embodiment, the partition wall is formed so that the tip end portion thereof becomes thin. This facilitates insertion of the partition wall  21  into the slit  42 , while improving insulation strength of each of the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70 . 
     Still further, in this embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , an opening part  42   a  is formed in each slit  42 , which opens to the side portion of the body  40 . By forming the opening part  42   a  in the slit  42 , the bonding agent used for bonding the outer peripheral part  20   a  of the case  20  to the outer peripheral groove  43  permeates into the slit  42  to further improve durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay  1 . 
     As described above, in this embodiment, the partition walls  21  are provided inside the case  20  while the tip end portion of each partition wall  21  is latched onto the body  40 . 
     In particular, in this embodiment, the tip end portion of the partition wall  21  is latched onto the body  40  by introducing the bonding agent from the through hole  42   b.    
     Accordingly, when bonding and solidifying (heat curing) the case  20  to the body  40 , the case  20  and the body  40  can be suppressed from warping and deforming due to expansion upon heating and contraction upon cooling of the electromagnetic relay  1 . 
     In other words, like the conventional case in which the case  20  and the body  40  are fixed by bonding only the peripheral portions, the body  40  may possibly warp or deform. This causes assembled positions of the contact point mechanisms and electromagnetic device on the body  40  to become shifted, thereby to give great influence on characteristic change of the relay. 
     However, according to this embodiment, the body  40  can be suppressed from becoming warped or deformed. Therefore, characteristic of the relay can be suppressed from changing when bonding and solidifying (attaching the case  20  to the body  40 ). Also, by providing the partition walls  21  and latching each partition wall  21  to the latching part provided on the body  40 , the durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay  1  can be improved. 
     Further, according to this embodiment, the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  are configured to separate from each other by the partition walls  21 , allowing each of the contact point mechanisms  60 ,  70  to be insulated from the others. 
     Further, according to this embodiment, the latching part has the slit (groove part)  42  into which the tip end of the partition wall  21  is inserted, and the slit (groove part)  42  causes the tip end of the partition wall  21  to be latched therein. Accordingly, the slit (groove part)  42  positions the partition wall  21  so as to bond (latch) the partition wall  21  more securely and also to improve the durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay  1  even more. 
     In addition, according to this embodiment, the protrusion (regulation part)  42   c  is provided between the slit (latching part)  42  and the partition wall  21 , for regulating the movement of the bonding agent. Consequently, the bonding agent can be suppressed from flowing inside the slit (latching part)  42 , and as a result, the movement of the card  50  and the like do not become inhibited by the bonding agent. In other words, the protrusion  42   c  can suppress degradation in performance of the electromagnetic relay  1  due to the bonding agent. 
     Further, according to this embodiment, the opening parts  42   a  are formed to open on the side portion of the body  40 . Therefore, the bonding agent used for bonding the outer peripheral part  20   a  of the case  20  to the outer peripheral groove  43  can be permeated into the slit  42 , improving the durability (strength and heat resistance) of the relay  1  even more. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is described hereinabove; however, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications can be made. 
     For example, in each embodiment, the plurality of contact point mechanisms are arranged in parallel on both sides of the drive part in the above embodiment; however, the plurality of contact mechanisms can be arranged on one side of the drive part. 
     Moreover, the movable spring, the contact points and other detailed specifications (such as shape, size and layout) can be changed as appropriate. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     According to the present invention, the electromagnetic relay is provided, in which the body can be suppressed from being deformed or warped.

Technology Category: 5