# US 10,504,675 B2 · Contact spring and cradle for an electrical switching element and same

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- Number: US 10,504,675 B2
- Document ID: US10504675B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/483,314
- Filed: 2017-04-10
- Published: 2017-07-27
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-10-13
- Assignees: Tyco Electronics Austria GmbH
- Applicants: Tyco Electronics Austria GmbH
- Inventors: Markus Gutmann; Rudolf Mikl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10504675B2

## CPC

- H01H 50/56: Contact spring sets
- H01H 50/54: Contact arrangements
- H01H 50/58: Driving arrangements structurally associated therewith; Mounting of driving arrangements on armature
- H01H 50/642: {intermediate part being generally a slide plate, e.g. a card}
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)

## Abstract

A contact spring for a cradle relay of an electrical switch comprises a switching leg and a hook extending from the switching leg. The switching leg has a contact. The hook has a first tongue bent back toward the switching leg.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A contact spring for a cradle relay of an electrical switch, comprising:
a switching leg having a contact; and
a hook extending from the switching leg and having a first tongue bent back toward the switching leg, the first tongue is bent more than once and is bent back on itself in an end section of the first tongue.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The contact spring of claim 1, wherein the hook is an elastically deformable snap-fit hook.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The contact spring of claim 1, wherein the hook is integrally formed with the switching leg.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The contact spring of claim 1, wherein the end section of the first tongue is spaced apart from the switching leg.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The contact spring of claim 1, further comprising a shoulder disposed at a base of the hook.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The contact spring of claim 5, wherein the shoulder has a support surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The contact spring of claim 6, wherein the support surface is formed by a bent second tongue extending from the switching leg.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The contact spring of claim 7, wherein an overall width of the second tongue in a direction of a material thickness of the switching leg is greater than the material thickness of the switching leg.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The contact spring of claim 8, wherein the second tongue is spaced laterally from the hook.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The contact spring of claim 1, wherein the hook is disposed on a long side of the switching leg.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The contact spring of claim 1, further comprising a stiffening element disposed on the switching leg.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The contact spring of claim 11, wherein the stiffening element is a seam extending parallel to a longitudinal direction of the switching leg.

### Claim 13

A contact spring for a cradle relay of an electrical switch, comprising:
a switching leg having a contact;
a hook extending from the switching leg and having a first tongue bent back toward the switching leg; and
a shoulder disposed at a base of the hook.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The contact spring of claim 13, wherein the shoulder has a support surface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The contact spring of claim 14, wherein the support surface is formed by a bent second tongue extending from the switching leg.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The contact spring of claim 15, wherein an overall width of the second tongue in a direction of a material thickness of the switching leg is greater than the material thickness of the switching leg.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The contact spring of claim 16, wherein the second tongue is spaced laterally from the hook.