# US 11,309,141 B2 · DC high voltage relay and contact material for DC high-voltage relay > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,309,141 B2 - Document ID: US11309141B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/980,047 - Filed: 2019-03-12 - Published: 2021-01-14 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-16 - Assignees: Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. - Applicants: Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. - Inventors: Sachihiro Nishide; Tetsuya Nakamura; Hiroyuki Itakura; Nobuhito Yanagihara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11309141B2 ## CPC - H01H 1/0237: and containing oxides - C22C 5/06: Alloys based on silver - H01H 1/023: having a noble metal as the basic material - H01H 50/58: Driving arrangements structurally associated therewith; Mounting of driving arrangements on armature - C22F 1/00: Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working (apparatus for mechanical working of metal B21, B23, B24) - C22F 1/14: of noble metals or alloys based thereon - H01H 50/54: Contact arrangements - 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) - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - C22F: CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass, C23F17/00) ## Abstract A DC high-voltage relay including at least one contact pair including a movable contact and a fixed contact, having a contact force and/or opening force of 100 gf or more, the DC high-voltage relay of 48 V or more. The movable contact and/or the fixed contact includes Ag oxide-based contact material. Metal components in the contact material includes at least one metal M essentially containing Sn, and a balance including Ag and inevitable impurity metals. The content of the metal M is 0.2% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components in the contact material. The contact material has a material structure in which one or more oxides of the metal M are dispersed in a matrix including Ag or a Ag alloy. As metal M, In, Bi, Ni and Te can be added. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A DC high-voltage relay, comprising: a drive section which generates and transmits a drive force for moving a movable contact; and a contact section which performs switching of a DC high-voltage circuit, wherein the drive section comprises an electromagnet or a coil which generates a drive force; a transmission unit which transmits the drive force to the contact section; and a biasing unit which biases the transmission unit for closing or opening a contact pair, the contact section comprises at least one contact pair including a fixed contact and a movable contact which is moved by the transmission unit of the drive section; and at least one movable terminal bonded to the movable contact and at least one fixed terminal bonded to the fixed contact, the DC high-voltage relay has a rated voltage of 48 V or more, the contact pair has a contact force and/or opening force of 100 gf or more, the movable contact and/or the fixed contact comprises a Ag oxide-based contact material, metal components in the contact material comprise at least one metal M essentially containing Sn, and a balance being Ag and inevitable impurity metals, the contact material has a content of the metal M being 0.2% by mass or more and 8% by mass or less based on a total mass of all metal components of, and the contact material has a material structure in which one or more oxides of the metal M are dispersed in a matrix including Ag or a Ag alloy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 1, wherein the contact material contains In as metal M, the contact material has a content of In is 0.1% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less based on a total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has a content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.9% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 1, wherein the contact material contains Bi as metal M, a content of Bi is 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has the content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.95% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 2, wherein the contact material contains Bi as metal M, a content of Bi is 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has the content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.95% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 1, wherein the contact material contains Te as metal M, the contact material has a content of Te being 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has the content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.95% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 2, wherein the contact material contains Te as metal M, the contact material has a content of Te being 0.05% by mass or more and 2% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has the content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.95% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 2, wherein the contact material further contains Ni as metal M, the contact material has a content of Ni being 0.05% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has the content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.85% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 5, wherein the contact material further contains Ni as metal M, the contact material has a content of Ni being 0.05% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has the content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.85% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 6, wherein the contact material further contains Ni as metal M, the contact material has a content of Ni being 0.05% by mass or more and 1% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components, and the contact material has the content of Sn being 0.1% by mass or more and 7.85% by mass or less based on the total mass of all metal components. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 1, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 2, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 3, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 4, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 5, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 6, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 7, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 8, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The DC high-voltage relay according to claim 9, wherein oxides dispersed in a matrix of the contact material has an average particle size of 0.01 μm or more and 0.3 μm or less.