Thermal absorber for contactor

A contactor comprising:

• a housing having a wall defining a cavity and a cover closing the cavity, the housing including a chamber wall defining a chamber;
• a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact received in the cavity;
• a movable contact movable within the cavity between a mated position and an unmated position, the movable contact engaging the first and second fixed contacts to electrically connect the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact in the mated position;
• a coil assembly in the cavity operated to move the movable contact between the unmated position and the mating position;
• and
• a thermal absorber received in the chamber, the thermal absorber thermally coupled to the first fixed contact to reduce an operating temperature of the first fixed contact, the thermal absorber including a phase change material element configured to absorb heat from the first fixed contact, wherein the thermal absorber is electrically isolated from the first fixed contact by an electrical isolation element.

A contactor comprising:

• a housing having an outer wall defining a cavity and a cover closing the cavity;
• a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact received in the cavity;
• a movable contact movable within the cavity between a mated position and an unmated position, the movable contact engaging the first and second fixed contacts to electrically connect the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact in the mated position;
• a coil assembly in the cavity operated to move the movable contact between the unmated position and the mating position;
• and
• a thermal absorber thermally coupled to the first fixed contact to reduce an operating temperature of the first fixed contact, the thermal absorber including an absorber housing defining an absorber chamber, the absorber housing located exterior of the housing, the thermal absorber including a phase change material element received in the absorber chamber, the phase change material element configured to absorb heat from the first fixed contact, wherein the thermal absorber is electrically isolated from the first fixed contact by an electrical isolation element.