Sealed contact device, a method of producing a sealed contact device, and a sealing method

A sealed contact device, comprising:

• a housing including a container body having an open end portion, said container body being made of ceramic;
• a metal lid connected to said open end portion to form a gastight space;
• a stationary contact connected to a first member which extends from said gastight space, and a movable contact disposed in said container body and connected to a second member which extends from said gastight space;
• and
• a sealed vent portion monolithic with said metal lid, wherein said sealed vent portion extends from said metal lid a shorter distance than both the distance by which said first member extends from said gastight space and the distance by which said second member extends from said gastight space, and wherein said sealed vent portion is formed by sealing a vent hole formed in said metal lid.

A sealed contact device comprising:

• a housing including a container body having an open end portion, said container body being made of ceramic;
• a metal lid connected to said open end portion to form a gastight space;
• a stationary contact connected to a first member which extends from said gastight space, and a movable contact disposed in said container body and connected to a second member which extends from said gastight space;
• a sealed vent portion monolithic with said metal lid, wherein said sealed vent portion extends from said metal lid a shorter distance than both the distance by which said first member extends from said gastight space and the distance by which said second member extends from said gastight space;
• and
• a metal portion provided on said open end portion of said container body, wherein said metal lid and said metal portion are made of a metal material which is similar in coefficient of linear expansion to said container body.