Contact device
AssigneeMatsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
InventorsRitsu Yamamoto, Riichi Uotome, Kouji Yokoyama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Each movable contact 15 is given a first force by a drive mechanism along a direction for bringing the movable contact into contact with a fixed contact 5 and given a second force through a leg 14b by deformation of a supporting member 14c resulted from an overtravel of the movable plate 14. The fixed contact and the movable contact are arranged such that a resultant force of the first and the second forces acts in a direction normal to a contact surface defined between the fixed contacts and the movable contacts. So, a component force of the resultant force parallel to the contact surface is not generated, therefore, a side slip of the movable contact can be prevented when the contacts are opened or closed.
Claims8
A contact device comprising:
- fixed terminals respectively provided with fixed contacts;
- a movable plate carrying movable contacts each making a contacting engagement with each one of said fixed contacts;
- a drive mechanism which drives said movable plate to make the contacting engagement of said movable contacts with said fixed contacts;
- a housing which accommodates therein said fixed contacts, said movable plate, and said drive mechanism;
- wherein said movable plate being a Z-shape having a contact member carrying said movable contacts, a leg upstanding from said contact member, and a supporting member which is coupled at its one end to said leg and is fixed at the other end to said drive mechanism,
- said movable contacts being given a first force by said drive mechanism along a direction for bringing said movable contacts into contact with said fixed contacts and given a second force by deformation of said supporting member resulted from an overtravel of the movable plate through said leg,
- said fixed contacts and said movable contacts being arranged such that a resultant force of said first force and second force acts in a direction normal to a contact surface defined between said fixed contacts and said movable contacts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.