Fully rated contact system having normally open contact and normally closed contacts

A contact system comprising:

• at least one normally open contact;
• at least one normally closed contact;
• at least one movable contact, the at least one movable contact being movable between the at least one normally open contact and the at least one normally closed contact;
• a coil assembly which, when energized generates a force which attracts the at least one movable contact to the at least one normally open contact;
• a magnet having a magnetic force, the magnet attracts the at least one movable contact to the at least one normally open contact, the force generated by the coil and the magnetic force of the magnet causes the at least one movable contact to move against the at least one normally open contact with a first contact force;
• a return spring having a spring force, the return spring cooperates with the at least one movable contact to return the at least one movable contact to the at least one normally closed contact when the coil assembly is not energized, the force generated by the return spring causes the at least one movable contact to move against the at least one normally closed contact with a second contact force, the first contact force and the second contact force being essentially identical;
• whereby the sum of the forces applied by the coil assembly and the magnet are sufficient to overcome the spring force of the return spring to provide a balanced force being applied to both the at least one normally open contact and the at least one normally closed contact, yielding an essentially identical voltage drop when the at least one movable contact is moved against the at least one normally open contact or the at least one normally closed contact.

A method of moving at least one movable contact between at least one first contact and at least one second contact, the method comprising;

• energizing a coil assembly, the coil assembly when energized generates a force;
• generating a magnetic force from a magnet;
• summing the forces generated by the coil assembly and the magnet to attract the at least one movable contact to the at least one second contact, the force generated by the coil and the magnetic force of the magnet causing the at least one movable contact to move against the at least one first contact with a first contact force;
• de-energizing the coil assembly;
• returning the at least one movable contact to the at least one first contact by a spring force, the spring force causing the at least one movable contact to move against the at least one second contact with a second contact force, the first contact force and the second contact force being essentially identical;
• whereby the sum of the forces applied by the coil assembly and the magnet are sufficient to overcome the spring force thereby providing a balanced force to both the at least one first contact and the at least one second contact, yielding an essentially identical contact voltage drop values at both the at least one first contact and the at least one second contact.