Relay having a modified force-displacement characteristic

A method for operating an electromagnetic relay comprising at least one contact-set support (1), a plurality of contact springs (15-20) having a base end fixed to the at least one contact-set support, said plurality of contact springs comprising a plurality of passive contact springs (18-20) and a plurality of active contact springs (15-17), pairs of which form normally open and/or normally closed contacts (22-24), wherein at least one actuator (7) acts on respective ones of the active contact springs (15-17), said actuator (7) being movably driven in the longitudinal direction thereof by a magnet system (2, 3, 4) and having actuating surfaces (26) for acting on the respective ones of the plurality of active contact springs (15-17) to be actuated, the actuation surfaces (26) of the actuator (7) assigned to each of the active contact springs form an angle (36) in direction of actuation of the actuator (7), the method comprising during the stroke of the actuator (7) causing an actuation plane on which the actuator (7) acts on the active contact springs (15-17) to change from one actuation plane (25) to another actuation plane (27), wherein the shifting of a point of force application during the stroke of the actuator and action on the plurality of active springs (15-17) to be actuated, is moved from an upper point of force application to a lower point of force application.