Relay

A relay comprising:

• two stators each having a plate shape and each having a fixed contact;
• and
• a movable element having a plate shape and having movable contacts, the movable element being movable in a movable element moving direction so that the movable contacts respectively come in contact with the fixed contacts to close an electric circuit and the movable contacts separates from the fixed contacts to open the electric circuit,
• wherein the movable element includes two movable contact mounting plates on which the movable contacts are fixed, a movable element coupling plate extending in a movable contact alignment direction, and two movable element side plates located inside or outside of the movable contact mounting plates in the movable contact alignment direction, the movable contact mounting plates and the movable element side plates extend in parallel to a reference direction that is perpendicular to the movable element moving direction and the movable contact alignment direction and are coupled to each other on one end side in the reference direction, and the other end sides of the movable element side plates are coupled to the movable element coupling plate,
• wherein each of the stators includes a fixed contact mounting plate on which the fixed contact is fixed and a stator side plate located inside or outside of the fixed contact mounting plate in the movable contact alignment direction, the fixed contact mounting plates and the stator side plates extend in parallel to the reference direction and are coupled to each other on one end side in the reference direction,
• wherein each of the stators includes a stator proximity plate portion adjacent to the movable element, and the movable element includes a movable element proximity plate portion adjacent to the stators,
• wherein a direction of current flowing in the stator proximity plate portions is set to be the same as a direction of current flowing in the movable element proximity plate portion to generate an inter-plate attraction force for attracting the movable element proximity plate portion onto the stator proximity plate portions, and
• wherein the movable element proximity plate portion is biased by the inter-plate attraction force toward a direction for bringing the movable contacts into contact with the fixed contacts.