IP Library Granted Patent US 12706264
Granted Patent B2
US 12706264 · App. 18/355,716 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Movable contact module, movable contact assembly, movable contact device and contactor

Inventor: Xiaoning Zhang (Shenzhen, CN)
Assignee: Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
H01H50/54H01H50/64
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12706264
App. No.
18/355,716
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A movable contact module for a contactor comprises an insulating member and a movable contact. The insulating member includes an insulating body having a through hole penetrating therethrough, and a peripheral wall protruding from the insulating body and surrounding an opening of the through hole. The movable contact has a fixed portion fixed in the insulating body, and an exposed portion exposed from the insulating body. The fixed portion of the movable contact is surrounded by the insulating body so that the movable contact is electrically isolated from a drive shaft passing through the through hole. The peripheral wall of the insulating member increases a creepage distance between the drive shaft passing through the through hole and the exposed portion of the movable contact.

Claims (71)

1 . A contactor movable contact module, comprising:

an insulating member including:

an insulating body having a through hole penetrating therethrough;

an auxiliary switch pressing portion adapted to trigger an auxiliary switch; and

a peripheral wall protruding from the insulating body and surrounding an opening of the through hole; and

a movable contact including:

a fixed portion fixed in the insulating body; and

an exposed portion exposed from the insulating body, the fixed portion of the movable contact is surrounded by the insulating body so as to be electrically isolated from a drive shaft passing through the through hole, the peripheral wall of the insulating member increasing a creepage distance between the drive shaft passing through the through hole and the exposed portion of the movable contact, the auxiliary switch pressing portion moving synchronously with the movable contact.

2 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 1 , wherein:

the insulating body has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite thereto in the thickness direction; and

the peripheral wall includes:

a first peripheral wall protruding from the top surface of the insulating body and surrounding a top opening of the through hole; and

a second peripheral wall protruding from the bottom surface of the insulating body and surrounding a bottom opening of the through hole.

3 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 2 , wherein the insulating body has left and right sides opposite one another in its longitudinal direction, and two ends of the movable contact are exposed from the left and right sides of the insulating body, respectively.

4 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 3 , wherein the insulating member further comprises a plurality of isolation walls protruding from the top surface of the insulating body, the plurality of isolation walls are located on both radial sides of the through hole, each of the isolation walls extends along the width and thickness directions of the insulating body to further increase the creepage distance between the drive shaft passing through the through hole and the exposed end of the movable contact.

5 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 4 , wherein the isolation walls are located in an inner cavity surrounded by the first peripheral wall and are separated from the first peripheral wall in a radial direction of the through hole.

6 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 3 , wherein:

the insulating body has opposite front and rear sides in its width direction, and an opening formed on the first peripheral wall that opens towards the front side of the insulating body; and

the insulating member further includes at least one pair of side walls connected to both sides of the opening of the first peripheral wall, the side walls extend along the thickness and width directions of the insulating body to further increase the creepage distance between the drive shaft passing through the through hole and the exposed end of the movable contact.

7 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 6 , wherein each side wall of the at least one pair of side walls extends from the first peripheral wall to the bottom surface of the insulating body and is connected to the front side of the insulating body.

8 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 3 , wherein the second peripheral wall includes:

a second inner peripheral wall protruding from the bottom surface of the insulating body and surrounding the bottom opening of the through hole; and

a second outer peripheral wall protruding from the bottom surface of the insulating body and surrounding the second inner peripheral wall, the second outer peripheral wall and the second inner peripheral wall are spaced apart in a radial direction of the through hole and extend along the circumferential and axial directions of the through hole to increase the creepage distance between the drive shaft passing through the through hole and the exposed end of the movable contact.

9 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 8 , wherein an extension height of the second inner peripheral wall in the axial direction of the through hole is not equal to an extension height of the second outer peripheral wall in the axial direction of the through hole.

10 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 8 , wherein the second inner peripheral wall extends continuously along the circumferential direction of the through hole, and the second outer peripheral wall is formed with an opening that opens towards the front side of the insulating body.

11 . The contactor movable contact module according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating member and the movable contact are formed as an integral element.

12 . A movable contact assembly for a contactor, comprising:

a movable contact module including:

an insulating member having:

an insulating body having a through hole penetrating therethrough; and

a peripheral wall protruding from the insulating body and surrounding an opening of the through hole; and

a movable contact having:

a fixed portion fixed in the insulating body; and

an exposed portion exposed from the insulating body, the fixed portion of the movable contact surrounded by the insulating body;

a drive shaft passing through a through hole in the insulating member, the drive shaft is elastically connected to the contactor movable contact module and driving the movable contact to move between a closed position in electrical contact with a static contact and an opened position in electrical separation from the static contact, the movable contact being electrically isolated from a drive shaft passing through the through hole, and the peripheral wall of the insulating member increasing a creepage distance between the drive shaft passing through the through hole and the exposed portion of the movable contact;

a first snap ring that is snapped in a first snap groove formed on one end of the drive shaft, and resting against the top surface of the insulating body; and

a first spring compressed between the bottom surface of the insulating body and a radial flange formed on the drive shaft.

13 . The movable contact assembly according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a first washer supported on the radial flange of the drive shaft; and

a second washer biased against the bottom surface of the insulating body, the two ends of the first spring rest against the first washer and the second washer, respectively.

14 . The movable contact assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the first spring is received in an inner cavity surrounded by the second inner peripheral wall of the insulating member.

15 . The movable contact assembly according to claim 12 , further comprising:

a magnetic core;

a magnetic conductive plate located above the magnetic core;

a second spring compressed between the magnetic conductive plate and the magnetic core, the drive shaft passing through the magnetic core, the magnetic conductive plate, and the second spring;

a second snap ring which is snapped on the other end of the drive shaft and rests against the bottom surface of the magnetic core; and

a second snap groove for snapping the second snap ring is formed on the other end of the drive shaft.

16 . The movable contact assembly according to claim 15 , further comprising:

an insulation mounting piece mounted on the top surface of the magnetic conductive plate; and

an auxiliary switch mounted on the insulation mounting piece, when the movable contact is moved to a closed position in electrical contact with a static contact, the auxiliary switch pressing portion on the insulating member presses a triggering portion of the auxiliary switch to trigger the auxiliary switch, and when the movable contact is moved to an opened position electrically separated from the static contact, the auxiliary switch pressing portion on the insulating member is separated from the auxiliary switch to release the auxiliary switch and reset the auxiliary switch to an initial state.

17 . The movable contact device according to claim 16 , wherein:

the insulation mounting piece includes:

a base plate mounted on the top surface of the magnetic conductive plate; and

a bracket connected to the base plate; and

the movable contact device further comprises a circuit board fixed to the bracket, and the auxiliary switch is installed on the circuit board.

18 . A movable contact module, comprising:

an insulating member, including:

an insulating body having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface in a thickness direction, and defining a through hole; and

a peripheral wall protruding from the insulating body and surrounding at least one open end of the through hole, the peripheral wall including:

a first peripheral wall protruding from the top surface of the insulating body and surrounding a top opening of the through hole; and

a second peripheral wall protruding from the bottom surface of the insulating body and surrounding a bottom opening of the through hole; and

a movable contact having a first portion arranged within the insulating member, and a second portion exposed and extending from the insulating member, the fixed portion being at least partially surrounded by the insulating member and adapted to be electrically isolated from a drive shaft passing through the through hole.

19 . A movable contact module, comprising:

an insulating member, including:

an insulating body having a top surface, and defining a through hole;

a peripheral wall protruding from the insulating body and surrounding at least one open end of the through hole; and

isolation walls protruding from the top surface of the insulating body and extending along width and thickness directions of the insulating body, the isolation walls located in an inner cavity surrounded by the peripheral wall and separated from the peripheral wall in a radial direction of the through hole; and

a movable contact having a first portion arranged within the insulating member, and a second portion exposed and extending from the insulating member, the fixed portion being at least partially surrounded by the insulating member and adapted to be electrically isolated from a drive shaft passing through the through hole.

20 . The movable contact module according to claim 19 , wherein:

the insulating body has opposite front and rear sides in its width direction, and an opening formed on the peripheral wall that opens towards the front side of the insulating body; and

the insulating member further includes at least one pair of side walls connected to both sides of the opening of the peripheral wall, the side walls extend along the thickness and width directions of the insulating body.