Contact mechanism and electromagnetic contactor using same
View Patent ↗A contact mechanism is capable of, without enlarging the entire configuration thereof, preventing the generation of an electromagnetic repulsion that opens a movable contact upon application of a current, and also provides an electromagnetic contactor that uses this contact mechanism. A contact mechanism has a fixed contact and a movable contact that are inserted in a current-carrying path. In the contact mechanism, the fixed contact or the movable contact is formed into an L-shape or a U-shape so as to generate a Lorentz force that acts against an electromagnetic repulsion in an opening direction, which is generated between the fixed contact and the movable contact upon application of a current.
1. A contact mechanism, comprising:
a movable contact comprising
a first movable contact point part on a longitudinal end of the movable contact,
a second movable contact point part on another longitudinal end of the movable contact,
a first through-hole on a longitudinal inner side of the first movable contact point part,
a second through-hole on a longitudinal inner side of the second movable contact point part,
a first pair of side plate parts extending on outer sides of the first movable contact point part and the first through-hole, and
a second pair of side plate parts extending on outer sides of the second movable contact point part and the second through-hole; and
a fixed contact comprising
a first plate part comprising a first fixed contact point part,
a second plate part comprising a second fixed contact point part,
a first U-shaped groove surrounding the first fixed contact point part,
a second U-shaped groove surrounding the second fixed contact point part,
a third pair of side plate parts on outer sides of the first U-shaped groove, and
a fourth pair of side plate parts on outer sides of the second U-shaped groove,
wherein the first movable contact point part faces the first fixed contact point part,
the second movable contact point part faces the second fixed contact point part, and
a current flows in a same direction in the first pair of side plate parts and the third pair of side plate parts, and the current flows in a same direction in the second pair of side plate parts and the fourth pair of side plate parts to generate a Lorentz force acting against an electromagnetic repulsion in an opening direction generated between the fixed contact and the movable contact upon conduction of the current.
2. An electromagnetic contactor, comprising:
the contact mechanism according to claim 1 ,
wherein the movable contact is coupled to a movable core of an operating electromagnet, and the fixed contact is connected to an external connecting terminal.