Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Electromagnetically actuated switches – Multiple contact type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-08
2004-07-20
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)
Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr
Electromagnetically actuated switches
Multiple contact type
C335S078000, C335S083000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06765462
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a relay, and more particularly to a terminal structure of a relay.
2. Description of the Background Art
Conventionally, in the case of constituting a relay, in particular, a relay which is a thin type and has a small floor area, an electromagnet block and a contact mechanism portion are sometimes arranged adjacenct to each other on the top face of a base. In such a case, a substantially Z-shaped insulating wall when viewed from above is arranged between the electromagnet block and the terminal mechanism portion for the purpose of increasing a creepage distance for insulation to enhance the insulating property.
In the above-mentioned arrangement, there is a case where the electromagnet block and the contact mechanism portion must be assembled not from above the base, but from opposing side directions of the base independently from an assembling standpoint. In such a case, sometimes an external lead-out terminal portion of a coil terminal constituting the electromagnet block and an external lead-out terminal portion of a contact terminal constituting the contact mechanism portion are attempted to be arranged in a line to form an in-line terminal structure. When this is attempted to from the in-line structure, for example, by inserting a contact terminal into a shallow groove provided in one end side of the opposing sides of the base, it is necessary to arrange the external lead-out terminal portion of the coil terminal in alignment with the external lead-out terminal portion of the contact terminal on the same line, so that a deep groove to which the coil terminal is inserted has to be formed on the other side of the base. Therefore, since the strength of the base deteriorates and the opening area of the groove becomes large, there has been a problem in that a large amount of a sealing material is required for the sealing operation after assembling, and the sealing operation becomes vexatious.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is made in view of the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a relay, particularly a thin relay, in which an external lead-out terminal portion can be arranged at an optional position so as to constitute an in-line terminal structure while forming a base and performing a sealing operation easily.
In order to achieve the above mentioned objective, there is provided a relay according to the present invention having an electromagnet block and a contact mechanism portion arranged on the top face of a base, and a substantially Z-shaped insulating wall, when viewed from above, arranged between the electromagnetic block and the contact mechanism portion, the electromagnetic block and the contact mechanism portion being assembled from opposite side directions of the base, wherein at least one of an external lead-out terminal portion of a contact terminal of the contact mechanism portion and an external lead-out terminal portion of a coil terminal of the electromagnet block is bent to form a horizontal portion, and the horizontal portion is laid along the under face of the base to arrange the external lead-out terminal portions in a line.
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to arrange the external lead-out terminal portion of at least one of the contact terminal and the coil terminal in an optional position, thereby obtaining a desired terminal arrangement structure. Thus, even in use of a relay in which an electromagnetic block and a contact mechanism portion are assembled from opposite side directions of a base, it is possible to obtain an in-line structure without forming a deep fitting groove in a side end face of the base. As a result, there is an effect such that the base is easily formed while a sealing operation is easily performed after assembling.
Further, a binding portion of the coil terminal may be arranged so as to neighbor a movable iron piece adjacent to the other side of an iron core.
According to this embodiment, the movable iron piece corresponding to an attraction face neighbors the coil terminal at the other side of the iron core around which the coil is wound. Therefore there is an effect where a dead space caused by wounding the coil can be effectively used, the size of the device can be decreased, and a desired magnetomotive force can be obtained.
Furthermore, a guide groove, to which the horizontal portion of the external lead-out terminal portion can be fitted, may be formed in the under face of the base.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to obtain a high assembling accuracy by fitting the horizontal portion of the above-mentioned terminal portion into the guide groove. In particular, if the depth of the guide groove is same as the plate thickness of the terminal portion, the under face of the base becomes flush with the terminal portion. Therefore, even when the sealing material is implanted to the bottom face of the base, the sealing can be performed by using a small amount of the sealing material.
Furthermore, a step portion may be formed in of the coil terminal constituting the electromagnetic block so that an upper portion of the coil terminal is arranged on the inside the base.
According to this embodiment, the upper portion of the coil terminal is positioned inside the base. Therefore, even if a case is fitted to the base, there is an effect where the upper portion of the coil terminal does not come into contact with the case, thereby improving the assembling property.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5148136 (1992-09-01), Kidd
patent: 6111487 (2000-08-01), Hoffmann et al.
patent: 6252479 (2001-06-01), Kern
Donovan Lincoln
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Omron Corporation
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