Telephonic communications – Repeater – Pulse or tone repeater
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-12
2001-01-30
Hudspeth, David R. (Department: 2741)
Telephonic communications
Repeater
Pulse or tone repeater
C335S078000, C335S083000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181790
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic relay and a contact spring assembly for the electromagnetic relay, and more particularly, to an electromagnetic relay used in a telephone exchange or the like and a contact spring assembly for the electromagnetic relay.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, lightning surge protection has been required for subscriber circuits in telephone exchanges. Since implementing this lightning surge protection capability with semiconductor devices is extremely costly, a plurality of electromagnetic relays are used in every subscriber circuit accommodated in a telephone exchange.
In recent years, reductions in size and power consumption have been demanded in various kinds of apparatus. For telephone exchanges also, the need has been increasing to reduce the size, cost, and power consumption of the telephone exchange by reducing the number of electromagnetic relays used.
Namely, in the telephone exchange, for example, three electromagnetic relays are provided for each subscriber circuit in the exchange, of which two electromagnetic relays control a connection operation of a test circuit to switch the mode between normal operation mode and test mode. The remaining electromagnetic relay is used for dial pulse transmission. Note that, in the test mode, all the connections on the three electromagnetic relays are reversed from that of the normal operation mode and testing is performed by the test circuit. The testing by the test circuit is, for example, performed once a day or once every few days, to check the impedance, connection, etc. from the exchange to the subscriber.
As described above, for each subscriber circuit (test circuit) in the telephone exchange, for example, three electromagnetic relays (two for the test circuit), each with two transfer contact spring sets, have been used. Since these electromagnetic relays have to be provided for each subscriber circuit, such a configuration has been a major factor working against a reduction in the size and cost of the exchange.
The prior art electromagnetic relays and contact spring assemblies for the electromagnetic relays and problems thereof will be described in detail later with reference to the drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an electromagnetic relay that can be assembled simply and with high accuracy, and that is suited to size and power consumption reductions. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a contact spring assembly for an electromagnetic relay, suitable for use with a test circuit of a telephone exchange, and to reduce the size, cost, and power consumption of the exchange by reducing the number of electromagnetic relays used.
According to the present invention, there is provided a contact spring assembly for an electromagnetic relay, comprising an armature centrally placed in the contact spring assembly; a plurality of movable contact springs each formed integrally with a corresponding hinge spring and disposed on both sides of the armature in such a manner as to extend in parallel along a longitudinal direction of the armature; and a plurality of transfer contact spring sets and a plurality of make contact spring sets constructed from the movable contact springs.
The transfer contact spring sets and the make contact spring sets may be disposed, as two sets, on each side of the armature in such a manner as to be symmetrical about the armature. The contact spring assembly may be used to control a connection operation of a test circuit in a telephone exchange.
Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an electromagnetic relay comprising a stationary contact spring block provided with a plurality of stationary contacts; a movable contact spring block provided with a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of stationary contacts, and comprising an armature centrally placed in the contact spring assembly, a plurality of movable contact springs each formed integrally with a corresponding hinge spring and disposed on both sides of the armature in such a manner as to extend in parallel along a longitudinal direction of the armature, and a plurality of transfer contact spring sets constructed from the movable contact springs; and an electromagnet block for controlling an attraction of the armature and thereby controlling connections between the movable contacts and the stationary contacts corresponding to the movable contacts.
The transfer contact spring sets may be disposed on each side of the armature in such a manner as to be symmetrical about the armature.
In addition, according to the present invention, there is provided an electromagnetic relay comprising a stationary contact spring block provided with a plurality of stationary contacts; a movable contact spring block provided with a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of stationary contacts, and comprising an armature centrally placed in the contact spring assembly, a plurality of movable contact springs each formed integrally with a corresponding hinge spring and disposed on both sides of the armature in such a manner as to extend in parallel along a longitudinal direction of the armature, and a plurality of make contact spring sets constructed from the movable contact springs; and an electromagnet block for controlling an attraction of the armature and thereby controlling connections between the movable contacts and the stationary contacts corresponding to the movable contacts.
The make contact spring sets may be disposed on each side of the armature in such a manner as to be symmetrical about the armature.
According to the present invention, there is also provided an electromagnetic relay comprising a stationary contact spring block provided with a plurality of stationary contacts; a movable contact spring block provided with a plurality of movable contacts corresponding to the plurality of stationary contacts, and comprising an armature centrally placed in the contact spring assembly, a plurality of movable contact springs each formed integrally with a corresponding hinge spring and disposed on both sides of the armature in such a manner as to extend in parallel along a longitudinal direction of the armature, and a plurality of transfer contact spring sets and a plurality of make contact spring sets constructed from the movable contact springs; and an electromagnet block for controlling an attraction of the armature and thereby controlling connections between the movable contacts and the stationary contacts corresponding to the movable contacts.
The transfer contact spring sets and the make contact spring sets may be disposed, as two sets, on each side of the armature in such a manner as to be symmetrical about the armature.
An end portion of each hinge spring on the movable contact spring block may be welded to a corresponding spring terminal on the stationary contact spring block, and the movable contact spring block may be attached to the stationary contact spring block by utilizing the resilience of each of the hinge springs.
The end portion of each hinge spring may have an open-end slit portion, and the open-ended slit portion may be welded to the corresponding spring terminal by laser welding. The electromagnetic relay may be used to control a connection operation of a test circuit in a telephone exchange, and the connection control of the test circuit may be performed using one electromagnetic relay.
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Patent Abstracts of Jap
Sasaki Ryuji
Saso Hirofumi
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Hudspeth David R.
Lerner Martin
Takamisawa Electric Co., Ltd.
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