Contact device and electromagnetic relay

Abstract

A contact device includes a pair of fixed contacts, a movable contactor, a contactor holder, a movable shaft, and a base. The pair of fixed contacts are aligned in a first direction. The movable contactor comes into or out of contact with the pair of fixed contacts in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The contactor holder holds the movable contactor. The movable shaft moves the contactor holder in the second direction so that the movable contactor comes into or out of contact with the fixed contacts. The base accommodates the fixed contacts, the movable contactor, and the contactor holder. The base has a projection projecting from a position opposing the contactor holder in a third direction orthogonal to both the first and second directions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A contact device An electromagnetic relay comprising:
 a pair of fixed contacts aligned in a first direction; 
 a movable contactor configured to come that comes into or out of contact with the pair of fixed contacts by a movement in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; 
 a contactor holder that holds the movable contactor; 
 a movable shaft which that moves the contactor holder in the second direction so that the movable contactor comes into or out of contact with the pair of fixed contacts and twists about the movable shaft; and 
 a base that case that comprises a plurality of wall portions and a planar surface that covers upper edges of the wall portions on one end of the case while leaving its other end open to form an open bottom box, 
 wherein the case accommodates the pair of fixed contacts, the movable contactor, and the contactor holder, 
 wherein the base havingcase includes a projection projecting from a position opposing the contactor holderfirst protrusion that projects from one of the wall portions towards interior of the case in a third direction orthogonal to both the first direction and the second direction, and 
 wherein the case and the first protrusion are integrally formed from same material; and 
 a winding that causes the movable shaft to move in the second direction depending on whether the winding is energized or not, 
 wherein the contactor holder comes into contact with the projection first protrusion along the third direction when the movable contactor and the contactor holder twist around the movable shaft. 
 
     
     
       2. The contact device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the contactor holder has an upper area and a lower area,   the lower area is more distant from the movable contactor than the upper area in the second direction, and   the lower area has a larger length than the upper area in the third direction.   
     
     
       3. The contact device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the projection has a curved end surface, and   the contactor holder has a flat surface opposing the projection.   
     
     
       4. The contact device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the contactor holder has a projected area at a position opposing the projection.   
     
     
       5. The contact device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the contactor holder includes a resin member which comes into contact with the projection when the movable contactor and the contactor holder twist.   
     
     
       6. The contact device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the projection is one of a plurality of projections aligned in the first direction, and   the base has the plurality of projections.   
     
     
       7. The contact device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the projection is one of a pair of projections provided on a pair of inner surfaces of the base, opposing each other in the third direction.   
     
     
       8. An electromagnetic relay comprising:
 the contact device according to  claim 1 ; and   a driver which drives the movable shaft so that the movable contactor comes into or out of contact with the pair of fixed contacts.   
     
     
       9. The contact device according to  claim 1 , the projection comprising a plurality of projections,
 wherein, when the movable contactor and the contactor holder twist around the movable shaft in a first twist direction, at least one of the plurality of projections comes into contact with the contactor holder, and when the movable contactor and the contactor holder twist around the movable shaft in a second twist direction opposite to the first twist direction, a different at least one of the plurality of projections comes into contact with the contactor holder.   
     
     
       10. The electromagnetic relay according to  claim 8 , the projection of the contact device comprising a plurality of projections,
 wherein, when the movable contactor and the contactor holder of the contact device twist around the movable shaft of the contact device in a first twist direction, at least one of the plurality of projections comes into contact with the contactor holder, and when the movable contactor and the contactor holder twist around the movable shaft in a second twist direction opposite to the first twist direction, a different at least one of the plurality of projections comes into contact with the contactor holder.   
     
     
       11. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, further comprising:
 a magnetic material disposed on a surface of the movable contactor,   wherein   the contactor holder further holds the magnetic material,   the contactor holder includes side parts that are disposed across from each other,   the movable contactor is provided between the side parts, and   each of the side parts includes:
 an upper portion facing the magnetic material, and 
 two side portions extending downward from the upper portion. 
   
     
     
       12. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, further comprising:
 a magnetic material disposed on a surface of the movable contactor;   a yoke disposed in the case and under the movable contactor; and   a spring disposed in the case and under the yoke,   wherein the contact holder holds the magnetic material, the yoke and the spring.   
     
     
       13. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 12,
 the case further includes a second protrusion facing the first protrusion along the third direction, and   the magnetic material is absent in an area between a peak of the first protrusion and a peak of the second protrusion.   
     
     
       14. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 13, wherein
 the magnetic material is fixed to the contactor holder, and   the movable contactor
 is pressed towards the magnetic material by the spring, and 
 is held by the contactor holder. 
   
     
     
       15. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 12,
 wherein the magnetic material and the movable contactor are held by the contactor holder and are a part of the contact holder.   
     
     
       16. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 12, wherein:
 the case further includes a third protrusion that is disposed adjacent to the first protrusion and projects towards interior of the case, and a fourth protrusion disposed across from the third protrusion to face the third protrusion, and   the magnetic material is absent in an area between a peak of the third protrusion and a peak of the fourth protrusion.   
     
     
       17. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 1, further comprising:
 a pair of fixed terminals,   wherein each of the pair of fixed contacts is provided to each of the pair of fixed terminals, and   wherein the planar surface includes a pair of through holes, each of the pair of through holes accommodating each of the pair of fixed terminals.   
     
     
       18. An electromagnetic relay, comprising:
 a pair of fixed contacts;   a movable contactor that comes into or out of contact with the pair of fixed contacts;   a magnetic material disposed on a surface of the movable contactor;   a contactor holder that holds the movable contactor and the magnetic material,   wherein the contactor holder includes side parts that are disposed to be across from each other, and   wherein the movable contactor is provided between the side parts;   a movable shaft that moves the contactor holder so that the movable contactor comes into or out of contact with the pair of fixed contacts and twists the contactor holder;   a case that
 comprises a plurality of wall portions and a planar surface that covers upper edges of the wall portions on one end of the case while leaving its other end open to form an open bottom box, 
 accommodates the pair of fixed contacts, the movable contactor, the contactor holder, and the magnetic material, and 
 includes a first protrusion that projects from one of the wall portions towards interior of the case, wherein the case and the first protrusion are integrally formed from same material; and 
   a winding that is disposed outside of the case and moves the movable shaft depending on whether the winding is energized or not,   wherein each of the side parts includes:
 an upper portion facing the magnetic material, and 
 two side portions extending downward from the upper portion, and 
   wherein the contactor holder comes into contact with the first protrusion when the contactor holder twist around the movable shaft.   
     
     
       19. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 18,
 wherein the case further includes a second protrusion disposed on a same surface that the first protrusion is disposed,   wherein a length between a base point of the first projection that is closer to a first corner of the case and a base point of the second protrusion that is closer to a second corner of the case is longer than a length between the two side portions,   wherein the first protrusion projects towards the interior of the case from the base point of the first projection, and   wherein the second protrusion projects towards the interior of the case from the base point of the second projection.   
     
     
       20. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 18, wherein the case further includes a third protrusion that faces the first protrusion, and projects towards the first projection, and
 the pair of fixed contacts are absent in an area between a peak of the first protrusion and a peak of the third protrusion.   
     
     
       21. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 18, wherein the magnetic material and the movable contactor are held by the contactor holder and are a part of the contact holder. 
     
     
       22. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 18, wherein each of the side parts further includes a through hole surrounded by the upper portion and the two side portions, and not facing a peak of the first protrusion when the contact holder is not twisted. 
     
     
       23. An electromagnetic relay, comprising:
 a case that
 comprises a plurality of wall portions and a planar surface that covers upper edges of the wall portions on one end of the case while leaving its other end open to form an open bottom box, and 
 includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion that is disposed across from the first protrusion to face the first protrusion, wherein the first protrusion projects from one of the wall portions towards the second protrusion and the second protrusion project from another of the wall portions towards the first protrusion, and wherein the case, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are integrally formed from same material; 
   a pair of fixed contacts disposed in the case;   a movable contactor that
 is disposed in the case, and 
 comes into or out of contact with the pair of fixed contacts; 
   a magnetic material disposed on the movable contactor and between the pair of the fixed contacts, wherein the magnetic material is absent in an area between a peak of the first protrusion and a peak of the second protrusion;   a yoke disposed in the case and under the movable contactor;   a spring disposed in the case and under the yoke; and   a contactor holder disposed in the case, and that holds the pair of fixed contacts, the movable contactor, the magnetic material, the yoke and the spring,   wherein the contactor holder comes into and out of contact with the first protrusion or the second protrusion.   
     
     
       24. The electromagnetic relay according to the claim 23, wherein the case further includes a third protrusion and a fourth protrusion that is disposed across from the third protrusion to face the third protrusion,
 wherein the third protrusion and the fourth protrusion project towards each other,   wherein the magnetic material is absent in an area between a peak of the third protrusion and a peak of the fourth protrusion, and   wherein a width of the magnetic material is smaller than a distance between the peak of the third protrusion and the peak of the fourth protrusion.   
     
     
       25. The electromagnetic relay according to claim 23, wherein the magnetic material and the movable contactor are held by the contactor holder and are a part of the contact holder.