US3462718A - Reed relay having contacts constructed to prevent chattering - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19, 1969 KENZO TAKE! 3,462,718

REED RELAY HAVING CONTACTS (:ONS'I'RUCTEU TO PREVENT CHATTERING Filed Jan. 4, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I i 1-"- H0 0 I N WEN TOR.

59/720 Zie/ I ATTORNEYS g- 1969 KENZO TAKE! 3,462,718

REED RELAY HAVING CON IAC'IS CONSTRUCTED TO PREVENT CHATTERING Filed Jan 1, 1967 '4 Sheets-Sheet s l N VENTOR.

449/720 7& Z e/ REED RELAY HAVING CONTACTS UONSIRUCTE!) TO PREVENT CHATTERING Filed Jan. 1, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 NVENT OR.

A e/720 7&69/

I m' 8 I Q ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 335-154 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A reed contact device having a pair of magnetic support pieces each of which has on one end portion thereof a contact cooperating with that of the other, and a vessel in which the portions including the contacts of the pair of the magnetic support pieces are enclosed. The magnetic support pieces are so formed and arranged in the vessel that the contacts of the pair of the magnetic support pieces contact with each other without producing a so-called chattering when an external magnetic force is applied thereto so as to contact the contacts with each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to an electrical contact device and has more particular reference to a reed switch or relay which is simple in construction, and easy to manufacture. Specifically, the present invention relates to a new and novel electrical contact device, whereby the so-called chattering phenomenon is prevented.

Description of the prior art A conventional type of reed contact device encounters with such a problem as the so-called chattering that when two normally separated contacts are engaged by an external force such for example as magnetic flux or the like to close an electrical circuit including the reed contact device. That is, it is usual that the contacts repeatedly open and close several times before final contact is established.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a novel reed contact device which is adapted to ensure prevention of chattering when the contacts are put into engagement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reed contact device which is simple in construction but free from chattering.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reed contact device which is easy to manufacture, suitable for mass-production and free from chattering.

A further object of this invention is to provide a reed contact device which is inexpensive and capable of preventing occurrence of chattering.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a reed contact device which is free from chattering and can be manufactured by the use of conventional manufacturing apparatuses.

Briefly, a reed contact, a relay switch or a relay of the present invention comprises a pair of magnetic support pieces each carrying at one end a contact cooperating with that of the other, and a vessel having fixed thereto the other ends of the magnetic support pieces and enclosing them therein, magnetic means for driving the 3,462,718 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 lCC support pieces, at least one of the magnetic support pieces being resilient, and the magnetic support pieces being so constructed and disposed relative to each other that when the contacts engage the bending vibration of the resilient magnetic support piece causes an additional vibrator that the contacts slide while remaining in contact with each other.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1A is an explanatory side view schematically illustrating one example of reeds of this invention;

FIGURES 1B and 1C are front and side views of the reed shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 illustrates reed contacts, by way of example, for explaining the operation of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side view, partly in cross-section, illustrating one example of a reed switch of this invention;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of another example of the reed used in this invention;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view, similar to FIGURE 4, showing another example of the reed employed in this invention;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view, partly in cross-section, illustrating a reed switch using the reed depicted in FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view, partly in cross-section, showing a reed switch employing the reed depicted in FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is a partial plan view of the contact portion of a reed switch of this invention employing the reed shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 11 is a partial plan view of another reed switch of this invention, similar to FIGURE 10, showing the contact portion of the other contact piece used in the reed switch shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a partial plan view of the contact portion of the reed switch employing other reed;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of another modified form of the reed of this invention;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of another modification of the reed of this invention;

FIGURE 15 is a side view, partly in cross-section, illustrating a reed switch employing as one contact piece the reed depicted in FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 16 is a schematic diagram for explaining a magnetic field and the forces caused thereby in the vicinity of the contact portion of the reed switch shown in FIGURE 15;

FIGURE 17 is a side view, partly in crosssection, illustrating a reed switch employing the reed depicted in FIGURE 14;

FIGURE 18 is a front view showing another example of the reed of this invention;

FIGURE 19 is a side view showing the principal part of the reed illustrated in FIGURE 18;

FIGURE 20 is a side view, partly in cross-section, a reed switch employing the reed depicted in FIGURE 18;

FIGURE 21 is an explanatory diagram of forces exerted on the contact portion of the device shown in FIG- URE 20;

FIGURE 22 is a side view of a reed contact device employing the reed depicted in FIGURE 18;

FIGURE 23 is a plan view, partly in cross-section, illustrating another example of the reed switch of this invention;

FIGURE 24 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIGURE 23; and

FIGURES 25 to 27 are plan views, partly in crosssection, showing other examples of the reed switch of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It is considered that the contacts present chattering for the following reasons. That is, when a contact spring or a reed capable of deflection is in contact with a fixed contact or a fellow contact spring cooperating therewith under a certain contact pressure to constitute an electrical closed circuit, the maximum amplitude of the reed defletion while remaining in its closed condition is dependent upon its physical constant, configuration and the contact pressure, and accordingly, the constant energy for the maximum amplitude is determined in accordance with such conditions mentioned above. This energy will hereinafter be referred to as E On the other hand, the contact spring has an energy between the time interval from immediately before impinging against the cooperating contact to the surface of the other contact, which energy will hereinafter be referred to as E (t). This energy is also dependent upon its physical constant, configuration and the contact pressure, and moreover is the function of time. In the prior art reed contact device, the difference of (E (t) --E generally exceeds zero during collision (Contact) and this leads to occurrence of the so-called chattering such that the contacts repeatedly open and close several times before final contact is established as described previously. Accordingly, it is considered that with the difference of (EU) E being less than zero during collision the two contacts do not separate after they have once contacted unless subjected to an external force.

In view of this, the present invention is to provide a reed contact device which is designed to reduce the aforementioned factor (E (t) -E to zero during collision. To this end, it is sufficient only to increase the energy E and decrease the energy E (t) to such an extent that the factor (E (t) --E is reduced to zero. Namely, suitable selection of the shape and arrangement of the contact spring or reed enables reduction of the factor (E0) E to zero during collision and hence provides a reed contact device in which practically no chattering occurs.

For this purpose, the contact spring or the reed is so configured and arranged that when the contacts impinge against each other and remain in contact the contact spring is caused to yield additional vibrations other than a simple vibration in only one direction as in the heretofore known conventional reed contact device. In other words, the reed is designed in such a manner that upon impingement of the contacts the aforementioned energy E, exceeds that when no additional vibration is produced and the contact surfaces of the contacts slide on each other. As a result of this, one portion of the energy EU) is absorbed as a frictional energy due to the sliding of the contact surfaces to decrease the energy E (t), so that the factor (E 0) E becomes substantially zero to produce no chattering. Further, it has been found that when the contact pressure is magnetically applied to a contact spring or a.reed made of a magnetic material, good result is obtained. That is, the aforementioned sliding of the contact surfaces increases the engagement of the contacts more than that in case of no sliding, and accordingly the contact pressure becomes increased. This causes an increase in the amplitude of the reed deflection while the contacts remain in contact and hence. in the energy E It will be seen that this will serve to prevent occurrence of the chattering phenomenon. Under the above principle it will be understood that the present invention can be easily carried out into effect in various constructions and modifications as hereinafter referred to examples and objects.

With reference to the drawings the present invention will be described in detail. In FIGURE 1A, illustrating one embodiment of a reed contact device of this invention, reference numeral 1 identifies a contact spring or a reed made of a resilient conductive metal. The contact spring 1 is secured at one end thereof to a fixed base 2 made of an insulator and is bent generally in the shape of an L as shown in the figure, providing a contact portion on the bent free end portion. A good conductor is deposited on one side of the contact portion to form a movable contact 3. In the formation of the contact 3 a predetermined area of the contact portion is plated with gold and annealed, thereafter being sintered. Namely, gold is infiltrated into the metal of the contact portion to form the contact. The contact spring 1 is a thin doubleended paddle and its detailed configuration will become apparent from FIGURES 1B and 1C. In FIGURES 1B and 1C reference character L indicates a lead portion for external electrical connection, L a securing portion and I a contact spring or reed portion. Numerical values of these portions in a preferred embodiment are respectively 10 mm., 11.5 mm. and 19.5 mm. in length, and the width W of the contact spring is 2.5 mm. Further, the thickness T of the contact spring portion L is 0.7 mm. and the width W of the securing portion L is 1.3 mm. As shown in FIGURES 1A and 2, a fixed or stationary contact 4 is provided in opposing relation to the movable contact 3 and the contact spring 1 is normally biased by a card 5 to space apart the two contacts 3 and 4 as illustrated in FIGURE 1A. In this case, removal of the biasing force by the card to the contact spring 1 will lead to engagement of the contacts 3 and 4 with each other.

With the reed contact device described above, no chattering was observed in my many experiments conducted with the use of a synchroscope capable of measurement up to 30 mc./s.

A discussion will be given in connection with the reasons for which chattering does not occur. That is, since the contact 3 of the contact spring 1 and the fixed contact 4 are previously adapted to be engaged with each other upon removal of the card 5, the contact spring 1 moves in such a direction that the two contacts 3 and 4 come into engagement with each other, and finally they collide with each other. In this case, the contact 3 is subjected to a repelling force due to the impingement, tending to disengage from the contact 4. However, the contact spring 1 continues to move, due to its inertia, in the direction of the contact surface of the two contacts even after they have impinged against each other. Namely, the contact spring 1 moves in such a direction that the contact 3 is pushed in a direction indicated by the arrow a in FIG- URE 2, while being pressed against the fixed contact 4. In other words, the contact spring 1 moves in a direction such as to bend between the two contacts and the fixed base 2. Since the contact spring 1 is resilient and thin and the portion having mounted thereon the contact 3 is bent as above described, the contact 3 readily moves in the direction indicated by the arrow :1. Accordingly, when the contact 3 impinges against the fixed contact 4, the contact 3 is subjected to a repelling force tending to disengage it from the contact 4. However, since the contact spring 1 has a specific construction such as above described, it entirely bends in the direction indicated by the arrow a between the fixed point 2 and the contact 3, absorbing an energy E of some extent. On the other hand, the energy due to the repelling force applied to the contact spring 1 upon impingement of the two contacts is almost absorbed into the energy of the aforementioned bending of the contact spring 1, which energy includes an energy for friction between the contacts remaining in contact with each other. In other words, the contacts 3 and 4 are so constructed and arranged in this invention that the aforementioned factor (E 0) E becomes approximately zero, and hence no chattering occurs. Further, after the contact spring 1 has reached its limit of bending a restoring force is produced due to its resiliency. The movement of the contact spring 1 by the restoring force is to move the contact 3 in a direction indicated by the arrow b in FIGURE 2. Also in this case, it is considered that the restoring force is not large enough to disengage the contact 3 from the fixed contact 4, as will be seen from the foregoing. The movement or vibration of the contact 3 in the direction of the arrow a or b is damped vibration due to the presence of friction between the two contacts 3 and 4, and the vibration period becomes extremely short on account of the resiliency of the contact spring 1 and the friction just mentioned above.

FIGURE 3 illustrates another embodiment of the reed contact device of this invention, which employs contact springs 6 and 6 each configured in substantially the same shape as that depicted in FIGURE 1 and made of a magnetic material such, for example, as an alloy composed of 52% by weight of nickel and 48% by weight of iron. The other ends of the springs 6 and 6 are secured to an envelope or a tube 8 made of an insulator such as, for instance, glass in such a manner that contacts 7 and 7 of the contact springs 6 and 6 are opposite to each other in spaced relation. The tube 8 is filled with an mert gas such as neon or argon after evacuation. As is apparent from the figure, the contacts 7 and 7 and their neighboring portions are enclosed in the tube. The two contacts are designed to engage with each other as desired. The projecting portions of the contact springs outside of the tube 8 serve as terminals for connection with lead Wires and are not related directly to this invention.

According to my experiment using the aforementioned synchroscope it has been found that no chattering was observed with such a reed contact device as descnbed just above when it was subjected to an external force, for instance, a magnetic flux crossing the contact springs 6 and 6 by applying a current to a coil C wound around the tube 8 to thereby pull the contacts 7 and 7 together. It will be understood that a permanent magnet of any desired type can be used in place of the coil C, the permanent magnet being so arranged as to move relative to the envelope 8.

The following are numerical values of the above experiment.

0 represents the angle of the contact portion with respect to the contact spring, the length of the overlap of the opposing contacts and g the distance (a gap) between the opposing contacts when separated.

The fact that no chattering is observed as in the above example, namely the fact that the contacts do not open in the presence of an external force such as magnetic flux after they have once closed, appears to be due to the following reason. That is, the energy E, yielded upon 1mpingement of the contacts 7 of the contact springs 6, 1nclusive of an energy due to the repelling force by the impingement of the contacts, become greatly increased due to the specific configuration of the contact spnngs of this invention, as compared with that obtainable with the conventional contact spring, and the energy E (t) becomes decreased as absorbed by the energy produced due to sliding of the contacts 7 while being held in abutment with each other when impingement, as compared with that in the conventional device. As a result of this, (E (t)E becomes approximately zero and no chattering is caused for the reasons above described.

FIGURE 4 illustrates another modified form of the contact spring for use with the contact device of this invention. A contact spring 101 is made of the same material as that of the contact spring shown in FIGURE 3 and is formed in such a shape as depicted in the figure by bending one end portion 102 of a round rod at right angles and thereafter rolling it except the other end portion 103 which ultimately serves as a securing portion. On the end portion 103 is formed a contact 104 as in the foregoing examples.

FIGURE 5 similarly illustrates a still another modified form of the contact spring. The contact spring identified at 101 is a rod made of the same material as that shown in FIGURE 4, one end of which has attached thereto a rod-like contact portion 110 having formed a contact 109 thereon.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a contact device employing two contact springs depicted in FIGURE 4, in which the contact springs 101 are respectively secured at their other ends to a glass vessel 105 in a manner so that their contacts 104 are opposite in spaced relation to each other.

With the contact device shown in FIGURE 6, no chattering was also observed in my experiment carried out in the same manner as with the case of the device depicted in FIGURE 3.

It is considered that the magnetic flux distribution between the opposing contacts 104 and 104 is as indicated by broken lines 111 in FIGURE 8. Accordingly, the contacts 104 and 104 are subjected to a force a pulling them together and a force 1- attracting them in a direction parallel to their contact surfaces. In the first place, the two contacts impinge against each other due to the force er and upon impingement the contacts are subjected to a repelling force to separate them. However, since the contact spring 101 is of such a shape as to be readily moved by the force 7' in its direction, the two contacts are caused by the force '1' to slide in parallel to their contact surfaces. Accordingly, also in this case the energy corresponding to the aforementioned energy E, is regarded as the sum of the energy due to the movement of the contact springs 101 in the direction of their engagement and the energy due to their movement in the direction parallel to their contact surfaces. That is, the energy E becomes greatly increased, as compared with that obtainable with the prior art device, and the energy E (t) becomes decreased due to frictional energy resulting from the sliding of the two contacts while being engaged with each other. Therefore, (E 0?) E becomes approximately zero, so that no chattering could occur.

Another embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGURE 7 is a contact device employing in combination the contact spring 101 shown in FIGURE 5 and a contact portion 108 used in the prior art in a manner similar to those in FIGURES 3 and 6. With this contact device no chattering was also observed.

In this contact device a magnetic flux such as indicated by broken lines in FIGURE 9 is produced between two contacts 110 and 108', by which a force 0' pulling the contacts together and a force 1 pulling them in parallel to their contact surfaces are exerted to their contact portions. Therefore, the energy E (t) becomes reduced during collision and the energy E becomes increased, with the result that (E (t) E becomes substantially zero. Hence, the two contacts do not disengage from each other in the presence of the magnetic flux once they have engaged with each other.

FIGURE 10 illustrates one portion of a reed contact device employing the contact spring 101 shown in FIG- URE 4 in combination with the conventional contact portion member 108 depicted in FIGURE 7, and the portion illustrated is within a glass vessel similar to that employed in the foregoing examples, though not illustrated. Reference character a designates the width of the member 108 in its lateral direction and the width of the end portion 102 of the contact spring 101. The length of the longer bent portion of the end portion 102 is selected to be 2a. Further, the overlapping portion of the opposing contacts is selected to a/ 2 and a is approximately 2.5 mm. in practice. The gap between the contacts is about 0.28 mm. With the reed contact device of this structure, no chattering was also observed and it has been found that chattering could be prevented, even if the gap width should be varied a little.

FIGURE 11 similarly illustrates the principal part of a reed contact device Using substantially the same contact portion member as in the example shown in FIGURE 10. The length of the longer bent portion of the contact portion member is selected 3a and the position of the overlap is different from that shown in FIGURE 10. When the overlapping portion was selected to be less than /2a, no chattering was caused. The value of a and the gap width was selected to be substantially the same as those in the example illustrated in FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 illustrates still another modification of this invention, which is substantially identical with those shown in FIGURES 10 and 11 but is different in the configuration of the contact portion of the contact spring 101. That is, the end portion of the contact spring 101 is configured in the form of T, on which a contact is provided. The contact and that of the contact portion member are combined in a manner shown in the figure. It has been ascertained that no chattering occurred with the reed contact device in which the respective members were in such sizes as shown in the unit of a, the overlapping portion was less than a/2 and the gap width was approximately 0.27 mm.

It is considered that no chattering occurs in the practice of the devices exemplified in FIGURES 10 to 12 because of the fact that the aforementioned energy E (t) becomes decreased due to the specific configuration and property of the contact spring while the energy E becomes increased, reducing (E E to practically zero during collision.

FIGURES 13 and 14 illustrate other modified forms of the contact spring embodying the principles of this invention. In FIGURE 13 reference numeral 201 indicates a contact spring made by rolling flat a round rod of substantially the same material as that of the contact spring shown in FIGURE 4, excepting its fixed portion 203. The center portion of the flat portion is formed to be corrugated as identified at W, ensuring that the contact spring 201 may easily vibrate in its lengthwise direction at its corrugated portion W. Reference numeral 202 designates the flat end portion, on which a contact 204 is formed in the same manner as in the foregoing examples. In FIG- URE 14 reference numeral 201 indicates a contact spring similar to that shown in FIGURE 13, which has an Sl-shaped portion centrally of its flat portion instead of the corrugated portion, the other portions being identical with those of the contact spring 201. Also in this case, the contact spring 201 can readily vibrate in its lengthwise direction at its tl-shaped portion.

In FIGURE 15 the contact spring 201 shown in FIG- URE l3 and the well-known contact portion member 204 are disposed in such a manner that their respective contacts 204- and 210 are opposite to each other in a glass vessel 209 as illustrated in FIGURE 7.

With the reed contact device of such a structure no chattering was observed in which the length l of the corrugated portion W of the contact spring 201 was 19 mm., the length of the contact spring 201 present in the glass vessel 209 was 30 mm., the lateral width W of its flat portion was 2 mm., the thickness of the flat portion was 0.6 mm., the gap width between the two contacts was 0.54 mm., and the length 0 of their overlapping portions was 1 mm.

In the example shown in FIGURE 15, the magnetic field produced between the contacts 204 and 210 and in the vicinity thereof are as indicated by dotted lines in FIG- URE 16. Accordingly, the two contacts are subjected to a force F pulling them together and a force 1- sliding them in parallel with their contact surfaces and their lengthwise direction. As a result of this, the contacts 204 and 210 engage and simultaneously slide in parallel with their contact surfaces. In this case, only the contact spring 201 practical- 1y slides. Therefore, the energy E (t) decreases during collision while the energy E increases due to the compound movements of the contact spring 201, with result that (E0) E becomes practically zero, as in the foregoing examples.

FIGURE 17 illustrates still a further modification of this invention in which two contact springs 201' are secured to a glass vessel 209' in a manner so that their respective contacts 204' are opposite to each other. This example is identical with the foregoing examples, so that no detailed description will be given.

With the contact device of such a structure, no chattering occurred in my experiment carried out in the same manner as in the above examples. The experiment was conducted with the contact device in which the thickness t of the flat portion of the contact spring 201 was 0.5 mm., its lateral width W was 2 mm., the minimum gap width g of the SZ-shaped portion was 2 mm., the maximum gap width g was 6 mm., the length L; of the contact spring 201' from the fixed end of the vessel 209 to the foot of the Q-shaped portion and the length of the free end portion of the contact spring 201 was 14 mm., the gap width be tween the contacts of the contact springs was 0.54 mm. and the length of the overlap of the contact springs was 1 mm.

The reasons for causing no chattering are substantially the same as those in the foregoing examples, and hence no detailed description will be given.

FIGURE 18 illustrates another example of the contact spring of this invention. The contact spring identified at 301 is such that a contact spring similar to that shown in FIGURE 4 has a contact 309 at is flat end 302 and is twisted near that end as depicted in the figure. Reference numeral 303 indicates a fixed portion. The twisting angle 0, namely the angle between the plane of the twisted portion and that of the flat portion, is selected at will within the range of several tens of degrees, (refer to FIGURE 19).

In FIGURE 20 there is illustrated another example of the reed contact device employing a pair of contact springs 301 shown in FIGURE 18, in which the contact springs 301 are secured to a glass vessel 304 so that their respective contacts 309 are opposite to each other. The entire structure of this device is similar to that in the foregoing example, and hence no detailed description will be given.

In an experiment conducted in a manner similar to those in the foregoing, no chattering was observed with the contact device in which the distance between the center of the twisting and the end of the end portion 302 was 3 mm., the angle 6 was 30 to the gap width g between the contacts was 0.3 mm. and the length 0 of the overlap of the contact springs was 1.48 mm.

The reasons for causing no chattering are as follows. That is, the contacts 309 of the contact springs are subjected to a force F pulling them together, as shown in FIGURE 21. In this case the two contacts are engaged with each other due to the attractive force F. Further, the contact spring 301 is moved by a force expressed by F cos 0 in its direction or in a vertical direction to the plate portion, while the other contact spring 301 is moved by a force representative of F sin 0 in its direction or in a direction parallel to the flat portion. As a result of this, the energy E, increases due to the compound movement of the contact spring 301 and the energy E (t) decreases due to the sliding of the two contact surfaces, with the result that (E (t) E becomes substantially zero during collision. Accordingly, the two contacts do not ever separate in the presence of the magnetic flux once they have engaged.

In FIGURE 22 the fixed portion 303 of the contact spring 301 shown in FIGURE 18 is secured to a fixed base 306 and a contact 308 depicted in the figure is provided on the end portion 302 of the contact spring 301 and the contact spring 301 is so placed that the contact 308 engages with a fixed contact 307. Then, the free end of the contact spring 301 is biased by a card 305 in a manner so that the two contacts 307 and 308 are normally a little spaced from each other.

In my experiment no chattering occurred with this contact device. That is, the contact spring 301 accomplishes compound movement when engaging the fixed contact, increasing the energy E The compound movement causes friction between the two contacts to cause a decrease in the energy E t) during collision. As a result of this, (E 0) E becomes approximately Zero.

FIGURE 23 illustrates another modified form of the contact device of this invention, in which contact springs 401 made of a resilient magnetic material and configured in the conventional shape are secured to a glass vessel 403 so that their contacts 401' are opposite but slightly displaced from each other. The securing of the contact springs 401 is substantially the same as in the foregoing examples, and hence no detailed description will be given.

No chattering was also observed in a similar experiment conducted in connection with the aforementioned contact device in which the lateral width a of the com tact spring was 2.5 mm., the gap width g between the two contacts was 0.2 to 0.5 mm., the length 0 of the overlap of the contact springs was 0.98 mm. and the lateral Width b of the overlap was equal to or less than In this contact device there is produced between the contacts 401 such a magnetic field distribution as indicated by broken lines in FIGURE 24, by which the two contacts are subjected to a force F pulling them together and a force a sliding them in parallel to their contact surfaces. As a result, the two contacts impinge against each other and due to the force F and slide to the force in its direction. (This is possible due to its shape and property.) That is, the two contact springs 401 are disposed as shown in FIGURE 23 and the magnetic flux is applied thereto, by which the contact springs are moved respectively in the directions of the forces F and 0' Accordingly, as has been described in the foregoing, the energy E, increases and the contacts slide against each other due to the force 0' to produce friction, so that the aforementioned energy E t) decreases during collision and (EU) E becomes approximately zero.

FIGURE 25 illustrates another example which is substantially similar to that depicted in FIGURE 23 except in that the length of either one of the contact springs 401 within the glass vessel is shorter than in the other examples.

In FIGURE 26 there is shown a modified form of the device depiceed in FIGURE 26, in which another contact spring 405 is disposed in parallel with the left contact spring.

FIGURE 27 illustrates still a further example substantially similar to that depicted in FIGURE 26, but in which, for example, the right contact is made shorter and the fixed portions of the two left contact springs are made integral to form one contact spring 406.

With the contact devices exemplified in FIGURES 25 to 27 no chattering was observed in experiments similar to those in the foregoing.

The reasons for producing no chattering are exactly the same as those described above. However, the degrees of the increase in the energy E are different in the respective examples.

It has been found that when the two contacts springs made of a resilient magnetic material engage with each other due to an external force while sliding, the engagement is approximately greater than in the prior art devices in which they merely engage.

It will be apparent that many modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

What I claim is:

1. A relay comprising a pair of parallel magnetic sup port pieces each carrying at one end thereof a contact cooperating with that of the other magnetic support piece, a vessel having fixed thereto to the other end of the magnetic support pieces and enclosing therein the portions of the magnetic support pieces having respective contacts, and magnetic means for driving the magnetic support pieces, at least one of the magnetic support pieces being resilient, the portions of the magnetic support pieces disposed within the vessel bein thin and the portions of the magnetic support pieces fixed to the vessel being in the form of a rod having a diameter smaller than that of the greatest transverse dimension of the adjacent portion thereof, the center line of one of the magnetic support pieces being displaced from that of the other magnetic support pieces transversely of the parallel magnetic support pieces, whereby the portions of the magnetic support pieces within the vessel take a lateral sliding motion in addition to a bending vibration and the contacts slide with each other while remaining in contact.

2. A reed relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of one of the magnetic support pieces within the vessel is shorter than that of the other magnetic support piece.

3. A reed relay as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral width of the overlap of one magnetic support piece is approximately equal to or less than one half of the lateral width.

4. A reed relay comprising a pair of magnetic support pieces each carrying at one end thereof a contact cooperating with that of the other magnetic support piece, a vessel having fixed thereto the other ends of the magnetic support pieces and enclosing said one ends therein, and magnetic means for driving the magnetic support pieces, at least one of the magnetic support pieces being resilient, said other ends of said magnetic support pieces being of fine rod, said one portion of at least one of the magnetic support pieces being rolled thin, the contact of a least one of the magnetic support pieces being bent substantially at right angles with respect to the lengthwise direction of the magnetic support piece, and the magnetic support pieces being so constructed and disposed relative to each other that when the contacts close the bending vibration of the resilient magnetic support piece causes an additional vibration and sliding of the contacts in parallel with each other while remaining in contact with each other.

5. A reed relay as claimed in claim 4, wherein the portions of the pair of magnetic support pieces which are disposed within the vessel are that, and comprising an additlonal magnetic support piece disposed along side of one of the pair of magnetic support pieces, the center line of said additional support piece being displaced from that of the other magnetic support piece.

6. A reed relay as claimed in claim 4, wherein said one magnetic support piece and said additional magnetic support plece are integral with each other near their secured end portions and have their lengths within the vessel greater than that of said other magnetic support piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,671,840 3/1954 Sway. 3,196,232 7/1965 Lisuzzo et al. 335-154- 3,249,710 5/ 1966 Schwarzkopf et a1. 3,258,557 6/1966 Scheepstra et al. 3,260,828 7/ 1966 Cartier.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,206,085 12/ 1965 Germany.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner R. N. ENVALL, In, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 200-166

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