Detailed Description
Next, first to third embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings below, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals. It is to be noted that the drawings are merely schematic illustrations, and the relationship between the thickness and the plane size, the ratio of the thicknesses of the respective layers, and the like are different from those in reality. Therefore, the specific thickness or size should be judged with reference to the following description. It is to be understood that the drawings also include portions having different dimensional relationships or ratios from each other.
The first to third embodiments described below are merely examples of devices and methods for specifically describing the technical idea of the present invention, and the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, and the like of the following structural members. Various modifications can be made to the technical idea of the present invention within the technical scope defined by the claims described in the claims.
[ Structure of electromagnetic contactor according to first embodiment ]
Fig. 1 to 7 are diagrams showing an electromagnetic contactor 1 according to the present invention for opening and closing a current path between a power source and a load. In fig. 1 to 5 and 7, reference numeral X denotes a first direction, reference numeral Y denotes a second direction orthogonal to the first direction X, and reference numeral Z denotes a third direction orthogonal to a virtual plane including the first direction X and the second direction Y.
The electromagnetic contactor 1 includes a housing 2 (see fig. 1), a contact mechanism 3 (see fig. 3) housed in the housing 2, and an electromagnet unit 4 (see fig. 4) housed in the housing 2 for driving the contact mechanism 3.
As shown in fig. 1 and 4, the housing 2 includes: a case body 5 having a bottomed rectangular parallelepiped shape and having an opening formed in one side in the third direction Z; and a case cover 6 that covers the opening and is detachably attached to the case main body 5.
As shown in fig. 4, the case body 5 is formed with a contact mechanism housing portion 7 that houses the contact mechanism 3 in the central portion and an electromagnet unit housing portion 8, the contact mechanism 3 is housed in the contact mechanism housing portion 7, and the electromagnet unit 4 is housed in the electromagnet unit housing portion 8.
As shown in fig. 3, a plurality of pairs of wire insertion spaces 10a to 10e are formed on both sides in the first direction X with the contact mechanism housing portion 7 of the housing body 5 interposed therebetween, and a partition wall 11 is provided between the adjacent wire insertion spaces 10a to 10 e.
As shown in fig. 4, the front plate 6a of the case cover 6 is provided with a pair of wire insertion ports 12a communicating with the pair of wire insertion spaces 10 a.
As shown in fig. 2, two wire insertion ports 12a1, 12a2 are provided in the pair of wire insertion ports 12a with respect to the wire insertion space 10 a.
Further, a plurality of pairs of wire insertion ports 12b to 12e are formed in the front plate 6a of the case cover 6 so as to be aligned in the second direction Y with respect to the pair of wire insertion ports 12a, and these pairs of wire insertion ports 12b to 12e communicate the outside of the case cover 6 with the pair of wire insertion spaces 10b to 10 e. Two wire insertion ports are provided in the wire insertion spaces 10b to 10e in the pairs of wire insertion ports 12b to 12e, respectively.
In the electromagnetic contactor 1 according to the first embodiment, the pairs of wire insertion ports 12a to 12e use six pairs of wire insertion ports 12a to 12c as main circuit terminals, a pair of wire insertion ports 12d as auxiliary terminals, and a pair of wire insertion ports 12e as coil terminals of the electromagnet unit 4.
As shown in fig. 1, 2, and 4, insertion holes 13 for inserting a tool S, which will be described later, are formed in the front plate 6a of the case cover 6 so as to communicate with the wire insertion spaces 10a to 10e in the vicinity of the plurality of pairs of wire insertion ports 12b to 12 e. The insertion hole 13 is formed corresponding to two of the plurality of pairs of wire insertion ports 12a to 12 e.
On the other hand, as shown in fig. 3, the contact mechanism 3 includes: a plurality of pairs of fixed contacts 15 separated in the first direction X and fixed to the housing main body 5; and a plurality of movable contacts 16 contactably separable from the respective pairs of fixed contacts 15.
The plurality of movable contacts 16 are fixed to a movable contact support member 17 elongated in the second direction Y at predetermined intervals along the first direction X. When the coil of the electromagnet unit 4 is excited, the movable contact support member 17 moves downward in fig. 3 in the second direction Y via a drive lever, not shown, and the plurality of movable contacts 16 fixed to the movable contact support member 17 come into contact with the respective pairs of fixed contacts 15. Thereby, the fixed contact 15 in one of the first directions X and the fixed contact 15 in the other of the first directions X are electrically connected via the movable contact 16, and the current path is closed.
On the other hand, when the coil of the electromagnet unit 4 is in the non-excited state, the movable contact support member 17 moves upward in fig. 3 in the second direction Y by the action of a return spring, not shown, and the plurality of movable contacts 16 fixed to the movable contact support member 17 are separated from each pair of fixed contacts 15. Thereby, the fixed contact 15 in one of the first directions X and the fixed contact 15 in the other of the first directions X are cut off.
As shown in fig. 4, spring terminals 20 for connecting wires W to be described later with the fixed contacts 15 are disposed in the pair of wire insertion spaces 10a provided in the housing main body 5.
Spring terminals 20 having the same configuration as the spring terminals 20 for connecting the wires W arranged in the pair of wire insertion spaces 10a of fig. 4 and the fixed contacts 15 are also arranged in the other pairs of wire insertion spaces 10b to 10 e.
As shown in fig. 5, the electric wire W includes: a core wire W1 made of a plurality of metal wire rods; and an insulating covering member W2 covering the outer periphery of the core wire W1. When the electric wire W is connected to the fixed contact 15, the tip portion of the insulating cover W2 is removed to expose only a predetermined portion of the core wire W1.
The structure of the fixed contact 15 will be described with reference to fig. 3 and 5.
The fixed contact 15 includes: a flat fixed contact portion 15a with which the movable contact 16 is in contact; a flat plate-shaped substrate portion 15b bent in a direction extending in the third direction Z; a flat plate-shaped seat plate portion 15c bent in a direction extending from the base plate portion 15b in the first direction X; and a plate-shaped plate spring side contact portion 15d bent in a direction extending in the third direction Z from the seat plate portion 15c in parallel with the substrate 15 b. The fixed contact 15 is formed by drilling and bending a metal plate.
As shown in fig. 3, the fixed contact 15 provided in the wire insertion space 10a is positioned such that the fixed contact portion 15a is located inside the contact mechanism housing portion 7, and the base plate portion 15b, the seat plate portion 15c, and the leaf spring-side contact portion 15d are fixed to the housing main body 5 along the inner wall of the housing main body 5 forming the wire insertion space 10 a.
In the other fixed contacts 15 provided in the plurality of pairs of wire insertion spaces 10b to 10e, the fixed contact portion 15a is also positioned in the contact mechanism housing portion 7, and the base plate portion 15b, the seat plate portion 15c, and the leaf spring-side contact portion 15d are also fixed to the housing main body 5 so as to be positioned in the wire insertion spaces 10b to 10 e.
As shown in fig. 5, an engagement claw 32 as a separation prevention portion is formed to protrude from an inner wall of the base plate portion 15b of the fixed contact 15.
An insertion hole 33 as a movement restricting portion is formed in the seat plate portion 15c of the fixed contact 15 at a position close to the base plate portion 15 b.
As shown in fig. 5, the spring terminal 20 is composed of a plate spring 21 and a plate spring side contact portion 15d of the fixed contact 15.
As shown in fig. 6 (a), the plate spring 21 includes: a flat plate-like fixing portion 22; a flat first inclined portion 24 in which an obtuse-angle bent portion 23 having an obtuse angle is continuously provided between the first inclined portion and the longitudinal end of the fixing portion 22; a plate-like wire holding portion 26 provided with an arc-shaped curved portion 25 between the first inclined portion 24 and the wire holding portion and extending in substantially the same direction as the first inclined portion 24; and a pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 27, 27 extending from both sides of the first inclined portion 24 in the width direction toward the wire holding portion 26.
As shown in fig. 6 (b), the plate spring 21 is formed with a slit 28 extending at the widthwise center portion of the wire holding portion 26, the arc bent portion 25 is divided into the divided arc bent portions 25a and 25b by 2, and the wire holding portion 26 is also divided into the divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b by 2.
The fixing portion 22, the obtuse-angle bent portion 23, the first inclined portion 24, the arc bent portion 25 (divided arc bent portions 25a, 25b), the wire holding portion 26 (divided wire holding portions 26a, 26b), and the pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 27, 27 constituting the plate spring 21 are formed by bending a single elongated flat metal plate.
An insertion projection 34 is formed at the lower end of the fixing portion 22 of the leaf spring 21, and an engagement through hole 35 is formed in the fixing portion 22.
As shown in fig. 5, the fixing portion 22 of the leaf spring 21 is disposed along the substrate portion 15b of one of the fixed contacts 15 disposed in the pair of electric wire insertion spaces 10a, the fitting convex portion 34 of the lower end of the fixing portion 22 is fitted into the fitting hole 33 of the substrate portion 15b, and the leaf spring 21 is coupled to the fixed contact 15 in a state where the engaging claw 32 of the substrate portion 15b enters the engaging through hole 35 of the fixing portion 22.
The leaf spring 21 is connected to the other fixed contact 15 disposed in the pair of wire insertion spaces 10a in the same configuration, and the leaf spring 21 is connected to the other fixed contacts 15 disposed in the plurality of pairs of wire insertion spaces 10b to 10e in the same configuration.
When the case cover 6 is attached to the case main body 5, the divided wire holding portion 26a of the plate spring 21 disposed in the plurality of pairs of wire insertion spaces 10a of the case main body 5 is disposed at a position facing one of the two wire insertion ports 12a1, 12a2 constituting the wire insertion port 12a shown in fig. 2. The divided wire holding portion 26b of the leaf spring 21 is disposed at a position facing the other of the two wire insertion ports 12a1, 12a 2. The divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b are also disposed at positions facing each other at every two wire insertion ports of the other plurality of pairs of wire insertion ports 12b to 12 e.
As shown in fig. 5, the core wire W1 of the electric wire W inserted into the electric wire insertion space 10a from one electric wire insertion port 12a1 of the electric wire insertion port 12a is elastically held between the tip of the divided electric wire holding portion 26a of the plate spring 21 and the plate spring side contact portion 15d of the fixed contact 15. Although not shown, the electric wire W inserted into the electric wire insertion space 10a from the other electric wire insertion port 12a2 of the electric wire insertion port 12a and the core wire W1 of the other electric wire W inserted into the pair of electric wire insertion ports 12b to 12e are also elastically held between the tip of the divided electric wire holding portion 26b of the leaf spring 21 and the leaf spring side contact portion 15d of the fixed contact 15.
As shown in fig. 7, when the divided wire holding portion 26a is moved in a direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d by a tool S such as a straight screwdriver inserted into the wire insertion space 10a from the insertion hole 13, the elastic holding of the core wire W1 with the leaf spring side contact portion 15d of the fixed contact 15 is released. The divided wire holding portion 26a moved in a direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d abuts against the tip of the plastic deformation preventing portion 27 extending from one of both sides in the width direction of the first inclined portion 24. Thus, the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a in contact with the plastic deformation preventing portion 27 in the direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d is regulated.
In this way, by bringing the divided wire holding portion 26a into contact with the plastic deformation preventing portion 27 and restricting the movement thereof in the direction away from the plate spring side contact portion 15d, the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a in the region where the divided arc bent portion 25a is elastically deformed is allowed, and the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a to the extent that the divided arc bent portion 25a is plastically deformed is restricted, thereby preventing the plastic deformation of the divided arc bent portion 25 a.
Further, although not shown, when the divided wire holding portion 26b is moved in a direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d by using the tool S, the elastic holding of the core wire W1 between the divided wire holding portion 26b and the leaf spring side contact portion 15d is also released. At this time, the divided wire holding portion 26b moved in the direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d abuts against the tip of the plastic deformation preventing portion 27 extending from the other of the two sides in the width direction of the first inclined portion 24. This allows the divided wire holding portion 26b to move in the region where the divided arc bent portion 25b is elastically deformed, and restricts the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26b to the extent that the divided arc bent portion 25b is plastically deformed, thereby preventing the plastic deformation of the divided arc bent portion 25 b.
The tool insertion hole described in the present invention corresponds to the insertion hole 13, the contact described in the present invention corresponds to the leaf spring-side contact 15d, the electric wire holding portion described in the present invention corresponds to the divided electric wire holding portions 26a and 26b, and the plastic deformation preventing portion described in the present invention corresponds to the pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 27 and 27.
Next, an effect of the connection structure having the spring terminal 20 of the electromagnetic contactor 1 according to the first embodiment will be described.
In the first embodiment, when the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) is moved in a direction away from the plate spring side contact portion 15d by the tool S inserted into the wire insertion space 10a from the insertion hole 13, the elastic holding of the core wire W1 between it and the plate spring side contact portion 15d of the fixed contact 15 is released. At this time, the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) moved in the direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d abuts on the tip of the plastic deformation preventing portion 27 extending from the first inclined portion 24. Thus, the plate spring 21 allows the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) in the region where the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b) is elastically deformed, and restricts the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) to the extent that the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b) is plastically deformed. Therefore, plastic deformation of the divided arc curved portion 25a (or the divided arc curved portion 25b) can be prevented, and therefore, the durability of the plate spring 21 can be improved.
In addition, the connection structure of the electromagnetic contactor 1 according to the first embodiment is a structure in which the plastic deformation preventing portion 27 that improves the durability of the plate spring 21 is integrated with the plate spring 21, and since it is not necessary to dispose parts that improve the durability of the plate spring 21 in the case 2 as in the conventional device, the number of parts can be reduced, the number of assembly steps can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.
Further, since the plate spring 21 of the first embodiment is provided with the obtuse-angled bent portion 23, the divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b having a desired length can be provided to obtain a large elastic holding force. That is, in the plate spring 21 according to the first embodiment, the obtuse-angle bent portion 23 is provided, so that the height can be reduced and the divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b having a desired length can be provided. Thus, the low-height leaf spring 21 makes it possible to design the entire wire insertion spaces 10a to 10e of the housing 2 as a small space to reduce the size of the electromagnetic contactor 1, and to provide the divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b having a desired length to reliably hold the core wire W1 of the wire W.
By forming the obtuse-angle bent portion 23, the first inclined portion 24 and the wire holding portion 26 (divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b) are disposed substantially in parallel at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the arc bent portion 25 (divided arc bent portions 25a and 25b), and a pair of short-length-shaped plastic deformation preventing portions 27 and 27 extend from the first inclined portion 24 to the wire holding portion 26. By making the pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 27, 27 short, stress when the divided wire holding portions 26a, 26b are brought into contact can be dispersed in the first inclined portion 24, and deformation due to stress concentration of the pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 27, 27 can be prevented.
[ leaf spring of second embodiment ]
Next, fig. 8 is a diagram showing a structure of a plate spring 40 constituting the above-described spring terminal 20 according to the second embodiment. Note that the same components as those in the configuration shown in fig. 1 to 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
The plate spring 40 of fig. 8 has a pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 41, 41 extending from both sides in the width direction of the first inclined portion 24 toward the wire holding portion 26 (divided wire holding portions 26a, 26 b).
The shape of the plastic deformation preventing portion 41 will be explained.
The width direction edge portion of the first inclined portion 24 of the plate spring 40 is formed by cutting a predetermined dimension along the length direction of the first inclined portion 24. Thus, the cut portion is formed into a rectangular plate material with one end in the longitudinal direction connected to the first inclined portion 24.
The plastic deformation preventing portion 41 is formed by bending the rectangular plate material so as to protrude toward the fixing portion 22.
When the spring terminal 20 of the plate spring 40 according to the second embodiment having the above-described configuration is used in the connection structure of the electromagnetic contactor 1, when the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) of the plate spring 40 is moved in the direction away from the plate spring side contact point portion 15d by the tool S inserted into the wire insertion space 10a from the insertion hole 13, the elastic holding of the core wire W1 with the plate spring side contact point portion 15d of the fixed contact 15 is released. The divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) moved in the direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d abuts against the tip of the plastic deformation preventing portion 41 extending from one of both sides in the width direction of the first inclined portion 24 of the leaf spring 40. Then, the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) in contact with the plastic deformation preventing portion 41 is restricted from moving in a direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15 d. In this way, the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) is in contact with the plastic deformation preventing portion 41 and is restricted from moving in a direction away from the plate spring side contact portion 15d, so that the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) in the region where the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b) is elastically deformed is allowed, and the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) to the extent that the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b) is plastically deformed is restricted, thereby preventing the plastic deformation of the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b), and improving the durability of the plate spring 40.
In addition, the plate spring 40 of the second embodiment is also configured such that the plastic deformation preventing portion 41 is integrated with the plate spring 40, and thus the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.
Further, since the pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 41 and 41 formed on both sides in the width direction of the first inclined portion 24 of the plate spring 40 according to the second embodiment are formed in a curved shape so as to protrude toward the fixing portion 22 side, the impact at the time of contact of the divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b can be absorbed by elastically deforming the curved shape curvature of the plate spring itself. Therefore, the plate spring 40 having the pair of bent plastic deformation preventing portions 41, 41 can further improve durability.
[ leaf spring of third embodiment ]
Next, fig. 9 is a diagram showing a structure of the plate spring 42 according to the third embodiment.
The plate spring 42 of fig. 9 includes a pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 43, 43 extending from both sides in the width direction of the fixing portion 22 toward the wire holding portion 26 (the divided wire holding portions 26a, 26 b).
The plastic deformation preventing portion 43 is formed by bending rectangular portions formed to protrude from both sides in the width direction of the flat plate-like fixed portion 22 at right angles to the fixed portion 22.
When the spring terminal 20 of the plate spring 40 according to the third embodiment having the above-described configuration is used in the connection structure of the electromagnetic contactor 1, when the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) of the plate spring 40 is moved in the direction away from the plate spring side contact point portion 15d by the tool S inserted into the wire insertion space 10a from the insertion hole 13, the elastic holding of the core wire W1 with the plate spring side contact point portion 15d of the fixed contact 15 is released. The divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) moved in the direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15d abuts on the tip of the plastic deformation preventing portion 43 extending from one of both sides of the fixing portion 22 of the leaf spring 42. Then, the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) in contact with the plastic deformation preventing portion 43 is restricted from moving in a direction away from the leaf spring side contact portion 15 d. In this way, the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) is in contact with the plastic deformation preventing portion 43 and is restricted from moving in a direction away from the plate spring side contact portion 15d, and the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) in the region where the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b) is elastically deformed is allowed, and the movement of the divided wire holding portion 26a (or the divided wire holding portion 26b) to the extent that the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b) is plastically deformed is restricted, so that the plastic deformation of the divided arc bent portion 25a (or the divided arc bent portion 25b) is prevented, and the durability of the plate spring 42 is improved.
The plate spring 42 according to the third embodiment is also configured such that the plastic deformation preventing portion 43 is integrated with the plate spring 42, and thus the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost.
Further, the pair of plastic deformation preventing portions 43 and 43 of the plate spring 42 according to the third embodiment are formed by bending the portions of the flat plate-like fixing portion 22 protruding from both sides at right angles, and therefore, the manufacturing cost of the plate spring 42 can be reduced.
In the first embodiment, the connection structure of the electromagnetic contactor 1 is described, but the same effects can be obtained even when the connection structure is used for connection structures of various electrical devices such as a wiring breaker, an electromagnetic switch, and a circuit protector.
Further, although the plastic deformation preventing portion 41 of the leaf spring 40 of the second embodiment is formed in a curved shape, if the plastic deformation preventing portion 27 of the leaf spring 21 of the first embodiment and the plastic deformation preventing portion 43 of the leaf spring 42 of the third embodiment are also formed in a curved shape, the impact when the divided wire holding portions 26a and 26b are brought into contact can be absorbed by the elastic deformation caused by the change in the curvature of the curved shape of the leaf spring itself.