An electromagnetic relay includes a pair of fixed contacts, a pair of movable contacts that respectively face the pair of fixed contacts and are structured to respectively come into contact with and be separated from the pair of fixed contacts, a movable touch piece configured to electrically connect the pair of movable contacts, and a pair of permanent magnets that are arranged on a straight line passing through the pair of fixed contacts and the pair of movable contacts in a planar view seen along a contact-separation direction in which each of the movable contacts comes into contact with or is separated from each of the fixed contacts. The pair of permanent magnets face each other. The pair of permanent magnets are arranged so as to sandwich the pair of fixed contacts and the pair of movable contacts.

In case of using multi-contacts or flat braided wires for constituting a current carrying structure of a movable part in a vacuum relay, problems tend to appear, which are enlargement of a control mechanism, complication, increased operation force and the like. The vacuum relay 1 includes an insulating cylinder 2, a first relay connecting portion 4 that is connected to one open end of the insulating cylinder 2 and has on its inner surface a first contact 3, a second relay connecting portion 5 that is arranged in the insulating cylinder 2 to face the first relay connecting portion 4, a movable member 7 that is movably arranged between the first and second relay connecting portions 4 and 5 and has a second contact that is brought into contact with the first contact when the movable member is moved toward the first relay connecting portion, and a control mechanism 8 that moves the movable member 7 in both directions to establish and break the contact between the two contacts. Between the movable member 7 and the second relay connecting portion 5, there is provided a bellows 11 through which the movable member 7 and the second relay connecting portion 5 are electrically connected.

In case of using multi-contacts or flat braided wires for constituting a current carrying structure of a movable part in a vacuum relay, problems tend to appear, which are enlargement of a control mechanism, complication, increased operation force and the like. The vacuum relay 1 includes an insulating cylinder 2, a first relay connecting portion 4 that is connected to one open end of the insulating cylinder 2 and has on its inner surface a first contact 3, a second relay connecting portion 5 that is arranged in the insulating cylinder 2 to face the first relay connecting portion 4, a movable member 7 that is movably arranged between the first and second relay connecting portions 4 and 5 and has a second contact that is brought into contact with the first contact when the movable member is moved toward the first relay connecting portion, and a control mechanism 8 that moves the movable member 7 in both directions to establish and break the contact between the two contacts. Between the movable member 7 and the second relay connecting portion 5, there is provided a bellows 11 through which the movable member 7 and the second relay connecting portion 5 are electrically connected.

A contact device includes a main contact mechanism including a pair of main stationary contact members and a main movable contact member; an auxiliary contact mechanism disposed at a position different from that of the main contact mechanism and including auxiliary stationary contact members and auxiliary movable contact members; a movable shaft configured to operate the main movable contact member and the auxiliary movable contact member in conjunction with each other; rod-shaped auxiliary terminals electrically connected to the auxiliary stationary contact members; a cover plate having holes through which the auxiliary terminals penetrate; an insulating case configured to house the main contact mechanism and the auxiliary contact mechanism and including an auxiliary terminal case section configured to separate the main contact mechanism and the auxiliary contact mechanism from each other; and a cylindrical body covering the insulating case exteriorly and joined to the cover plate.

A contact device includes a main contact mechanism including a pair of main stationary contact members and a main movable contact member; an auxiliary contact mechanism disposed at a position different from that of the main contact mechanism and including auxiliary stationary contact members and auxiliary movable contact members; a movable shaft configured to operate the main movable contact member and the auxiliary movable contact member in conjunction with each other; rod-shaped auxiliary terminals electrically connected to the auxiliary stationary contact members; a cover plate having holes through which the auxiliary terminals penetrate; an insulating case configured to house the main contact mechanism and the auxiliary contact mechanism and including an auxiliary terminal case section configured to separate the main contact mechanism and the auxiliary contact mechanism from each other; and a cylindrical body covering the insulating case exteriorly and joined to the cover plate.

A latching relay includes a first coil, a second coil and a common plunger operatively connected between the first and second coils such that activation of the first coil moves the plunger to a first position and activation of the second coil moves the plunger to a second position. The latching relay also includes a limit switch having a common contact and first and second coil contacts. A position of the common contact is alternately switched between electrical connection to either the first or second coil contact based on a position of the plunger. The first and second coil contacts are electrically connected to the first and second coils, respectively such that when electrical power is applied to the common contact, the electrical power is alternately applied to either the first coil or the second coil depending on the position of the common contact.

A latching relay includes a first coil, a second coil and a common plunger operatively connected between the first and second coils such that activation of the first coil moves the plunger to a first position and activation of the second coil moves the plunger to a second position. The latching relay also includes a limit switch having a common contact and first and second coil contacts. A position of the common contact is alternately switched between electrical connection to either the first or second coil contact based on a position of the plunger. The first and second coil contacts are electrically connected to the first and second coils, respectively such that when electrical power is applied to the common contact, the electrical power is alternately applied to either the first coil or the second coil depending on the position of the common contact.

There is provided a contact switching device which has high productivity and in which operation characteristics hardly vary. The contact switching device includes an electromagnetic unit, a holder, a movable shaft, a movable yoke, a movable contact piece having movable contacts at both ends, fixed contacts, and a fixed yoke. At the time of excitation of the electromagnetic unit, the movable shaft moves to the holder side along a direction of an axis center. A magnetic circuit is formed of the fixed yoke and the movable yoke due to a magnetic field generated by a current that flows into the movable contact piece as a result of the movable contacts coming into contact with the fixed contacts. The movable yoke is then attracted to the fixed yoke.

There is provided a contact switching device which has high productivity and in which operation characteristics hardly vary. The contact switching device includes an electromagnetic unit, a holder, a movable shaft, a movable yoke, a movable contact piece having movable contacts at both ends, fixed contacts, and a fixed yoke. At the time of excitation of the electromagnetic unit, the movable shaft moves to the holder side along a direction of an axis center. A magnetic circuit is formed of the fixed yoke and the movable yoke due to a magnetic field generated by a current that flows into the movable contact piece as a result of the movable contacts coming into contact with the fixed contacts. The movable yoke is then attracted to the fixed yoke.

The invention essentially relates to a contact-breaker (1) for a heat engine starter, comprising: a cap (30); and a micro-solenoid (41) that comprises a coil (42) which is stationary relative to the cap (30), and a core (43) which is translationally movable relative to the cap (30) between a starting position and an end position. The contact-breaker (1) comprises a means (51) for retaining the core (43) of the micro-solenoid (41) in the end position.