A transportable container assembly including a transportable container defining an enclosed interior space and having an opening member cooperatively engaging a mounting frame. The opening member has a closed position and an open position and access to the interior space is permitted in the open position. A localized device or system is attached to the transportable container and is coupled to an electrical power source. A reed switch apparatus coupled to the transportable container communicates the position of the opening member to the localized device or system. The localized device or system provides a localized function depending on the reported position of the opening member. The localized function includes at least one of a group consisting of a local lighting function, local locking mechanism action and local refrigeration system action/function. The localized device or system communicates the position of the opening member to a remote device or system at a location remote from the transportable container. The remote device or system is capable of providing remote monitoring and control functions or actions at the transportable container depending on the communicated position of the opening member.

A transportable container assembly including a transportable container defining an enclosed interior space and having an opening member cooperatively engaging a mounting frame. The opening member has a closed position and an open position and access to the interior space is permitted in the open position. A localized device or system is attached to the transportable container and is coupled to an electrical power source. A reed switch apparatus coupled to the transportable container communicates the position of the opening member to the localized device or system. The localized device or system provides a localized function depending on the reported position of the opening member. The localized function includes at least one of a group consisting of a local lighting function, local locking mechanism action and local refrigeration system action/function. The localized device or system communicates the position of the opening member to a remote device or system at a location remote from the transportable container. The remote device or system is capable of providing remote monitoring and control functions or actions at the transportable container depending on the communicated position of the opening member.

A contact device includes a main contact mechanism including a pair of main fixed contacts and a main movable contact elastically supported by a movable shaft and disposed to contact with and separate from the pair of main fixed contacts; an auxiliary contact mechanism disposed at a different position from the main contact mechanism, and including a pair of auxiliary fixed contacts and an auxiliary movable contact disposed in an insulating auxiliary contact holding member connected to the movable shaft to contact with and separate from the pair of auxiliary fixed contacts; and a contact housing portion housing the main contact mechanism and the auxiliary contact mechanism. The movable shaft includes a main contact support portion for supporting the main movable contact, and an auxiliary contact support portion for supporting the auxiliary contact holding member. The main contact support portion is divided from the auxiliary contact support portion.

The contact apparatus includes a fixed contact, a movable contact, and an arc extinguishing member. The movable contact is movable between a closed position where the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact and an open position where the movable contact is separate from the fixed contact. The arc extinguishing member is for discharging an arc extinguishing gas offering a capacity for extinguishment of an arc, into a space containing the fixed contact and the movable contact.

The contact apparatus includes a fixed contact, a movable contact, and an arc extinguishing member. The movable contact is movable between a closed position where the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact and an open position where the movable contact is separate from the fixed contact. The arc extinguishing member is for discharging an arc extinguishing gas offering a capacity for extinguishment of an arc, into a space containing the fixed contact and the movable contact.

A heavy current reed switch contact structure comprises at least one set of elastic reed electrode (11, 12) or at least one fixed electrode (12) and an elastic reed electrode (11). The reed electrode (11, 12) is made of a conductive material. Contacts (13, 14) are arranged on opposing surfaces of mutually overlapping ends. A side of the end having the contacts is disposed with an arc discharge device (16, 162). The reed switch employs a specially designed contact structure, and the arc discharge structure device is additionally disposed on the basis of a traditional switch contact structure. As a result, the reed switch quickly transfers to the contact arc discharge structure device an instantons arc generated upon switching the switch contact, thereby easing burnout resulting from an arc on the contact surfaces of the contacts, enabling the contacts to be less prone to being adhered together, and considerably increasing a bearing current and a switching capacity of the reed switch. The heavy current reed switch contact structure has a simple structure and provides a heavy bearing current.

A heavy current reed switch contact structure comprises at least one set of elastic reed electrode (11, 12) or at least one fixed electrode (12) and an elastic reed electrode (11). The reed electrode (11, 12) is made of a conductive material. Contacts (13, 14) are arranged on opposing surfaces of mutually overlapping ends. A side of the end having the contacts is disposed with an arc discharge device (16, 162). The reed switch employs a specially designed contact structure, and the arc discharge structure device is additionally disposed on the basis of a traditional switch contact structure. As a result, the reed switch quickly transfers to the contact arc discharge structure device an instantons arc generated upon switching the switch contact, thereby easing burnout resulting from an arc on the contact surfaces of the contacts, enabling the contacts to be less prone to being adhered together, and considerably increasing a bearing current and a switching capacity of the reed switch. The heavy current reed switch contact structure has a simple structure and provides a heavy bearing current.

A transportable container assembly including a transportable container defining an enclosed interior space and having an opening member cooperatively engaging a mounting frame. The opening member has a closed position and an open position and access to the interior space is permitted in the open position. A localized device or system is attached to the transportable container and is coupled to an electrical power source. A reed switch apparatus coupled to the transportable container communicates the position of the opening member to the localized device or system. The localized device or system provides a localized function depending on the reported position of the opening member. The localized function includes at least one of a group consisting of a local lighting function, local locking mechanism action and local refrigeration system action/function. The localized device or system communicates the position of the opening member to a remote device or system at a location remote from the transportable container. The remote device or system is capable of providing remote monitoring and control functions or actions at the transportable container depending on the communicated position of the opening member.

A transportable container assembly including a transportable container defining an enclosed interior space and having an opening member cooperatively engaging a mounting frame. The opening member has a closed position and an open position and access to the interior space is permitted in the open position. A localized device or system is attached to the transportable container and is coupled to an electrical power source. A reed switch apparatus coupled to the transportable container communicates the position of the opening member to the localized device or system. The localized device or system provides a localized function depending on the reported position of the opening member. The localized function includes at least one of a group consisting of a local lighting function, local locking mechanism action and local refrigeration system action/function. The localized device or system communicates the position of the opening member to a remote device or system at a location remote from the transportable container. The remote device or system is capable of providing remote monitoring and control functions or actions at the transportable container depending on the communicated position of the opening member.

There is provided a wire for a reed switch used for a material of a reed piece comprised by a reed switch, the wire being composed of an iron-group alloy containing Fe and 0 mass % or more and less than 10 mass % of Ni, with a total content of the Fe and the Ni satisfying 10 mass % or more and less than 20 mass %, with a balance of Co and an impurity, the iron-group alloy having a cubic crystal structure, the wire having a Curie temperature of 900 C. or higher and a specific resistance of 15 .Math.cm or less at normal temperature, a ratio of a thermal expansion coefficient of a glass tube comprised by the reed switch to a thermal expansion coefficient of the wire for the reed switch being 90% or more, the wire having a diameter of 1 mm or less.