Relay

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electromagnetic relay that comprises a yoke and an armature. The armature may be swivellably arranged on the yoke, have an open position and a contact position in relation to the yoke, and configured to be attracted by a magnetic field out of the open position into the contact position. The armature may include a first branch circuit having a first capacitor and a first exciter coil connected in series with the first capacitor, a second branch circuit having a second capacitor and a second exciter coil connected in series with the second capacitor, and a switch element arranged between the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit and having a first switch state and a second switch state. The first exciter coil and the second exciter coil may provide the magnetic field for attracting and retaining the armature.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic relay, comprising: a yoke; and an armature that is swivellably arranged on the yoke, has an open position and a contact position in relation to the yoke, and is designed to be attracted by a magnetic field out of the open position into the contact position and retained in the contact position, the armature comprising: a first branch circuit having a first capacitor and a first exciter coil connected in series with the first capacitor, a second branch circuit having a second capacitor and a second exciter coil connected in series with the second capacitor, wherein the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil are configured to provide the magnetic field for attracting and retaining the armature; and a switch element arranged between the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit and having a first switch state and a second switch state, wherein the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit are arranged in a parallel connection in the first switch state of the switch element, and wherein the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil are arranged in a series connection in the second switch state of the switch element, and wherein the switch element is configured to switch from the first switch state to the second switch state when the armature is attracted into the contact position by the magnetic field of the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil.

2. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor are configured to provide the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil with a charging current in the first switch state of the switch element that causes the magnetic field of the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil to attract and hold the armature.

3. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, wherein the first capacitor and the second capacitor have a resistance that exceeds a threshold in the second switch state.

4. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, wherein the switch element comprises a reed switch.

5. The electromagnetic relay of claim 4, wherein the magnetic field of the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil is configured to flow through the reed switch.

6. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, wherein the switch element comprises a reed relay.

7. The electromagnetic relay of claim 6, wherein the reed relay is downstream of an RC element with a time constant.

8. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, wherein the switch element comprises a diode.

9. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, wherein the switch element comprises a transistor.

10. The electromagnetic relay of claim 9, wherein a RC element and a voltage divider are connected upstream of the transistor, wherein a time constant is based at least in part on the RC element and the voltage divider.

11. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, wherein the switch element comprises a transistor and a Hall sensor.

12. The electromagnetic relay of claim 11, wherein the Hall sensor is electrically connected to the transistor and the magnetic field of the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil flows through the Hall sensor.

13. The electromagnetic relay of claim 1, further comprising: a first connection contact; a second connection contact; a third connection contact; a fourth connection contact, the first connection contact, the second connection contact, the third connection contact, and the fourth connection contact configured to apply a supply voltage to the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil, wherein the first connection contact is electrically connected to a winding start of the first exciter coil, wherein the second connection contact is connected to a winding end of the first exciter coil, wherein the third connection contact is electrically connected to the winding start of the second exciter coil, and wherein the fourth connection contact is connected to the winding end of the second exciter coil.

14. The electromagnetic relay of claim 13, further comprising: a circuit board arranged adjacent to the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil and electrically connected to the first connection contact, the second connection contact, the third connection contact, and the fourth connection contact.

15. The electromagnetic relay of claim 14, wherein the switch element is formed on the circuit board is electrically connected to the second connection contact and the third connection contact, and is arranged adjacent to the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil.

16. A method for operating a relay, comprising: connecting a first branch circuit of the relay and a second branch circuit of the relay in parallel; applying, based at least in part on first branch circuit and the second branch circuit being connected in parallel, a supply voltage to the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit, wherein: a first capacitor of the first branch circuit and a second capacitor of the second branch circuit are charged based at least in part on the applying, a first current of the first capacitor flows through a first exciter coil of the first branch circuit and a second current of the second capacitor flows through a second exciter coil of the second branch circuit based at least in part on the first capacitor and the second capacitor being charged, and a magnetic field attracts an armature of the relay into a contact position based at least in part on the first current flowing through the first exciter coil and the second current flowing through exciter coil; and connecting, based at least in part on the armature being in the contact position, the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil in series, wherein a third current flows through the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil, the third current being reduced relative to the first current and the second current, and wherein the armature is retained in the contact position based at least in part on the third current.

17. The method for claim 16, wherein a resistance of the first capacitor and a resistance the second capacitor exceed a threshold based at least in part on the armature being in the contact position.

18. The method for claim 16, wherein the first capacitor and the second are fully charged based at least in part on the armature being in the contact position.

19. The method for claim 16, wherein applying the supply voltage to the first branch circuit and the second branch circuit comprises: applying the supply voltage to the first exciter coil and the second exciter coil.

20. The method for claim 16, wherein the first current of the first capacitor comprises a first charging current for the first capacitor and the second current of the second capacitor comprises a second charging current for the second capacitor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further exemplary implementations of the principles described herein are explained with reference to the accompanying figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay according to an example of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 1A shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 2 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure;

(5) FIG. 3 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure;

(6) FIG. 4 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure;

(7) FIG. 5 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure;

(8) FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of the relay according to an example of the present disclosure;

(9) FIG. 7a shows a schematic front view of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure;

(10) FIG. 7b is a schematic bottom view of the relay in FIG. 7a;

(11) FIG. 8a shows a schematic front view of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure;

(12) FIG. 8b is a schematic bottom view of the relay in FIG. 8a; and

(13) FIG. 9 is a schematic front view of the relay according to a further example of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) FIG. 1 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay 100 according to an example of the present disclosure. The electromagnetic relay 100 comprises a yoke 601 and an armature 602 arranged swivellably on the yoke 601 (both not shown in FIG. 1), the armature 602 having an open position and a contact position relative to the yoke 601, and the armature 602 being formed to be attracted by a magnetic field from the open position to the contact position and retained in the contact position.

(15) According to FIG. 1, the electromagnetic relay 100 further comprises a first branch circuit 101, which has a first capacitor 101-2 and a first exciter coil 101-1 connected in series thereto, a second branch circuit 102, which has a second capacitor 102-2 and a second exciter coil 102-1 connected in series with the same, wherein the first exciter coil 101-1 and the second exciter coil 102-1 are configured to provide the magnetic field for attracting and retaining the armature 602, and a switch element 103, which is arranged between the first branch circuit 101 and the second branch circuit 102 and has a first switch state and a second switch state, wherein in the first switch state of the switch element 103 the first branch circuit 101 and the second branch circuit 102 are arranged in a parallel connection, and wherein in the second switch state of the switch element 103 the first exciter coil 101-1 and the second exciter coil 102-1 are arranged in a series connection, and wherein the switch element 103 is configured to switch from the first switch state to the second switch state when the armature 602 is attracted to the contact position by the magnetic field of the first and second coils.

(16) According to FIG. 1, the 1. exciter coil 101-1 has a first ohmic resistor 101-11 and a first inductance 101-12, while the second exciter coil 102-1 has a second ohmic resistor 2-11 and a second inductance 102-12.

(17) The switch element 103 is arranged between the first branch circuit 101 and the second branch circuit 102 in such that the switch element 103 is arranged between the first exciter coil 101-1 and the first capacitor 101-2 and the second capacitor 102-2 and the second exciter coil 102-1.

(18) In a first switch state of the switch element 103, which is preferably an open switch state of the switch element 103, in which the switch element 103 has a high resistance, the first branch circuit 101 and the second branch circuit 102 are arranged parallel to one another.

(19) The application of a supply voltage by the voltage source 104 causes the first capacitor 101-2 and the second capacitor 102-2 to be charged. While the first and second capacitors 101-2, 102-2 are being charged, corresponding charging currents flow through the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 101-2 of the first and second branch circuits 101, 102. The first and second capacitors 101-2, 102-2 are dimensioned such that the charging currents flowing through the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 are suitable for causing a magnetic flow through the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 and effecting a corresponding magnetic field that is suitable to fully attract the armature 602 of the relay 100 to the contact position. The first and second capacitors 101-2, 102-2 are also dimensioned such that at the time when the armature 602 is fully attracted into the contact position, the first and second capacitors 101-2, 102-2 are fully charged and therefore have a high resistance.

(20) When the switch element 103 is switched to the second switch state, which is preferably a closed state of the switch element 103 in which the switch element 103 has a low-resistance, the parallel connection of the first and second branch circuits 101, 102 is switched into a series connection of the second and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1.

(21) The first and second capacitors 101-2, 102-2, which are high-resistance at the time of switching of the switch element 103 and are not part of the series connection of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1, ensure that a primary current path runs along the series connection of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1.

(22) When the parallel connection of the first and second branch circuits 101, 102 is switched over to the series connection of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1, the total resistance of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 is increased. This results in a reduction in the coil currents, with the external applied voltage remaining the same, and an associated reduction in the magnetic flow and the magnetic field of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1, whereby the power loss can be reduced.

(23) The switch process of the switch element 103 from the first switch state to the second switch state takes place after the armature 602 is fully attracted to the contact position.

(24) FIG. 1A shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay 100 according to a further example. In some examples, the switch element 103 comprises a third diode 103-1 and a first ohmic series resistor 103-3 connected in series upstream of the third diode 103-1. By means of the third diode 103-1 and the first ohmic series resistor 103-3, which is connected serially upstream, the time of the switch process of the switch element 103 at which the parallel connection of the first and second branch circuits 101, 102 is transferred into the series connection of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1, can be coupled to the voltage difference between the first and second branch circuits 101, 102. The switch element 103 accordingly switches as soon as the voltage difference between the first and second branch circuits 101, 102 corresponds to the breakdown voltage of the third diode 103-1.

(25) In some examples (not shown in FIG. 1A), the switch element 103 comprises a plurality of third diodes 103-1 connected in series and a plurality of first ohmic series resistors 103-3 connected in series. In this way, the point in time of the switch process of the switch element 103 can be made variable.

(26) In some examples (not shown in FIG. 1A), the first ohmic series resistor 103-3 is an ohmic resistor of a coil, which is connected upstream of the third diode 103-1 and/or the plurality of third diodes 103-1 connected in series.

(27) FIG. 2 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay 100 according to a further example of the present disclosure. In some examples, the switch element 103 comprises a reed switch 201. By means of the reed switch 201, the switch process of the switch element 103 can be triggered via the magnetic field of the first and second exciter coils by the reed switch 201 switching as soon as the magnetic field of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 exceeds a predetermined limit value corresponding to a magnetic field that is sufficient to fully attract the armature 602 into the contact position.

(28) FIG. 3 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of relay 100 according to a further example of the present disclosure. In some examples, the switch element 103 comprises a reed relay 301. The reed relay 301 is also connected to an RC element 302, which comprises a third ohmic resistor 302-1 and a third capacitor 302-2. The switch time of the reed relay 301 can be set by coordinating the time constant of the RC element 302, so that the time constant of the RC element 302 is coordinated with the period of charging of the first and second capacitors 101-2, 102-2, so that the switch process of the reed relay 301 takes place exactly after the armature 602 has been fully attracted into the contact position.

(29) FIG. 4 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the relay 100 according to a further example of the present disclosure. In some examples, the switch element 103 comprises a transistor 401. The transistor 401 is connected via the base connection to a voltage divider 405, which comprises a fourth ohmic resistor 405-1 and a fifth ohmic resistor 405-2, and an RC element 302, which comprises one third ohmic resistor 302-1 and a third capacitor 302-2. Via the dimensioning of the RC element 302 and the fourth and fifth ohmic resistors 405-1, 405-2 of the voltage divider 405, the switch time of the transistor 401 can be matched to the time when the armature 602 is fully attracted into the contact position.

(30) According to FIG. 4, the first branch circuit 101 furthermore has a first diode 402 and the second branch circuit 102 has a second diode 403. The first and second diodes 402, 403 are arranged between the first exciter coil 101-1 and the first capacitor 101-2 and the second capacitor 102-2 and the second exciter coil 102-1, in that the first and second diodes 402, 403 are parts of the series connection of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1, when the transistor 401 is in the conductive state and the switch element 103 is thus in the second switch state.

(31) FIG. 5 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of relay 100 according to a further example of the present disclosure. In some examples, the switch element 103 comprises a transistor 401 and a Hall sensor 501. The Hall sensor 501 is connected to the base terminal of the transistor 401 via the voltage divider 405 and enables the switch process of the transistor 401 to be coupled with the magnetic field of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1. If the magnetic field of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 exceeds a predetermined limit value, the Hall voltage of the Hall sensor 501 applied to the base connection of the transistor 401 causes the transistor 401 to switch from a non-conductive to a conductive state and thus the switch process of the switch element 103 from the first switch state to the second switch state. It is thus achieved that the switch process of the transistor 401 takes place exactly after the armature 601 has been fully attracted into the contact position. To limit the supply voltage of the voltage source 104 to the nominal supply voltage of the Hall sensor 501, a Zener diode 502 is also connected in parallel with it.

(32) FIG. 6 shows a schematic front view of the relay 100 according to an example of the present disclosure. In some examples, the relay 100 comprises a yoke 601 and an armature 602 swivellably mounted on the yoke 601. In some examples, the yoke 601 is configured as a U-shaped yoke with two opposing parallel legs, wherein the armature 602 is configured to be swivellable at the end of one of the legs (not shown in FIG. 6) and is in the contact position when the armature 602 contacts the end of the respective other leg of the yoke 601. In some examples, the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 are each arranged on the two legs of the yoke 601 which are arranged parallel opposite one another.

(33) In some examples, the relay 100 comprises a first connection contact 604, a second connection contact 605, a third connection contact 606 and a fourth connection contact 607. Furthermore, In some examples, the first connection contact 604 is connected to the winding start of the first exciter coil 101-1 and the second connection contact 605 is connected to the winding end of the first exciter coil 101-1, while the third connection contact 606 is connected to the winding start of the second exciter coil 102-1 and the fourth connection contact 607 is connected to the winding end of the second exciter coil 102-1. Furthermore, the relay 100 has two connection pins 603 which are suitable for effecting a connection of the relay 100 with a corresponding series terminal.

(34) In some examples, the reed switch 201 is arranged between the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 and is connected to the third and fourth connection contacts 606, 607. In some examples, the reed switch 201 is arranged adjacent to the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 and is positioned in an area in which a magnetic leakage flux of the first and second exciter coils 101-1, 102-1 occurs.

(35) FIGS. 7a and 7b show schematic views of different perspectives of the relay 100 according to a further example of the present disclosure. In some examples, a printed circuit board 701 is formed in the front region of the connecting section of the two legs of the yoke 601. The circuit board 701 is electrically connected to the first, second, third and fourth connection contacts 604, 605, 606, 607 and is used to hold the switch element 103 and other electronic components. In some examples, the reed relay 301 is formed on the circuit board 701.

(36) FIGS. 8a and 8b show schematic views of different perspectives of the relay 100 according to a further example of the present disclosure. In some examples, the transistor 401 is formed on the circuit board 701.

(37) FIG. 9 shows a further schematic view of the relay 100 according to a further example of the present disclosure. In some examples, the Hall sensor 501 is formed on the circuit board 701.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(38) 100 relay 101 first branch circuit 101-1 first exciter coil 101-11 first ohmic resistance 101-12 first inductance 101-2 first capacitor 102 second branch circuit 102-1 second exciter coil 102-11 second ohmic resistor 102-12 second inductor 102-2 second capacitor 103 switch element 103-1 third diode 103-3 first ohmic series resistor 104 voltage source 201 reed switch 301 reed relay 302 RC element 302-1 third ohmic resistor 302-2 third capacitor 401 transistor 402 first diode 403 second diode 405 voltage divider 405-1 fourth ohmic resistor 405-2 fifth ohmic resistor 501 Hall sensor 502 Zener diode 601 yoke 602 anchor 603 connector pin 604 first connection contact 605 second connection contact 606 third connection contact 607 fourth connection contact 701 circuit board