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CN-122000244-A - Low contact resistance electromechanical switch

CN122000244ACN 122000244 ACN122000244 ACN 122000244ACN-122000244-A

Abstract

An electromechanical switch (100) includes a switch housing (110) having a body defining a cavity (112), fixed contacts (120, 122) connected to the switch housing, each fixed contact having a mating end (132) in the cavity and a terminating end (130) external to the switch housing. The electromechanical switch includes a movable contact (124) in the chamber, the movable contact being movable between an open position and a closed position. The movable contact includes a movable mating surface configured to couple to a fixed mating surface of the fixed contact in a closed position and to decouple from the fixed contact in an open position. The electromechanical switch includes an actuator having an armature (196) operatively connected to a movable contact. The fixed mating surface and/or the movable mating surface include textured surface features such that the mating interface between the fixed contact and the movable contact each has a plurality of contact points.

Inventors

  • A.Y.Li
  • B. Kunli
  • A. Paredes
  • R. L. Serush
  • A. Dralanza
  • J. C. Romero
  • J. A. Acosta

Assignees

  • 安普阿莫麦克斯公司
  • 泰科电子连接解决方案有限责任公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20251105
Priority Date
20241105

Claims (20)

  1. 1. An electromechanical switch (100), comprising: a switch housing (110), the switch housing (110) having a body forming a chamber (112); Fixed contacts (120, 122), the fixed contacts (120, 122) being coupled to the switch housing, each fixed contact having a mating end (132) located in the cavity and a terminating end (130) external to the switch housing, the fixed contacts having a fixed mating surface (140, 142) at the mating end of the respective fixed contact; A movable contact (124), the movable contact (124) being movable in the chamber and between an open position and a closed position, the movable contact including a movable mating surface (160, 162), the movable mating surface (160, 162) being configured to be coupled to the fixed mating surface at a mating end of the fixed contact in the closed position, the movable contact being separated from the fixed contact in the open position, and An actuator in the chamber, the actuator comprising an armature (196) operably coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact during operation of the actuator; wherein at least one of the fixed mating surface and the movable mating surface includes a textured surface feature (170) such that a mating interface between the fixed contact and the movable contact each has a plurality of contact points.
  2. 2. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the stationary mating surface (140, 142) and the movable mating surface (160, 162) including the textured surface feature (170) is non-planar.
  3. 3. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein the textured surface feature (170) comprises knurling (178).
  4. 4. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein the textured surface feature (170) comprises protrusions forming peaks (174) defining the contact point, and grooves (176) between the peaks.
  5. 5. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein the textured surface feature (170) is diamond-shaped.
  6. 6. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein the textured surface feature (170) has a height of at least 100 microns.
  7. 7. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein the stationary contact (120, 122) includes the textured surface feature (170) and the movable contact (124) is devoid of a textured surface feature that is planar at the movable mating surface (160, 162).
  8. 8. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein the movable contact (124) includes the textured surface feature (170), and the fixed contact (120, 122) is devoid of a textured surface feature that is planar at the fixed mating surface (140, 142).
  9. 9. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 1, wherein the fixed contacts (120, 122) are made of a first metallic material having a first material hardness, and the movable contacts (124) are made of a second metallic material different from the first metallic material, the second metallic material having a second material hardness different from the first material hardness.
  10. 10. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 9, wherein the first material hardness is harder than the second material hardness.
  11. 11. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 9, wherein the first metallic material is hard copper and the second metallic material is soft copper.
  12. 12. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 9, wherein the first metallic material is one of H04 copper, H03 copper, H02 copper, H01 copper, or H00 copper, and wherein the second metallic material is one of H03 copper, H02 copper, H01 copper, H00 copper, or soft copper.
  13. 13. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 9, wherein the first metallic material is a tempered copper material and the second metallic material is a tempered copper material, wherein the first metallic material is tempered to a higher degree than the second metallic material.
  14. 14. An electromechanical switch (100), comprising: a switch housing (110), the switch housing (110) having a body forming a chamber (112); Fixed contacts (120, 122), the fixed contacts (120, 122) being coupled to the switch housing, each fixed contact having a mating end (132) located in the cavity and a terminating end (130) external to the switch housing, the fixed contacts having a fixed mating surface (140, 142) at the mating end of the respective fixed contact, the fixed contacts being made of a first metallic material having a first material hardness; A movable contact (124) in the chamber and movable between an open position and a closed position, the movable contact including a movable mating surface (160, 162), the movable mating surface (160, 162) configured to be coupled to the fixed mating surface at a mating end of the fixed contact in the closed position, the movable contact being separated from the fixed contact in the open position, the movable contact being made of a second metallic material different from a first metallic material of the fixed contact, the second metallic material having a second material hardness different from the first material hardness, and An actuator in the chamber, the actuator including an armature (196) operably coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact during operation of the actuator.
  15. 15. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 14, wherein the first material hardness is harder than the second material hardness.
  16. 16. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 14, wherein the first metallic material is hard copper and the second metallic material is soft copper.
  17. 17. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 14, wherein the first metallic material is one of H04 copper, H03 copper, H02 copper, H01 copper, or H00 copper, and wherein the second metallic material is one of H03 copper, H02 copper, H01 copper, H00 copper, or soft copper.
  18. 18. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 14, wherein the first metallic material is a tempered copper material and the second metallic material is a tempered copper material, wherein the first metallic material is tempered to a higher degree than the second metallic material.
  19. 19. The electromechanical switch (100) of claim 14, wherein at least one of the stationary mating surface (140, 142) and the movable mating surface (160, 162) includes a textured surface feature (170) such that a mating interface between the stationary contact (120, 122) and the movable contact (124) each has a plurality of contact points.
  20. 20. An electromechanical switch (100), comprising: a switch housing (110), the switch housing (110) having a body forming a chamber (112); Fixed contacts (120, 122), the fixed contacts (120, 122) being coupled to the switch housing, each fixed contact having a mating end (132) located in the cavity and a terminating end (130) external to the switch housing, the fixed contacts having a fixed mating surface (140, 142) at the mating end of the respective fixed contact, the fixed contacts being made of a first metallic material having a first material hardness; A movable contact (124) in the chamber and movable between an open position and a closed position, the movable contact including a movable mating surface (160, 162), the movable mating surface (160, 162) configured to be coupled to the fixed mating surface (140, 142) at a mating end of the fixed contact in the closed position, the movable contact being separated from the fixed contact in the open position, the movable contact being made of a second metallic material different from a first metallic material of the fixed contact, the second metallic material having a second material hardness different from the first material hardness, and An actuator in the chamber, the actuator comprising an armature (196) operably coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact during operation of the actuator; Wherein at least one of the fixed mating surface and the movable mating surface includes a textured surface feature such that a mating interface between the fixed contact and the movable contact each has a plurality of contact points.

Description

Low contact resistance electromechanical switch Technical Field The subject matter herein relates generally to electromechanical switches. Background Certain electrical applications, such as HVAC, power supply, locomotive, elevator control, motor control, aerospace applications, hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, charging systems, and the like, utilize electromechanical switches, also known as electrical contactors, having normally open (or separated) contacts. The contacts close (or engage) to power a particular device. When the contactor receives an electrical signal, the contactor is energized to induce a magnetic field to drive the movable contact into engagement with the fixed contact. In some cases, contaminants may deposit on one or more of the mating surfaces of the contacts, which may result in a "no-pass" (nonfunctional) or high resistance condition. Contaminants may prevent the contacts from closing. Contaminants may be generated during assembly, for example, enclosed inside the contactor during assembly, or may be generated by degradation of the housing material over time, resulting in Foreign Object Debris (FOD) inside the contactor that may be deposited on the contacts. Disclosure of Invention In one embodiment, an electromechanical switch is provided that includes a switch housing having a body forming a chamber. The electromechanical switch includes a fixed contact coupled to a switch housing. Each fixed contact has a mating end located in the cavity and a terminating end external to the switch housing. The fixed contacts have fixed mating surfaces at the mating ends of the respective fixed contacts. The electromechanical switch includes a movable contact in the chamber and movable between an open position and a closed position. The movable contact includes a movable mating surface configured to be coupled to the fixed mating surface at a mating end of the fixed contact in the closed position. The movable contact is separated from the fixed contact in the open position. The electromechanical switch includes an actuator in the chamber. The actuator includes an armature operably coupled to the movable contact to move the movable contact during operation of the actuator. At least one of the fixed mating surface and the movable mating surface includes a textured surface feature such that a mating interface between the fixed contact and the movable contact each has a plurality of contact points. Drawings The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: fig. 1 shows an electromechanical switch according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an electromechanical switch according to an exemplary embodiment, showing internal components of the electromechanical switch. Fig. 3 illustrates a fixed contact according to an example embodiment. Fig. 4 illustrates a movable contact according to an example embodiment. Fig. 5 illustrates a portion of a movable contact according to an example embodiment. Fig. 6 illustrates a portion of an electromechanical switch showing a movable contact in an open position according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 7 illustrates a portion of an electromechanical switch showing a movable contact in a closed position according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 8 illustrates a portion of an electromechanical switch showing contamination on a movable contact according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an electromechanical switch in a closed position according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Description Fig. 1 shows an electromechanical switch 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electromechanical switch 100, showing internal components of the electromechanical switch 100, according to an exemplary embodiment. The electromechanical switch 100 may be a switch or relay that safely connects and disconnects one or more circuits to protect the flow of power through the system. The electromechanical switch 100 may be used in a variety of applications, such as HVAC, power supply, locomotive, elevator control, motor control, aerospace applications, hybrid electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, charging systems, and the like. The electromechanical switch 100 includes a housing 110 (removed in fig. 2 to show the internal components of the electromechanical switch 100), the housing 110 having an outer wall 111 surrounding a chamber 112. In various embodiments, the housing 110 may be a multi-piece housing. Housing 110 includes a base 114 and a head 116 extending from base 114. Alternatively, the base 114 may be configured to be coupled to another component. For example, the base 114 may include a mounting bracket for securing the electromechanical switch 100 to another component. In the illustrated embodiment, the base 114 is disposed at the bottom of the electromechanical switch 100 and the head 116 is located