Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

Masayuki Shiomi

Hiroshi Hosaka

Tsutomu Shimomura

Mitsuki Nagamoto

Fumihiro Kasano

Takao Morimoto

Shiro Maeda

Tatsuya Suzuki

A matrix relay is formed with a plurality of latching relays arranged in a matrix and mounted on a base of an electrically insulative material. Each of the latching relays comprises an excitation coil, permanent magnet, a pair of first and second fixed contacts, and an armature carrying a pair of first and second movable springs each providing movable contacts. The armature is magnetically coupled to the excitation coil so as to be movable in response to energization of the coil by current of selective polarity between close and open positions of the fixed and movable contacts. A plurality of the armatures of the latching relays arranged in a row of the matrix are assembled into a single armature block to be mounted on the base as a single unit. The armature block comprises a single pair of first and second supporting members made of an electrically conductive material. All of the first movable springs and all of the second movable springs of the latching relays of the armature block are connected respectively to the first and second supporting members mechanically and electrically, so that two row paths for electrical signals common to the latching relays arranged in the row of the matrix are provided. This simplification of the structure and electric circuit of the matrix relay would be useful to small-size the matrix relay without complicated fabrication process.

Matrix relay

A relay has a contact assembly and an electromagnet with a L-shaped pivotable armature rockable with its inside angle supported against a complementary yoke edge. A base mounting the electromagnet and the contact assembly is formed with a retainer rib which is opposed to the yoke edge so as to loosely engage the angled portion of the armature therebetween but to prevent the inside angle of the armature from departing beyond an allowable distance from the yoke edge. A movable spring included in the contact assembly is operatively connected to a first leg of the L-shaped armature so as to be driven thereby to close the contacts in response to the energization of the electromagnet. The armature in the reset position has its free end rest on a fulcrum projection on the base and receives a return bias from the movable spring at a point inwardly of the fulcrum projection such that the return bias of the movable spring acts as a torque which causes the armature within the allowable distance from the yoke edge to pivot about the fulcrum in a direction of urging the inside angle of the armature toward the yoke edge to such an extent that, upon energization of the electromagnet, the inside angle of the armature can be firstly attracted to the yoke edge into exact coincidence therewith, ensuring an accurate pivotal movement about the yoke edge without requiring a conventional retainer spring which constantly urges the inside angle to the yoke edge.

Electromagnetic relay with pivotable armature

Growing community of inventors

Mie, Japan

Masayuki Shiomi