Omron Corporation

Teruhiko Fujiwara

Tomonori Seki

Minoru Sakata

Takuya Nakajima

Masashi Takeuchi

A thin plate-shaped substrate comprised of a monocrystal is provided with a piezoelectric element , and both ends of a movable piece whose one surface is provided with a movable contact are fixed and supported to a base . Then, by curving the movable piece via the piezoelectric element , the movable contact is brought in and out of contact with a pair of fixed contacts and that face the movable contact. With this arrangement, a subminiature micro-relay having a mechanical contact mechanism that has a small resistance in turning on the contact and the desired vibration resistance, frequency characteristic and insulating property can be obtained.

Micro-relay and method for manufacturing the same

A thin plate-shaped substrate comprised of a monocrystal is provided with a piezoelectric element and both ends of a movable piece whose one surface is provided with a movable contact are fixed and supported to a base Then, by curving the movable piece via the piezoelectric element the movable contact is brought in and out of contact with a pair of fixed contacts and that face the movable contact. With this arrangement, a subminiature micro-relay having a mechanical contact mechanism that has a small resistance in turning on the contact and the desired vibration resistance, frequency characteristic and insulating property can be obtained.

A compact current detection unit which detects a failure in a relay terminal and provides a relay terminal array which has a failure detection function and is compact and easy to assemble. The current detection unit includes two symmetrical bobbins; a core located within compartments of bobbins and has an air gap in it; holes in the bobbins which correspond to air gap in the core; coil wound on the compartments; and a circuit board fastened to the side of one of the bobbins on which a Hall element is mounted. A Hall element is inserted through and fixed in position by the holes in the bobbins and the air gap in the core. If a current is flowing through the coil, the lines of magnetic force generated in the core are detected by the Hall element located in the air gap. If no current is flowing, no lines of force are detected.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Teruhiko Fujiwara