Miniature relay

Claim 2

A miniature relay comprising: a flat header formed of insulating material provided with a pair of parallel raised guides and two rows of connecting pins extending through said guides and including lugs along the top surface of the guides, an actuator slide received between said guides for guided longitudinal movement therebetween upon said header, a plurality of fixed and movable contacts, a said movable contact comprising a reed secured to one of said lugs and extending across said header for making electrical connection with a selected fixed contact mounted on the opposite side of the header, said actuator slide having upstanding posts narrower than said slide and defining slots therebetween for receiving said movable contact for causing operation thereof with longitudinal movement of said actuator slide, and a motor assembly mounted on said header, said motor assembly comprising a solenoid at an end of said actuator slide provided with a plunger substantially aligned with and attached to said actuator slide for causing said longitudinal movement thereof.

Claim 3

A miniature relay comprising: a dual in-line plug adapted to be received by a mating integrated circuit socket, said plug comprising a substantially flat header formed of insulating material provided with a pair of spaced parallel bosses and two rows of connecting pins adapted to be received by a mating socket and molded into said header with each row extending through one of said pair of parallel bosses for providing connecting lugs along the top surface of said header, an actuator slide received between said pair of bosses for guided longitudinal movement therebetween upon said header, a plurality of fixed and movable contacts mounted upon ones of said lugs, a said movable contact comprising a reed extending across said header from a lug in one of said rows and adapted for making electrical connection with a selected fixed contact mounted upon a lug in the remaining row, said actuator slide having slots for receiving said movable contact for causing operation thereof with longitudinal movement of said actuator slide, and a motor assembly mounted on said header, said motor assembly comprising a solenoid at an end of said actuator slide provided with a plunger substantially aligned with and attached to said actuator slide for causing said longitudinal movement thereof.

Claim 4

A miniature relay comprising: a dual in-line plug adapted to be received by a mating integrated circuit socket, said plug comprising a substantially flat header formed of insulating material provided with a pair of spaced parallel bosses and two rows of connecting pins adapted to be received by a mating socket and molded into said header with each row extending through one of said pair of parallel bosses for providing connecting lugs along the top surface of said header, an actuator slide received between said pair of bosses for guided longitudinal movement therebetween upon said header, a plurality of fixed and movable contacts mounted upon ones of said lugs, a said movable contact comprising a reed extending across said header from a lug in one of said rows and adapted for making electrical connection with a selected fixed contact mounted upon a lug in the remaining row, said actuator slide having slots for receiving said movable contact for causing operation thereof with longitudinal movement of said actuator slide, and a motor assembly mounted on said header, said motor assembly comprising a solenoid at an end of said actuator slide provided with a plunger substantially aligned with and attached to said actuator slide for causing said longitudinal movement thereof.

Claim 5

The relay according to claim 2 wherein said actuator slide is substantially T-shaped in transverse cross section having a slide base substantially parallel to said header for movement therealong, and an upstanding narrower central rib provided with the slots for receiving said movable contacts.

Claim 6

The relay according to claim 3 wherein said central rib comprises plural upstanding posts supported from said slide base and defining said slots therebetween.

Claim 7

The relay according to claim 3 wherein said slide base is provided with a pair of parallel runners extending downwardly at side edges thereof for contacting said header in sliding relation.

Claim 8

The relay according to claim 2 wherein the side of said slots engaging said movable contacts engage said contacts over a limited area of tangency in horizontal cross section near the center of said movable contacts.

Claim 9

The relay according to claim 2 wherein the end of said plunger has a U-shaped retaining member secured thereto and said slide is provided with an aperture for receiving the same.

Claim 10

The relay according to claim 7 wherein said solenoid and said plunger received therewithin have mating transverse cross sections preventing rotation of one with respect to the other and for deterring rotation of said actuator slide with respect to said header.

Claim 11

The relay according to claim 8 wherein said transverSe cross sections are substantially square.

Claim 12

The relay according to claim 2 wherein said solenoid is provided with a core comprising a pole having a square cross section extending partway through the solenoid coil, a U-shaped pole end structure joined to said pole at one end of said solenoid coil, and s square apertured link closing the U-shaped pole end structure at the opposite end of the solenoid coil by extending across the open end of the U with the aperture thereof aligned with said pole, said aperture receiving said plunger therethrough in close spaced surrounding relation to the cross section of said plunger, wherein said plunger is square in cross section.

Claim 13

The relay according to claim 10 wherein parallel side legs of said U-shaped pole end structure are secured between lugs proximate an end of said header.

Claim 14

The relay according to claim 10 wherein said solenoid is provided with a coil bobbin having a coil mounted thereupon and having a square cross section central passage receiving said pole and receiving said plunger at the opposite end thereof, said bobbin having an extension passing through said link for providing a bearing surface for said plunger.

Claim 15

A motor means for a relay, said motor means comprising: a solenoid provided with a plunger which is substantially square in cross section for longitudinal reception therewithin adapted for actuating contacts of said relay, said solenoid having a core comprising a pole which is substantially square in cross section extending partway through the solenoid coil, a U-shaped pole end structure joined to said pole at one end of said solenoid coil, and an apertured link closing the U-shaped pole end structure at the opposite end of the solenoid coil by extending across the open end of the U with the aperture thereof aligned with said pole, the aperture in said link extending through said link and comprising a passage of substantially square cross section surroundingly receiving the substantially square cross section of said plunger in close spaced relation, enabling movement of said plunger toward said pole without substantial rotation of said plunger.

Claim 16

A motor means for a relay, said motor means comprising: a solenoid provided with a plunger which is substantially square in cross section for longitudinal reception therewithin adapted for actuating contacts of said relay, said solenoid having a core comprising a pole which is substantially square in cross section extending partway through the solenoid coil, a U-shaped pole end structure joined to said pole at one end of said solenoid coil, and an apertured link closing the U-shaped pole end structure at the opposite end of the solenoid coil by extending across the open end of the U with the aperture thereof aligned with said pole, the aperture in said link extending through said link and comprising a passage of substantially square cross section surroundingly receiving the substantially square cross section of said plunger in close spaced relation, enabling movement of said plunger toward said pole without substantial rotation of said plunger.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said solenoid is provided with a bobbin having a central aperture therewithin for receiving said pole and said plunger, said aperture providing the bearing surface for longitudinal movement of said plunger.

Claim 18

The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said bobbin extends through the aperture in said link.

Claim 19

The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said pole is swedged into said U-shaped pole end structure.