Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
A relay including: a stationary contact; a first contact spring having a movable contact mounted thereon, said first contact spring being movable between a first position wherein said movable contact contacts said stationary contact, and a second position wherein said movable contact is spaced from said stationary contact; a second contact spring disposed adjacent said first contact spring; said second contact spring containing a portion touching said first contact spring when said first contact spring is in said first position; armature means for moving said first contact spring between said first and second positions; said armature means including first actuator means for operatively engaging said second contact spring at a predetermined area and biasing said second contact spring against said first contact spring at said portion; and second actuator means for engaging said first contact spring at a predetermined area and moving said first contact spring to said second position; and wherein L.sub.3 /h<L.sub.1 /h'; L 1 is the length measured along said second contact spring between said area of operative engagement of said second contact spring with said first actuator means and said portion of said second contact spring; L 3 is the length measured along said first contact spring between said area of engagement of said first contact spring with said second actuator means and said movable contact; h is the thickness of said first contact spring; and h' is the thickness of said second contact spring.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
A relay including: a stationary contact; a first contact spring having a movable contact mounted thereon, said first contact spring being movable between a first position wherein said movable contact contacts said stationary contact, and a second position wherein said movable contact is spaced from said stationary contact; a second contact spring disposed adjacent said first contact spring; said second contact spring containing a portion touching said first contact spring when said first contact spring is in said first position; armature means for moving said first contact spring between said first and second positions; said armature means including first actuator means for operatively engaging said second contact spring at a predetermined area and biasing said second contact spring against said first contact spring at said portion; and second actuator means for engaging said first contact spring at a predetermined area and moving said first contact spring to said second position; and wherein L.sub.3 /h<L.sub.1 /h'; L 1 is the length measured along said second contact spring between said area of operative engagement of said second contact spring with said first actuator means and said portion of said second contact spring; L 3 is the length measured along said first contact spring between said area of engagement of said first contact spring with said second actuator means and said movable contact; h is the thickness of said first contact spring; and h' is the thickness of said second contact spring.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein h and h' are different values.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein said portion is spaced along said first contact spring from said movable contact.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein said first contact spring is pretensioned against said second actuator means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein said first and second contact springs have different lengths.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein said portion comprises a dent formed in one of said first and second contact springs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein said first and second actuator means engage free ends of said second and the first contact springs, respectively, said portion being disposed adjacent said movable contact for providing a current path through each of said first and second contact springs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein said first and second contact springs are formed in one piece, said one piece having an intermediate portion mounted on a terminal and a pair of adjacent portions extending from each of two sides of said terminal, each pair of adjacent portions being connected by a web.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The relay of claim 8 wherein said two webs position said one piece on said terminal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The relay of claim 1 wherein said first and second contact springs are connected to a common terminal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
The relay of claim 1, further including a relay coil, a capacitor connected in series with said relay coil, circuit means for supplying said relay coil and said capacitor with an excitation voltage, and semi-conductor switch means having an output circuit connected in parallel with said relay coil and said capacitor for short circuiting said relay coil and said capacitor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The relay of claim 1 in which said armature means includes a permanent magnet and wherein the permanent magnet is constructed such that the influence of temperature coefficients on the positioning force of said armature means is greater due to said contact springs than the field of said permanent magnet.