JP7652015B2 - Electromagnetic Contactor - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electromagnetic contactor.

If the opening and closing direction of the contacts of an electromagnetic contactor is the depth direction, the frame is divided in the depth direction, with the fixed iron core and electromagnetic coil arranged in one frame, and the movable iron core and contact support arranged in the other frame. The electromagnetic contactor described in Patent Document 1 fastens a pair of frames together with two tightening screws whose axial direction is the depth direction.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2-192634

Fastening with a clamping screw requires torque management, so in a structure in which multiple clamping screws are used for fastening, the assembly process requires a large number of steps and there is room for improvement in terms of workability.
An object of the present invention is to reduce the number of assembly steps and improve the workability in an electromagnetic contactor.

The electromagnetic contactor according to one aspect of the present invention has a pair of frames that can be separated in the depth direction, with the opening and closing direction of the contacts being the depth direction, and the pair of frames has an inner wall formed on one side of the frame in the depth direction in the vertical direction as viewed from the depth direction, and an outer wall formed on one side of the frame in the depth direction in the vertical direction, with the inner peripheral surface facing the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall, and the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall has one of a recess that is concave in the vertical direction or a protrusion that is convex in the vertical direction, and the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall has the other of the recess or protrusion, and has an engagement portion that engages the pair of frames by fitting the recess and protrusion together, and a screw fastening portion formed on the other side in the vertical direction, which fastens the pair of frames together with a single tightening screw when engaged at the engagement portion.

According to the present invention, a pair of frames can be fastened together with one tightening screw, which reduces assembly man-hours and improves workability compared to a structure that uses two tightening screws for fastening.

FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an engagement portion in an engaged state. FIG. FIG. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention based on the drawings. Note that each drawing is a schematic view and may differ from the actual product. The following embodiments are illustrative of devices and methods for embodying the technical concept of the present invention, and are not intended to specify the configuration as described below. In other words, the technical concept of the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope described in the claims.

One embodiment
"composition"
In the following description, the three mutually orthogonal directions will be referred to as a vertical direction, a width direction, and a depth direction for the sake of convenience.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an electromagnetic contactor.
The electromagnetic contactor 11 has a contact opening/closing direction in the depth direction, and is equipped with a lower frame 12 and an upper frame 13 that can be separated in the depth direction. The lower frame 12 is formed in a container shape with an open front side in the depth direction, and a fixed iron core and an electromagnetic coil are arranged inside. The upper frame 13 is formed in a container shape with an open rear side in the depth direction, and a movable iron core and a contact support are arranged inside.

The lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are formed with engagement portions 14 on one side in the vertical direction for engaging with each other. One engagement portion 14 is formed on each side in the width direction. The lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are first brought close to each other in the depth direction, as shown by the hatched block arrows, and then brought close to each other in the vertical direction, thereby engaging with each other at the engagement portions 14.
The lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are formed with a screw fastening portion 16 on the other side in the vertical direction, the screw fastening portion 16 being fastened to each other by a single fastening screw 15. The screw fastening portion 16 includes a lower flange 17 and an upper flange 18.

The lower flange 17 is provided so as to protrude from the lower frame 12 to the other side in the vertical direction, has an axial hole formed along the depth direction, and has a nut (not shown) fitted into it. The upper flange 18 is provided so as to protrude from the upper frame 13 to the other side in the vertical direction, and has an axial hole formed along the depth direction. A fastening screw 15 is inserted and held in the axial hole of the upper flange 18. When the engaging portion 14 is engaged and the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are fitted together, the lower flange 17 and the upper flange 18 overlap when viewed from the depth direction. In this state, the fastening screw 15 is fitted into the nut of the lower flange 17, thereby assembling the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13.

Next, the structure of the engagement portion 14 will be described.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the upper frame.
FIG. 1A is a view of the upper frame 13 as viewed from one side in the vertical direction, the other side in the width direction, and the far side in the depth direction. FIG. 1B is an enlarged view of the engagement portion 14 on the other side in the width direction. The upper frame 13 has an inner wall 21 formed on one side in the vertical direction. The inner wall 21 is a wall along the width direction and the depth direction, and a recess 23 that is recessed toward the inside in the vertical direction is formed on an outer peripheral surface 22 facing outward in the vertical direction. The recess 23 is rectangular when viewed in the vertical direction, and penetrates the inner wall 21 in the vertical direction. The corners between the outer peripheral surface 22 and the recess 23 are chamfered.

A wall receiving portion 25 is formed on the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21, closer to the depth direction than the recessed portion 23. The wall receiving portion 25 is an overhang that protrudes outward in a stepped manner in the vertical direction toward the front side in the depth direction, and includes an inner tip surface 26, an inner outer edge surface 27, and an inner base end surface 28. The inner tip surface 26 is connected to the outer peripheral surface 22 and faces the back side in the depth direction as a plane along the width direction and the vertical direction, and the vertical dimension is small and uniform. The inner outer edge surface 27 is connected to the inner tip surface 26 and faces the outside in the vertical direction as a plane along the width direction and the depth direction. The inner base end surface 28 is connected to the inner outer edge surface 27 and faces the back side in the depth direction as a plane along the width direction and the vertical direction, and the vertical dimension is small and uniform.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the lower frame.
FIG. 1A shows the lower frame 12 viewed from the other side in the vertical direction, the other side in the width direction, and the front side in the depth direction. FIG. 1B shows an enlarged view of the engagement portion 14 on the other side in the width direction. The lower frame 12 has an outer wall 31 formed on one side in the vertical direction. The outer wall 31 faces the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21 and is a wall along the width direction and the depth direction, and a convex portion 33 that convexly faces inward in the vertical direction is formed on an inner peripheral surface 32 facing inward in the vertical direction. The convex portion 33 is rectangular when viewed in the vertical direction, and the corners between the end face facing inward in the vertical direction and the end face facing the front side in the depth direction, and the corners between the end face facing inward in the vertical direction and the end face facing the back side in the depth direction are chamfered.

The tip 35 of the outer wall 31, which is located closer to the depth direction than the protrusion 33, is set back in a stepped manner outward in the vertical direction as the inner circumferential surface 32 approaches the near side in the depth direction, and is provided with an outer base end surface 36, an outer inner edge surface 37, and an outer tip surface 38. The outer base end surface 36 is connected to the inner circumferential surface 32 and faces the near side in the depth direction as a plane along the width direction and the vertical direction, and the vertical dimension is small and uniform. The outer inner edge surface 37 is connected to the outer base end surface 36 and faces the inside in the vertical direction as a plane along the width direction and the depth direction. The outer tip surface 38 is connected to the outer inner edge surface 37 and faces the near side in the depth direction as a plane along the width direction and the vertical direction, and the vertical dimension is small and uniform.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the engagement portion in an engaged state.
Here, a cross section passing through the center of the width direction of the engaging portion 14 and along the vertical and depth directions is shown as viewed from the other side in the width direction. The engaging portion 14 is engaged by fitting the recessed portion 23 and the protruding portion 33 together and bringing the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21 and the inner peripheral surface 32 of the outer wall 31 into contact. The recessed portion 23 has a recessed end surface 24 that faces the direction in which the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are separated, that is, the near side in the depth direction for the inner wall 21. The protruding portion 33 has a protruding end surface 34 that faces the direction in which the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are separated, that is, the far side in the depth direction for the outer wall 31. When the engaging portion 14 is engaged, the recessed end surface 24 and the protruding end surface 34 face each other.

When the engaging portion 14 is in an engaged state, the tip portion 35 of the outer wall 31 faces the wall receiving portion 25 of the inner wall 21. That is, the inner tip surface 26 faces the outer base end surface 36, the inner outer edge surface 27 faces the outer inner edge surface 37, and the inner base end surface 28 faces the outer tip surface 38. Therefore, the wall receiving portion 25 and the tip portion 35 have a shape similar to a grooved joint, which is one of the methods of joining plates in the surface direction. Therefore, when a cross section passing through the engaging portion 14 along the vertical and depth directions is viewed from the width direction, the gap between the wall receiving portion 25 and the tip portion 35 is approximately crank-shaped. Although detailed explanation is omitted, a structure equivalent to the wall receiving portion 25 and the tip portion 35 is formed on the entire edge where the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 fit together.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the lower frame.
1A is a view of the lower frame 12 as viewed from the other side in the vertical direction, the other side in the width direction, and the front side in the depth direction. The lower frame 12 has a claw portion 29 formed on the other side in the vertical direction. One claw portion 29 is formed on one side and one claw portion 29 on the other side in the width direction.
1B is an enlarged view of the claw portion 29 on the other side in the width direction. The claw portion 29 is a protrusion that protrudes from the other side in the vertical direction toward the front side in the depth direction among the edges of the lower frame 12 and extends along the width direction.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cross section of the claw portion.
Here, a cross section passing through the claw portion 29 and taken along the vertical and depth directions is shown as viewed from the other side in the width direction. The edge of the lower frame 12 and the edge of the upper frame 13 are structured like a half-joint joint in which the wall thickness is alternately shaved off in half and then butted together, and the claw portion 29 holds the edge of the upper frame 13 from the other side in the vertical direction. That is, when engaged with the engagement portion 14, the inner peripheral surface of the claw portion 29 abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the edge of the upper frame 13, thereby regulating the vertical position of the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 relative to each other. The protruding corner of the claw portion 29, which is formed by the inner peripheral surface facing one side in the vertical direction and the tip surface facing the front side in the depth direction, is rounded by R chamfering. When assembling the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13, the engagement portions 14 are fitted together on one vertical side, while the upper frame 13 is fitted inside the claw portions 29 on the other vertical side.

Action
Next, main effects of the embodiment will be described.
The electromagnetic contactor 11 has a pair of frames, i.e., a lower frame 12 and an upper frame 13, which are separable in the depth direction, with the opening and closing direction of the contacts being the depth direction. The lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 have an engagement portion 14 and a screw fastening portion 16. The upper frame 13 in the depth direction has an inner wall 21 formed on one side in the vertical direction as viewed from the depth direction, and the lower frame 12 in the depth direction has an outer wall 31 formed on one side in the vertical direction, with an inner peripheral surface 32 facing the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21. The outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21 has a recess 23 that is concave in the vertical direction, and the inner peripheral surface 32 of the outer wall 31 has a protrusion 33 that is convex in the vertical direction. The engagement portion 14 engages the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 with each other by fitting the recess 23 and the protrusion 33 together. The screw fastening portion 16 is formed on the other side in the vertical direction, and when engaged with the engaging portion 14, the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are fastened together by a single fastening screw 15.

As a result, the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 can be fastened together with one fastening screw 15, which reduces the number of assembly steps and improves workability compared to a structure fastened with multiple fastening screws. In other words, fastening with the fastening screw 15 requires torque management, so a structure fastened with multiple fastening screws 15 requires a lot of assembly steps and leaves room for improvement in terms of workability, but in one embodiment, only one fastening screw 15 requires torque management, which is advantageous. In addition, a convex portion 33 that is convex toward the inside in the vertical direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface 32 of the outer wall 31, so the engagement state is not released by pressure from the outside, as in the case of a snap fit. This prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the interior of the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13, improving dustproof performance.

When the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are brought closer to each other in the depth direction, the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21 and the inner peripheral surface 32 of the outer wall 31 face each other. When the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21 and the inner peripheral surface 32 of the outer wall 31 are brought closer to each other, the recessed portions 23 and the protruding portions 33 fit together, and the frames are engaged at the engaging portions 14. This makes it possible to easily engage the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 with each other by a two-step operation of bringing them closer to each other in the depth direction and then bringing them closer to each other in the vertical direction.
The recess 23 is formed with a recess end face 24 facing the side where the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 are separated along the depth direction, and the protrusion 33 is formed with a protrusion end face 34 that faces the recess end face 24 when fitted into the recess 23. As a result, when the engaging portion 14 is engaged, the recess end face 24 and the protrusion end face 34 face each other and interfere with each other, preventing the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13 from being separated in the depth direction.

A wall receiving portion 25 is formed on the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21, facing the tip portion 35 of the outer wall 31. The wall receiving portion 25 has an inner tip surface 26, an inner outer edge surface 27, and an inner base end surface 28. The inner tip surface 26 is connected to the outer peripheral surface 22 of the inner wall 21 and faces the other side in the depth direction. The inner outer edge surface 27 is connected to the inner tip surface 26 and faces outward in the vertical direction. The inner base end surface 28 is connected to the inner outer edge surface 27 and faces the other side in the depth direction. The tip portion 35 has an outer base end surface 36, an outer inner edge surface 37, and an outer tip surface 38. The outer base end surface 36 is connected to the inner peripheral surface 32 of the outer wall 31 and faces the inner tip surface 26. The outer inner edge surface 37 is connected to the outer base end surface 36 and faces the inner outer edge surface 27. The outer tip surface 38 is connected to the outer inner edge surface 37 and faces the inner base end surface 28. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the interior of the lower frame 12 and upper frame 13, improving dustproofing performance, compared to simply overlapping the inner wall 21 and the outer wall 31.

The lower frame 12, which is the other side in the depth direction, has a claw portion 29 formed on the other vertical side. When engaged by the engagement portion 14, the claw portion 29 abuts against the upper frame 13, which is one side in the depth direction, and regulates the vertical position of the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13. This allows the upper frame 13 to fit against the lower frame 12, suppressing rattling. The protruding corners of the claw portion 29, which are formed by an inner peripheral surface facing one side in the vertical direction and a tip surface facing the front side in the depth direction, are rounded by R chamfering. This allows the edge of the upper frame 13 to be smoothly guided inside the claw portion 29, making it possible to fasten it with the tightening screw 15.

Next, a comparative example will be described.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a comparative example.
The electromagnetic contactor 41 of the comparative example includes a pair of frames that can be separated in the depth direction, that is, a lower frame 42 and an upper frame 43. The lower frame 42 and the upper frame 43 are provided with fastening screws 15 on both one and the other side in the vertical direction, and are fastened together by these two fastening screws 15. Fastening with the fastening screws 15 requires torque management, so the structure fastened together by two fastening screws 15 as in the comparative example requires a large number of assembly steps, and there is room for improvement in terms of workability.

<<Variation>>
In the embodiment, the configuration in which the inner wall 21 is formed on the upper frame 13 and the outer wall 31 is formed on the lower frame 12 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the structures of the inner wall 21 and the outer wall 31 may be interchanged, and the outer wall 31 may be formed on the upper frame 13 and the inner wall 21 may be formed on the lower frame 12.
In the embodiment, the recess 23 penetrates the inner wall 21, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the recess 23 may be a simple recess that does not penetrate the inner wall 21 as long as it can fit into the protrusion 33.

In the embodiment, a configuration in which the recess 23 is formed in the inner wall 21 and the protrusion 33 is formed in the outer wall 31 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the structures of the recess 23 and the protrusion 33 may be interchanged, and the protrusion 33 may be formed in the inner wall 21 and the recess 23 in the outer wall 31. However, when the recess 23 is provided in the outer wall 31 so that the engagement state is not released by pressure from the outside like a snap fit, the recess 23 is made to be a simple recess so as not to penetrate the outer wall 31. This can prevent foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the inside of the lower frame 12 and the upper frame 13, improving dustproof performance.
In one embodiment, one engaging portion 14 is provided on each of the one and the other sides in the width direction, but this is not limited to this. In other words, as long as there is sufficient strength and the engaged state can be maintained, only one engaging portion 14 may be provided, or of course three or more engaging portions 14 may be provided.

The above description refers to a limited number of embodiments, but the scope of the rights is not limited to these, and modifications of the embodiments based on the above disclosure will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

11...electromagnetic contactor, 12...lower frame, 13...upper frame, 14...engagement portion, 15...tightening screw, 16...screw fastening portion, 17...lower flange, 18...upper flange, 21...inner wall, 22...outer peripheral surface, 23...recess, 24...recess end surface, 25...wall receiving portion, 26...inner tip surface, 27...inner outer edge surface, 28...inner base end surface, 29...claw portion, 31...outer wall, 32...inner peripheral surface, 33...projection portion, 34...projection end surface, 35...tip portion, 36...outer base end surface, 37...outer inner edge surface, 38...outer tip surface, 41...electromagnetic contactor, 42...lower frame, 43...upper frame

Claims (4)

The contact opening and closing direction is a depth direction, and the switch includes a pair of frames that are separable in the depth direction,
The pair of frames include
an inner wall is formed on one side of the frame in the depth direction in a vertical direction as viewed from the depth direction, and an outer wall is formed on one side of the frame in the depth direction in a vertical direction, the inner peripheral surface of which faces the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall, and one of a recess that is concave in the vertical direction or a protrusion that is convex in the vertical direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall, and the other of the recess or the protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall, and an engagement portion that engages the pair of frames by fitting the recess and the protrusion together;
a screw fastening portion formed on the other side in the vertical direction and fastening the pair of frames together with one fastening screw when the engaging portion is engaged with the frame ;
A wall receiving portion is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the inner wall so as to face a tip end portion of the outer wall,
The wall receiving portion is
an inner tip surface connected to the outer circumferential surface of the inner wall and facing the other side in the depth direction;
an inner outer edge surface connected to the inner tip surface and facing outward in the longitudinal direction;
an inner base end surface connected to the inner outer edge surface and facing the other side in the depth direction,
The tip portion is
an outer base end surface connected to the inner circumferential surface of the outer wall and facing the inner tip surface;
an outer inner edge surface connected to the outer base end surface and facing the inner outer edge surface;
an outer tip surface connected to the outer inner edge surface and facing the inner base end surface . The electromagnetic contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that when the pair of frames are brought closer to each other in the depth direction, the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall and the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall face each other, and when the outer peripheral surface of the inner wall and the inner peripheral surface of the outer wall are brought closer to each other, the recessed portion and the protruding portion are fitted together, thereby engaging with each other at the engaging portion. The recess has an end surface facing a side where the pair of frames are separated along the depth direction,
3. The electromagnetic contactor according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has an end face that faces an end face of the recess when the protrusion is fitted into the recess. The electromagnetic contactor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the frame on the other side in the depth direction is formed with a claw portion on the other side in the vertical direction that abuts against the frame on one side in the depth direction when engaged with the engagement portion, and regulates the vertical position of the pair of frames relative to each other.

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