Abstract:
A reed switch (20) has a contact surface (36) composed of three layers of metal applied to the contacts of the reed switch. The three layers comprise first a layer of titanium (38) of 0.381 micron to 3.81 microns thickness, a second a layer of molybdenum (40) of 0.381 micron to 3.81 microns thickness, and a contact layer (42) of 0.127 micron to 0.508 micron of ruthenium, or other platinum group metal or alloy. The layers (38, 40, 42) may be applied by any suitable methods, for example by sputtering.
Abstract:
An encapsulated contact material comprising a substrate and a contact-coating layer formed on said substrate, characterized in that said contact-coating layer comprises at least one metal selected from a group consisting of Mo, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta and W or an alloy made of two or more of these metals and containing from 0.5 to 10 atomic % of at least one element selected from a group consisting of Li, K, Ce, Cs, Ba, Sr, Ca, Na, Y, La, Sc, Th and Rb and has a thickness of 0.1 µm or more ; or comprises at least one metal selected from a group consisting of Mo, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta and W or an alloy made of two or more of these metals and containing from 0.1 to 5 % by weight of at least one oxide comprising at least one metal selected from a group consisting of Li, K, Ce, Cs, Ba, Sr, Ca, Na, Y, La, Sc, Th and Rb and has a thickness of 0.1 µm or more. This encapsulated contact material has a low contact resistance and an excellent arc resistance.
Abstract:
In a rhodium electrical contract of a switch, particularly a reed switch, from 0.1 to 10 atomic% of Ag is included in the electrical contact. The electrical contact of the invention has a long life under a various loading conditions from a non-working condition, where an electric current is neither conducted nor broken by the switch, to a working condition, where erosion of the electrical contact is caused by short arcs between members of the electrical contact.
Abstract:
A reed switch 10 includes a cylindrical glass tube 30 and a plurality of reeds 20 fixed to the glass tube 30 in a state where an end side including a contact point portion 22 of each of the reeds 20 is inserted in the glass tube 30. The reeds 20 are each produced by forming, by plastic working, a contact point portion 22 on an end side of a wire for a reed switch. The wire for a reed switch is composed of an iron-group alloy containing, by percent by mass, 1% or more and 10% or less of Fe, 10% or more and 35% or less of Ni, and the balance being Co and impurities and having a cubic crystal structure. The wire has a Curie temperature of 900°C or higher and a wire diameter of 1 mm or less. The wire is composed of a ternary alloy having a particular composition. Therefore, the wire has a high Curie temperature, a low resistance, and a particular structure and thus has good workability.