Description BIDIRECTIONAL SWITCH

Technical Field

[I] Disclosed herein is a switch, and more particularly a switch with a simple structure, which may open or close a passage for fluid or the like whenever power is intermittently applied to an electromagnet.

Background Art [2] Recently, various electronic switches have been developed and broadly utilized in the industries along with the development of semiconductor devices. [3] As one example of existing electronic switches, a switch using an electromagnet is used, and this switch is configured to be operated by magnetizing the electromagnet when power is supplied to the switch. Namely, when an electric current flows along a coil of the electromagnet by supplying power thereto, the switch is turned on or off, and then, if the power supply is intercepted such that no electric current flows on the coil, the switch is operated in an opposite way. [4] However, such an electromagnetic switch can keep its ON/OFF state continuously only when power is continuously supplied thereto. Otherwise, if power is not supplied, the switch cannot operate its function. [5] In addition, because the electromagnetic switch always consumes continuously, power loss is great. Also, in case of unintended power failure, the switch is not operated, which may cause accidents or problems. [6]

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem [7] The disclosure is directed to providing a switch capable of being operated even when power is not continuously supplied thereto. [8] The disclosure is also directed to providing a switch capable of stably operating an opening/closing function by decreasing the frequency of accidents caused when electricity supply is unstable. [9] The disclosure is also directed to providing a switch capable of being operated with only a small power. [10]

Technical Solution

[I I] In an aspect, there is provided a bidirectional switch, which includes a housing; and a permanent magnet, an electromagnet and a shaft installed in the housing, wherein the housing is magnetized by the permanent magnet installed therein, wherein pole

conversion plates made of conductive material are provided at both ends of the electromagnet, wherein the permanent magnet has R surfaces formed at a pair of upper edges thereof, which are perpendicular to a direction along which the pole conversion plates move, and wherein the shaft is fixed to the electromagnet such that an attractive or repulsive force is generated among the pole conversion plates of the electromagnet, the permanent magnet and the housing when power is supplied to the electromagnet, whereby the electromagnet and the shaft fixed to the electromagnet are moved.

[12] In another aspect, there is provided a bidirectional switch, wherein the permanent magnet has both poles arranged vertically.

[13] In still another aspect, there is also provided a bidirectional switch, wherein the permanent magnet has both poles arranged horizontally, wherein a plurality of the electromagnets are connected to an insulating member in a line, and wherein a pair of the pole conversion plates installed at the outermost ends of the connected electromagnet are magnetized into the same polarity when power is supplied thereto.

Advantageous Effects

[14] The switch disclosed herein may operate its switch function even when power is not continuously supplied to an electromagnet, so energy consumption may be decreased remarkably.

[15] In addition, since continuous power supply is not required, it is possible to decrease problems caused by unstable power supply. Brief Description of Drawings

[16] Figs. 1 and 2 are a schematic perspective view and an exploded perspective view respectively showing a bidirectional switch according to one embodiment disclosed herein;

[17] Figs. 3 and 4 are schematic sectional views respectively showing behaviors of an electromagnet when power is supplied to the bidirectional switch of Fig. 1 ;

[18] Figs. 5 and 6 are a schematic perspective view and an exploded perspective view respectively showing a bidirectional switch according to another embodiment disclosed herein; and

[19] Figs. 7 and 8 are schematic sectional views respectively showing behaviors of an electromagnet when power is supplied to the bidirectional switch of Fig. 5.

[20]

Mode for the Invention

[21] Hereinafter, reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments of a bidirectional switch 1 disclosed herein, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below.

[22] Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a schematic view and an exploded perspective view

showing one embodiment of a bidirectional switch 1. As seen from the figures, the bidirectional switch 1 of this embodiment includes a permanent magnet 20 and an electromagnet 30 in a housing 10, and power is transmitted through a shaft 40 installed through the electromagnet such that the bidirectional switch 1 may operate a switch function.

[23] The housing 10 may have various structures including the permanent magnet 20, the electromagnet 30 and the shaft 40 therein, and as shown in Fig. 2, the housing 10 may be configured to have a ' — ' shape having a horizontal portion 11 on which the permanent magnet 20 is placed and a pair of vertical portions 12 installed in parallel from both ends of the horizontal portion 11.

[24] The permanent magnet 20 is installed on the horizontal portion 11 of the housing 10.

In the permanent magnet 20, N pole and S pole may be arranged to be horizontally adjacent to each other or to be vertically adjacent to each other. In Figs. 1 and 2, one example is illustrated in which N pole and S pole are vertically arranged.

[25] In addition to the permanent magnet 20, the electromagnet 30 is arranged in the housing 10. The electromagnet 30 is configured such that a coil 37 is wound around a bobbin (not shown), and pole conversion plates 35 may be provided to both side ends of the bobbin, respectively. The pole conversion plates 35 and the bobbin become a part of the electromagnet 30. So they may be made of material capable of increasing intensity of the electromagnet 30.

[26] The shaft 40 has a rod shape, and the shaft 40 is fixedly installed to the electromagnet 30 at both ends of which the pole conversion plates 35 are provided. Thus, as explained later, the shaft 40 is moved as the electromagnet 30 moves. The shaft 40 is installed through both pole conversion plates 35 and the bobbin around which the coil 37 is wound such that it may be fixed to the electromagnet 30, and it may also be installed even through the vertical portion 12 of the housing 10. In detail, shaft holes 33 may be formed in the bobbin and both pole conversion plates 35 of the electromagnet 30 such that the shaft holes 33 are communicated with each other.

[27] Here, as seen from Fig. 1, one end of the shaft 40 is inserted into and fixed in the shaft holes 33, and the other end of the shaft 40 is installed to be exposed out of a shaft hole 13 formed in the housing 10. At this time, a guide member 41 having a rod shape may be installed around the shaft 40 so as to guide a path along which the shaft 40 moves, and guide holes 14, 34 may be formed in the housing 10, the bobbin and the pole conversion plates 35 such that the guide member 41 may be inserted and installed therein.

[28] Figs. 3 and 4 are schematic sectional views showing behaviors of the electromagnet

30 and the shaft 40 when power is supplied to the bidirectional switch 1 of FIG. 1, respectively. First, in Fig. 3, the permanent magnet 20 has poles separated in upper and

lower portions such that the portion contacting with the horizontal portion 11 is N pole. In case the housing 10 is made of conductive material, the housing 10 itself is magnetized into N pole. At this time, if power is supplied to the electromagnet 30, the pole conversion plates 35 of the electromagnet 30 are magnetized into different poles by the current flow.

[29] As seen from Fig. 3, in case the left pole conversion plate 35 is magnetized into S pole, a repulsive force is acted between the S pole of the left pole conversion plate 35 and the S pole of the permanent magnet 20, and an attractive force is acted between the N pole of the right pole conversion plate 35 and the S pole of the permanent magnet 20. Thus, the electromagnet 30 itself is moved to the left, and the shaft 40 fixedly installed to the electromagnet 30 is also moved together.

[30] The positional change of the electromagnet 30 is influenced by not only the magnetic force between the permanent magnet 20 and both pole conversion plates 35 of the electromagnet 30, but a magnetic force between the vertical portion 12 of the housing 10, contacting with the N pole of the permanent magnet 20 and thus magnetized into N pole, and both pole conversion plates 35 of the electromagnet 30. Thus, although the same capacity of power is supplied, the position of the electromagnet 30 may be changed more easily.

[31] If the electromagnet 30 is moved by means of supplied power as mentioned above, even when the power supply is interrupted, because the permanent magnet 20 and the electromagnet 30, which is a conductor by itself, are closely adhered and fixed to each other afterwards, there is no need to continuously supply power so as to keep the state, differently from the prior art.

[32] Fig. 4 shows the change of position of the electromagnet 30 when power is supplied while changing the flow of current oppositely to Fig. 3. If the polarities of the pole conversion plates 35 positioned at both ends of the electromagnet 30 are changed instantly by the flow of current, the left pole conversion plate 35 becomes N pole such that an attractive force is acted between the N pole of the left pole conversion plate 35 and the S pole of the permanent magnet 20. At the same time, a repulsive force is acted between the S pole of the right pole conversion plate 35 and the S pole of the permanent magnet 20, so the electromagnet 30 is moved to the right. At this time, the vertical portion 12 of the housing 10, magnetized into N pole, assists the movement of the electromagnet 30 by acting an attractive force or a repulsive force between the vertical portion 12 and the pole conversion plates 35 as shown in Fig. 3.

[33] If the electromagnet 30 and the shaft 40 are moved as mentioned above, the bidirectional switch 1 operates a switch function in the way that an end of the shaft 40 presses an end of the switch installed on an extension line in a length direction along which the shaft 40 is moving, or in the way that the end of the shaft 40 is connected to

the switch. For example, in case the bidirectional switch 1 is used for a gas valve, if the electromagnet 30 is moved by means of power supply, the shaft 40 is also moved, so the switch connected to one end of the shaft 40 is opened or closed, thereby opening or closing the gas pipe.

[34] As seen from Figs. 3 and 4, the bidirectional switch 1 of this embodiment may operate a switch function only with an instant power supply, and it may also be operated bidirectionally in ON/OFF pattern by supplying electric current in opposite directions.

[35] Meanwhile, a buffering member 36 such as a rubber packing may be installed on a surface where both polar conversion plates 35 contact with the vertical portion 12 of the housing 10. Also, a hole may be formed in the buffering member 36 such that the shaft 40 or the guide member 41 may pass through.

[36] Figs. 5 and 6 are a schematic perspective view and an exploded perspective view respectively showing another embodiment of the bidirectional switch 1. In this embodiment, the permanent magnet 20 having both poles horizontally arranged is used.

[37] In the electromagnet 30 arranged in the housing 10, an insulating member 32 is provided at the center of the bobbin (not shown) to divide the bobbin into two parts, and coils 37 are wound around both portions of the bobbin with the insulating member 32 being interposed between them. The insulating member 32 may be made of various materials such as epoxy, and the coils 37 at both sides of the bobbin may be wound separately.

[38] Figs. 7 and 8 are schematic sectional views respectively showing behavior of the electromagnet 30 and the shaft 40 in case power is supplied to the bidirectional switch 1 of Fig. 5. In this embodiment, a permanent magnet 20 in which N pole is arranged at a left side and S pole is arranged at a right side is used such that the vertical portions 12 of the housing 10 are also magnetized into N pole and S pole, respectively. As power is supplied to the electromagnet 30, both pole conversion plates 35 are magnetized, but the flow direction of current may be controlled such that both pole conversion plates 35 have the same polarity with the insulating member 32 being interposed between them.

[39] As shown in Fig. 7, in case both pole conversion plates 35 are magnetized into N pole, the vertical portion 12 of the housing 10, magnetized into N pole, and the N pole of the electromagnet 30 push each other, and the right pole conversion plate 35 and the vertical portion 12 of the housing 10, magnetized into S pole, pull each other, so the electromagnet 30 is moved right. At this time, since the housing 10 itself becomes a magnet as magnetized by the electromagnet 30, a magnetic force is the strongest between both vertical portions 12 of the housing 10, and strong attractive and repulsive

forces are acted between both vertical portions 12 of the housing 10 and the pole conversion plates 35 of the electromagnet 30. Similarly, in Fig. 8, in case both pole conversion plates 35 are magnetized into S pole, the electromagnet 30 is moved left due to attractive and repulsive forces between both pole conversion plates 35 and the vertical portions 12 of the housing 10.

[40] As mentioned above, as the electromagnet 30 is moved according to the direction of current instantly supplied, the bidirectional switch 1 of this embodiment operates a switch function. Also, since the electromagnet 30 may keep its position by the permanent magnet 20 after being once moved even when power supply is interrupted. Therefore, the bidirectional switch 1 of this embodiment may operate a switch function stably by supplying as a little of power.

[41] Meanwhile, in this embodiment, the permanent magnet 20 may be made in a plate shape, and as shown in the figures, the permanent magnet 20 may have a rectangular shape in which a pair of R surfaces is formed upwards at edge portions thereof in parallel. In a rectangular magnet, a magnetic force is the strongest at ends or edges of both poles, so the pole positioned at an upper surface of the permanent magnet 20 gives an influence on magnetization of the housing 10, which may make the electromagnet 30 be moved unintentionally.

[42] Thus, the R surfaces may be formed at the ends or edges of both poles so as to prevent excessive interference of the pole conversion plates 35 and the permanent magnet 20. In addition, in case both poles are arranged up and down, if the housing 10 is magnetized to have one polarity, the housing 10 may assist movement of the electromagnet 30. Thus, as seen from Figs. 1 to 4, it is preferred that only a pole arranged at a lower end of the permanent magnet 20 is directly contacted with the housing 10.

[43] Also, in this embodiment, one exposed end of the shaft 40 may be manipulated manually to operate the bidirectional switch 1. Even in the case that the bidirectional switch 1 is operated manually as mentioned above, the switch may keep its state due to the close attraction between the permanent magnet 20 and the pole conversion plates 35 made of conductive material.

[44]

Industrial Applicability

[45] Disclosed is a switch, more particularly a switch with a simple structure, which may open or close a passage for fluid or the like whenever power is intermittently supplied to an electromagnet.