1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic relay, and more particularly to an electromagnetic relay including a mount base provided with an insulation partition for separating an electromagnet from a contact assembly.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electromagnetic relays, particularly relays requiring a high contact rating within a small-sized casing are known to have a partition wall dividing the interior of a relay casing into two spaces, one for mounting an electromagnet and the other for a contact assembly. The relay construction having the above partition for separating the electromagnet from the contact assembly becomes more essential for designing a miniature relay in which components are dense-packed with a maximum insulation resistance between the electromagnet and the contact assembly. Prior relays having the above partition are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,101,856, 4,302,742, and 4,339,735, in all of which the partition extends along the length of the electromagnet for separation thereof from the contact assembly. However, the partition employed in each prior art relay must have a slot or opening within its length for passing therethrough a card or like actuating member which operatively connects the electromagnet to the contact assembly in order to actuate the switching operation of the contact assembly in response to the energization of the electromagnet. Unfortunately, due to the slot or opening formed in the partition, the partition fails to achieve complete insulation between the contact assembly and the electromagnet within the entire length of the electromagnet, and therefore the slot or opening is likely to form a shortcut leakage path between the electromagnet and the contact assembly through which a possible arcing originating from the contact assembly may extend to and damage the electromagnet. With the partition of the prior relays, therefore, the electrical insulation is interrupted at a portion of the partition so as to considerably reduce the effectiveness of the partition and only provide unsatisfactory insulation, which is a hindrance to designing a miniature relay having a high contact rating in which magnetic and electric components are required to be dense-packed at a maximum insulation resistance.