Patent · US Expired

Sub-milliamp mechanical relay control

US4527216A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
2References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 16, 1983
Grant dateJul 2, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 16, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K17/305
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A relay driver circuit, suitable for controlling a bistable relay, includes a storage device which is charged to a first voltage level by a low current flow voltage source. A first switching circuit couples the storage device to the bistable relay when the first voltage level exceeds a predetermined value. The charge on the storage device is dumped into the relay and forces it into a first state (set). A second switching circuit is coupled to sense the voltage on the storage device and the voltage on the low voltage source. When the voltage on the low voltage source falls below the voltage on the storage device, current flows from the storage device and forces the relay into a second state (reset). The reset time is within 100 .mu.s.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.