Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for controlling a relay device

US5568349A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
9References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 4, 1995
Grant dateOct 22, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 4, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H47/04
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A relay device (103) having a coil (144) and a set of contacts (146, 147) employs an apparatus (100) and method (200) for drawing current through the coil (144) to close, and maintain closure of, the set of contacts (146, 147). A first terminal of the coil (144) is coupled to a power supply (101) and a second terminal of the coil is coupled to a holding circuit (108, 115, 126) that establishes a first current through the coil (144). The second terminal of the coil (144) is also coupled to a closing circuit (112) that establishes a second current through the coil (144), wherein the first current and the second current together are at least sufficient to close the set of contacts (146, 147) and the first current is sufficient to maintain closure of the closed set of contacts (146, 147). A control circuit (118, 128) is coupled to the closing circuit (112) and the holding circuit (108, 115, 126) to remove the second current after the set contacts (146, 147) are closed.

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