Apparatus and method for relay contact arc suppression
US7385791B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 14, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jun 10, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 6, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H9/30
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An arc suppression circuit for a power switch or power supply with a relay having a coil and a set of contacts for providing a portion of an input power as load power to an output. The relay coil is configured for closing the relay contacts in response to receiving relay activating energy and for generating back EMF energy following termination of the receiving of the relay activating energy. A switch is connected in parallel to the relay contacts and is configured for providing a portion of the input power as supplemental load power to the output as a function of back EMF energy. Also, a method of suppressing damaging arcing across relay contacts in a power switch or power supply includes receiving back EMF energy generated by the relay coil following termination of the relay coil receiving activating energy and connecting supplemental load power to the output in parallel with the relay contacts in response to the receiving of the back EMF energy.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.