Switch contact arc suppressor

Details Switch contact arc suppressor Switch contact arc suppressor

1985-03-08

1987-04-14

Pellinen, A. D.

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Safety and protection of systems and devices

Arc suppression at switching point

361 58, H01H 930

Patent

active

046583203

ABSTRACT:
An arc suppression circuit for a switch carrying a load current includes a MOSFET having a drain connected to a first contact of the switch and a source connected to a second contact of the switch. A biasing capacitor is coupled at one end to the drain and at another end through a damping resistor to the gate, such that when the switch contacts are opened, the interrupted load current passes through the biasing capacitor to charge an inherent gate-to-source MOSFET capacitance for turning on the MOSFET and shunting the load current around the switch. A biasing resistor, connected between the gate and the source of the MOSFET, subsequently discharges the gate-to-source capacitance, turning off the MOSFET and terminating the shunted load current after the contacts of the switch have separated by a distance sufficient to preclude arcing. A zener diode, having its cathode connected to the gate of the MOSFET and its anode connected to the source of the MOSFET, quickly discharges the biasing capacitor when the switch contacts are reclosed.

REFERENCES:
patent: 3339110 (1967-08-01), Jonco, Jr.
patent: 3430063 (1969-02-01), Webb
patent: 3539775 (1970-11-01), Casson
patent: 3639808 (1972-02-01), Ritzow
patent: 3783305 (1974-01-01), Lefferts
patent: 3982137 (1976-09-01), Penrod
patent: 4420784 (1983-12-01), Chen et al.
patent: 4438472 (1984-03-01), Woodworth
patent: 4466038 (1984-08-01), Robertson
patent: 4500934 (1985-02-01), Kinsinger

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