SWITCHING MEANS FOR CONNECTING A LOAD TO A POWER SUPPLY AND ITS METHOD OF OPERATION
First Claim
1. A switching means for controlling the supply of power from a power supply to a load, the control switch comprising a solid-state switch (4) arranged in parallel with a relay (5) of normally closed type, the solid-state switch (4) and the relay (5) being arranged in series with the load and the power supply, the control switch also comprising a control means (3) adapted to connect the power supply to the load by applying an activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to conduct, then de-energising the relay (5) and then removing said activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) in that order, and wherein the control means (3) is also adapted to disconnect the power supply from the load by applying an activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to conduct, then energising the relay (5) and then removing said activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) in that order.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switching device for controlling the supply of power from a supply to a load comprises a solid-state switch arranged in parallel with a relay of normally closed type. The solid-state switch and the relay are arranged in series with the load and the power supply. The switch also comprises a control adapted to connect the power supply to the load by applying an activation signal to the solid-state switch to cause it to conduce, then de-energizing the relay and then removing the activation signal to the solid-state switch in that order. The control is also adapted to disconnect the power supply from the load by applying an activation signal to the solid-state switch to cause it to conduct, then energizing the relay and then removing activation signal to the solid-state switch in that order. A corresponding method of operation is also disclosed.
12 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. A switching means for controlling the supply of power from a power supply to a load, the control switch comprising a solid-state switch (4) arranged in parallel with a relay (5) of normally closed type, the solid-state switch (4) and the relay (5) being arranged in series with the load and the power supply, the control switch also comprising a control means (3) adapted to connect the power supply to the load by applying an activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to conduct, then de-energising the relay (5) and then removing said activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) in that order, and wherein the control means (3) is also adapted to disconnect the power supply from the load by applying an activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to conduct, then energising the relay (5) and then removing said activation signal to the solid-state switch (4) in that order.
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16. A method of operating a control switch that is adapted to control the supply of power from a mains power supply to a load, the control switch comprising a solid-state switch (4) arranged in parallel with a normally closed relay (5), the solid-state switch (4) and the relay (5) being arranged in series with the load and a mains power supply, the control switch also comprising a control means (3) adapted to connect the mains power supply to the load by the following steps;
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(i) supply a signal to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to conduct thereby providing a first current path between the mains power supply and the load; (ii) de-energize the relay (5) such that it provides a second current path between the mains power supply and the load; (iii) after a predetermined period of time, remove the signal supplied to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to interrupt the first current path; the control means (3) being adapted to disconnect the mains power supply from the load by the following steps; (i) supply a signal to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to conduct thereby providing a first current path between the mains power supply and the load in addition to the second current path provided by the relay (5); (ii) energising the relay (5) to cause its contacts to open interrupting the second current path between the mains power supply and the load; (iii) after a predetermined period of time, remove the signal supplied to the solid-state switch (4) to cause it to interrupt the first current path between the mains power supply and the load.
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Specification