Micro-electromechanical system based switching

• US 8,358,488 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Premerlani, William James, Subramanian, Kanakasabapathi, Keimel, Christopher Fred, O'Brien, Kathleen Ann, Park, John Norton
• Primary Examiner(s): Barnie, Rexford
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOANG, ANN THI
• Application Number:
  US11/763,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20080308394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 361/2
• US Class Current: 361/2
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2071/008 Protective switches or relays using micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 59/0009 making use of micromechanics
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/30 Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/542 Contacts shunted by static switch means

Abstract

A current control device is disclosed. The current control device includes control circuitry integrally arranged with a current path and at least one micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch disposed in the current path. The current control device further includes a hybrid arcless limiting technology (HALT) circuit connected in parallel with the at least one MEMS switch facilitating arcless opening of the at least one MEMS switch, and a pulse assisted turn on (PATO) circuit connected in parallel with the at least one MEMS switch facilitating arcless closing of the at least one MEMS switch.

Claims

1. A current control device comprising:

control circuitry integrally arranged with a current path;

at least one micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch disposed in the current path;

a hybrid arcless limiting technology (HALT) circuit electrically connected with the at least one MEMS switch facilitating arcless opening of the at least one MEMS switch, wherein the HALT circuit includes a first pulse inductance, a first pulse capacitance, and a first pulse switch connected in series;

a pulse assisted turn on (PATO) circuit electrically connected with the at least one MEMS switch facilitating arcless closing of the at least one MEMS switch, wherein the PATO circuit includes a second pulse inductance, a second pulse capacitance, and a second pulse switch connected in series; and

a capacitance charging network electrically connected with the HALT circuit and the PATO circuit, wherein the capacitance charging network is configured to transfer electric charge to the HALT circuit and the PATO circuit, wherein

the capacitance charging network includes a voltage source, a first resistive branch operatively connected to the first pulse capacitance and the voltage source, and a second resistive branch operatively connected to the second pulse capacitance and the voltage source.

2. The current control device of claim 1, wherein discharge of the pulse capacitance facilitates arcless opening of the at least one MEMS switch.

3. The current control device of claim 1, wherein the HALT circuit is configured to receive a transfer of electrical energy from the MEMS switch in response to the MEMS switch changing state from closed to open.

4. The current control device of claim 1, wherein discharge of the pulse capacitance facilitates arcless closing of the at least one MEMS switch.

5. The current control device of claim 1, wherein the PATO circuit is configured to receive a transfer of electrical energy from the MEMS switch in response to the MEMS switch changing state from open to closed.

6. The current control device of claim 1, wherein the HALT circuit and PATO circuit include a balanced diode bridge connected in parallel with the at least one MEMS switch.

7. The current control device of claim 1, further comprising an electronic bypass circuit connected in parallel with the at least one MEMS switch to receive overload current from the current path in response to current overload in the current path.

8. The current control device of claim 7, further comprising a final isolation circuit disposed in the current path to provide air-gap safety isolation of an electrical load on the current path.

9. The current control device of claim 1, further comprising a final isolation circuit disposed in the current path to provide air-gap safety isolation of an electrical load on the current path.

10. The current control device of claim 1, wherein the at least one MEMS switch is one of a plurality of MEMS switches connected in series along the current path.

11. The current control device of claim 10, further comprising a voltage grading network electrically connected to each of the plurality of MEMS switches to equalize voltage over the plurality of MEMS switches.

12. The current control device of claim 10, wherein:

a balanced diode bridge is connected in parallel across the plurality of MEMS switches.

13. The current control device of claim 1, wherein the current control device is configured as an arcless direct current circuit breaker on the current path.

14. The current control device of claim 1, wherein the current control device is configured as an arcless direct current interrupter pole on the current path.

15. A method of controlling an electrical current passing through a current path, the method comprising:

transferring electrical energy from at least one micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switch disposed in the current path to a hybrid arcless limiting technology (HALT) circuit connected in parallel with the at least one MEMS switch to facilitate opening the current path with the at least one MEMS switch, wherein the transferring electrical energy from the at least one MEMS switch includes discharging a capacitor of a capacitance charging network connected to the HALT circuit and the MEMS switch; and

transferring electrical energy from the at least one MEMS switch to a pulse assisted turn on (PATO) circuit connected in parallel with the at least one MEMS switch to facilitate closing the current path with the at least one MEMS switch, wherein

the capacitance charging network includes a voltage source, a first resistive branch operatively connected to a first pulse capacitance and the voltage source, and a second resistive branch operatively connected to a second pulse capacitance and the voltage source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the transferring electrical energy from the at least one MEMS switch to the HALT circuit comprises:

discharging a pulse capacitance of the HALT circuit.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the transferring electrical energy from that at least one MEMS switch to the PATO circuit comprises:

discharging a pulse capacitance of the PATO circuit.