Circuit breaker device and method

Abstract

A circuit breaker device protects an electric low-voltage circuit. The circuit breaker device contains a housing having a grid-side connection and one load-side connection and a mechanical separating contact unit which is connected to an electronic interruption unit in series. The mechanical separating contact unit is associated with the load-side connection and the electronic interruption unit is associated with the grid-side connection. The mechanical separating contact unit can be switched by opening contacts to prevent a current flow or closing the contacts for a current flow in the low-voltage circuit. As a result of semiconductor-based switch elements, the electronic interruption unit can be switched to a high-ohmic state of the switch elements to prevent a current flow or to a low-ohmic state of the switch elements for a current flow in the low-voltage circuit.