The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 1988
Filed:
Oct. 01, 1986
Michael M Kugelman, Akron, OH (US);
James M Roman, Akron, OH (US);
The BF Goodrich Company, Akron, OH (US);
Abstract
In a circuit having a electro-mechanical relay the contacts of which are subject to arcing, a shunt across the electro-mechanical relay configured to begin conducting electrical current across the electro-mechanical relay prior to closing the electro-mechanical relay contacts and to continue conducting electrical power across the electro-mechanical relay for a predetermined time after the onset of separation of electro-mechanical relay contacts pursuant to discontinuance of current flow through the elecro-mechanical relay. An optical coupler is employed to detect the current flow through the relay coil and activate a shunt device to initiate current flow around the electro-mechanical relay. The shunt device is configured to be substantially non-current load carrying while the electro-mechanical relay is closed. Utility is found in protecting relay contacts against damage due to arcing.