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. 26, 2015
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2010
Brendan Normoyle, Castlemahon, IE;
Philip Foxley, Conwy, GB;
Melvyn Mcgann, Chelmsford, GB;
Leslie Allen, Clacton-on-Sea, GB;
Brendan Normoyle, Castlemahon, IE;
Philip Foxley, Conwy, GB;
Melvyn McGann, Chelmsford, GB;
Leslie Allen, Clacton-on-Sea, GB;
Tyco Electronics UK Ltd., Swindon, Wiltshire, GB;
Raychem International (Irish Branch), Limerick, IE;
Abstract
A switching arrangement is disclosed comprising: a control circuit; a latching relay controlled by the control circuit for connecting an AC source to an AC load; and a relief circuit in parallel with the relay and controlled by the control circuit. The relief circuit has two modes of operation: an inactive mode in which the relief circuit is non-conductive and an active mode in which the relief circuit is at least partially conductive. The relief circuit is partially conductive when spending both a time period in a conductive state and a time period in a non-conductive state during a half-cycle of the AC. The control circuit is configured to switch the relief circuit from inactive mode to active mode, and upon switching to active mode, to set the relief circuit as partially conductive for at least two half-cycles, wherein the proportion of time the relief circuit is conductive compared to non-conductive is increased for successive ones of the at least two half-cycles.