Contact levitation triggering mechanisms for use with switching devices incorporating pyrotechnic features

An electrical switching device, comprising:

• a housing;
• internal components within said housing, said internal components comprising a first fixed contact, a second fixed contact, and a movable contact configured to operate to change the state of said switching device from a closed state allowing current flow through said switching device to an open state which interrupts current flow through said switching device, wherein at least one of the first fixed contact or the second fixed contact includes a first portion and a second portion angled relative to the first portion, and wherein, with the switching device in the closed state, the first portion contacts the movable contact and the second portion extends at least partially parallel to the movable contact, at a distance spaced from the movable contact;
• at least one pyrotechnic activation device configured to interact with said internal components to transition said switching device from said closed state to said open state when said pyrotechnic device is activated;
• and
• internal and external switching features configured to activate said at least one pyrotechnic device, said internal switching feature comprising a passive trigger switch structure configured to activate one of said at least one pyrotechnic device in response to levitation between the movable contact and at least one of the first fixed contact or the second fixed contact, wherein said external switching features activate said one of said at least one pyrotechnic features from a signal generated external to said housing.

An electrical switching device, comprising:

• a housing;
• a first fixed contact, a second fixed contact, and a movable contact configured to operate to change the state of said switching device from a closed state allowing current flow through said switching device to an open state which interrupts current flow through said switching device, wherein at least one of the first fixed contact or the second fixed contact includes a first portion and a second portion angled relative to the first portion, and wherein, with the switching device in the closed state, the first portion contacts the movable contact and the second portion extends at least partially parallel to the movable contact, at a distance spaced from the movable contact;
• contacts internal to said housing configured to operate to change the state of said switching device from a closed state to an open state;
• a pyrotechnic feature connected to at least one of the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact and configured to interact with said movable contact to transition said switching device from said closed state to said open state when said pyrotechnic feature is activated, wherein said pyrotechnic feature is configured to trigger in response to levitation between said fixed and movable contacts.