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US 12,614,686 B2Granted
Arc-free hybrid relay
AssigneeEnphase Energy, Inc.
InventorChris Morrow Young
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus forming an arc-free hybrid relay having an air gap when in the off state. The apparatus comprises a first relay coupled to a second relay, and having a semiconductor switch arranged to temporarily shunt current around the second relay.
Claims9
Apparatus comprising:
- a first relay having first contacts;
- a second relay having second contacts and being serially coupled to the first relay;
- and
- a semiconductor switch coupled in parallel across the second contacts of the second relay, and the first relay does not have the semiconductor switch shunting the first contacts of the first relay, wherein the semiconductor switch, when conducting, has a voltage drop that is less than an arcing voltage of the second relay contact.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.