Micro-electromechanical switch protection in series parallel topology
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsWilliam James Premerlani, Kathleen Ann O'Brien, Owen Jannis Schelenz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical switching device is presented. The electrical switching device includes multiple switch sets coupled in series. Each of the switch sets includes multiple switches coupled in parallel. A control circuit is coupled to the multiple switch sets and configured to control opening and closing of the switches. One or more intermediate diodes are coupled between the control circuit and each point between a respective pair of switch sets.
Claims28
An electrical switching device comprising:
- a plurality of switch sets coupled in series, each switch set comprising a plurality of switches coupled in parallel;
- a control circuit coupled to the plurality of switch sets and configured to control opening and closing of the switches;
- and
- one or more intermediate diodes coupled between the control circuit and each point between a respective pair of switch sets.
An electrical switching system, comprising:
- a switching circuitry comprising a micro-electromechanical system switch configured to switch the system from a first switching state to a second switching state;
- a voltage draining circuitry coupled to the switching circuitry, wherein the voltage draining circuitry is configured to drain a voltage at contacts of the switching circuitry;
- and
- a control circuitry coupled to the voltage draining circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured to form a pulse signal, and wherein the pulse signal is applied to the voltage draining circuitry in connection with initiating an operation of the switching circuitry.
A method of protecting an electrical switching device comprising:
- triggering a current pulse into at least one pair of diodes via a control circuit, wherein the at least one pair of diodes are coupled between a plurality of switch sets and the control circuit;
- biasing the at least one pair of diodes based upon the triggering;
- and
- discharging a voltage across the plurality of switch sets via biasing of the at least one pair of diodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.