An Apparatus for Switching and Protection of a Load

An apparatus for protection of a load connected to said apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a power switch through which the connected load receives an electrical current;
• a current rise speed sensor component connected in series with said power switch and adapted to generate directly a first electrical voltage drop (ΔU4) corresponding to a current rise speed of the electrical current flowing via the current rise speed sensor component and via the power switch to the connected load;
• and
• a driver circuit adapted to detect an occurring overcurrent depending on the first voltage drop (ΔU4) generated by said current rise speed sensor component and a second voltage drop (ΔU5) along the power switch and to switch off the power switch upon detection of an overcurrent within a switch-off period of less than 1 millisecond to protect said power switch and the connected load,
• wherein the first voltage drop (ΔU4) generated by the current rise speed sensor component plus the second voltage drop (ΔU5) along the power switch is applied as a sum voltage (UΣ) to an input of the driver circuit,
• wherein the driver circuit is adapted to operate independently from a control unit of said apparatus to switch off the power switch within the switch-off period if the applied sum voltage (UΣ) exceeds a configurable threshold voltage (UTH),
• wherein the control unit is adapted to control the driver circuit of the apparatus on reception of a control command from a user interface of the apparatus or from a remote device connected to the apparatus such that the power switch is switched either on or off in response to the received control command and
• wherein the control unit is adapted to control the driver circuit to switch off the power switch if a current profile of the electrical current measured by a load current measurement unit of said apparatus indicates an overload of the load connected to said apparatus.