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US 4,257,081 AGranted
Circuit arrangement for the control of a bistable relay
AssigneesMatsushita Electric Works, Ltd., SDS-Electro GmbH
InventorsHans Sauer, Wolf Steinbichler, Heinz Ritter, Sepp Antonitsch
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Abstract
Circuit arrangements for the control of a bistable relay having a capacitor connected in series with its excitation winding, in which the series connection of coil and capacitor is connected to excitation voltage for the excitation of the relay and simultaneous charging of the capacitor, and, upon absence of excitation voltage, is short-circuitable through a semiconductor switch having its output circuit parallel-connected with the series connection of coil and capacitor, whereby the relay switches back to its starting position.
Claims22
A control circuit arrangement, comprising:
- a bistable relay having an excitation coil for energizing the relay between first and second positions;
- a capacitor having a storage capacity sufficient to energize said relay;
- circuit means coupling said capacitor in series with said coil for providing all the current flow through said coil from said capacitor during charging and for blocking all current flow through said coil by said capacitor when said capacitor is charged;
- a resistance element coupled in series with said series-coupled capacitor and coil;
- an excitation voltage source coupled in parallel with said series-coupled coil, capacitor, and resistance element;
- and
- a semiconductor switch means having a controlling electrode coupled to detect the voltage drop across said resistance element, and having outputs coupled in parallel across said series-coupled coil and capacitor, so that
- when the voltage from said source exceeds a first predetermined level, current flows through said resistance element and said coil to switch said relay to its first position and simultaneously charge said condensor to a voltage substantially equal to that of the source, said semiconductor switch means being thereby rendered non-conductive, and when said capacitor is charged and the voltage from said source drops to a second predetermined level, the reduced voltage drop across said resistance element renders said semiconductor switch means conductive, allowing said capacitor to discharge through said coil to switch said relay to its second position.
5 more elements
A circuit arrangement for the control of a bistable relay having an excitation coil, comprising:
- a capacitor coupled in series with said coil;
- a resistance element coupled in series with said series-coupled capacitor and coil;
- an excitation voltage source coupled in parallel with said series-coupled coil, capacitor, and resistance element;
- a semiconductor switch having a controlling electrode coupled to detect the voltage drop across said resistance element, and having outputs coupled in parallel across said series-coupled coil and capacitor,
- whereby when the voltage from said source exceeds a first predetermined level, current flows through said resistance element and said coil to switch said relay to its first position and simultaneously charge said capacitor, said semiconductor switch being thereby rendered non-conductive, and when said capacitor is charged and the voltage from said source drops to a second predetermined level, the reduced voltage drop across said resistance element renders said semiconductor switch conductive, allowing said capacitor to discharge through said coil to switch said relay to its second position;
- an additional semiconductor switch means coupled in series between said resistance element and said excitation voltage source, said additional semiconductor switch means having a controlling electrode and being opposite in conductivity type from said first-mentioned semiconductor switch means;
- and
- a voltage-divider coupled across the terminals of said excitation voltage source and having a voltage tap, the respective controlling electrodes of said semiconductor switch means being coupled, for alternating complementary control of said semiconductor switch means to said voltage-divider tap.
5 more elements
A circuit arrangement for the control of a bistable relay having an excitation coil, comprising:
- a capacitor coupled in series with said coil;
- a resistance element coupled in series with said series-coupled capacitor and coil;
- an excitation voltage source coupled in parallel with said series-coupled coil, capacitor, and resistance element;
- a semiconductor switch having a controlling electrode coupled to detect the voltage drop across said resistance element, and having outputs coupled in parallel across said series-coupled coil and capacitor,
- whereby when the voltage from said source exceeds a first predetermined level, current flows through said resistance element and said coil to switch said relay to its first position and simultaneously charge said capacitor, said semiconductor switch being thereby rendered non-conductive, and when said capacitor is charged and the voltage from said source drops to a second predetermined level, the reduced voltage drop across said resistance element renders said semiconductor switch conductive, allowing said capacitor to discharge through said coil to switch said relay to its second position;
- said resistance element having a first terminal coupled to receive said excitation voltage and a second terminal coupled to said series-coupled coil and capacitor;
- a voltage-divider having series-connected first and second ohmic resistances coupled in parallel across said excitation voltage source, respective first terminals of said ohmic resistances being joined together, to form a voltage-divider tap, a second terminal of said first ohmic resistance being coupled to said first resistance element terminal, and said semiconductor switch means having its controlling electrode coupled to said voltage-divider tap, having a first output coupled to the second terminal of said resistance element, and having a second output coupled to a second terminal of said ohmic resistance;
- said resistance element comprising a first diode coupled in the conductive direction with respect to the polarity of the energization voltage, and said semiconductor switch means comprising a trigger stage having first and second transistors of opposite conductivity type, each said transistor having its collector electrode coupled to the base electrode of the other said transistor, said first transistor having its emitter electrode coupled to the cathode of said first diode, and said second transistor having its emitter electrode coupled to said second terminal of said second ohmic resistance;
- and
- said semiconductor switch means further comprising a third transistor having its collector electrode coupled to the base electrode of said second transistor, its base electrode coupled to said voltage-divider tap, and its emitter electrode coupled to said second terminal of said second ohmic resistance.
7 more elements
A circuit arrangement for the control of a bistable relay having an excitation coil, comprising:
- a capacitor coupled in series with said coil;
- a resistance element coupled in series with said series-coupled capacitor and coil;
- an excitation voltage source coupled in parallel with said series-coupled coil, capacitor, and resistance element;
- a semiconductor switch having a controlling electrode coupled to detect the voltage drop across said resistance element, and having outputs coupled in parallel across said series-coupled coil and capacitor,
- whereby when the voltage from said source exceeds a first predetermined level, current flows through said resistance element and said coil to switch said relay to its first position and simultaneously charge said capacitor, said semiconductor switch being thereby rendered non-conductive, and when said capacitor is charged and the voltage from said source drops to a second predetermined level, the reduced voltage drop across said resistance element renders said semiconductor switch conductive, allowing said capacitor to discharge through said coil to switch relay to its second position;
- a trigger stage coupled in series between said excitation source and said resistance element for providing said excitation voltage to said resistance element when said excitation voltage exceeds a predetermined reference voltage;
- means for providing said predetermined reference voltage to said trigger stage;
- said trigger stage comprising first and second transistors of opposite conductivity type, a further capacitor, and first and second ohmic resistors, the collector of each said transistor being coupled to the base of the other said transistor, said first ohmic resistor being coupled between the base and emitter electrodes of said first transistor, said second ohmic resistor being coupled between the base and the emitter electrodes of said second transistor, said further capacitor being coupled in parallel across said first ohmic resistor, the emitter electrode of said first transistor being coupled to receive said excitation voltage, the emitter of said second transistor being coupled to a terminal of said resistance element, and said predetermined reference voltage being supplied to the base of said first transistor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.