ELECTROMAGNETICALLY ACTUATED SWITCHING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SWITCHING OPERATIONS OF SAID SWITCHING DEVICE Russian patent published in 2016 - IPC H01H36/00 

FIELD: instrument making.

SUBSTANCE: switching device (1) comprises:

- movable contact (11) and a fixed contact (12) that are adapted to be coupled or uncoupled during a switching operation of said switching device;

- electromagnetic actuator (13) comprising excitation coil (131), in which an excitation current (I_E), and movable plunger (132), which is operably coupled to said movable contact through kinematic chain (14), said movable plunger being operated between start position (P₁) and stop position (P₂) during a switching operation;

- power supply means (16) that supply said excitation current to said excitation coil during a switching operation;

- sensor means (15) that generate sensing signals indicative of intensity of said excitation current;

- control means (17) for controlling switching operations, receiving sensing signals generated by said sensor means.

During switching operation control means:

- send a first control signal to power supply means to start with supply of excitation current from a first instant (T₁) onwards;

- determine, based on information provided by said sensing signals, second instant (T₂), at which said power supply means have to stop with supply of excitation current, said second instant occurring before said movable plunger has reached stop position (P₂) during movement from said start position (P₁) towards said stop position (P₂);

- send a second control signal to power supply means to stop with supply of excitation current from second instant (T₂) and until said movable plunger reaches stop position.

EFFECT: technical result is creation of a switching device with high level of safety and reliability, in which small, relatively small mechanical stress and vibrations are transmitted to drive chain elements during switching.

10 cl, 3 dwg