A UPS system and mechanical switching arrangement therefor that is driven by an electromechanical actuator when a fault condition is detected thereby opening or closing a switch of the switching arrangement in response thereto within 8 milliseconds, preferably within 4 milliseconds, and more preferably within 2 milliseconds of a fault condition being detected. The UPS system has one switching arrangement for controlling current flow through a utility power path that is switched by an electromechanical actuator and another switching arrangement for controlling that is switched by an electromechanical actuator through an inverter power path that supplies an output-connected load with electrical power should a fault condition occur. The switching arrangements can be driven by a common electromechanical actuator or independent driven by separate electromechanical actuators enabling programmability of a plurality of different UPS system operating modes.

A UPS system and mechanical switching arrangement therefor that is driven by an electromechanical actuator when a fault condition is detected thereby opening or closing a switch of the switching arrangement in response thereto within 8 milliseconds, preferably within 4 milliseconds, and more preferably within 2 milliseconds of a fault condition being detected. The UPS system has one switching arrangement for controlling current flow through a utility power path that is switched by an electromechanical actuator and another switching arrangement for controlling that is switched by an electromechanical actuator through an inverter power path that supplies an output-connected load with electrical power should a fault condition occur. The switching arrangements can be driven by a common electromechanical actuator or independent driven by separate electromechanical actuators enabling programmability of a plurality of different UPS system operating modes.

The contact apparatus includes a fixed contact, a movable contact, and an arc extinguishing member. The movable contact is movable between a closed position where the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact and an open position where the movable contact is separate from the fixed contact. The arc extinguishing member is for discharging an arc extinguishing gas offering a capacity for extinguishment of an arc, into a space containing the fixed contact and the movable contact.

The contact apparatus includes a fixed contact, a movable contact, and an arc extinguishing member. The movable contact is movable between a closed position where the movable contact is in contact with the fixed contact and an open position where the movable contact is separate from the fixed contact. The arc extinguishing member is for discharging an arc extinguishing gas offering a capacity for extinguishment of an arc, into a space containing the fixed contact and the movable contact.

A disconnecting electrical apparatus includes a disconnecting block, including elements for disconnecting an electric current each able to be actuated with a coupling member, to switch this disconnecting element to a blocking state or a state allowing the electric current to pass, an actuator block, provided with a controllable electromagnet suitable for generating an electromagnetic force, a mobile container provided with a magnetic plate, which displaces the coupling members, under the effect of the electromagnetic force, so as to switch the disconnecting elements. The apparatus also includes a connection interface inserted between the disconnecting block and the actuator block, the mobile container being housed inside the connection interface.

An electromagnetic relay includes a pair of fixed contacts, a pair of movable contacts that respectively face the pair of fixed contacts and are structured to respectively come into contact with and be separated from the pair of fixed contacts, a movable touch piece configured to electrically connect the pair of movable contacts, and a pair of permanent magnets that are arranged on a straight line passing through the pair of fixed contacts and the pair of movable contacts in a planar view seen along a contact-separation direction in which each of the movable contacts comes into contact with or is separated from each of the fixed contacts. The pair of permanent magnets face each other. The pair of permanent magnets are arranged so as to sandwich the pair of fixed contacts and the pair of movable contacts.

An microelectromechanical switch uses electrostatic attraction to draw a beam toward a contact and electromagnetic repulsion to disengage and repel the beam from the contact. The electrostatic attraction is generated by a gate electrode. The electromagnetic repulsion is generated between the beam and a magnetic coil positioned on the same side of the beam as the contact. The magnetic coil produces a magnetic field, which induces a current in the beam that repels the magnetic coil. The gate electrode and the magnetic coil may be co-planar or in different planes. A circuit may also operate a coil-shaped structure act as the gate electrode and the magnetic coil, depending on the configuration.

One embodiment describes a tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor of an operating coil driver circuitry. The instructions include instructions to instruct a switch to supply a specific current to an operating coil of a switching device using a pulse-width modulated signal; determine duty cycle of the pulse-width modulated signal; and determine wellness of the switching device based at least in part on the duty cycle of the pulse-width module signal.

A safety relay configuration system for configuring safety functions to be carried out by a safety relay is provided. The configuration system comprises a number of features that facilitate intuitive and simplified configuration of an industrial safety relay, including but not limited to features that guide the user through the configuration process using an intuitive sequential procedure that provides feedback and prompts based on user interaction, enforce design consistency throughout the configuration project by intelligently limiting user selections, and visually organize configuration and status information in a manner that efficiently utilizes display space and allows the user to quickly evaluate available configuration options.

One embodiment describes a method that includes in a first switching operation of an electrical power switching system including three separately controllable single pole, single current-carrying path switching devices that provide three-phase power to a load, and control circuitry coupled to the switching devices to control closing and opening of the current-carrying paths, commanding at least one of the switching devices to open or close in advance of at least one other of the switching devices based upon a current zero-crossing or a predicted current zero-crossing of input three-phase power; and in subsequent switching operations alternating which of the three switching devices is closed or opened in advance of another of the switching devices.