A safety switching apparatus for safely switching on an electrical load includes for this purpose, the functionality of two non-forcibly guided changeover switches and, in particular, their normally closed contacts, which can be monitored during a starting process without using a microcontroller. The normally closed contacts are each arranged in a separate diagnostic circuit, which are connected in parallel with respect to a test voltage. The diagnostic circuits are each monitored by a diagnostic current detection device. The excitation coils of the changeover switches can each be short-circuited via a short-circuit device if a diagnostic current continues to flow in the respective diagnostic circuit for a predetermined time period after an activated starting process.

An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.

An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.

Electrical overstress protection for high speed interfaces are disclosed. In certain embodiments, a semiconductor die with bidirectional protection against electrical overstress is provided. The semiconductor die includes a first pad, a second pad, a forward protection silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) electrically connected between the first pad and the second pad and configured to activate in response to electrical overstress that increases a voltage of the first pad relative to a voltage of the second pad, and a reverse protection SCR electrically connected in parallel with the forward protection SCR between the first pad and the second pad and configured to activate in response to electrical overstress that decreases the voltage of the first pad relative to the voltage of the second pad.

An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.

An electrical wiring device having a solid-state switch element positioned between the fault detection switch element and the solenoid coil to prevent the solenoid coil from being energized when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The solid-state switch element may have a gate that receives a gate signal that turns the solid-state switch element on when the circuit interrupter is in the reset state and does not receive the gate signal so that the second switch element is turned off when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The gate may be connected to the line terminals and to ground by a mechanical switch responsive to the circuit interrupter state or by another solid-state switch driven by a processor that is programmed to detect whether the circuit interrupter is in the reset state or the tripped state.

An electrical wiring device having a solid-state switch element positioned between the fault detection switch element and the solenoid coil to prevent the solenoid coil from being energized when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The solid-state switch element may have a gate that receives a gate signal that turns the solid-state switch element on when the circuit interrupter is in the reset state and does not receive the gate signal so that the second switch element is turned off when the circuit interrupter is in the tripped state. The gate may be connected to the line terminals and to ground by a mechanical switch responsive to the circuit interrupter state or by another solid-state switch driven by a processor that is programmed to detect whether the circuit interrupter is in the reset state or the tripped state.

An output device outputs a current through a semiconductor switch. With regard to the semiconductor switch, a resistance value between a current receiving terminal for receiving a current and a current output terminal for outputting a current decreases as the voltage at a control terminal rises. A first diode is disposed in a first path extending from the current receiving terminal to the control terminal. The voltage at the current receiving terminal is applied to the control terminal of the semiconductor switch via the first diode. A booster circuit is disposed in a second path extending from the current receiving terminal to the control terminal. The booster circuit boosts the voltage that is received from the current receiving terminal, and applies the boosted voltage to the control terminal.

An electrical receptacle contains a plug outlet that has a pair of contacts for electrical connection to respective hot and neutral power lines. A controlled switch, such as a TRIAC, is connected in series relationship between the outlet contact and the hot power line. Sensors in the receptacle outputs signals to a processor having an output coupled to the control terminal of the controlled switch. The processor outputs an activation signal or a deactivation signal to the controlled switch in response to received sensor signals that are indicative of conditions relative to the first and second contacts.

The present disclosure relates to a battery module (300) comprising a first charging terminal (203) and a second charging terminal (204) for connecting the battery module to an external power source (250) or a load (350). The battery module includes a battery cell arrangement (210) which has a maximum charge voltage and has a first terminal (201) and a second terminal (202). The first terminal (201) is connected to the first charging terminal (203). The battery module includes also a switch arrangement including at least a first switching device (240) connected between the second terminal (202) of the battery cell arrangement and the second charging terminal (204). The first switching device is operable to switch to a current passing state for discharging the battery module. The battery module also includes a controller (220) configured to control operation of the switch arrangement. Upon detection of a reverse polarity connection of the external power source at the first and second charging terminals, the controller is configured to operate the first switching device to switch to a current blocking state. The first switching device has a blocking voltage equal or higher than at least twice the maximum charge voltage of the battery cell arrangement.