A method of detecting welded contacts in a relay. The method includes performing, at a first point in time, the applying of a drive to the activation coil to conduct a coil current through the activation coil, the coil current increasing to a first current level, the first current level being less than a pull-in current of the relay; responsive to the coil current reaching the first current level, turning off the drive to the activation coil to discharge the coil current at a first clamping voltage; and measuring a first discharge time corresponding to a first inductance from the turning off of the drive to the activation coil to the coil current reaching a second current level, the second current level being less than the first current level. These operations are repeated at a second point in time to obtain a second inductance. Comparison of the first inductance and second inductance determines whether a difference between the first and second inductances exceeds a comparison criterion.

An electromagnetic double-armature relay with an excitation coil comprises a first yoke and a second yoke, which are arranged on the excitation coil. The first leg of the first yoke serves as a support for a first armature and the first leg of the second yoke serves as a support for a second armature. The double-armature relay has a first comb which cooperates with the first armature, and a second comb cooperates with the second armature. In addition, the double-armature relay has at least two contact bridges, each of which is detachably arranged with a first end in the first comb and the second end in the second comb and comprises two contact rivets oriented in opposite directions, and fixed contacts which are arranged opposite the contact rivets of the contact bridge. The arrangement of the two yokes and armatures are such that the two combs perform opposing translational movements.

The disclosure relates to an electromagnetic switch, comprising: an armature; a slider configured to manually move to actuate the armature; and a deformable force transfer element positioned between the slider and the armature, wherein the slider is configured to be pressed against the deformable force transfer element to actuate the armature with a press force, and wherein the deformable force transfer element is configured to deform when a press force threshold value is exceeded to limit a transferable force from the slider onto the armature.

A control device for a movable contact relative to a fixed contact of a vacuum bottle of an electrical switching device. The control device includes a principal mechanism for disconnection and connection of the contacts, of the mechanical energy accumulation type. The control device further includes an auxiliary disconnection-assistance mechanism arranged such as to accumulate mechanical energy when the movable contact is moved towards the connection position and such as to restore the mechanical energy thus accumulated in such a manner as to exert an additional disconnection force in the form of an impact tending to move the movable contact from the connection position towards the disconnection position when the movable contact is immobilized in the connection position despite the action of the principal disconnection force.

A power distribution system for a vehicle includes contactors that selectively electrically couple a charger to a high-voltage bus. The contactors are closed at the start of a charge event in an order that alternates for successive charge events. Upon completion of the charge event, the last closed contactor at the start of the charge event is opened first and a weld check is performed. If the weld check is indicative of a welded contactor, then the weld check is performed on the other contactor.

A battery pack includes a main switch configured to electrically connect a battery module and a load, a power supply configured to supply driving power to the main switch, and a power blocking device configured to block the driving power based on a current flowing between the battery module and the load.

A method for separating welded contacts in a magnetically actuated switch assembly that includes providing multiple actuator hammer blows to the contacts. The method includes causing the contacts to close using, for example, a manual actuation device and detecting a high current condition that occurs when the contacts are closed. The method further includes electrically actuating the actuator to open the contacts in response to detecting the high current condition and determining that the contacts have not opened in response to the actuator being actuated because they are welded together. The method also includes electrically actuating the actuator to close the contacts when it is determined that they are welded together and again electrically actuating the actuator to open the contacts.

A double-contact switch includes: a first and second tubular vacuum switching chamber formed as partial switching chambers of a switching tube; an electrode fixed in the switching tube and arranged between the first and second vacuum switching chambers and having a first fixed contact projecting into the first vacuum switching chamber and a second fixed contact projecting into the second vacuum switching chamber; a first electrode arranged in the first vacuum switching chamber and movable within the first vacuum switching chamber in an axial direction thereof, the first electrode having a region which bears a contact and is closed off in a gastight manner relative to an exterior of the first vacuum switching chamber; a second electrode arranged in the second vacuum switching chamber and movable within the second vacuum switching chamber in an axial direction thereof, the second electrode having a region which bears a contact.

A diagnosis device diagnoses current cutoff devices connected in parallel and disposed on an energization path to an energy storage device mounted on a vehicle. The diagnosis device performs switch processing of switching one of the current cutoff devices to be diagnosed from an opened state to a closed state or from the closed state to the opened state and closing the other current cutoff device while an engine of the vehicle is stopped. The diagnosis device detects end-to-end voltage of the current cutoff device when current larger than a threshold flows through the current cutoff device after the switch processing, and diagnoses the current cutoff device based on the detected end-to-end voltage.

An electromagnetic double-armature relay with an excitation coil comprises a first yoke and a second yoke, which are arranged on the excitation coil. The first leg of the first yoke serves as a support for a first armature and the first leg of the second yoke serves as a support for a second armature. The double-armature relay has a first comb which cooperates with the first armature, and a second comb cooperates with the second armature. In addition, the double-armature relay has at least two contact bridges, each of which is detachably arranged with a first end in the first comb and the second end in the second comb and comprises two contact rivets oriented in opposite directions, and fixed contacts which are arranged opposite the contact rivets of the contact bridge. The arrangement of the two yokes and armatures are such that the two combs perform opposing translational movements.