A hybrid circuit configuration, particularly a protection circuit configuration, includes: at least one first external conductor segment; a first mechanical bypass switch in the first external conductor segment; a first semiconductor switch configuration connected in parallel to the first bypass switch; a first electronic control unit for activating the first semiconductor switch configuration; and a bypass switch activation unit, to which bypass switch activation unit at least one field coil of the bypass switch is connected. At least one control terminal of the bypass switch activation unit is connected to the first electronic control unit. The electronic control unit and/or the bypass switch activation unit controls the at least one field coil of the bypass switch in a preconfigured way either with at least one first electric current or one second electric current, the one second electric current being greater than the at least one first electric current.

A composite sheet metal component for an automobile comprises an inner metal sheet, an outer metal sheet and an intermediate polymer sheet arranged between the inner and the outer metal sheet. The intermediate polymer sheet comprises a semiconductor device and the outer metal sheet comprises at least one functional area.

A switching device for conducting and interrupting electric currents, has a first mechanical contact assembly, a semiconductor switch, which is connected in parallel with the first mechanical contact assembly; a second mechanical contact assembly, which is connected in series with the first mechanical contact assembly; an auxiliary coil, which is galvanically isolated from the circuit of a switching drive for moving contacts of the first and second mechanical contact assemblies and is electromagnetically coupled to a coil of the switching drive in such a way that a voltage is produced in the auxiliary coil when the voltage supply of the switching drive is switched off; and switching electronics, which are designed to switch the semiconductor switch on and off and which are supplied by the voltage produced in the auxiliary coil when the voltage supply of the switching drive is switched off.

A method of and apparatus for protecting a MEMS switch is provided. The method and apparatus improve the integrity of MEMS switches by reducing their vulnerability to current flow through them during switching of the MEMS switch between on and off or vice versa. The protection circuit provides for a parallel path, known as a shunt, around the MEMS component. However, components within the shunt circuit can themselves be removed from the shunt when they are not required. This improves the electrical performance of the shunt when the switch is supposed to be in an off state.

Provided is a high-voltage direct current (DC) circuit breaker which interrupts a fault current flowing in a power transmission or power distribution DC line when a fault occurs in the DC line. The high-voltage DC circuit breaker includes: a main switch, installed in the DC line, for interrupting a current in the DC line by being opened when a fault occurs in one side or the other side of the DC line; a nonlinear resistor, connected in parallel to the main switch, for consuming overvoltage; and an LC circuit connected in parallel to the main switch and comprising a capacitor and an inductor that are connected to each other in series to generate LC resonance.

The present invention relates to a high-voltage direct current (DC) circuit breaker for cutting off a fault current from flowing through a line during a malfunction in a high-voltage DC line. A DC circuit breaker according to the present invention comprises: a mechanical switch disposed on a DC line; an L/C circuit connected in parallel with the mechanical switch (110), and comprising a capacitor and a reactor connected in series to each other to generate LC resonance; a first semiconductor switch, connected in parallel to the L/C circuit, for switching the unidirectional flow of the current; and a second semiconductor switch, connected in parallel to the first semiconductor switch, for switching the uni- and reverse-directional flow of current.

Some embodiments are directed to a hybridization system) for an electric device having two terminals and two states including a closed state allowing an electric current to circulate between the two terminals and an open state blocking the circulation of the electric current between the terminals, the device being suitable for an electric arc to be generated during the switching from the closed state to the open state. The hybridization system includes: two conductors connected to the two terminals of the electric device; a timer switch having two terminals connected to the two conductors and said the timer switch being suitable for being in the open state by default and, after a first predetermined duration following the triggering of the electric arc, switching to the closed state for a second predetermined duration, and an electric power supply of the timer switch, connected to the two conductors in order to derive its power only from the electric energy provided by the electric arc.

A two terminal arc suppressor for protecting switch, relay or contactor contacts and the like comprises a two terminal module adapted to be attached in parallel with the contacts to be protected and including a circuit for deriving an operating voltage upon the transitioning of the switch, relay or contactor contacts from a closed to an open disposition, the power being rectified and the resulting DC signal used to trigger a power triac switch via an optoisolator circuit whereby arc suppression pulses are generated for short predetermined intervals only at a transition of the mechanical switch, relay or contactor contacts from an closed to an open transition and, again, at an open to a close transition during contact bounce conditions.

Provided is a DC current breaker having a high-speed breaking function appropriate to a voltage-type converter and a DC current breaking method. In addition, provided is a DC current breaker and a DC current breaking method capable of reducing cost of the breaker and securing economical competiveness by using a relatively simple configuration. The DC current breaker for breaking a DC current at the time of occurrence of an accident includes: a main conduction unit including three high-speed mechanical switches installed to be connected in series to a main conduction path for conducting a normal-operation-state current; a power semiconductor switch installed to be connected in parallel to one high-speed mechanical switch among the high-speed mechanical switches installed in the main conduction unit for current breaking of the main conduction unit; a capacitor installed on a circuit connected in parallel to the main conduction path; and a surge arrester installed to be connected in parallel to the capacitor connected in parallel to the main conduction path. The DC current breaking method uses the DC current breaker.

A fault current limiter, including: two inductors, a direct current circuit breaker, a shunt resistor, a first fixed resistor, and metal oxide arresters. The two inductors include wound superconducting wires. The inductors have identical number of windings and identical structure. Magnetic fluxes of the inductors are forward coupled, and the inductors are connected in parallel to form a superconducting inductor structure. The direct current circuit breaker and the superconducting inductor structure are connected in series to form a series branch. The shunt resistor is connected in parallel to the series branch. The first fixed resistor is connected in parallel to the direct current circuit breaker. The metal oxide arresters are two in number, and are connected to two ends of the inductors in parallel.