An overcurrent tripping device includes a tripping conductor connected to the main circuit; a fixed core inside which the tripping conductor penetrates and which is excited by current flowing through the tripping conductor; a movable core which is arranged to be opposed to the fixed core with a magnetic gap therebetween, and which forms a magnetic circuit in cooperation with the fixed core, and moves by being attracted by the fixed core when overcurrent flows through the tripping conductor; and a shaft fixed to the movable core to guide the movement of the movable core, and linked to the tripping mechanism of the circuit breaker, wherein the fixed core has a narrow gap formed in such a direction as to cross the magnetic circuit, so that magnetic saturation is suppressed by the narrow gap.

A solid-state circuit breaker comprises a breaker housing and an air gap driving mechanism that is a permanent magnet based. The air gap driving mechanism includes a pair of opposing contacts, a first permanent magnet to generate a static magnetic field and a coil actuator to generate a dynamic magnetic field. The first permanent magnet and the coil actuator are positioned relative to each other such that the dynamic magnetic field generated by the coil actuator can either enhance or cancel the static magnetic field of the first permanent magnet. Hence a combination of the static magnetic field from the first permanent magnet and the dynamic magnetic field from the coil actuator can either drive the pair of opposing contacts open or drive the pair of opposing contacts close.

A switch system includes a mechanical switch for switching electrical currents, the mechanical switch operating in one of a closed state and an open state; the system further including an actuator configured to change the state of the mechanical switch, wherein the actuator comprises a Thomson-coil system including a Thomson coil, and wherein the mechanical switch and the Thomson coil are electrically connected in series.

A switch system includes a mechanical switch for electrical currents. The mechanical switch operates in a conductive state and in a non-conductive state. A first actuator is configured to change the state of the mechanical switch, wherein an actuation of the first actuator is based on a Thomson coil system. A second actuator is also configured to change the state of the mechanical switch and includes a loaded spring system locked by a latch system. Each of the first and second actuators is configured to change the state of the mechanical switch depending on a property of an electrical current passing through the mechanical switch.

A downsized current sensor with a switch function is disclosed. The current sensor includes: a magnetic circuit to converge a magnetic flux generated from an electric circuit at a magnetic sensor; a switch to open and close the electric circuit in a way that operates together with a movable magnetic body configuring a part of the magnetic circuit; and a magnetizing coil to generate magnetic force enabling the movable magnetic body to be attracted to a fixed magnetic body configuring a part of the magnetic circuit.

An exemplary mechanically operated switching device includes at least one movable contact and an operating mechanism for coupling/separating the movable contact to/from a corresponding fixed contact. The operating mechanism includes first elastic mechanism for, upon release, providing the energy to separate the movable and fixed contacts. At least one shunt release having: a member movable between first and second stable positions, wherein movement from the first stable position to the second stable position releases the first elastic mechanism; at least a permanent magnet generating a force for holding the movable member in the first stable position, wherein the movable member held in the first stable position compresses a second elastic mechanism; and at least one electrical winding associated with the movable member and the electronic mechanism, which is configured to electrically drive the winding to generate a magnetic force that releases of the compressed second elastic mechanism.

An electromagnetic actuator including a magnetic housing, a coil that is rigidly connected to the housing and is capable of being connected to an electric circuit, a magnetic core that is arranged in the coil and can move along a central axis defined by the coil and according to the strength or the current flowing in the coil, and a shunt that is arranged in the coil and includes a magnetocaloric material the magnetisation of which is temperature-dependent. The shunt is arranged is the coil along the central axis along a length so as to create an air gap between the shunt and the magnetic core. The actuator further includes a device for attaching the shunt to the housing that are designed to adjust said the length.

Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method to assist a user in interacting with an electronic relay for electric power distribution grids. The method provides for identifying light signals emitted by one or more user-interface components of the user-interface panel of the electronic relay by processing images of said user-interface panel, which have been captured by the camera of a mobile computerized device. The method further provides for showing information, which describes the identified light signals emitted by said user-interface components on the display of said mobile computerized device.

An overcurrent protection device for a circuit to be monitored, includes at least one trigger unit, which is configured for an interruption of the circuit in at least one trigger situation and which comprises at least one conductor section, which is configured for a conduction of a current to be monitored, at least one trigger element, which comprises at least one magnetically and thermally shape-shiftable material and is, in the trigger situation, configured for a thermally-induced and/or magnetically-induced deformation in dependence on a current that flows through the conductor section, and at least one actuation element, which is operatively connected with the trigger element and is configured for a transmission of at least one actuation movement and/or at least one actuation force to at least one interrupter switch.

A contactor includes a fixed iron core, a movable iron core, an operation coil, a first crossbar, a tripping spring, and a second crossbar. The contactor includes a push spring to push a movable contact toward a fixed contact, a trip coil connected to the fixed contact, and a plunger that is operated by an electromagnetic force generated in the trip coil when a current of a predetermined value or higher flows through the trip coil. The contactor includes an opening lever to push the second crossbar in a direction away from the first crossbar in conjunction with the operation of the plunger.