Patent ID: 9502195
Filing Date: 2016-11-22
CPC Classification: H01H

Claim Text:
1. A switching device, comprising: a contact system having a movable contact being movable along a movement direction and a stationary contact; an arc quenching device having a configuration for generating a magnetic field in a plane perpendicular to said movement direction and an electrode configuration having a first electrode being conductively connected to said movable contact and a second electrode being conductively connected to said stationary contact; said first electrode and said second electrode being disposed for forming an electric field between said first electrode and said second electrode perpendicular to said movement direction and perpendicular to said magnetic field; said contacts of said contact system being separated in an event of a short-circuit current and forming an arc having electrically conductive charged plasma particles; the magnetic field generating the electric field and causing a movement of the plasma particles of the arc toward said electrodes; and the movement of the plasma particles in the magnetic field creating an electric field generating a countercurrent formed counter to an externally applied voltage and counteracting an arc voltage and causing or supporting arc quenching.