Patent ID: 9666977
Date: 2017-05-30
CPC Classifications: H01F,H01R

Claim:
1. A direct current (DC) socket for reducing DC arcing, the DC socket comprising: a receptacle configured to receive one or more prongs of a DC plug of an electrical device, wherein the receptacle includes one or more supply terminals to supply a DC power from a DC power source to the electrical device via the DC plug, wherein each of the supply terminals is configured to contact a corresponding prong of the DC plug within a contact region of the receptacle while the DC plug is connected to the DC socket; and an electromagnet positioned in the receptacle and configured to produce a magnetic field within the contact region of the receptacle to reduce a DC arc generated between the supply terminals and the prongs in response to disconnection of the DC plug from the DC socket, the electromagnet comprising a core made of a ferromagnetic material and one or more coils positioned on the core configured to generate the magnetic field in response to a coil current; wherein the core includes a base having a first end and a second end, a first column extending from the first end of the base, a second column extending from the second end of the base parallel to the first column; and a central column extending from the base parallel to the first column and the second column and positioned between the first column and the second column, wherein the first column and the central column define a first gap therebetween and the second column and the central column define a second gap therebetween.