Patent ID: 7535129

Claim:
An automatic transfer switch comprising: a first voltage input adapted for connection to a first associated voltage source; a second voltage input adapted for connection to a second associated voltage source; a first magnetically latched relay having an opened state and a closed state, wherein said first magnetically latched relay is magnetically latched in either its opened or closed state by a first permanent magnet without a holding current supplied to said first magnetically latched relay; a second magnetically latched relay having an opened state and a closed state, wherein said second magnetically latched relay is magnetically latched either its opened or closed state by a second permanent magnet without a holding current supplied to said second magnetically latched relay, wherein said second magnetically latched relay is in its opened state when said first magnetically latched relay is in its closed state, and wherein said second magnetically latched relay is in its closed state when said first magnetically latched relay is in its opened state; first and second voltage outputs adapted for connection to an associated load, said first voltage output selectively connected to said first voltage input via said first magnetically latched relay when said first magnetically latched relay is in its closed state, and said second voltage output selectively connected to said second voltage input via said second magnetically latched relay when said second magnetically latched relay is in its closed state; and, a voltage sensing and control logic circuit that monitors said first and second voltage inputs and that selectively and temporarily energizes said first and second magnetically latched relays, wherein one of said first and second magnetically latched relays changes from its opened state to its closed state and the other of said first and second magnetically latched relays changes from its closed state to its opened state when said first and second magnetically latched relays are selectively and temporarily energized by said voltage sensing and control logic circuit.