Patent ID: 6906605

Claim:
An electromagnet system for a switch, comprising: a main magnetic circuit including a magnet yoke and a magnet armature, the magnet armature being acted upon by a restoring device and being mechanically linked to a contact apparatus of the switch; at least one permanent magnet disposed in the main magnetic circuit and configured to generate a holding force for the magnet armature; a shunt circuit including a plurality of pole legs and a yoke arc of the magnet yoke, the yoke arc facing away from pole faces of the magnet yoke and being interrupted by a remanence air gap, the magnet armature being capable of contacting the pole legs so as to close the main circuit, the shunt circuit being parallel with the main magnetic circuit so that the permanent magnet is a magnetic energy source for the shunt circuit; a circuit system configured to electrically trigger the electromagnet system and to be operated in a stand-by mode when the magnet armature contacts the pole legs; and at least one excitation winding respectively associated with at least one of the pole legs, an electromagnetic force of the at least one excitation winding being configured to generate a pull-in force for the magnet armature; wherein the electromagnet system is magnetically dimensioned such that a minimum magnetomotive force of the at least one excitation winding delivered by an energy accumulator to force a magnetic power of the permanent magnet into the shunt circuit is sufficient for opening the electromagnet system.