Patent ID: 7486496

Claim:
A method for operating an electromagnetic operating mechanism including a magnet yoke, a permanent magnet, an armature, and electromagnetic coil device, a control circuit including a microcontroller, the electromagnetic operating mechanism having: a permanent-magnet assisted electromagnetic pull-in mode provided against a retaining force upon application of a control voltage to the control circuit; a subsequent, permanent-magnetic holding mode provided while the control voltage remains applied; and a drop-out mode provided electromagnetically against the permanent-magnetic holding force and assisted by the retaining force, a capacitive charge storage device charged during the pull- in and holding modes being discharged upon removal of the control voltage so as to cause the drop-out mode; the method comprising the following steps: A) upon application of the control voltage, resetting and initializing the control circuit and starting a charging of the charge storage device; B) subsequently sequentially briefly energizing an auxiliary tripping coil and a main tripping coil, and, if no current flow occurs through at least one of the auxiliary and main tripping coils, permanently disconnecting the control voltage; C) if a current flow occurs through each of the tripping coils, energizing a closing coil so as to move the armature to an attracted position, and subsequently de-energizing the closing coil; D) subsequently sequentially briefly energizing the auxiliary tripping coil and the main tripping coil without affecting the armature, and if no current flow occurs through the auxiliary tripping coil, discharging the charge storage device through the main tripping coil so as to move the armature to a dropped-out position, if no current flow occurs through the main tripping coil, energizing the auxiliary tripping coil so as to move the armature to the dropped-out position, and then permanently disconnecting the control voltage; E) if a current flow occurs through each of the tripping coils, re-starting step D; and F) upon removal of the control voltage, discharging the charge storage device through the main tripping coil so as to move the armature to the dropped-out position.