Patent ID: 7342754

Claim:
A device for preventing arcing between contacts of a switching device as the contacts of the switching device are opened, the switching device including a coil for controlling the opening of the contacts, the device comprising: a coil suppression circuit connected in parallel with the coil, the coil suppression circuit dissipating the energy stored in the coil in response to the de-energizing of the coil and including: a first zener diode having a cathode connected to the coil and an anode; and a second zener diode having a cathode operatively connected to the anode of the first zener diode and an anode; a driver having an input operatively connected to the anode of the first zener diode and an output; and a first solid state switch having a gate operatively connected to the output of the driver and being connected in parallel with the contacts, the first solid state switch movable between an open position preventing the flow of current therethrough and a closed; wherein: current flow to the driver is prevented in response to energization of the coil; the first zener diode providing a reference voltage generated by the de-energization of the coil; and the driver closes the first solid state switch in response to the reference voltage across the first zener diode.