Patent ID: 8797128

Claim:
A fast-switching high or medium voltage switch comprising: a first and a second terminal; a first and a second set of plural contact elements arranged between the first and the second terminal, each contact element of the first and second set including an insulating carrier having at least one conducting element; and a first drive connected to said first set of contact elements configured to mutually displace each contact element of the first set along a displacement direction between a first mutual position and a second mutual position, wherein in the first mutual the at least one conducting element of each contact element of the first set forms a conducting path with the at least one conducting element of an adjacent contact element of the second set, the conducting path being formed in a first axial direction between said first and said second terminals, where said first axial direction is transversal to said displacement direction, wherein in the second mutual position the at least one conducting element of each contact element of the first and second sets are mutually displaced from one another and do not form said conducting path, wherein the switch includes a second drive connected to said second set of contact elements, and wherein said first and second drives are configured to simultaneously move said first and second set, respectively, in opposite directions.