Patent ID: 7075765

Claim:
A safety circuit for current limiting in a supply line to a current load ( 31 ), comprising: a first series branch ( 2 , 3 ) galvanically connecting a first input point ( 4 , 6 ) to a first output point ( 5 , 7 ), and a second series branch ( 2 , 3 ) galvanically connecting a second input point ( 4 , 6 ) to a second output point ( 5 , 7 ); a current limiting resistor ( 8 ) in at least one of the first and second series branches ( 2 , 3 ); a current measurement device ( 9 ) connected to detect a current in at least one of the series branches ( 2 , 3 ), the current measurement device having at least one signal output ( 15 ); a shunt device ( 10 ) attached to a side of the current limiting resistor ( 8 ) adjacent to the input point ( 4 , 6 ) and having a control input ( 25 ) attached to the signal output ( 15 ) of the current measurement device ( 9 ), the shunt device being connected for shunting current between said first and second series branches ( 2 , 3 ); and a non-linear element ( 11 ) disposed between one of the input points ( 4 , 6 ) and the shunt device ( 10 ) and having low resistance below a current limiting value and a high resistance when the current limiting value is exceeded.