Method and device for controlling an electrical or electronic switching element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10298218-B2
Application number	US-201615361384-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2016
Priority date	Nov 27, 2015
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for controlling an electrical or electronic switching element that can be activated by an electrical signal, wherein a PWM signal can be produced by a PWM module for controlling the switching element and which can be modulated as a function of the supply voltage and/or of an ambient temperature on the electromechanical or electronic switch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling an electrical or electronic switching element that is activated by an electrical signal, which method comprises the steps:
applying a supply voltage on a PWM module,
measuring the supply voltage with a voltage measuring device and/or an ambient temperature on the switching element with a temperature measuring device,
producing a PWM signal with the PWM module for controlling the switching element,
wherein the PWM signal is modulated by a function of a switching state of the electrical or electronic switching element and by at least one function selected from a group consisting of a function of the supply voltage and a function of the ambient temperature; and
wherein the PWM signal is supplied via a transformer to the switching element.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of modulation of the PWM signal is modulated by a function selected from a group consisting of a function of the supply voltage, a function of the ambient temperature, a linear function following a predetermined algorithm, and a constant function of discrete values.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of modulation is selected from a table with predetermined values of the degree of modulation which are associated with a datum selected from a group consisting of predetermined values of the supply voltage and the ambient temperature.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of modulation is controlled as a function of the supply voltage, such that upon an increase of the supply voltage the degree of modulation is lowered.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of modulation is controlled as a function of the supply voltage, such that upon a decrease of the supply voltage the degree of modulation is increased.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of modulation is controlled as a function of the ambient temperature, such that upon an increase of the ambient temperature the degree of modulation is lowered.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the degree of modulation is controlled as a function of the ambient temperature, such that upon a decrease of the ambient temperature the degree of modulation is increased.

8. A device for controlling an electrical or electronic switching element which is activated by an electrical signal, especially for carrying out a method according to claim 1 , which device comprises:
a PWM module for generating a PWM signal for controlling the switching element, wherein a supply voltage is applied on the PWM module and
a voltage measuring device for measuring the supply voltage on the PWM module and/or
a temperature measuring device for measuring the ambient temperature on the switching element,
wherein the PWM signal is modulated by a function of the switching state of the switching element and by at least one function selected from a group consisting of a function of the supply voltage and a function of an ambient temperature; and
wherein the PWM signal is supplied via a transformer to the switching element.

9. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising a control unit for generating a control signal which is a function of a datum selected from a group consisting of the supply voltage and the ambient temperature, wherein the control signal is supplied to the PWM module.

10. The device according to claim 8 , further comprising one of an end amplifier stage for amplifying the PWM signal and an unregulated mains part for generating the supply voltage and for supplying the PWM module and the control unit.

11. The device according to claim 10 , wherein the PWM module comprises the end amplifier stage.

12. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is supplied by a regulated mains part.

Assignees

• Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Heuer Lutz
• Hansmeier Stephan
• Schulz Bernd
• Plewka Dirk

Classifications

• H03K7/08 Primary

  Duration or width modulation {; Duty cycle modulation} · CPC title

• H02J4/00

  Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36) · CPC title

• H03K17/18

  Modifications for indicating state of switch · CPC title

• H03K17/14

  Modifications for compensating variations of physical values, e.g. of temperature · CPC title