1. A direct current voltage converter for converting an input voltage into an output voltage comprising:
a unit for preparing a reference voltage having a ground terminal which is connected with a first common fixed potential,
a regulator for regulating the output voltage to a predetermined fraction of the reference voltage, wherein a first voltage, that is derived from the output voltage, is applied to a first input of the regulator, a second voltage, that is derived from the reference voltage is applied to a second input of the regulator, and a control voltage may be tapped at an output of the regulator,
a pulse width modulator for comparing the control voltage with an alternating voltage,
a voltage-controlled pole-changing switch comprising two inputs and an output for connecting one of the two inputs with the output, the input voltage being applied to one of the two inputs and a second common fixed potential being applied to the other of the inputs and a control terminal of the voltage-controlled pole-changing switch may be supplied by the pulse width modulator,
a storage choke, the input of which is connected with the output of the voltage-controlled pole-changing switch, and the output voltage may be tapped at the output thereof,
a smoothing capacitor, the first terminal of which is connected with the output of the storage choke and the second terminal thereof being connected with a third common fixed potential,
a reference potential, to which the first voltage and the second voltage drop, is connected through an insulated line with the second terminal of the smoothing capacitor, and
a low pass filter connected between the unit for preparing the reference voltage and the second input of the regulator, the low pass filter having a capacitor, one terminal of which is connected via the insulated line with the second terminal of the smoothing capacitor.
2. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the other terminal of the capacitor is coupled with the low pass filter at the second input of the regulator, and
the low pass filter comprises a resistor, which is connected between the unit for preparing the reference voltage and the second input of the regulator, and a further capacitor which is connected between the unit for preparing the reference voltage and the first common fixed potential.
3. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein a voltage divider, one input of which is connected with the output of the storage choke and the other input of which is connected with the second terminal of the smoothing capacitor, provides the first voltage to the first input of the regulator.
4. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 3, wherein at least one of the devices from the group consisting of the regulator, the low pass filter and the voltage divider, are monolithically integrated on one common substrate, the common substrate having a ground terminal and which may be connected by the insulated line with the second terminal of the smoothing capacitor.
5. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the voltage-controlled pole-changing switch includes an MOS transistor, the drain-source space of which is supplied by the input voltage and which is an n-channel MOS transistor, and a diode, which is coupled with the second common fixed potential.
6. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one of the devices from the group consisting of the regulator, and the low pass filter, are monolithically integrated on one common substrate, the common substrate having a ground terminal and which may be connected by the insulated line with the second terminal of the smoothing capacitor.
7. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 6, wherein an MOS driver is connected between the pulse width modulator and the MOS transistor.
8. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 6, wherein the common substrate may be connected with an external common fixed potential exclusively via a ground connection.
9. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein
the pulse width modulator comprises a comparator and a generator for generating a saw-tooth voltage, the saw-tooth voltage being applied to the first input of the comparator and the control voltage being applied to the second input of the comparator.
10. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 9, wherein at least one of the devices from the group consisting of the regulator, the comparator, and the low pass filter, are monolithically integrated on one common substrate, the common substrate having a ground terminal and which may be connected by the insulated line with the second terminal of the smoothing capacitor.
11. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the unit for preparing the reference voltage is a bandgap reference circuit.
12. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the regulator has an operation amplifier, which is connected in particular as a proportional integral regulator.
13. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 1, wherein the third common fixed potential is ground.
14. The direct current voltage converter in accordance with claim 13, wherein furthermore noise-sensitive components are integrated on a common substrate, the reference potentials of which components are connected with the ground terminal of the common substrate.
15. A method for converting an input voltage into an output voltage comprising the steps of:
preparing a reference voltage in relation to a first common potential,
regulating the output voltage to a predetermined fraction of the reference voltage, wherein a first voltage is derived from the output voltage and a second voltage is derived from the reference voltage; and a control voltage is derived from the first and second voltage,
comparing the control voltage with an alternating voltage,
connecting the input voltage or a second common fixed potential with a first output depending on the comparison of the control voltage,
coupling the first output through a storage choke and a smoothing capacitor with a third common fixed potential wherein the output voltage is accessible at the coupling of the choke and the capacitor, and
low pass filtering the reference voltage in relation to the third common fixed potential to generate the second voltage, wherein the control voltage is generated in relation to the third common fixed potential.
16. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the step of comparing includes the step of generating a saw-tooth voltage as the alternating voltage.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Electrical contactor, comprising: a housing; at least two fixed main contacts and one main contact bridge; at least two fixed secondary contacts and one secondary contact bridge, wherein the main contacts, the secondary contacts and the contact bridges are arranged in the housing; an armature provided for actuating the main contact bridge and secondary contact bridge, wherein, in a first switch position, both the main contacts and the secondary contacts are open and the armature is located in an initial position, in a second switch position, the secondary contacts are closed and the main contacts are open and the armature is in an intermediate position, and, in a third switch position, both the secondary contacts and the main contacts are closed and the armature is in an end position; at least one coil to which current can be provided in order to electromagnetically drive the armature, wherein the magnetic force acting on the armature due to the magnetic field produced by the coil effectuates the drive of the armature; a coil yoke, which forms a magnetic yoke; and means for restoring the armature to the initial position, wherein a restoring force acting on the armature through the means is directed opposite the magnetic force produced by the magnetic field, and is also greater in the end position of the armature than in the intermediate position, characterized in that a precharging coil and a pick-up coil to which current can be provided in addition to or independently of the precharging coil are provided for the electromagnetic drive of the armature, wherein the coil yoke is arranged in such a way that the magnetic force acting on the armature due to the magnetic field produced by the precharging coil is greater in the end position of the armature than in the intermediate position when equal current is provided to the precharging coil, wherein said magnetic force corresponds to the restoring force in the intermediate position of the armature and is greater than the restoring force in the end position of the armature, and wherein the precharging coil is provided in order to move the armature from the initial position to the intermediate position and to retain the armature in the end position, and furthermore the pick-up coil is provided in order to move the armature from the intermediate position to the end position.
2. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the pick-up coil is switched on in addition to the precharging coil to drive the armature from the intermediate position to the end position.
3. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the precharging coil and the pick-up coil are arranged concentrically to one another and enclose at least a part of the armature.
4. Contactor according to claim 3, characterized in that the precharging and the pick-up coil are wound around one another, wherein the pick-up coil represents the outer winding.
5. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the ohmic resistance of the pick-up coil is less than the ohmic resistance of the precharging coil.
6. Contactor according to claim 5, characterized in that the pick-up coil is wound from a wire that is thicker than that of the precharging coil.
7. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for restoring the armature into the initial position comprises a first spring, which is arranged between a first spring stop of the armature and a second spring stop connected with the housing and exerts a restoring force in each position of the armature between the initial position and the end position on the armature.
8. Contactor according to claim 7, characterized in that the means further comprises a second spring, which is shorter than the first spring and is likewise arranged between the first spring stop and the second spring stop, wherein, when the armature is located between the initial position and a position close to the intermediate position, the second spring does not exert any force on the armature, and wherein a restoring force is exerted on the armature by the second spring when the armature is located between this position close to the intermediate position and the end position.
9. Contactor according to claim 8, characterized in that the second spring is harder than the first spring.
10. Contactor according to claim 1, characterised in that the first spring and the second spring are designed as spiral springs and are arranged concentrically to one another.
11. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that additional electrical resistors are linked with connectors of the secondary contacts in order to limit the intensity of current in an electrical circuit closed by the secondary contacts.
12. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that there is also an electronic system for turning on and turning off the precharging coil and pick-up coil, and for measuring and monitoring a current flowing through the secondary contacts.
13. Contactor according to claim 12, characterized in that the pick-up coil, if the intensity of current measured by the electronic system upon the switch-on procedure in the second switch position falls below a first threshold value, is switched on by the electronic system in addition to the precharging coil for a certain period of time, such that the armature moves from the intermediate position to the end position, wherein the precharging coil, if the intensity of current measured by the electronic system in the second switch position exceeds a second threshold value for a certain period of time, is switched off by the electronic system, such that the armature is moved by the restoring force into the initial position.
14. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the main contacts and the secondary contacts are essentially arranged side by side in one plane, such that it is aligned in a manner perpendicular to the direction of movement of the armature.
15. Contactor according to claim 1, further comprising a contact bridge support, on which the main contact bridges and the secondary contact bridges are arranged, wherein the contact bridge support is connected with the armature.
16. Contactor according to claim 15, characterized in that the main contact bridges and the secondary contact bridges are spring loaded on the contact bridge support using contact pressure springs.
17. Contactor according to claim 16, characterized in that the contact pressure springs of the secondary contact bridges are longer than the contact pressure springs of the main contact bridges, wherein the distance between the secondary contacts and the secondary contact bridges in the first switch position is greater than the distance between the main contacts and the main contact bridges.
18. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that main contacts and secondary contacts are arranged in the area of a common arc control device.
19. Contactor of claim 18, characterized in that the arc control device comprises a control area with several arc interruption plates arranged in layers.
20. Contactor of claim 19, characterized in that the control area is filled with a protective gas.
21. Contactor according to claim 1, characterized in that the contactor is designed with two poles, and comprises four main contacts along with four secondary contacts.