FR3107987A1 - Hybrid switch and control device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device as a hybrid switch and control allowing the extinction of an electric arc and the interruption of the electric current in an electric circuit, said device comprising, on the one hand, a hybrid switch ( 1, 2) comprising an electromechanical switch (1) and, in parallel, an electronic switch (2) for assisting in the extinction of an electric arc and in the interruption of the electric current resulting from said arc, said electromechanical switch (1 ) comprising at least one electrical contact (1a) to the terminals of which is connected said electronic switch (2) and, on the other hand, an electronic control circuit (3) able to control said electronic switch (2) when said electric arc occurs and until the interruption of the electric current. The control electronic circuit (3) consists of an analog semiconductor-based control electronic circuit (3) (Q2) and is configured to detect the occurrence of an electric arc occurring at the terminals of the electrical contact (1a) and to deliver to an output (S) of said electronic control circuit (3), an output signal capable of controlling said electronic switch (2) according to a temporal sequence of extinction of the electric arc and interruption of the electric current in several phases. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 3

Description

Hybrid switch and control device

The present invention relates to the field of switches and safety protection circuits connected in an electrical circuit and capable of generating electric arcs and, more particularly, hybrid switches and their control device allowing the extinction of such an electric arc. and interrupting electrical current in said electrical circuit. It relates to a hybrid switch and control device.

It is known that hybrid switches comprise an electromechanical switch and an electronic switch. The electromechanical switch, based on electromechanical switching, comprises at least one electrical contact and makes it possible to obtain a low voltage drop across its terminals in the closed state and good galvanic insulation in the open state, but has the disadvantage to generate electric arcs when the electrical contact is opened under load. The electronic switch is exempt from electric arcs but has a much greater voltage drop in the on state and does not ensure galvanic isolation in the open state.

The main purpose of hybrid switches is to take advantage of the respective advantages of the two types of switches by compromising on their respective disadvantages.

The combination of these two switches, namely the electromechanical switch and the electronic switch, forming the hybrid switch, can be made in series or in parallel or in series and/or parallel combinations. The series combination, which can be done with or without an arc during opening under load depending on the synchronization of the opening commands, makes it possible to ensure galvanic isolation in the open state but has a high voltage drop on the outside. passing state. The parallel combination, which can be done with or without an arc when opening under load depending on the synchronization of the opening commands, has a low voltage drop in the on state but does not ensure galvanic isolation in the open state.

The electronic switch is controlled by an electronic control device and consists of an analog electronic circuit comprising a varistor in parallel with a power semiconductor such as a power transistor, generally a field effect transistor or a grid isolated. The varistor and the semiconductor are connected in parallel directly to the contact terminals of the electromechanical switch.

The electronic switch generally comprises two parallel branches, namely a first branch comprising the varistor and a second branch comprising the semiconductor. The branch of the electrical circuit of the hybrid switch comprising the electrical contact is parallel to said first and second branches of the electronic switch.

In operation, one can distinguish, among the known sequences, the temporal sequence of extinction of the electric arc and interruption of the electric current in several phases, and more particularly according to the following three successive phases:

- in a first phase, when the contact of the electromechanical switch opens, for example following the detection of an electrical fault, an electric arc appears;

– in a second phase, the semiconductor of the electronic switch is controlled to be switched to the saturated ON state and the electric current then switches completely in the second branch of the electronic switch causing the extinction of the electric arc ,

– then, in a third phase, the semiconductor is controlled to be switched to the blocked OFF state, the sudden interruption of current in the semiconductor generating an overvoltage which activates the varistor causing the electric current to switch then completely in the first branch of the electronic switch. The voltage which is established at the terminals of the varistor is sufficient to limit the electric current and achieve the extinction of the electric current.

However, whatever the sequence used, the control of the electronic switch, in particular of the power semiconductor, uses complex and digital electronics based on a microprocessor or microcontroller requiring a stable external power supply. Document US 2019/0252143 discloses such control/control electronics comprising an electronic control unit based on a microcontroller or microprocessor.

It is also known, in an alternating current application, or in an application with a bidirectional DC power supply, for example in a battery charging or producing an electric current, to incorporate a diode bridge between the varistor and the semiconductor to interrupt the current in both directions.

The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a hybrid switch and control device implementing less complex control electronics that do not require an external power supply.

To this end, the hybrid switch and control device, according to the present invention, allowing the extinction of an electric arc and the interruption of the electric current in an electric circuit, said device comprising, on the one hand, a hybrid switch comprising an electromechanical switch and, in parallel, an electronic switch for assisting in extinguishing an electric arc and interrupting the electric current resulting from said arc, said electromechanical switch comprising at least one electric contact able to be actuated in closing to allow the passage of electric current in the electric circuit and in opening to interrupt said passage, said electronic switch being configured to be able to extinguish an electric arc occurring when said electric contact is opened and then to interrupt the electric current and consisting of a analog electronic circuit based on a power semiconductor connected to the terminals of the electrical contact and, on the other hand, an electronic control circuit capable of controlling said electronic switch when said electric arc occurs and until the interruption of the electric current , is essentially characterized in that the electronic control circuit consists of an analog electronic control circuit based on a semiconductor and in that said electronic control circuit is configured to detect the appearance of an electric arc occurring at the terminals of the electrical contact and to deliver, to an output of said electronic control circuit, an output signal suitable for controlling said electronic switch according to a time sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current in several phases.

In a first embodiment of the electronic control circuit, the latter is configured to detect the appearance of the electric arc by its characteristic arc voltage by being capable of delivering, as a function of the voltage at the terminals of the electric contact , at the output of said electronic control circuit, an output signal able to control said electronic switch according to the time sequence of extinction of the electric arc and interruption of the electric current in several phases.

In a second embodiment of the electronic control circuit, the latter can be configured to detect the appearance of the electric arc by its characteristic emitted light by being capable of delivering, as a function of said emitted light, to the output of said electronic control circuit, the output signal capable of controlling said electronic switch according to the time sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current in several phases.

The invention will be better understood, thanks to the description below, which relates to at least one preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the appended diagrammatic drawings, in which:

shows the diagram of the hybrid switch and control device, according to the present invention, connected in an electrical circuit, with the electronic switch and the electronic control circuit in the form of block diagrams,

shows the electrical diagram of the hybrid switch and control device, according to the present invention, shown in Figure 1 in a preferred embodiment of the electronic switch,

shows the electrical diagram of the device, according to the present invention, represented in FIG. 2, in the first embodiment of the electronic control circuit, with a control transistor of the bipolar transistor type,

shows the electronic control circuit represented in figure 3 and dispensing with the capacitors,

shows the electronic control circuit represented in FIG. 3 in a variant with a control transistor of the field-effect transistor type,

shows the electronic control circuit represented in figure 5 in a variant freeing itself from capacitors,

shows the device, according to the present invention, shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, without the electronic control circuit 3 and in an embodiment where the electronic switch is configured to operate in a bidirectional configuration, with a diode bridge,

shows the device, according to the present invention, represented in figure 2, the electromechanical switch of which is of the disconnector circuit breaker type and further comprises a second electrical contact equipped with a displacement and arc splitting interrupting chamber and mounted in series with the first electrical contact across which the electronic switch is connected.

The figures show a hybrid switch and control device, according to the present invention, allowing the extinction of an electric arc and the interruption of the electric current in an electric circuit C.

Such a device, according to the present invention, comprises:

- on the one hand, a hybrid switch 1, 2 adapted to be connected to said electric circuit C and comprising an electromechanical switch 1 and, in parallel, an electronic switch 2 for assistance in extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current, said electromechanical switch 1 comprising at least one electric contact 1a adapted to be actuated in closing to allow the passage of electric current in the electric circuit C and in opening to interrupt said passage. The electronic switch 2 is configured to be able to extinguish an electric arc occurring when said electric contact 1a is opened and then interrupt the electric current and consisting of an analog electronic circuit based on power semiconductor Q1 connected to the terminals of the electric contact 1a and

- on the other hand, an electronic control circuit 3 capable of controlling said electronic switch 2 when said electric arc occurs and until the interruption of the electric current.

In accordance with the present invention, the electronic control circuit 3 consists of an analog electronic circuit based on semiconductor Q2. Furthermore, said electronic control circuit 3 is configured to detect the appearance of an electric arc occurring at the terminals of electrical contact 1a and to deliver, to an output S of said electronic control circuit 3, an output signal capable of controlling said electronic switch 2 according to a temporal sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current in several phases.

If we refer more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, we can see that, in a first embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the electronic control circuit 3 is configured to detect the appearance of the electric arc by its characteristic arc voltage while being capable of delivering, as a function of the voltage at the terminals of the electrical contact, to the output S of said electronic control circuit 3, the output signal capable of controlling said switch electronic 2 according to said time sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current in several phases.

If we refer to Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, we can see that, in a preferred embodiment of the electronic switch 2, the latter can comprise a parallel association of two branches connected to the terminals of electrical contact 1a, namely a first branch comprising a varistor RV and a second branch comprising a power transistor Q1, called transistor Q1 for assistance with electric arc extinction, such as a bipolar transistor with insulated gate, a field effect transistor (Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) or a bipolar transistor. It can also be seen that the output S of the electronic control circuit 3 is connected to the gate or to the base of said electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 so as to be able to apply the output signal to the gate or the base of electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 for controlling said electronic switch 2 by switching, in the saturated ON or blocked OFF state, electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 according to several switching phases. The switching phases make it possible to carry out the phases of the time sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current.

In a way well known to the operation of transistors, it is recalled that the blocked OFF state corresponds to a state where the transistor is not on and the saturated ON state corresponds to a state where the transistor is on.

In operation, the time sequence for extinguishing the electric arc in several phases can comprise three phases, phase 1, phase 2 and phase 3, this starting from an initial phase in which the electrical contact 1a is closed so that the electric current flows in the electric circuit C, the electronic switch 2 and the electronic control circuit 3 then being inactive while the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 is controlled in the blocked OFF state:

– phase 1: the electrical contact 1a is controlled to open and an electric arc appears at the level of said open electrical contact 1a,

– phase 2: the output signal from the electronic control circuit 3 applied to the gate or the base of the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 has the effect of switching the extinction assistance transistor Q1 of electric arc from the blocked OFF state to the saturated ON state, the electric current then switching in the second branch of the electronic switch 2 comprising said electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 and driving the extinction of the electric arc, then

– phase 3: the output signal from the electronic control circuit 3 applied to the gate or the base of the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 has the effect of switching the extinction assistance transistor Q1 arcing from the saturated ON state to the blocked OFF state, which results in an interruption of the current in said transistor Q1 generating an overvoltage activating the varistor RV of the first branch, the electric current then switching in said first branch. The voltage which is established at the terminals of the varistor Rv is sufficient to limit the electric current and achieve the extinction of the electric current.

At the end of phase 3, electrical contact 1a is open and the electrical current is zero.

The hybrid switch and control device, according to the present invention, is therefore suitable, following the appearance of the electric arc due to the opening of the electric contact 1a, to detect said appearance of electric arc and to carry out a sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current by acting on the control voltage of the transistor Q1 for assisting the extinction of the electric arc, that is to say by piloting/commanding the latter, to switch it from the blocked OFF state to the saturated ON state and vice versa according to several switching phases, for example according to the two aforementioned switching phases.

If we now refer to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, we can see that the electronic control circuit 3 can comprise, in the first embodiment, a switching transistor Q2, called control transistor Q2, such as a bipolar transistor (FIGS. 3 and 4) or, in a variant, a field-effect transistor (FIGS. 5 and 6) and a parallel association of two branches, namely a first branch comprising a first resistor R1 in series with a first capacitor C1 and a second branch comprising a second resistor R2 in series with a second capacitor C2. The control transistor Q2 can be connected, via its collector (FIGS. 3 and 4) or drain (FIGS. 5 and 6), to the first branch at a first junction point forming the output of the electronic control circuit 3 and being located between the first resistor R1 and the first capacitor C1. In addition, the control transistor Q2 can be connected, via its base (FIG. 3) or gate (FIG. 5), to the second branch at a second junction point located between the second resistor R2 and the second capacitor C2.

The phase-by-phase operation of the device, according to the present invention, in this first embodiment of the electronic control circuit 3 can be as follows, starting from an initial phase where the electrical contact 1a is closed and the electrical current flows in the electric circuit C, the electronic switch 2 and the electronic control circuit 3 being inactive and the first and second capacitors C1 and C2 being discharged:

- phase 1: the electrical contact 1a is controlled to open and an electric arc appears which is detected by the device, according to the present invention, the voltage across the terminals of the electrical contact 1a being equal to the arc voltage and simultaneously charging the first and second capacitors C1 and C2 via first and second resistors R1 and R2. When the voltage across the terminals of the first capacitor C1, which forms the output signal of the electronic control circuit 3, exceeds a certain threshold VG(TH), an intrinsic characteristic of the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1, this latter is switched to the saturated ON state, which has the effect that the electric current switches from the electric circuit C to the second branch of the electronic switch 2 comprising the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 and to extinguish the electric arc accordingly,

– phase 2: the voltage across electrical contact 1a is equal to the drain/source voltage VDS (Figures 3 and 5) or collector/base, intrinsic characteristic voltage of electric arc extinguishing assistance transistor Q1 and this voltage continues to charge the second capacitor C2. When the voltage across the capacitor C2 exceeds a certain threshold, for example about 0.7 V in the case of a silicon transistor, a significant electric current begins to flow in the base (Figure 3) or a switching voltage is applied on the gate (FIG. 5) of control transistor Q2 which is then switched to the saturated ON state, which has the effect of discharging first capacitor C1 through said control transistor Q2 and, as soon as the voltage at the terminals of the first capacitor C1 passes below the threshold VG(TH), to switch the electric arc extinguishing assistance transistor Q1 to the blocked OFF state. The sudden interruption of the electric current in the latter generates an overvoltage sufficient to activate the varistor Rv and the electric current then switches completely into the first branch comprising said varistor Rv.

– phase 3: the electric current passes through the first branch of the electronic switch 2 comprising the varistor RV and the voltage across the terminals of the electrical contact 1a is equal to the limiting voltage of the varistor Rv. The electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 is kept in the blocked OFF state because an electric current continues to flow in the base (figure 3) or a switching voltage is always applied to the gate (figure 5 ) of the control transistor Q2 via the second resistor R2.

Thus, at the end of the aforementioned sequence, the electric arc is completely extinguished and the electric current completely interrupted despite the appearance of said electric arc.

Preferably, the working voltage of the varistor RV can be chosen so as to cause a rapid drop in the intensity of the electric current until it is extinguished.

Preferably, more particularly in the case where the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 is a field effect transistor (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) or a bipolar transistor with insulated gate, the choice of said transistor can be such that:

– VG(TH) (gate voltage) < 50V, preferably less than 10V, at the different intensity values of the electric current, this to guarantee that the arc voltage is sufficient to activate the gate of the power assistance transistor Q1 electric arc extinction,

– VDS (drain/source voltage) < 50 V, preferably less than 10 V, at the different intensity values of the electric current, because when the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 is switched in the saturated state ON, its impedance must be lower than that of the electric arc to derive all the electric current.

The choice of the values of the first resistor R1 and of the first capacitor C1 is determined to adjust the time constant t1 of the charge of the first capacitor C1 and therefore the time before the switching of the arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 electrical, i.e. the time to make it pass from the blocked OFF state to the saturated ON state. Such a time constant t1 can be chosen, for example, preferably, to be less than 100 ms, more preferably between 0 and 5 ms.

Similarly, the choice of the values of the second resistor R2 and of the second capacitor C2 is determined to adjust the time constant t2 of the charge of the second capacitor C2 and therefore the time before the switching of the control transistor Q2, that is- i.e. the time to change it from the blocked OFF state to the saturated ON state. Such a time constant t2 is preferably chosen to be less than 100 ms, more preferably between 0 and 5 ms

The value of the first resistor R1 also has an impact on the limitation of the electric current in the control transistor Q2, in particular in phase 3. It will be noted that the arc voltage, intrinsically, decreases when the intensity of the electric current increase. Thus, the more the intensity of the electric current increases, the more the time (duration) of the charge of the first capacitor C1 until the threshold value VG (TH) of the gate of the transistor Q1 for assistance with the extinction of electric arc increases. The switching of the electric arc extinguishing assistance transistor Q1 in the saturated state is therefore later when the intensity increases.

It will be noted that the duration of passage of the electric current in the control transistor Q2 decreases slightly when the intensity of the electric current increases.

It will also be noted that an interesting property of the electronic control circuit 3 is its self-inhibition beyond a certain intensity threshold. The duration of phase 1 increases when the intensity of the electric current increases and the duration of phase 2 decreases. Indeed, it has been found that beyond a certain intensity, the voltage across the terminals of the second capacitor C2 exceeds the value of the threshold voltage of the control transistor Q2 (for example a threshold voltage equal to approximately 0.7V ) before the voltage of the first capacitor C1 reaches the value of the threshold voltage VG(TH) of the electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 so that the latter is not switched to the state saturated and the function is then inhibited.

The duration to reach or exceed the value of the threshold voltage essentially depends on the values of the first and second resistors R1, R2 and of the first and second capacitors C1 and C2. It is also the result of a compromise between the energy dissipated by the electric arc and that dissipated by the transistor Q1.

If we now refer to FIGS. 4 and 6, we can see that, with respect to the first embodiment of the electronic control circuit 3 comprising resistors R1, R2 and capacitors C1, C2, in a second embodiment of the electronic control circuit 3, the first branch is configured so as to free itself from the first capacitor (C1) and/or the second branch is configured so as to free itself from the second capacitor (C2). Thus, the first branch comprises only the first resistor R1 and/or the second branch comprises only the second resistor R2 and it can be envisaged, according to the present invention, to dispense only with the second capacitor C2 of the second branch and/or only of the first capacitor C1 of the first branch.

It will be understood that, in this second embodiment of the electronic control circuit 3, the values of the time constants t1 and t2 will then be dependent on the values of the resistors R1, R2 and/or of the parasitic capacitance of the power assistance transistor Q1. the electric arc extinction (case without the first capacitor C1) and/or the parasitic capacitance of the control transistor Q2 (case without the second capacitor C2).

In this second embodiment of the electronic control circuit 3 without the capacitors C1 and/or C2, the extinction of the electric arc will then be almost immediate.

Depending on the type of electric arc extinction assistance transistor Q1 used, that is to say a field effect transistor (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) or a insulated-gate bipolar transistor, the electronic control circuit 3 may have the same electrical diagram, only the values of the components (R1, R2, C1, C2) will then be adapted.

The present invention can also provide, for an alternating electric current, that the electronic control circuit 3 is connected to an electronic switch 2 configured to operate in a bidirectional configuration. Figure 7 shows an example of such a configuration in which the electronic switch 2 comprises for this purpose a diode bridge D. The diode bridge D is more particularly connected to the terminals of the varistor Rv.

The present invention may further provide that the electronic control circuit 3 can be connected to a hybrid switch 1, 2 requiring galvanic isolation and comprising for this purpose an additional electrical contact 1b upstream or downstream of the electrical contact 1a. In this case, the synchronization of the two electrical contacts 1a and 1b does not affect the operation of the device according to the present invention.

The self-inhibition function seen previously can be taken advantage of in an application (figure 8) where the management of electric currents beyond a certain threshold is taken over by another device, for example in the case of a circuit breaker of the disconnector type, comprising two electrical contacts 1a and 1b and where one of the two electrical contacts 1b is equipped with an interrupting chamber with displacement and arc operation known from the state of the art. The interrupting chamber manages the extinction of the electric arc for the currents whose intensity goes beyond a certain threshold Is and the device according to the present invention, whose hybrid switch 2, 3 is connected in parallel on the other electric contact 1a, can then manage the extinction of the electric arc occurring at the level of said electric contact 1a and the interruption of the electric current below said threshold Is.

The control transistor Q2, such as a bipolar or field effect transistor, can be a PNP or NPN bipolar transistor, a MOSFET (N or P type) or a JFET. It will be understood that depending on the type of transistor used, the electronic control circuit 3 may have the same electrical diagram, only the values of the components (R1, R2, C1, C2) will then be adapted.

The present invention may also provide, in another embodiment of the first embodiment of the electronic control circuit 3, not shown in the appended figures, that the first capacitor C1 and/or the second capacitor C2 be replaced by an inductor, that is to say an electronic component such as for example a coil or a choke.

In a second embodiment of the electronic control circuit 3, the latter can be configured to detect the appearance of the electric arc by its characteristic emitted light by being capable of delivering, as a function of said emitted light, to the output S of said electronic control circuit 3, the output signal able to control said electronic switch 2 according to the time sequence of extinction of the electric arc and interruption of the electric current in several phases. In a preferred embodiment, the electronic control circuit 3 can comprise a photosensitive component of the LDR, phototransistor or photodiode type in order to detect the electric arc and to carry out the temporal sequence of extinction of the electric arc and of interruption electric current in several phases.

Thus such an electric arc extinction sequence and current interruption or any other sequence of this type using the device according to the present invention, more particularly in its first and second embodiments described above, makes it possible to detect the appearance of an electric arc, and more particularly the voltage of the electric arc or the light emitted by the latter, at the terminals of the electrical contact 1a and to control (or drive) directly the transistor Q1 for assistance with the extinction of electric arc of the electronic switch 2, or any other power semiconductor of such an electronic switch 2 performing this electric arc extinguishing assistance function, only from an analog electronic circuit at semiconductor base (the electronic control circuit 3), that is to say without using complex electronics, in particular based on a microprocessor or microcontroller, as is the case with the systems known from the prior art .

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, in particular from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims (7)

Hybrid switch and control device for extinguishing an electric arc and interrupting the electric current in an electric circuit (C), said device comprising, on the one hand, a hybrid switch (1, 2) comprising an electromechanical switch (1) and, in parallel, an electronic switch (2) for assisting in extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current resulting from said arc, said electromechanical switch (1) comprising at least one electrical contact (1a) adapted to be actuated in closing to allow the passage of electric current in the electrical circuit (C) and in opening to interrupt said passage, said electronic switch (2) being configured to be able to extinguish an electric arc occurring during the opening of said electrical contact (1a) then interrupting the electrical current and consisting of an analog electronic circuit based on a power semiconductor (Q1) connected to the terminals of the electrical contact (1a) and, on the other hand, a circuit control electronics (3) capable of controlling said electronic switch (2) when said electric arc occurs and until the interruption of the electric current, characterized in that the electronic control circuit (3) consists of an electronic control circuit (3) semiconductor-based analogue (Q2) and in that said electronic control circuit (3) is configured to detect the appearance of an electric arc occurring at the terminals of the electrical contact (1a) and to deliver, at an output (S) of said electronic control circuit (3), an output signal capable of controlling said electronic switch (2) according to a time sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current in several phases . Device, according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said electronic control circuit (3) is configured to detect the appearance of the electric arc by its characteristic arc voltage by being capable of delivering, as a function of the voltage to the terminals of the electrical contact, at the output (S) of said electronic control circuit (3), the output signal capable of controlling said electronic switch (2) according to said time sequence of extinguishing the electric arc and interrupting the electric current in several phases. Device, according to Claim 2, characterized in that the electronic switch (2) comprises a parallel association of two branches connected to the terminals of the electrical contact (1a), namely a first branch comprising a varistor (RV) and a second branch comprising a power transistor (Q1), called an electric arc extinction assistance transistor (Q1), such as an insulated-gate bipolar transistor, a field-effect transistor or a bipolar transistor, and that the output (S) of the electronic control circuit (3) is connected to the gate or to the base of said electric arc extinction assistance transistor (Q1) so as to be able to apply the output signal to the gate or the base of said transistor (Q1) to control said electronic switch (2) by switching to the saturated or off state the electric arc extinguishing assistance transistor (Q1) according to several switching phases. Device, according to Claim 3, characterized in that the electronic control circuit (3) comprises a switching transistor (Q2), called a control transistor (Q2), such as a bipolar or field-effect transistor and an association in parallel with two branches, namely a first branch comprising a first resistor (R1) in series with a first capacitor (C1) and a second branch comprising a second resistor (R2) in series with a second capacitor (C2) and that the control transistor (Q2) is connected, on the one hand, by its collector or drain, to the first branch at a first junction point forming the output of the electronic control circuit (3) and being located between the first resistor (R1) and the first capacitor (C1) and, on the other hand, via its base or grid, to the second branch at a second junction point located between the second resistor (R2) and the second capacitor (C2). Device, according to Claim 4, characterized in that the first branch is configured so as to free itself from the first capacitor (C1) and/or the second branch is configured so as to free itself from the second capacitor (C2). Device, according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control circuit (3) is configured to detect the appearance of the electric arc by its characteristic emitted light by being capable of delivering, as a function of said emitted light, to the output (S) of said electronic control circuit (3), the output signal able to control said electronic switch (2) according to the time sequence of extinction of the electric arc and interruption of the electric current in several phases. Device, according to Claim 6, characterized in that the electronic control circuit (3) comprises a photosensitive component of the LDR, phototransistor or photodiode type in order to detect the electric arc and to produce the temporal sequence of extinction of the arc electricity and interruption of the electric current in several phases.