JP5294480B2 - Hybrid relay - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a hybrid relay provided with a mechanical contact switch and a semiconductor switch, and more particularly, to a hybrid relay in which a DC power is supplied to a control circuit that controls ON / OFF of each of the mechanical contact switch and the semiconductor switch. .

  Conventionally, hybrid relays with mechanical contact switches and semiconductor switches connected in parallel have been used to switch between power supply and interruption to loads equipped with inverter circuits that perform inverter control, such as lighting fixtures. Is done. The load provided with the inverter circuit is provided with a large-capacity smoothing capacitor for converting AC voltage into DC voltage, and a large current flows into the smoothing capacitor when power is supplied from the AC power source to the load. Inrush current to the load occurs. In particular, when the power supply voltage is high and the load is high, the inrush current flowing into the load increases. Therefore, even in a hybrid relay connected between the load and the AC power supply, a large current based on the inrush current is large. It will flow.

  Therefore, in a hybrid relay connected to such a load, when only the semiconductor switch is turned on (closed) and an inrush current is passed through the semiconductor switch, the current supplied to the load becomes a steady state. In addition, the mechanical contact switch is turned on (closed) (see Patent Document 1). By operating in this way, it is possible to suppress a large current from flowing through the mechanical contact switch in the hybrid relay, so that it is possible to avoid contact welding due to generation of an arc immediately before the contact of the contact pair. As described above, the hybrid relay has a structure including the semiconductor switch in order to prevent contact welding in the mechanical contact switch, and can extend the life of the mechanical contact switch.

  Further, in the circuit configuration of Patent Document 1, a light emitting diode for turning on / off a semiconductor switch and a switch for controlling turning on / off of current to each coil for turning on / off a mechanical contact switch are provided. Yes. That is, when this switch is turned on, current is supplied to the light emitting diode and the coil, and each of the semiconductor switch and the mechanical contact switch is turned on, while when the switch is turned off, the light emitting diode and the coil are turned on. As a result, the semiconductor switch and the mechanical contact switch are turned off.

  Furthermore, instead of such a switch, a hybrid relay including a control unit configured by an arithmetic processing circuit has been proposed (see Patent Document 2). The hybrid relay disclosed in Patent Document 2 controls the ON / OFF timing of each of the semiconductor switch and the mechanical contact switch by the control unit controlling the timing of turning on / off the current to each of the light emitting diode and the coil. This timing control prevents arcing due to contact bounce of the mechanical contact switch and prevents contact welding in the mechanical contact switch.

JP 11-238441 A JP 2008-123719 A

  In each of the hybrid relays configured as in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, a direct current voltage from an external power source is supplied to each of the light emitting diode and the coil that performs ON / OFF control of each of the semiconductor switch and the mechanical contact switch. Therefore, the voltage value supplied to the light emitting diode and the coil depends on the voltage value from the external power source. Therefore, when a stable voltage is not supplied from the external power supply, the ON / OFF operation of the semiconductor switch and the mechanical contact switch by the light emitting diode and the coil becomes unstable. That is, when the voltage from the external power source is lowered, the current required for the light emitting diode and the coil does not flow, so that the ON / OFF operation of the semiconductor switch and the mechanical contact switch becomes unstable. Thus, the operating voltage in the hybrid relay varies due to variations in the voltage supplied from the external power supply, and as a result, the hybrid relay may not operate at a desired timing.

  In view of such a problem, an object of the present invention is to propose a hybrid relay in which the operation is stabilized by keeping a voltage supplied from an external power source constant.

In order to achieve the above object, the hybrid relay of the present invention includes a second mechanical contact switch whose contact is opened and closed by a third drive unit and a conduction / non-connection of a switching element by a second drive unit that transmits and receives an optical signal. a semiconductor switch conductive is controlled, the third and the signal processing unit for controlling the operation of the second driving unit, provided with a, in supplying feed path to a load from the first power source, the second mechanical contact switch A hybrid relay in which a contact and a switching element of the semiconductor switch are connected in series, and converts a voltage supplied from an external second power source into a stable DC voltage, and at least the third and second drive units A constant voltage power supply unit for supplying to the battery is further provided.

In the hybrid relay having such a configuration, the hybrid relay further includes a first mechanical contact switch whose contact is opened and closed by a first drive unit separate from the third drive unit, and the second mechanical contact is provided on the power supply path. A series circuit composed of a contact portion of the switch and a switching element of the semiconductor switch is connected in parallel with the contact portion of the first mechanical contact switch, and the constant voltage power supply portion is also connected to the first drive portion with a DC voltage. May be provided.

  In these hybrid relays, the signal processing unit monitors the input voltage or output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit, and according to the monitored voltage value, the signal processing unit of the contact unit of the first mechanical contact switch It is good also as what controls the time which drives the said 1st drive part at the time of opening-and-closing switching. At this time, an analog-to-digital conversion unit that converts an input voltage or an output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit into a digital signal and supplies the digital signal to the digital signal may be provided.

  The signal processing unit includes a boosting unit that boosts the input voltage to the constant voltage power supply unit, and monitors the input voltage or output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit, and according to the monitored voltage value, The boosting rate in the boosting unit may be controlled. At this time, an analog-to-digital conversion unit that converts an input voltage or an output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit into a digital signal and supplies the digital signal to the digital signal may be provided.

  In the hybrid relay described above, the signal processing unit may operate the constant voltage power supply unit only when operating each of the driving units.

  The constant voltage power supply unit includes a first and a second resistor to which a DC voltage obtained from a voltage supplied from an external second power supply is applied to one end, and a first electrode to the other end of the first resistor. A Zener diode having a second electrode grounded, a transistor having a control electrode connected to the first electrode of the Zener diode, and a first electrode connected to the other end of the second resistor; The voltage appearing at the second electrode of the transistor may be the output voltage.

  Further, the constant voltage power supply unit includes a first switching element connected between a second electrode of the Zener diode and a ground potential, and a first electrode connected to a connection node of each of the first and second resistors. And a P-channel MOS transistor having a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the transistor, and the signal processing unit monitors an input voltage or an output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit, When the monitored voltage decreases, the first switching element may be turned off and the MOS transistor may be turned on.

  According to the present invention, by providing the constant voltage power supply unit, it is possible to stabilize the DC voltage supplied to the drive unit for controlling power on and off in the power feeding path, and stably power on in the power feeding path. And control of shut-off. And based on stabilization of the DC voltage supplied to a drive part, the dispersion | variation in the control time at the time of performing power activation and interruption | blocking in a feed path can be suppressed.

These are the schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. These are circuit diagrams which show the structure of the constant voltage power supply circuit in the hybrid relay shown in FIG. These are the schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. These are schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay used as another structure of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. These are the schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a booster circuit in the hybrid relay shown in FIG. 5. These are schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay used as another structure of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. These are the schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay of the 4th Embodiment of this invention. These are circuit diagrams which show the structure of the constant voltage power supply circuit in the hybrid relay shown in FIG. These are the schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay of the 5th Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a constant voltage power supply circuit in the hybrid relay shown in FIG. 10. These are schematic circuit diagrams which show the internal structure of the hybrid relay used as another structure of the 5th Embodiment of this invention.

<First Embodiment>
A hybrid relay according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the internal configuration of the hybrid relay of this embodiment.

1. Configuration of Hybrid Relay As shown in FIG. 1, the hybrid relay 1 of the present embodiment is connected to one end of each of the AC power supply 2 and the load 3 connected in series, thereby closing the AC power supply 2 and the load 3. Form a circuit. That is, the turning on and off of the power supply from the AC power supply 2 to the load 3 is determined by ON (closed) / OFF (open) of the hybrid relay 1. The AC power source 2 is, for example, a commercial power source of 100 V, and the load 3 is, for example, a lighting fixture or a ventilation fan that includes a fluorescent lamp or an incandescent bulb. Further, the hybrid relay 1 is connected to an external power source 4 that supplies a DC voltage or an AC voltage, and power is supplied to a drive unit that controls ON / OFF of the hybrid relay 1.

  The hybrid relay 1 has a terminal 10 connected to the other end of the AC power supply 2 having one end connected to one end of the load 3, a terminal 11 connected to the other end of the load 3, and both ends connected to the terminals 10 and 11. A first mechanical contact switch 12 having a contact portion S1, a second mechanical contact switch 13 having a contact portion S2 having one end connected to a connection node between the terminal 10 and one end of the contact portion S1, and a contact portion. The semiconductor switch 14 having the triac S3 having the T1 electrode connected to the other end of S2 and the T2 electrode connected to the terminal 11, the first and second mechanical contact switches 12, 13 and the semiconductor switch 14 being turned on. A signal processing circuit 16 that performs (closed) / OFF (open) control, terminals 17 and 18 connected to the external power source 4, and a voltage that is rectified and converted to a DC voltage from the terminals 17 and 18. Comprising a diode bridge DB and capacitor C, a voltage regulator 19 which outputs a DC voltage as a constant voltage to stabilize the DC voltage from the diode bridge DB, a.

  Details of the circuit configuration of the hybrid relay 1 will be further described. The hybrid relay 1 includes terminals 10 and 11 having a series circuit constituted by a contact portion S2 of the second mechanical contact switch 13 and a triac S3 of the semiconductor switch 14 and a contact portion S1 of the first mechanical contact switch 12. Are connected in parallel. The first mechanical contact switch 12 is a latching type mechanical contact switch. The first mechanical contact switch 12 is a magnetic coil L1 that generates electromagnetic force for switching the contact portion S1 to ON (closed), and the contact portion S1 is turned OFF (open). And a magnetic coil L2 that generates an electromagnetic force for switching. The magnetic coils L1 and L2 constitute a first drive unit of the first mechanical contact switch 12. On the other hand, the second mechanical contact switch 13 is a normally-excited mechanical contact switch, and includes a magnetic coil L3 that generates an electromagnetic force for holding the contact portion S2 in an ON (closed) state. That is, the magnetic coils L1 and L2 constitute a first drive part of the first mechanical contact switch 12, and the magnetic coil L3 constitutes a third drive part of the second mechanical contact switch 13.

  In the first mechanical contact switch 12, one ends of the magnetic coils L1 and L2 are connected to each other, and a DC voltage serving as a constant voltage output from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is connected to a connection node of the magnetic coils L1 and L2. Is applied to the cathode electrodes of the diodes D1 and D2. The anode electrode of the diode D1 is connected to the other end of the magnetic coil L1, while the anode electrode of the diode D2 is connected to the other end of the magnetic coil L2. The collectors of the npn transistors Tr1 and Tr2 whose emitters are grounded are connected to the other ends of the magnetic coils L1 and L2, respectively. On the other hand, the second mechanical contact switch 13 includes one magnetic coil L3 and a diode D3 connected in parallel with the magnetic coil L3. A DC voltage that is a constant voltage output from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is applied to a connection node formed by one end of the magnetic coil L3 and the cathode electrode of the diode D3. A connection node formed by the other end of the magnetic coil L3 and the anode electrode of the diode D3 is connected to a collector of an npn transistor Tr3 whose emitter is grounded.

  The semiconductor switch 14 includes a triac S3, a resistor R1 and a capacitor C1 connected in parallel between the T2 electrode and the gate electrode of the triac S3, a resistor R2 having one end connected to the T1 electrode of the triac S3, The phototriac coupler 15 includes a phototriac S4 having a T1 electrode connected to the other end of the resistor R2. The phototriac coupler 15 further includes a light emitting diode LD having one end connected to the anode electrode via a resistor R3 connected to the output side of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19, and the T2 electrode is connected to the gate electrode of the triac S3. The phototriac S4 is configured to receive an optical signal from the light emitting diode LD. The cathode electrode of the light emitting diode LD is connected to the collector of an npn transistor Tr4 whose emitter is grounded. The light emitting diode LD of the phototriac coupler 15 is configured as a second drive unit of the semiconductor switch 14.

  Furthermore, the phototriac S4 is a switching element having a zero cross function, and detects the center voltage (reference voltage) of the AC voltage from the AC power source 2 on the T2 electrode side when the optical signal from the light emitting diode LD is incident. Then, it becomes conductive for the first time. In the configuration as described above, each of the transistors Tr1 to Tr4 is a switching element in which a signal from the signal processing circuit 16 is input to the base. Therefore, a MOS transistor in which a signal from the signal processing circuit 16 is input to the gate may be installed instead of the transistors Tr3 to Tr4 which are the junction transistors.

  As described above, in the hybrid relay 1 of the present embodiment, the DC voltage or AC voltage supplied from the external power supply 4 through the input terminals 17 and 18 is rectified by the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C and converted to DC voltage. The voltage is applied to the input side of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19. At this time, in the diode bridge DB configured by connecting four diodes in series, the input nodes 17 and 18 are connected to the connection nodes a and c, the connection node d is grounded, and the connection node b is connected. The other end of the capacitor C is grounded at one end. Note that the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C may be omitted when a DC voltage is supplied from the external power supply 4.

  The constant voltage power supply circuit 19 stabilizes the DC voltage supplied via the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C, and outputs a DC voltage that becomes a constant voltage from the output side. Therefore, even when the value of the voltage from the external power supply 4 fluctuates, the DC voltage stabilized at a constant constant voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 to each of the magnetic coils L1 to L3 and the light emitting diode LD. Voltage is supplied. Therefore, since the drive current is stably supplied to each of the magnetic coils L1 to L3 and the light emitting diode LD, the ON / OFF timings of the first and second mechanical contact switches 12 and 13 and the semiconductor switch 14 respectively. Variation is suppressed.

2. Power-on by hybrid relay The operation when power is supplied from the AC power source 2 to the load 3 in the hybrid relay 1 configured as described above will be described below. When the signal processing circuit 16 is instructed to turn on the power, the signal processing circuit 16 turns on the transistor Tr3 to supply a drive current to the magnetic coil L3. Therefore, an electromagnetic attractive force is generated by the magnetic coil L3, and the contact portion S2 constituting the second mechanical contact switch 13 together with the magnetic coil L3 is turned on. The diode D3 connected in parallel with the magnetic coil L3 functions as a backflow prevention diode for preventing the current flowing through the magnetic coil L3 from flowing back.

  When the contact portion S2 of the second mechanical contact switch 13 is turned on, the signal processing circuit 16 next turns on the transistor Tr4 to supply a driving current to the light emitting diode LD. Thereby, in the phototriac coupler 15, the light emitting diode LD emits light, and the phototriac S4 receives an optical signal generated by the light emission. At this time, since the phototriac S4 has a zero-cross function, when detecting that the AC voltage from the AC power supply 2 has become the center voltage (reference voltage), the phototriac S4 is turned on (ON). Due to the conduction of the phototriac S4, an alternating current from the AC power supply 2 flows through the resistor R2 and the phototriac S4 to the parallel circuit including the resistor R1 and the capacitor C1. As a result, a parallel circuit including the resistor R1 and the capacitor C1 operates to supply a current to the gate electrode of the triac S3, and the triac S3 is turned on (ON). Therefore, since the load 3 is electrically connected to the AC power source 2 via the second mechanical contact switch 13 and the semiconductor switch 14 in the hybrid relay 1, the load 3 is powered by the AC power source 2. Is done.

  In this way, after the triac S3 in the semiconductor switch 14 is turned on and the power supply from the AC power supply 2 is turned on to the load 3, the signal processing circuit 16 gives a pulse signal to the base of the transistor Tr1, and the transistor Tr1 Set to ON. Thereby, the drive current by a pulse current is supplied to the magnetic coil L1. At this time, in the first mechanical contact switch 12, the diode D1 functions as a backflow prevention diode that prevents the current flowing to the magnetic coil L1 from flowing back. Then, a pulse current flows through the magnetic coil L1, and an electromagnetic attractive force temporarily works, and the contact portion S1 in the first mechanical contact switch 12 is turned on. Since the first mechanical contact switch 12 is a latching type, the contact portion S1 is held ON even after the current supply to the magnetic coil L1 is stopped.

  When the power supply to the load 3 by the AC power supply 2 via the contact portion S1 of the first mechanical contact switch 12 is started, the signal processing circuit 16 includes a transistor in order to cut off the power supply path in the semiconductor switch 14 Tr4 is turned off to stop the supply of drive current to the light emitting diode LD. Accordingly, the light emitting operation of the light emitting diode LD is stopped, and the irradiation of the optical signal to the phototriac S4 is stopped, so that the phototriac S4 has the AC voltage from the AC power supply 2 becomes the center voltage (reference voltage). The operation is stopped at this time, and a non-conduction state (OFF) is established. When the phototriac S4 is turned off, no current is supplied to the gate electrode of the triac S3, so that the triac S3 is turned off and the semiconductor switch 14 is turned off. After the semiconductor switch 14 is turned off, the signal processing circuit 16 turns off the transistor Tr3 to stop the supply of the drive current to the magnetic coil L3 of the second mechanical contact switch 13, and the second mechanical contact The contact portion S2 of the switch 13 is turned off.

3. On the other hand, when the contact portion S1 of the first mechanical contact switch 12 is ON and power is supplied from the AC power source 2 to the load 3, the signal processing circuit 16 is connected to the load 3. When the power-off instruction is issued, the signal processing circuit 16 first turns on the transistor Tr3 as in the case of power-on. Thereby, a drive current is supplied to the magnetic coil L3, and the contact portion S2 in the second mechanical contact switch 13 is turned ON. Thereafter, the signal processing circuit 16 turns on the transistor Tr4 to supply a driving current to the light emitting diode LD. Since this light emitting diode LD emits light and irradiates the phototriac S4 with an optical signal, the phototriac S4 becomes conductive when the AC voltage from the AC power supply 2 becomes the center voltage (reference voltage), and the triac S3 becomes conductive. Then, the semiconductor switch 14 is turned on.

  Thereby, as a power feeding path from the AC power source 2 to the load 3, a power feeding path via the first mechanical contact switch 12 and a power feeding path via the second mechanical contact switch 13 and the semiconductor switch 14 are hybrid relays. 1 is formed. Thereafter, the signal processing circuit 16 supplies a pulse signal to the base of the transistor Tr2, and turns on the transistor Tr2. As a result, a pulse current as a drive current is supplied to the magnetic coil L2, whereby the magnetic coil L2 is temporarily excited to switch the contact portion S1 to OFF. In the first mechanical contact switch 12, the diode D2 functions as a backflow prevention diode that prevents the current flowing to the magnetic coil L2 from flowing back.

  Thus, when the contact portion S1 in the first mechanical contact switch 12 is turned off, the signal processing circuit 16 first turns off the transistor Tr4 to stop the supply of the drive current to the light emitting diode LD. This eliminates the irradiation of the optical signal from the light emitting diode LD to the phototriac S4, so that the phototriac S4 is turned off when the AC voltage from the AC power supply 2 becomes the center voltage (reference voltage). In conjunction with the non-conduction of the phototriac S4, the triac S3 becomes non-conductive, so the semiconductor switch 14 is turned off, the power supply path from the AC power supply 2 to the load 3 is cut off, and the load 3 by the AC power supply 2 is switched to The power supply is stopped. Thereafter, the signal processing circuit 16 turns off the transistor Tr3 and stops the supply of the drive current to the magnetic coil L3. That is, after the semiconductor switch 14 is turned off, the excitation by the magnetic coil L3 is stopped and the contact of the contact portion S2 is opened, thereby turning off the second mechanical contact switch 13.

4). Configuration Example of Constant Voltage Power Supply Circuit A configuration of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 in the hybrid relay 1 of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 includes resistors R11 and R12 to which a DC voltage rectified by the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C is applied at one end, and a cathode connected to the other end of the resistor R11. A Zener diode D11 having an anode grounded, and an npn transistor Tr11 having an emitter connected to the other end of the resistor R12 and a base connected to the cathode of the Zener diode D11.

  The constant voltage power supply circuit 19 supplies the voltage from the collector of the transistor Tr11 to each of the coils L1 to L3 and the light emitting diode LD as an output voltage that becomes a constant voltage. That is, the low voltage power supply circuit 19 generates a constant voltage at the cathode of the Zener diode D11, and a voltage obtained by stepping down the cathode voltage of the Zener diode D11 by the collector-base voltage of the transistor Tr11 is used as the output voltage. It is output to the subsequent circuit.

<Second Embodiment>
A hybrid relay according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the internal configuration of the hybrid relay of this embodiment. In the hybrid relay of FIG. 3, the same components as those of the hybrid relay of FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the hybrid relay 1a of the present embodiment converts the output voltage value from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 into a digital value with respect to the configuration of the hybrid relay 1 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment. Thus, an analog-digital conversion circuit (AD conversion circuit) 20 that is input to the signal processing circuit 16 is added. With this configuration, the signal processing circuit 16 can detect the value of the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 by receiving the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20. Then, the signal processing circuit 16 determines the ON / OFF timing of each of the transistors Tr1 to Tr4 according to the value of the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 detected by the digital signal received from the AD conversion circuit 20. Since other configurations are the same as those of the hybrid relay 1 in the first embodiment, the detailed description thereof is omitted.

  When the transmission control unit that transmits and receives signals by the time division multiplex transmission system is configured as the external power supply 4, the hybrid relay 1 a receives the voltage signals on which the signals from the transmission control unit are superimposed at the input terminals 17 and 18. Therefore, depending on the state of the signal superimposed on the voltage signal from the external power supply 4, the voltage between the input terminals 17 and 18 may be low. At this time, since the voltage value input to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 via the diode bridge DB becomes low, the voltage value output from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 becomes lower than the required constant voltage value. End up. The output voltage value from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is converted into a digital signal by the AD conversion circuit 20 and is given to the signal processing circuit 16, whereby the first and second mechanical contact switches 12, 13 and the semiconductor switch 14 The signal processing circuit 16 recognizes that the voltage supplied to each drive unit has decreased.

  When the signal processing circuit 16 confirms that the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is reduced by the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20 when the power-on and power-off are instructed, the transistor The ON / OFF switching timing of the transistors Tr1 to Tr4 is set so that the period during which each of the Tr1 to Tr4 is turned on becomes longer than the case where the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 maintains a constant voltage value. decide. That is, when the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is lowered when the power-on is instructed, the pulse width of the pulse signal applied to the transistor Tr1 is lengthened, thereby extending the period for turning on the transistor Tr1. Set. At this time, before the transistor Tr1 is turned on, the transistors Tr3 and Tr4 are sequentially turned on, and after the transistor Tr is turned off, the transistors Tr3 and Tr4 are sequentially turned off. Also, the period during which the signal is turned on is set longer. On the other hand, when the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 decreases when the power cut-off is instructed, the period during which the transistors Tr2 to Tr4 are turned on is set longer.

  Thus, in the hybrid relay 1a of this embodiment, when the voltage supplied from the external power supply 4 decreases and the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 decreases, the magnetic coils L1 to L3 and the light emitting diode LD respectively. Since the time during which the drive current is passed can be adjusted to be longer, ON / OFF switching of the contact portions S1, S2 and the triac S3 can be executed reliably. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is converted into a digital signal by the AD conversion circuit 20 and applied to the signal processing circuit 16, but is shown in FIG. As described above, the input voltage to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 input through the diode bridge DB may be converted into a digital signal by the AD conversion circuit 20a and supplied to the signal processing circuit 16. In this case, the signal processing circuit 16 can directly confirm that the voltage supplied from the external power supply 4 has decreased due to the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20a. The signal processing circuit 16 can estimate the decrease in the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 based on the decrease in the input voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 and adjust the ON / OFF timing of each of the transistors Tr1 to Tr4.

<Third Embodiment>
A hybrid relay according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the internal configuration of the hybrid relay of this embodiment. In the hybrid relay of FIG. 5, the same components as those in the hybrid relay of FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the hybrid relay 1b of the present embodiment boosts the DC voltage rectified by the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C with respect to the configuration of the hybrid relay 1a (see FIG. 3) of the second embodiment. The booster circuit 21 is added. That is, the hybrid relay 1b of this embodiment receives the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20 in the signal processing circuit 16 and receives the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 in the same manner as the hybrid relay 1a of the second embodiment. Check. The signal processing circuit 16 controls the operation of the booster circuit 21 based on the digital signal from the AD converter circuit 20 and adjusts the voltage input from the booster circuit 21 to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19. Other configurations are the same as those of the hybrid relay 1a in the second embodiment, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  When the input voltage supplied from the external power supply 4 decreases, the hybrid relay 1b configured as described above outputs the output of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 based on the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20 in the signal processing circuit 16. Check voltage drop. Then, the signal processing circuit 19 gives a control signal for increasing the input voltage to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 to the booster circuit 21. As a result, the booster circuit 21 receives the control signal from the signal processing circuit 19, increases the boost ratio, and increases the input voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19. By the operation of the booster circuit 21, the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is set to a voltage that can provide a sufficient drive current to the drive units of the first and second mechanical contact switches 12 and 13 and the semiconductor switch 14. Maintained.

1. Configuration Example of Booster Circuit As shown in FIG. 6, the booster circuit 21 has a coil L21 to which a DC voltage rectified by the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C is applied at one end, and a drain connected to the other end of the coil L21. And an N-channel MOS transistor Tr21 whose source is grounded, a diode D21 whose anode is connected to the drain of the transistor Tr2, a capacitor C21 whose one end is connected to the cathode of the diode D21 and whose other end is grounded, and a transistor The step-up switching regulator includes a resistor R21 connected between the gate and source of Tr21.

  In the booster circuit 21 configured as described above, the pulse signal from the signal processing circuit 16 is input to the gate of the transistor Tr21. By the pulse signal from the signal processing circuit 16, the transistor Tr21 is repeatedly turned on and off, and a voltage obtained by boosting the DC voltage applied to the coil L21 appears on the cathode side of the diode D21. At this time, the output voltage appearing on the cathode side of the diode D21 can be increased by increasing the ON period (ON duty) of the transistor Tr21. Therefore, when the signal processing circuit 16 detects that the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is lower than the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20, the signal processing circuit 16 detects the pulse signal input to the gate of the transistor Tr21 in the boosting circuit 21. The duty ratio is changed to increase the ON period of the transistor Tr21. In this way, when the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 decreases, the DC voltage output from the booster circuit 21 can be increased and the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 can be maintained at a constant voltage.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the output voltage from the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 is converted into a digital signal by the AD conversion circuit 20 and applied to the signal processing circuit 16, but is shown in FIG. As described above, the input voltage to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 input from the booster circuit 21 may be converted into a digital signal by the AD conversion circuit 20 a and supplied to the signal processing circuit 16. In this case, the signal processing circuit 16 can confirm the input voltage from the booster circuit 21 to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 based on the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20a, and can adjust the boost rate by the booster circuit 21.

<Fourth Embodiment>
A hybrid relay according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 8 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the internal configuration of the hybrid relay of this embodiment. In the hybrid relay of FIG. 8, the same components as those in the hybrid relay of FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the hybrid relay 1 c of this embodiment is different from the configuration of the hybrid relay 1 (see FIG. 1) of the first embodiment from the signal processing circuit 16 instead of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19. The constant voltage power supply circuit 19a that is switched ON / OFF in response to the control signal is provided. With this configuration, only when the signal processing circuit 16 turns on the transistors Tr1 to T4 and applies drive currents to the drive units of the first and second mechanical contact switches 12 and 13 and the semiconductor switch 14, respectively. By turning on the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a, current consumption in the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a can be suppressed. Since other configurations are the same as those of the hybrid relay 1 in the first embodiment, the detailed description thereof is omitted.

  When the hybrid relay 1c switches between opening and closing of the contact portion S1 of the first mechanical contact switch 12 to turn on or shut off the power, each of the first and second mechanical contact switches 12, 13 and the semiconductor switch 14 is switched. A drive current is applied to the drive unit. Therefore, the signal processing unit 16 turns on the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a by giving a control signal to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a when an instruction to turn on or off the power supply is given. Then, after turning on the transistor Tr3 and closing the contact portion S2 of the second mechanical contact switch 13, the transistor Tr4 is turned on and the triac S3 of the semiconductor switch 14 is turned on. Thereafter, a pulse signal is applied to one of the bases of the transistors Tr1 and Tr2, and the contact portion S2 of the first mechanical contact switch 12 is switched to open or close to execute power-on or power-off.

  Thus, when the power is turned on or off, the transistor Tr4 is turned off, the triac S3 of the semiconductor switch 14 is turned off, the transistor Tr3 is turned off, and the contact portion of the second mechanical contact switch 13 Open S2. Thereafter, the signal processing unit 16 gives a control signal to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a, thereby turning off the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a and shutting off the power supply from the external addition 4 to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a.

1. Configuration Example of Constant Voltage Power Supply Circuit The configuration of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a in the hybrid relay 1 of the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 9, parts and elements used for the same purpose as those of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 shown in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 9, the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a has resistors R11 and R12, a Zener diode D11, and a transistor Tr11, similar to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 (FIG. 2). The transistor Tr11 further includes an N-channel MOS transistor Tr31 having a drain connected to the emitter and the source grounded, and a resistor R31 connected between the gate and source of the transistor Tr31.

  In the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a configured as described above, since the control signal from the signal processing circuit 16 is input to the gate of the transistor Tr31, ON / OFF of the transistor Tr31 is controlled by the signal processing circuit 16. Thus, ON / OFF control of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a is performed. Thus, as described above, only when power is turned on or off, the transistor Tr31 is turned on, the constant voltage power circuit 19a is turned on, and the output voltage is supplied to the circuit subsequent to the constant voltage power circuit 19a. be able to. That is, in the case of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19 configured as shown in FIG. 2, the Zener diode is always provided even when the first and second mechanical contact switches 12 and 13 and the semiconductor switch 14 do not require power supply. Although a current flows through D11 and the resistor R11, such unnecessary current consumption can be suppressed in the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a of the present embodiment.

<Fifth Embodiment>
A hybrid relay according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 10 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the internal configuration of the hybrid relay of this embodiment. In the hybrid relay of FIG. 10, the same components as those in the hybrid relay of FIG. 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the hybrid relay 1d of this embodiment is a constant voltage power source that is ON / OFF controlled by the signal processing circuit 16 with respect to the configuration of the hybrid relay 1c of the fourth embodiment (see FIG. 1). The circuit 19b and the AD conversion circuit 20 are further added. With this configuration, the signal processing circuit 16 detects the output voltage from one of the constant voltage power supply circuits 19a and 19b by the AD conversion circuit 20, and the output voltage is maintained at the constant voltage. While the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a is turned on, when the output voltage decreases, the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b is turned on. At this time, the voltage drop of the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b is smaller than that of the input voltage rectified by the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C compared to the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a. The other configuration is the same as that of the hybrid relay 1c in the fourth embodiment, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

1. Configuration Example of Constant Voltage Power Supply Circuit The configuration of the constant voltage power supply circuits 19a and 19b in the hybrid relay 1d that operates as described above will be described below with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 11, the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a includes resistors R11, R12, R31, a Zener diode D11, and transistors Tr11, Tr31, as in the fourth embodiment (see FIG. 9). It becomes. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b includes a P-channel MOS transistor Tr41 to which a DC voltage rectified by the diode bridge DB and the capacitor C is applied to the source, and between the gate and source of the transistor Tr41. The resistor R41 is connected, an N-channel MOS transistor Tr42 whose drain is connected to the gate of the transistor Tr41 and whose source is grounded, and a resistor R42 connected between the gate and source of the transistor Tr42. The control signal from the signal processing circuit 16 is input to the gate of the transistor Tr42, and the voltage appearing at the drain of the transistor Tr41 becomes the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b.

  Thus, when the constant voltage power supply circuits 19a and 19b are configured, the source / drain of the transistor Tr4 in the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b is compared with the voltage drop due to the base-emitter voltage of the transistor Tr1 in the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a. The voltage drop due to the inter-voltage is smaller. Therefore, when it is confirmed by the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20 that the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a has dropped, the signal processing circuit 16 turns off the transistor Tr31 and turns off the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a. At the same time, the transistor Tr41 is turned on and the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b is turned on. Conversely, when the signal processing circuit 16 confirms from the digital signal from the AD conversion circuit 20 that the output voltage of the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b has increased, the transistor Tr31 is turned on and the constant voltage power supply circuit 19a is turned on. At the same time as turning ON, the transistor Tr41 is turned OFF and the constant voltage power supply circuit 19b is turned OFF.

  In the present embodiment, as in the fourth embodiment, when it is not necessary to operate the drive units of the first and second mechanical contact switches 12 and 13 and the semiconductor switch 14, both the transistors Tr31 and Tr41 are provided. By turning off both the constant voltage power supply circuits 19a and 19b, the power consumption can be reduced. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the input voltage to the constant voltage power supply circuits 19a and 19b input through the diode bridge DB is converted into a digital signal by the AD conversion circuit 20a and applied to the signal processing circuit 16. It is good also as a structure.

  In the above-described embodiments, the hybrid relay including the second mechanical contact switch 13 is used. However, the configuration in which the second mechanical contact switch 13 is omitted, that is, the contact portion S1 of the first mechanical contact switch 12 is used. And the triac S3 of the semiconductor switch 14 may be connected in parallel. In such a configuration, first, after the triac S3 of the semiconductor switch 14 is turned ON, the switching operation of the contact portion S1 of the first mechanical contact switch 12 is performed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,1a-1d Hybrid relay 2 AC power supply 3 Load 10,11 terminal 12 1st mechanical contact switch 13 2nd mechanical contact switch 14 Semiconductor switch 15 Phototriac coupler 16 Signal processing circuit 17,18 Terminal 19,19a, 19b Constant voltage power supply circuit 20, 20a AD converter circuit 21 Booster circuit

Claims (7)

A second mechanical contact switch whose contact is opened and closed by a third drive unit; a semiconductor switch in which conduction / non-conduction of a switching element is controlled by a second drive unit for transmitting and receiving optical signals; and the third and second A signal processing unit for controlling the operation of the driving unit, and a contact point of the second mechanical contact switch and a switching element of the semiconductor switch are connected in series on a power supply path that is supplied from the first power source to the load. A hybrid relay,
A hybrid relay, further comprising a constant voltage power supply unit that converts a voltage supplied from an external second power supply into a stable DC voltage and supplies the converted voltage to at least the third and second drive units. In claim 1,
A first mechanical contact switch whose contact is opened and closed by a first drive unit separate from the third drive unit;
On the power supply path, a series circuit including a contact portion of the second mechanical contact switch and a switching element of the semiconductor switch is connected in parallel with the contact portion of the first mechanical contact switch,
The hybrid relay, wherein the constant voltage power supply unit supplies a DC voltage to the first drive unit. In claim 1 or claim 2,
The signal processing unit monitors an input voltage or an output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit, and performs the opening / closing switching of the contact portion of the first mechanical contact switch according to the monitored voltage value. A hybrid relay characterized in that the time for driving one drive unit is controlled. In claim 1 or claim 2,
A booster that boosts the input voltage to the constant voltage power supply;
The signal processing unit monitors an input voltage or an output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit, and controls a boost rate in the boost unit according to the monitored voltage value. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 4,
The hybrid relay characterized in that the signal processing unit operates the constant voltage power supply unit only when operating each of the driving units. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5,
The constant voltage power supply unit is
First and second resistors to which a DC voltage obtained from a voltage supplied from an external second power source is applied to one end;
A zener diode having a first electrode connected to the other end of the first resistor and a second electrode grounded;
A transistor having a control electrode connected to the first electrode of the Zener diode and a first electrode connected to the other end of the second resistor;
Have
The hybrid relay, wherein a voltage appearing at the second electrode of the transistor is an output voltage. In claim 6,
The constant voltage power supply unit is
A first switching element connected between the second electrode of the Zener diode and a ground potential;
A P-channel MOS transistor having a first electrode connected to a connection node of each of the first and second resistors, and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the transistor;
Further comprising
The signal processing unit monitors the input voltage or output voltage of the constant voltage power supply unit, and when the monitored voltage drops, the first switching element is turned off and the MOS transistor is turned on. Hybrid relay characterized by

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