Electrically operated control device and system for an appliance and method of operating the same

Claim 1

In a method of operating a control system for an appliance, said system comprising a power source of alternating electrical current that has a repeating voltge wave cycle and a repeating current wave cycle, load means for using said electrical current to provide an output of said load means for said appliance, relay means having normally open contact means and coil means for closing said contact means only when said coil means is energized, electrical circuit means for interconnecting said power source to said load means only through said contact means to provide said output and only when said contact means are closed by said coil means, said coil means having a normal voltage rating that will cause said contact means to close in a certain time period after said normal voltage is initially applied across said coil means, and control means for causing said coil means to close said contact means substantially at a certain point on said voltage wave cycle each time said relay coil means closes said contact means from said open condition thereof whereby the current flow through said contact means at each closing thereof is at substantially a desired level thereof, the improvement comprising the step of operating said coil means initially with a high voltage that is substantially larger than said normal voltage across said coil means to close said contact means substantially at said certain point on said voltage wave cycle each time said relay coil means closes said contact means from said open condition thereof whereby the current flow through said contact means at each closing thereof is at substantially said desired level thereof and then reducing the voltage across said coil means to substantially said normal voltage therefor or a voltage lower than said normal voltage for holding said contact means in said closed condition thereof, the step of operating said coil means comprising the step of interconnecting said coil means across a positive or negative going D.C. signal with a capacitor and a resistance that are disposed in parallel between one side of said coil means and one side of said D.C. signal with said D.C. signal having said high voltage.