Spark suppressor circuit for protection of an electrical switch, and electrical thermal appliance comprising such a circuit

Claim 2

A spark suppressor circuit (1) for protection of an electrical switch (4) which in series with a load (2) is connected between a first supply voltage terminal (8) and a second supply voltage terminal (10), the load (2) and the electrical switch (4) being interconnected at a switch terminal (6), the spark suppressor circuit (1) comprising: a first (12), a second (14), and a third (16) connection terminal connectable to the first supply voltage terminal (8), the second supply voltage terminal (10) and the switch terminal (6), respectively, a triggerable electronic switch (18) having a first main electrode (20) connected to the third connection terminal (16), having a second main electrode (22) connected to the second connection terminal (14), and having a gate electrode (24), and trigger means for triggering the triggerable electronic switch, wherein the trigger means comprises current supply means (32) coupled between the first connection terminal (12) and the gate electrode (24) of the triggerable electronic switch (18) and supplying bidirectional current to said gate electrode (24) a threshold device (26) connected between the gate electrode (24) of the triggerable switch (18) and a node (28) connected to the current supply means, said threshold device passing current to the gate electrode (24) when the voltage difference between the gate electrode (24) and the node (28) exceeds a predetermined value, and a capacitor (30) connected directly between the node (28) and the third connection terminal (16).

Claim 3

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein that the triggerable electronic switch (18) is a triac.

Claim 4

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 2 wherein the threshold device (26) comprises a diac.

Claim 5

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 2 wherein the current supply means (32) comprises a resistor.

Claim 6

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the triggerable electronic switch (18) is a thyristor.

Claim 7

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 5 wherein the threshold device (26) comprises a diac.

Claim 8

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 5 wherein the current supply means (32) comprises a resistor.

Claim 9

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threshold device (26) comprises a diac.

Claim 10

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 8 wherein the current supply means (32) comprises a resistor.

Claim 11

A spark suppressor circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the current supply means (32) comprises a resistor.

Claim 12

An electrical thermal appliance which comprises a first supply terminal (8), a second supply terminal (10) and a switch terminal (6), an electrical switch (4), which in series with a heating element (2) is connected between the first supply voltage terminal (8) and the second supply voltage terminal (10), the heating element (2) and the electrical switch (4) being interconnected at the switch terminal (6), and a spark suppression circuit (1), a first (12), a second (14) and a third (16) connection terminal of the spark suppression circuit being connected to the first supply voltage terminal (8), the second supply voltage terminal (10) and the switch terminal (6), respectively and said spark suppression circuit also comprising a triggerable electronic switch (18) having a first main electrode (20) connected to the third connection terminal (16), having a second main electrode (22) connected to the second connection terminal (14), and having a gate electrode (24), and trigger means for triggering the triggerable electronic switch, wherein the trigger means comprises current supply means (32) coupled between the first connection terminal (12) and the gate electrode (24) of the triggerable electronic switch (18) and supplying bidirectional current to said gate electrode (24) a threshold device (26) connected between the gate electrode (24) of the triggerable switch (18) and a node (28) connected to the current supply means, said threshold device passing current to the gate electrode (24) when the voltage difference between the gate electrode (24) and the node (28) exceeds a predetermined value, and a capacitor (30) connected directly between the node (28) and the third connection terminal (16).

Claim 13

An electrical thermal appliance which comprises a first supply terminal (8), a second supply terminal (10) and a switch terminal (6), an electrical switch (4), which in series with a heating element (2) is connected between the first supply voltage terminal (8) and the second supply voltage terminal (10), the heating element (2) and the electrical switch (4) being interconnected at the switch terminal (6), and a spark suppression circuit (1), a first (12), a second (14) and a third (16) connection terminal of the spark suppression circuit being connected to the first supply voltage terminal (8), the second supply voltage terminal (10) and the switch terminal (6), respectively and said spark suppression circuit also comprising a triggerable electronic switch (18) having a first main electrode (20) connected to the third connection terminal (16), having a second main electrode (22) connected to the second connection terminal (14), and having a gate electrode (24), and trigger means for triggering the triggerable electronic switch, wherein the trigger means comprises current supply means (32) coupled between the first connection terminal (12) and the gate electrode (24) of the triggerable electronic switch (18) and supplying bidirectional current to said gate electrode (24) a threshold device (26) connected between the gate electrode (24) of the triggerable switch (18) and a node (28) connected to the current supply means, said threshold device passing current to the gate electrode (24) when the voltage difference between the gate electrode (24) and the node (28) exceeds a predetermined value, and a capacitor (30) connected directly between the node (28) and the third connection terminal (16).

Claim 14

An electrical appliance as claimed in claim 11, wherein the electrical switch (4) is a thermostatic switch comprising a thermal element (44) which is thermally coupled to the heating element (2).

Claim 15

An electrical appliance as claimed in claim 11, wherein that the electrical appliance is an electric flat-iron.

Claim 16

The electrical thermal appliance in claim 11 wherein the triggerable electronic switch (18) is a diac.

Claim 17

The electrical thermal appliance in claim 11 wherein the triggerable electronic switch (18) is a thyristor.

Claim 18

The electrical thermal appliance of claim 11 wherein the threshold device (26) comprises a diac.

Claim 19

The electrical thermal appliance of claim 11 wherein the current supply means (32) comprises a resistor.

Claim 20

The electrical thermal appliance of claim 11 comprising an electric flat-iron.