Abstract: A contactor includes: at least one moveable contact mounted on a contact carrier; at least one stationary contact mounted on a housing; an electromagnet arranged to cause the contact carrier to move relative to the housing between a first position and a second position, and thus to cause the at least one moveable contact to travel from a contacts open position to a contacts closed position with respect to the at least one stationary contact; a sensor coupled to one of the contact carrier and the housing and arranged to detect an intermediate position, in between the first position and the second position, at which the housing and the contact carrier are located at a given moment in time as the contact carrier moves relative to the housing between the first position and the second position; and a controller connected to receive the signals from the sensor.

Abstract: An exemplary medium or high voltage switch has a first set of contact elements and a second set of contact elements. Each contact element includes an insulating carrier carrying conducting elements. In the closed current-carrying state of the switch, the conducting elements align to form one or more current paths between terminals of the switch along an axial direction. For opening the switch, the contact elements are mutually displaced by through two drives along a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The switching arrangement is arranged in a fluid-tight housing in a gas of elevated pressure or in a liquid. The switch has a high voltage withstand capability and fast switching times.

Abstract: A medium or high voltage switch has a switching assembly actuated by two drives. Each drive includes a plunger arranged between two Thomson coils. The coils as well as the plunger are rectangular for reducing the weight and therefore inertia of the drive and thus to increase drive speed.