Safety circuit having a controllable electronic control and / or switching element, electronic component, and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety circuit having a controllable electronic control and / or switching element (12) and a monitoring circuit (14) for measuring currents and / or voltages, wherein the electronic control and / or switching element (12) is connected to a setting circuit (16) in order to set a current and / or power characteristic curve (18) of the safety circuit (10) for a current and / or power limiting function. The setting circuit (16) is provided together with the electronic control and / or switching element (12) and the monitoring circuit (14) on a single semiconductor component (20), the semiconductor component (20) being tested using standard means and, together with the integrated setting circuit (16), having a current and / or power characteristic curve (18) which is defined so as to form a certified fail-safe safety circuit (10) for a current and / or power limiting function for the standard specified fire protection of an electronic component (22). The invention also relates to an electronic component and a method.

Description

[0001] Safety circuit with a controllable electronic control and / or switching element and an electronic component as well as a method

[0002] The invention relates to a safety circuit with a controllable electronic control and / or switching element according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to an electronic component and a method for commissioning the safety circuit.

[0003] Electronic circuits require circuit protection to ensure fire safety and / or component protection for an electronic device or component in the event of overcurrent, short circuits, or overloads. This applies both to the electronic component itself, particularly with regard to internal faults, and to externally connected components.

[0004] To ensure the safety of electronic circuits, especially electronic components in automation technology such as sensors, actuators, and other devices, these must meet the requirements of international safety standards and, where necessary, be protected against predetermined current and / or power levels. Current and / or power limitation is required, particularly for fire protection (product safety) and / or component safety (product liability). Furthermore, fail-safe operation or protection against individual faults, as provided by conventional fuses, is required to ensure compliance with these current and / or power limits.

[0005] Conventional fuses offer a particularly simple solution for current limiting. These fuses have the advantage of being designed to limit current according to the aforementioned standards and providing particularly reliable protection against individual faults. However, fuses have the following disadvantages:

[0006] - only current is specified, not power output,

[0007] - can only be designed for maximum voltage with variable voltage,

[0008] - high tolerance of the triggering characteristic,

[0009] - large variance of the rated current over temperature,

[0010] - a low trigger speed,

[0011] INTERNAL - after an overcurrent event, a fuse replacement is required, however, fuse replacement is not possible in tightly sealed devices.

[0012] In other words, they cannot be precisely dimensioned, and only one current is defined for switching off.

[0013] For more precise current limiting with additional power limiting, electronic fuses are also known, which can also be referred to as current and / or power limiters. In contrast to conventional fuses, the electronic fuse has an electronic control and / or switching element, in particular a field-effect transistor, with a fast current interruption function. In the event of a fault, especially an overload or short circuit, the electronic fuse is not destroyed on the output side and allows for repeated use. The electronic control and / or switching element is preferably controlled by a monitoring circuit for current and / or voltage measurement. An exemplary embodiment of an electronic fuse with discrete electronic control and / or switching elements connected in series can be found in DE 102018 118 647 A1.

[0014] In detail, DE 10 2018 118 647 A1 discloses an electronic safety circuit with two controllable switching elements connected in series, each monitored by its own monitoring circuit via a shunt resistor. A key feature of this circuit is an additional fuse in the ground connection (GND), or a so-called "ground fuse." The document thus combines a precise electronic safety device with a redundant design and an additional, conventional fuse as the final safety layer. The use of the ground fuse is essential to meet the normative requirements for fire protection. In other words, the safety circuit absolutely requires the use of redundant switching elements and the additional ground fuse.Although the document mentions the integration of a monitoring circuit into an ASIC, the redundant design of the safety circuit, along with the additional fuse in the ground connection, remains in place.

[0015] Individual component testing is not performed here. On the contrary, normative requirements are met through the additional fusible link, thus ensuring universal compatibility.

[0016] The system is suitable for use in various performance classes internally. Standardized individual component testing of such a flexible, multi-part arrangement is neither planned nor practically feasible.

[0017] One disadvantage of this solution lies in its reliance on several separate safety mechanisms, namely the redundant electronic switching elements and the additional physical fuse in the ground path. This configuration leads to an increased number of components, which in turn increases the cost and complexity of the overall circuit. Furthermore, a circuit for defining the current or power limit is implemented using an array of external, discrete components. Ensuring the required safety standards thus depends on the correct interaction of these multiple individual components and safety mechanisms, which inherently makes the circuit complex.

[0018] Furthermore, electronic control and / or switching elements are also known as semiconductor devices, which have the advantage of being reliably manufactured and certified in large quantities. In particular, they can be tested for fail-safe operation according to specified safety standards, especially according to the UL2367 standard. These semiconductor devices can interact with an external adjustment circuit to enable application-specific adjustment of the current and / or power characteristic. However, the external adjustment circuit cannot be subjected to individual component testing. Therefore, safety circuits with such semiconductor devices must use redundancy with at least two controllable electronic control and / or switching elements connected in series to ensure the single-fault safety that may be required by the standard.

[0019] The use of redundant electronic control and / or switching elements for redundant current and / or power limitation is far more expensive than a fuse and has the disadvantage of higher, double the power loss in the case of redundancy.

[0020] The object of the invention is to provide a safety circuit which, while avoiding the disadvantages known in the prior art, is particularly simple

[0021] INTERNALLY implementable and reliable protection for electronic components is enabled.

[0022] Furthermore, the task also involves an electronic component and a procedure for commissioning a safety circuit.

[0023] The problem is solved with regard to the safety circuit with the features of claim 1, with regard to the electronic component with the features of claim 7 and with regard to the method with the features of claim 11.

[0024] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0025] According to the invention, a safety circuit is claimed with a controllable electronic control and / or switching element and a monitoring circuit for current and / or voltage measurement, in particular for current and voltage measurement, wherein the electronic control and / or switching element is connected to an adjustment circuit in order to adjust a current and / or power characteristic of the safety circuit for current and / or power limitation.The setting circuit, together with the electronic control and / or switching element and the monitoring circuit, is implemented on a single semiconductor component, wherein the semiconductor component is tested according to standards, in particular according to the UL2367 standard, and with the integrated setting circuit has a current and / or power characteristic curve defined in such a way as to form a certified fail-safe safety circuit for current and / or power limitation for the fire protection and / or component protection of an electronic component specified by standards.

[0026] The current and / or power characteristic curve depends in particular on the input voltage.

[0027] In other words, the safety circuit is a fail-safe or certified fail-safe semiconductor component that is pre-configured or hard-programmed as a current and / or power limiter, with fail-safe operation ensured by individual component testing of each semiconductor device. Advantageously, the safety circuit can be used directly without any additional external setting circuits for the

[0028] INTERNAL current and / or power characteristic curve as fire protection protection and / or component protection protection for a pre-configured application with certain normative requirements tested and certified to be used reliably.

[0029] In particular, it is a single integrated semiconductor fuse that, without redundant additional components, performs the function of a standard-defined current and / or power limiter for the standard-defined fire protection and / or component protection.

[0030] The invention offers the advantage that such a safety circuit with a single semiconductor component can be fully subjected to individual component testing, particularly according to the UL2367 standard. This ensures the reliability of a fuse while maintaining the precision advantages of an electronic fuse. The safety circuit can be implemented directly in a circuit for fire protection and preferably also for component protection as defined by standards, without redundancies or additional circuitry. In particular, avoiding external additional circuitry for adjusting the current and / or power characteristics can significantly reduce the manufacturing costs of an electronic component with a safety circuit.Designing it as a semiconductor component, particularly as a single chip, offers the advantage of reduced size and simplified implementation with regulatory approval. Its small footprint also allows for integration into very compact electronic components. Furthermore, the safety circuit remains functional after an overload without experiencing a permanent interruption in the event of a fault. In particular, this safety circuit can serve as a standards-compliant replacement for fuses, overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages of fuses.

[0031] In other words, a significant advantage of the safety circuit according to the invention lies in the complete integration of the setting circuit, the control and / or switching element, and the monitoring circuit onto a single semiconductor device. This high level of integration allows this single semiconductor device to function as a self-contained unit within a normative framework.

[0032] INTERNAL subjected it to individual component testing and certified it as fault-free. The setting circuit permanently integrated into the semiconductor device defines an unchanging current and / or power characteristic, thereby reliably and reproducibly ensuring compliance with specific normative performance classes, such as "Class 2" according to UL1310 or "Energy-Limited Circuit" according to IEC61010-1.

[0033] This inherent, proven reliability of the individual semiconductor component eliminates the need for redundant switching elements as well as separate, external protection via a fuse, for example, across the ground path. This results in a significant simplification for manufacturers of electronic components such as sensors or actuators: they can integrate this single, certified safety component directly into their circuits to achieve normative fire protection without relying on external, power-limiting power supplies or additional complex protective circuitry. This leads to a significant reduction in component costs, board space requirements, and the effort required for final product certification.

[0034] The present invention therefore preferably pursues the approach of designing a certified, fail-safe safety circuit as a single, self-contained component. This is made possible by deliberately designing the circuit for a specific, predefined current and / or power limitation and implementing it as a preferably monolithic, integrated semiconductor device. This structure allows the component as a whole to be subjected to rigorous standardized individual component testing and its fail-safety to be certified. While this approach forgoes universal applicability, it results in a drastically simplified, more cost-effective, and component-approved safety solution, the implementation of which is significantly easier and more reliable for a developer.

[0035] This eliminates the need for a universal solution for various performance classes, but also avoids a complex system architecture that derives its safety from the interaction of several components, such as redundant switching elements and external physical safeguards.

[0036] INTERNAL Another crucial technical advantage arises from the precision of the electronic limit. Conventional protective mechanisms, especially fuses, inherently exhibit high tripping tolerances and are subject to significant temperature derating. This forces developers to plan for a considerable safety margin from the normative power limit to prevent unintended tripping. In contrast, the safety circuit according to the invention operates with very low tolerances. This allows the overall system to be operated safely and reliably much closer to the maximum permissible normative power limit, thereby making significantly higher usable power available for the actual application.Preferably, the safety circuit, in conjunction with the setting circuit, establishes a defined power limit for the standard-predetermined fire protection of the electronic component, specifically a power limit of 150 W according to IEC 61010-1 for "Energy-Limited Circuits" and / or 100 W according to UL 1310 with performance class "Class 2" and / or a power limit of 15 W according to performance class "PS1" or 100 W according to performance class "PS2" according to IEC 62368-1. In particular, compliance with these power limits allows the safety circuit to be used directly for fire protection in a wide variety of automation applications. If necessary, the power limit can also take a maximum current into account, depending on the voltage.Certification of the electronic component is required for component and / or fire protection, whereby a safety circuit designed for the normatively predetermined current and / or power limit can be used in the electronic component without the previously required redundancy.

[0037] Preferably, the standard IEC61010-1 (2010-2019), UL1310:2019, or IEC62368-1:2021 should be used. Further developments or older versions that specify corresponding performance limits are also acceptable. Alternative fire protection standards are also possible.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, the safety circuit is designed as a single semiconductor device with at least 3 pins, at least one voltage input, at least one voltage output, and at least one ground connection, wherein the semiconductor device is fail-safe according to the UL2367 standard. In other words, the safety circuit has

[0039] INTERNAL does not include an external adjustment circuit for the current and / or power characteristic and is tested or certified according to the UL2367 standard, which can be used directly as a safety circuit with the reliability of a fuse. The UL2367 standard is a testing standard for solid-state overcurrent protectors. Preferably, this refers to the UL2367:2021 standard, although further developments of the standard and / or alternative standards for the safety testing of semiconductor devices are also conceivable.

[0040] Preferably, the monitoring circuit for current and / or voltage measurement is designed, in particular as an analog circuit, a microcontroller, or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The electronic control and / or switching element is preferably designed as an integrated field-effect transistor (FET), in particular a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), which is controlled by the monitoring circuit. When controlled by a measured voltage and / or current signal and upon exceeding a predetermined current and / or power threshold, the electronic control and / or switching element preferably operates as a variable resistor within a certain range, increasing the impedance between the source and drain to limit the current.In particular, if the current or load at the circuit output continues to increase, the impedance also increases to such an extent that the current flowing through the safety circuit is limited to a constant, predefined overcurrent value for circuit protection. Additionally or alternatively, the power applied to the safety circuit can be regulated to implement a power limit analogously. Preferably, temperature monitoring is integrated into the safety circuit to ensure the permissible temperature of the semiconductor by further increasing the impedance or by switching off and timing the control and / or switching element. The adjustment circuit preferably includes at least one integrated adjustable resistor and / or a corresponding semiconductor component and / or a digital-based adjustment unit, in particular a microcontroller, to set the current and / or power limit.

[0041] In another particularly advantageous embodiment, the safety circuit has only a single controllable electronic control and / or switching element.

[0042] INTERNAL Furthermore, it is preferably provided that a ground connection connected to the safety circuit is implemented directly and without an intermediate additional external fuse, in particular an external fuse.

[0043] This design is made possible by the core principle of the invention: the transfer of the entire safety responsibility to the single, certified semiconductor component.

[0044] Preferably, no untested or uncertified single-fault safety is ensured through the complex interplay of redundant electronic components and additional physical external safeguards. Instead, safety is based on the certified fault tolerance of the individual semiconductor component that implements the safety circuit for a predefined and fixed current and / or power limitation.

[0045] The invention also relates to an electronic component for automation technology, in particular a sensor and / or an actuator, with an electronic circuit board and at least one previously mentioned tested safety circuit, for protection against a normatively predetermined current and / or power limit.

[0046] In automation technology, particularly in industrial manufacturing or process measurement technology, electronic components or devices such as sensors and / or actuators or other equipment are frequently used to automate product manufacturing. The applicant manufactures and distributes a large number of such products. Electronic components can be arranged inside a housing of the electronic component, preferably a circuit board. Preferably, industrial connectors, especially rigid connectors (M8, M12), can be soldered onto the circuit board.

[0047] The small size of the safety circuit offers the advantage of direct integration into electronic components, rather than requiring an external power supply. Furthermore, the safety circuit can be integrated directly onto the circuit board without redundancy. This results in reduced power dissipation and lower heat generation. Additionally, it allows for a simpler design.

[0048] INTERNAL electronic component, especially without a fireproof enclosure, is possible because fire protection requirements can be met by using the safety circuit as a current and / or power limiter.

[0049] Preferably, the electronic component can be an IO-Link master with an integrated safety circuit. This has the advantage that no components for current and / or power limiting need to be installed upstream of the IO-Link master or between a sensor and / or actuator and the IO-Link master. In particular, special power supplies can be dispensed with, and fire protection limiting can be integrated directly into the electronic component. Preferably, current limiting, especially to 4A, is provided for the IO-Link master's connectors by the safety circuit. In this case, in particular, characteristic curve adaptation and current and power limiting by the safety circuit can be implemented, enabling both predefined current and power limits for fire protection requirements.

[0050] Preferably, the electronic component is tested according to the IEC 61010-1 standard for "Energy-limited circuits" and the safety circuit establishes a 150W power limit, and / or according to the UL 1310 standard for performance class "Class 2" and the safety circuit establishes a 100W power limit, and / or according to the IEC 62368-1 standard with a 15W power limit according to performance class "PS1" or a 100W power limit according to performance class "PS2". In particular, compliance with these power limits allows the safety circuit to be used for a wide variety of applications in automation technology, directly for fire protection of the electronic component and, if applicable, the connected peripherals. If necessary, the power limit can also take into account a maximum current, for example, for component-specific maximum values, preferably M12 connectors.Certification of the electronic component is required for component and / or fire protection, whereby a safety circuit designed for the normatively predetermined current and / or power limit can be used in the electronic component without the previously required redundancy.

[0051] INTERNAL The safety circuit can preferably be integrated into at least one industrial connector of the electronic component, for example, a standardized M12 connector with a typical system-related 4A current limit. In particular, an A-coded M12 connector with a 4A limit. The invention recognizes that different standards for component and / or fire protection and for securing industrial connectors may require the same or comparable current and / or power limits. Therefore, an external setting circuit for the safety circuit is advantageously not required, and it can be permanently integrated into a semiconductor component.

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment of the electronic component, the circuit board is overmolded with a plastic, particularly one without fire-retardant properties, and has at least one industrial connector. The safety circuit is designed as a current limiter for the at least one industrial connector, in particular an M12 connector, and as a power limiter, as specified by standards, for fire protection of the electronic component. The implementation of the safety circuit has the advantage of preventing overheating of the circuit board and local melting or damage to the plastic. The plastic overmolding offers the advantage that the electronic component is suitable for field use and sufficiently resistant to environmental influences. The electronic component can, in particular, be an IO-Link master unit with multiple industrial connectors.Furthermore, it is advantageous to avoid the need for the complex use of special plastics unsuitable for injection molding. In particular, fuse replacement is not possible for such electronic components, making the use of fusible links impractical. Therefore, the safety circuit according to the invention is advantageously applicable to plastic-encapsulated electronic components.

[0053] In other words, the use of a fire-resistant housing for the electronic component can preferably be dispensed with.

[0054] According to another preferred embodiment, the electronic component can be designed as a higher-level control unit,

[0055] INTERNAL P2024.1330-WQ / RP

[0056] - 12 - wherein peripheral devices, in particular a sensor and / or an actuator, are connected to the control unit and wherein the control unit has the aforementioned safety circuit to provide current and / or power limitation for the control unit itself and the peripheral devices. Preferably, the peripheral devices have the same current and / or power limitation requirements as the control unit itself. In this way, several peripheral devices can be protected by a safety circuit.

[0057] Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for commissioning a previously mentioned safety circuit comprising the following steps in a preferred order:

[0058] - Integrating the safety circuit with setting circuit into a single semiconductor device,

[0059] - Conducting a one-time and standard-defined individual component testing procedure, in particular by a certified body, to ensure the safe operation of the safety circuit with setting circuit for component and / or fire protection,

[0060] - Installation and commissioning of the safety circuit for limiting the current and / or power of an electronic component of automation technology, in particular to reduce the approval effort for the electronic component, preferably a standard-tested electronic component.

[0061] The testing procedure is preferably performed in accordance with the UL2367 standard. Even more preferably, the testing procedure is commissioned by the semiconductor manufacturer of the semiconductor device.

[0062] In other words, the safety circuit is not repeatedly tested and can be installed directly as an already tested electronic component.

[0063] In particular, this can simplify the qualification and possible approval according to known safety standards for electronic components or electronic devices.

[0064] INTERNAL The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and the drawings.

[0065] They show schematically:

[0066] Fig. 1: Block diagram of a prior art safety circuit with external setting circuits,

[0067] Fig. 2: Block diagram of a safety circuit with integrated

[0068] Setting circuit as a semiconductor component

[0069] Fig. 3: Block diagram of an electronic component with safety circuit according to Fig. 2,

[0070] Fig. 4 Diagram of a current-power characteristic curve.

[0071] In the following description of preferred embodiments, identical reference numerals denote identical or comparable components.

[0072] Figure 1 shows a prior art safety circuit 10 with two series-connected electronic control and / or switching elements 12, in particular a field-effect transistor with associated monitoring circuits 14 for current and / or power monitoring. In order for the safety circuit 10 to function as a current and / or power limiter for component or fire protection of electronic components not shown here, the external setting circuits 16, shown with dashed lines, are required. In the prior art, these setting circuits 16 are designed to be flexible and easily variable in order to adapt the safety circuit 10 to a specific application for varying the current and / or power limit. However, this variability has the disadvantage that reliable certification or testing cannot be carried out for the external setting circuits.Therefore, for single-fault safety, the redundancy shown with two electronic control and / or switching elements 12 is required to integrate the safety circuit 10 into a circuit of an electronic component not shown here and standardized for component or fire protection.

[0073] Fig. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the safety circuit 10 according to the invention, wherein the electronic control and / or switching element 12 with monitoring circuit 14 together with the external setting circuit 16 as

[0074] INTERNAL, a single semiconductor device 20 with at least 3 pins is integrated. A field-effect transistor is preferably used as the electronic control and / or switching element 12. Preferably, the single semiconductor device 20 has a voltage input Vi, a voltage output Vo, and a ground connection GND and can thus be integrated into a circuit of an electronic component (not shown) for current and / or power limiting. The integrated semiconductor device 20 is tested for use in component and / or fire protection and is designed for a specific current and / or power limit, preferably one defined by a standard. This has the advantage that the safety circuit 10 can be directly installed in an already certified electronic component without further testing procedures.

[0075] Figure 3 shows an electronic component 22 as a control unit for a peripheral device 26, in particular a sensor or actuator for automation technology. The aforementioned semiconductor component 20 is integrated within the electronic component 22 as a safety circuit 10 to protect an internal evaluation unit 24 and preferably the peripheral device 26. Preferably, the current and / or power limiting requirement for the peripheral device 26 is identical to or lower than that of the control unit. At a minimum, the safety circuit 10 provides current and / or power limiting for both the peripheral device 26 and the control unit. This advantageously enables standard-compliant fire protection for multiple peripheral devices 26 to be achieved with only a single safety circuit 10.

[0076] Figure 4 shows an exemplary dashed current-power characteristic curve 18. An overcurrent value le is shown, which is defined, for example, by a component limit. In particular, for A-coded M12 connectors, an overcurrent value le can be 4 A. A power limit 19 is specified by standards. An overvoltage value Ue can also be defined by the specifications of an electronic component.

[0077] INTERNAL Reference List

[0078] 10 Safety circuit

[0079] 12 electronic control and / or switching element

[0080] 14 Monitoring circuit

[0081] 16 Setting circuit

[0082] 18 Current / Power characteristic curve

[0083] 19 Performance limit

[0084] 20 Semiconductor components

[0085] 22 Electronic component

[0086] 24 evaluation units

[0087] 26 Peripheral device

[0088] Re setting resistor le overcurrent value

[0089] U overvoltage value

[0090] INTERNAL

Claims

Patent claims 1. Safety circuit with a controllable electronic control and / or switching element (12) and a monitoring circuit (14) for current and / or voltage measurement, wherein the electronic control and / or switching element (12) is connected to an adjustment circuit (16) to adjust a current and / or power characteristic (18) of the safety circuit (10) for current and / or power limitation, characterized in that the adjustment circuit (16) together with the electronic control and / or switching element (12) and the monitoring circuit (14) is implemented on a single semiconductor device (20), wherein the semiconductor device (20) is tested according to standards, in particular according to the UL2367 standard, and has a current and / or power characteristic (18) defined by the integrated adjustment circuit (16).to design a certified fail-safe safety circuit (10) for current and / or power limitation for the normatively specified fire protection and / or component protection of an electronic component (22).

2. Safety circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety circuit (10) with the setting circuit (16) forms a defined power limitation for the normatively predetermined fire protection of the electronic component (22) of 150W according to the standard IEC61010-1 “Energy-limited circuit”, and / or a power limitation of 100W according to the standard UL1310 with power class “Class 2” and / or a power limitation of 15W according to power class “PS1” or 100W according to power class “PS2” according to the standard IEC62368-1.

3. Safety circuit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, INTERNAL that the safety circuit (10) is designed as a single semiconductor device (20) with at least 3 pins, having at least one voltage input (Vi), at least one voltage output (Vo) and at least one ground connection (GND), wherein the semiconductor device (20) is tested to be fail-safe in accordance with the UL2367 standard.

4. Safety circuit according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the monitoring circuit for current and / or voltage measurement is designed as an analog circuit or a microcontroller or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that controls an integrated field-effect transistor (FET), in particular a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), as an electronic control and / or switching element (12).

5. Safety circuit according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the setting circuit (16) has at least one integrated setting resistor and / or a corresponding semiconductor component and / or a digitally based setting unit, in particular a microcontroller, to set the current and / or power limit.

6. Safety circuit according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the safety circuit (10) has only a single controllable electronic control and / or switching element (12) and a ground connection (GND) connected to the safety circuit (10) is implemented directly and without an intermediate additional external fuse.

7. Electronic component for automation technology, in particular a sensor, actuator and / or bus connector, comprising an electronic circuit board and at least one tested safety circuit (10) arranged thereon according to one of claims 1 to 6 with a normatively predetermined current and / or power limit. INTERNAL 8. Electronic component according to claim 7, characterized in that the electronic component is tested according to the standard IEC61010-1 “Energy-limited circuit” and the safety circuit (10) forms a 150W power limit, and / or is tested according to the standard UL1310 for the power class “Class 2” and the safety circuit (10) forms a 100W power limit, and / or is tested according to the standard IEC62368-1 with the power class “PS1” or “PS2” and the safety circuit (10) forms a 15W power limit or a 100W power limit.

9. Electronic component according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the electronic component (22) comprises an electronic circuit board surrounded by plastic, in particular overmolded, in particular without fire protection properties, and preferably additionally has at least one industrial connection, wherein the safety circuit (10) is designed as a normatively defined power limiter for the fire protection of the electronic component (22) and preferably as a current limiter for the at least one industrial connection, in particular an M 12 connector.

10. Electronic component according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the electronic component (22) is designed as a higher-level control unit, wherein peripheral devices (26), in particular a sensor and / or an actuator, are connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit has the safety circuit (10) to provide a current and / or power limit for the control unit itself and the peripheral devices (26).

11. Method for commissioning a safety circuit according to one of claims 1 to 6 comprising the following steps: INTERNAL - Integrating the safety circuit (10) with setting circuit (16) into a single semiconductor device (20), - Performing a one-time and standard-defined individual component testing procedure to ensure the certified fail-safe operation of the safety circuit (10) with setting circuit (16) for component and / or fire protection, - Installation and commissioning of the safety circuit (10) for limiting the current and / or power of an electronic component (22) of automation technology, in particular according to one of claims 7-10. INTERNAL

Images