US Patent 7145758 Arc suppression circuit for electrical contacts

A circuit to suppress arc across contacts of a relay is provided, in which the relay is electrically coupled to a power supply and a load. The circuit includes an arc suppression circuit electrically coupled between the first and second contacts of the relay, and the arc suppression circuit includes a capacitor and a switch, both of which are electrically coupled to the first and second contacts of the relay, in which the switch is configured to turn on when the first and second contacts of the relay change state, thereby providing an alternate path for a current flow through the load.