Switching device

In the case of a switching device which is located in the current path between an electrical supply voltage source 3 and a load 1, measures are adopted by means of which the load 1 is connected to the supply voltage source 3 only when the supply voltage for the load is in a defined voltage range. For this purpose, a controllable switching element 6 is connected in the current path, in series with the load 1, which switching element 6 switches the current path through at an upper threshold value of the supply voltage Ue, and interrupts it at a lower threshold of the supply voltage Ua on the load 1. The switching element 6 is in this case controlled by a threshold-value switch.