Circuit and method for indicating the remaining suppressing capacity of a multiple-element transient-voltage protection device
US5914662A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 23, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 22, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 23, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02H9/042
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A suppressing capacity circuit for use with a transient voltage protection device; the transient voltage protection device includes a plurality of series-coupled current-limiting elements and transient-suppressing elements couplable between first and second electrical conductors to suppress transient voltages therebetween, the current-limiting elements being adapted to open-circuit upon the failure of a transient-suppressing element coupled in series therewith. The suppressing capacity circuit includes: detection circuitry, coupled to each of the series-coupled current-limiting elements and transient-suppressing elements, that individually senses the open-circuit status of each of the current-limiting elements and provides an electrical characteristic that is a function of the number of the current-limiting elements which have not open-circuited; comparison circuitry, coupled to the detection circuitry, that compares the electrical characteristic to a reference and generates a signal that is a function of the ratio of the electrical characteristic to the reference; and alerting circuitry, coupled to the comparison circuitry, that receives the signal generated by the comparison circ…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.