Patent · US Expired

Overvoltage protector

US6421218B1 · kind B1 · utility

15Cited by
4References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 24, 2000
Grant dateJul 16, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 24, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01T1/14
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An overvoltage protector assembly utilizes a gas tube having an electrically conductive terminal and an electrically conductive end cap for being selectively brought into electrical contact with the terminal to divert surges to ground. A toroidal non-conductive element having a central hole is disposed between an end cap and the terminal of the gas tube. A fusible element formed of a fluxed solder pellet is also disposed between the end cap and the terminal of the gas tube. The end cap includes at least one aperture and a raised projection on its outer surface so that axial forces applied by a spring clip are centrally applied to the end cap. Molten solder flows through the central hole in the non-conductive element and the aperture in the end cap when the overvoltage protector assembly overheats so that the end cap and the terminal are in electrical contact.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.