Method and apparatus for detecting and recording episodic overloads in a circuit
US6600425B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R19/2513
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A apparatus for recording information on power surges in an electrical or electronic system is disclosed. The apparatus has a gas discharge tube connected between an input line of the electrical or electronic circuit protected and ground. The gas discharge tube is set to activate at a predetermined voltage. The gas discharge tube has adjacent to it a light sensor that reacts to discharges in the tube and the sensor in conjunction with enabling circuitry generates a signal representative of discharge of the gas discharge tube. The signal produced provides information on the time, magnitude and duration of discharges in the gas discharge tube which are in turn representative of the power surge experienced by the system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.