# US 12,191,058 B2 · Surge arresters and related assemblies and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,191,058 B2 - Document ID: US12191058B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/928,357 - Filed: 2020-07-14 - Published: 2022-01-20 - Granted: 2025-01-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-14 - Assignees: TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH - Applicants: Te Connectivity Services GmbH - Inventors: Senthil A. Kumar; Eduardo Gastaldi; Harry Yaworski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191058B2 ## CPC - H01C 7/12: Overvoltage protection resistors; Arresters - H01C 1/028: the resistive element being embedded in insulation with outer enclosing sheath - H01C 7/102: Varistor boundary, e.g. surface layers (H01C7/12 takes precedence) - H01C 17/00: Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing resistors (providing fillings for housings or enclosures H01C1/02; reducing insulation surrounding a resistor to powder H01C1/03; manufacture of thermally variable resistors H01C7/02, H01C7/04) - H01C: RESISTORS ## Abstract A surge arrester includes a polymer body including a first leg having a first channel defined therein and a second leg perpendicular to the first leg and having a second channel defined therein. A varistor assembly is in the first channel. The varistor assembly includes a plurality of varistor elements electrically connected in series and forming a stack of the plurality of varistor elements. The stack has a first end surface, a second end surface, and an outer side surface extending between the first end surface and the second end surface. The varistor assembly includes a first end fitting at the first end surface of the stack, a second end fitting at the second end surface of the stack, a plurality of rods disposed around the side surface of the stack, and a polymer fill layer between the side surface of the stack and the first leg of the body. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surge arrester comprising: a polymer body comprising: a first leg having a first channel defined therein; and a second leg perpendicular to the first leg and having a second channel defined therein, the second channel configured to receive a bushing; a varistor assembly in the first channel, the varistor assembly comprising: a plurality of varistor elements electrically connected in series and forming a stack of the plurality of varistor elements, wherein the stack has a first end surface, a second end surface, and an outer side surface extending between the first end surface and the second end surface; a first end fitting at the first end surface of the stack; a second end fitting at the second end surface of the stack; a plurality of rods disposed around the outer side surface of the stack, each of the plurality of rods comprising a first end that is connected to the first end fitting and a second end that is connected to the second end fitting; and a polymer fill layer between the outer side surface of the stack and the first leg of the body, wherein the polymer fill layer completely surrounds the outer side surface of the stack and extends between the first end fitting and the second end fitting, wherein the first channel defines a first longitudinal axis and the second channel defines a second longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis, wherein the polymer fill layer completely surrounds each one of the plurality of rods, wherein the polymer body comprises an electrically insulating inner layer and an electrically conductive outer layer, wherein each of the plurality of rods is spaced apart from the polymer body, and wherein the first channel has a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the stack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the polymer fill layer fills an air void that would otherwise be defined between the side surface of the stack and the first leg of the body due to the plurality of rods. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of rods is spaced apart from the outer side surface of the stack. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the plurality of varistor elements comprise a plurality of metal-oxide varistor elements. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the body is formed of an elastomer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the polymer fill layer is formed of an elastomer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the body is T-shaped. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the body is elbow shaped. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the second channel is configured to receive a standard 600 Amp bushing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the polymer fill layer extends only between the first end fitting and the second end fitting. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surge arrester of claim 1 wherein the polymer fill layer has a constant outer diameter. ### Claim 12 A method of assembling a surge arrester, the method comprising: forming at least a portion of a cage by connecting a first end of each of a plurality of rods to a first end fitting; receiving a stack of a plurality of varistor elements between the plurality of rods such that a first end surface of the stack is at the first end fitting; connecting a second end of each of the plurality of rods to a second end fitting; forming a fill layer around the stack of the plurality of varistor elements and around the plurality of rods to thereby form a varistor assembly, wherein the fill layer completely surrounds an outer side surface of the stack extending between the first end surface of the stack and an opposite second end surface of the stack and extends between the first end fitting and the second end fitting, and wherein the fill layer completely surrounds each of the plurality of rods; and receiving the varistor assembly in a first channel of a polymer surge arrester body, wherein the polymer surge arrester body comprises an electrically insulating inner layer and an electrically conductive outer layer, wherein each of the plurality of rods is spaced apart from the polymer surge arrester body, and wherein the first channel has a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the stack. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein receiving the varistor assembly in the polymer surge arrester body comprises molding the body around the varistor assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the fill layer fills an air void that would otherwise be defined between the stack and the body due to the plurality of rods. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of rods is spaced apart from the outer side surface of the stack. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the body is formed of an elastomer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the fill layer is formed of an elastomer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the polymer surge arrester body comprises a first leg having a first channel defined therein and a second leg having a second channel defined therein, and wherein the first channel defines a first longitudinal axis and the second channel defines a second longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis. ### Claim 19 A surge arrester comprising: a polymer body comprising: a first leg having a first channel defined therein; and a second leg perpendicular to the first leg and having a second channel defined therein, the second channel configured to receive a bushing; a varistor assembly in the first channel, the varistor assembly comprising: a plurality of varistor elements electrically connected in series and forming a stack of the plurality of varistor elements, wherein the stack has a first end surface, a second end surface, and an outer side surface extending between the first end surface and the second end surface; a first end fitting at the first end surface of the stack; a second end fitting at the second end surface of the stack; a plurality of rods disposed around the outer side surface of the stack, each of the plurality of rods comprising a first end that is connected to the first end fitting and a second end that is connected to the second end fitting; and a polymer fill layer between the outer side surface of the stack and the first leg of the body, wherein the polymer fill layer completely surrounds the outer side surface of the stack and extends between the first end fitting and the second end fitting, wherein the polymer fill layer completely surrounds each one of the plurality of rods, wherein the polymer body comprises an electrically insulating inner layer and an electrically conductive outer layer, wherein each of the plurality of rods is spaced apart from the polymer body, and wherein the first channel has a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the stack.