Overvoltage protection means

Abstract

An overvoltage protection device for use in power supply, especially low voltage systems, is described, with a housing (2), a first electrode (3), at least one second electrode (4), an arc chamber (5) within the housing (2) between the two electrodes (3, 4), and with a breakdown spark gap between the two electrodes (3, 4), an arc forming between the electrodes (3, 4) when the breakdown spark gap is ignited. In order to more reliably prevent the occurrence of a grid follow current and re-ignition of the breakdown spark gap in the overvoltage protection device, at least one outflow and cooling channel (6) is formed in the housing (2) through which the hot plasma from the arc chamber (5) can emerge, the outflow and cooling channel (6) extending in the lengthwise direction of the housing (2) and being helical.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.