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US 2019/0120144 A1Published application
Spark gap circuit
AssigneeUnison Industries, LLC
InventorCharles Marshall Cook
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for a circuit can include a voltage divider having a first and a second impedance in series, and having a voltage divider output. A switchable element is arranged in parallel with the first impedance and connected with the voltage divider output. The switchable element has an open state and a closed state. A spark gap device is configured to not generate a spark when the switchable element is in the open state and generate a spark when the switchable element is in the closed state.
Claims20
A circuit comprising:
- a voltage divider having a first impedance and a second impedance in series, with a voltage divider output between the first and second impedances;
- a switchable element arranged electrically in parallel with the first impedance and connected with the voltage divider output, and having an open state enabling a first current path through the first impedance and a closed state enabling a second current path bypassing the first impedance;
- and
- a spark gap device arranged electrically in parallel with at least a portion of the voltage divider and defining a breakdown voltage whereby the spark gap device generates a spark in response to application of voltage greater than the breakdown voltage;
- wherein, the first impedance and the second impedance are selected such that, in response to the circuit receiving a voltage supply greater than the breakdown voltage, the spark gap device does not generate the spark when the switchable element is in the open state and the spark gap device generates the spark when the switchable element is in the closed state and bypasses the first impedance.
2 more elements
A method of providing a spark gap circuit, the method comprising:
- connecting a first impedance and a second impedance in series for a voltage divider;
- arranging a voltage divider output between the first and second impedance;
- arranging a switchable element electrically in parallel with the first impedance and connected with the voltage divider output;
- arranging a spark gap device defining a breakdown voltage electrically in parallel with at least a portion of the voltage divider;
- and
- selecting values for the first impedance and the second impedance such that, in response to the circuit receiving a predetermined voltage supply greater than the breakdown voltage, the spark gap device does not generate a spark when the switchable element is in an open state and the spark gap device generates a spark when the switchable element is in a closed state.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.