Electrical surge arrester
AssigneeRaychem Corporation
InventorsGary H. Wiseman, William M. Robinson, Jeffrey A. Bennett, Ronald J. Mosso, John T. Fossett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sealed vented surge arrester and method of manufacture is described wherein the valve elements are held under compressive loading while strength members including a moisture sealing void filling compound are pressed fit from the sides of the unit with a shed applied over it. The design achieves all the desirable features of tubular strength members with an ease of manufacture from utilizing half-shell or more members which can be applied from the sides along the longitudinal axis of the valve elements during manufacture to provide better void filling between the structural members and the valve elements.
Claims27
An electrical assembly comprising:
- at least 2 valve elements having opposed ends, said at least 2 valve elements arranged end to end to form a stack of valve elements, said stack having two opposing ends and an outer surface;
- at lest one resilient conductive spring member associated therewith;
- first and second end terminals, said end terminals in forced electrical contact with said opposing ends and said at least one resilient conductive spring element;
- at least two structural members having inner and outer surfaces, said structural members fastened so as to maintain compressive forces on said end terminals, said at least one resilient conductive spring element, and said stack of at least 2 valve elements, said structural members providing for two or more longitudinal gaps between said members to provide venting of failure event by-products;
- a void filling non-rigidly bonding material between the inner surface of the structural members and the end terminals, valve elements and at least one resilient conductive spring member to provide a substantially void free interface with said valve elements, wherein the void filling material is placed between the adjacent surfaces from the application methods selected from the group consisting of coating the surface of the valve elements, coating the surface of the structural member facing the valve elements, or combinations thereof;
- and
- a polymeric housing having inner and outer surfaces, said housing having a substantially void free interface between its inner surface and the outer surface of said structural members.
An electrical assembly comprising:
- first and second conductive end terminals;
- at least one valve element therebetween held in compressive engagement between said first and second end terminals through the compression of at least one compression member;
- at least two structural strength members mechanically affixed to the first and second end terminals, said structural strength members having a gap therebetween along the longitudinal edges;
- a sufficient amount of a void filling non-rigidly bonding moisture sealing compound between said structural strength members and said at least one valve element to seal any voids therebetween, said void filling non-rigidly bonding moisture sealing compound is placed between the surface of the structural strength members and the end terminals and at least one valve elements by the application methods selected from the group consisting of coating the surface of the structural strength members facing the valve elements and end terminals, coating the end terminals and valve elements or combinations thereof;
- and
- an outer non-tracking housing sealed to said end terminals and said structural strength members.
A method of assembling a surge arrester comprising compressing at least one valve element and at least one compression member between end terminals and applying structural members to the end terminals with a moisture sealing material disposed between the valve element and the structural members, so that upon compression of the structural members against the end terminals and the valve element, the moisture sealing material substantially fills all voids and air gaps;
- and mechanically attaching the structural members to the end terminals.
A surge arrester apparatus, in combination comprising:
- at least one valve element in electrical contact between two end terminals, structural strength members mechanically contacting the end terminals but mechanically isolated from the at least one valve element, a moisture sealing but non-rigid insulating material between the structural strength members and the at least one valve element, and a non-tracking polymeric housing surrounding the longitudinal axis of the valve element and end terminals wherein the structural strength members are at least two shells forming a gapped tubular like strength member having a sufficient interior volume when affixed to said two end terminals to contain the at least one valve element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.