Surge suppression system
AssigneeLutron Electronics Co., Inc.
InventorRobert C. Newman, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a surge suppression system employed in a system comprising Hot and Neutral power line segments coupled via a filter to protected electronic circuitry. The surge suppression elements include a spark gap comprising a first electrode connected to the Neutral line segment and a second electrode connected to the ground potential; and a voltage clamping device electrically connected to the Hot and Neutral line segments at a point which is electrically closer to the protected electronic circuitry than the spark gap. The invention permits the filter to ring up to high voltages, and provides a mechanism whereby electrical breakdown occurs at a prescribed point. Surge suppression is provided after the filter by the single ungrounded clamping device.
Claims13
In a system comprising Hot and Neutral power line segments coupled via a filter to protected electronic circuitry, wherein at least one component of said filter is connected to a ground potential, the improvement comprising:
- (a) a spark gap comprising a first electrode connected to said Neutral line segment and a second electrode connected to said ground potential;
- and
- (b) one and only one voltage clamping device electrically connected to said Hot and Neutral line segments whereby the system avoids the formation of arcs from Hot to ground or Hot to Neutral, thus minimizing the likelihood of a sustained arc, and whereby the system provides protection from both differential mode (Hot to ground) and common mode (Hot and Neutral to ground) surges with only a single voltage clamping device.
A method for suppressing voltage surges in a system comprising Hot and Neutral power line segments coupled via a filter to protected electronic circuitry, wherein at least one component of said filter is connected to a ground potential, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a mechanism whereby electrical breakdown occurs at a prescribed point;
- and
- (b) providing voltage clamping with one and only one voltage clamping device connected between said Hot and Neutral power line segments;
- whereby the system avoids the formation of arcs from Hot to ground or Hot to Neutral, thus minimizing the likelihood of a sustained arc, and whereby the system provides protection from both differential mode (Hot to ground) and common mode (Hot and Neutral to ground) surges with only a single voltage clamping device.
A system comprising:
- (a) Hot and Neutral power line segments coupled via a filter to protected electronic circuitry, wherein at least one component of said filter is connected to a ground potential;
- (b) a mechanism whereby electrical breakdown occurs at a prescribed point in said filter;
- and
- (c) one and only one ungrounded voltage clamping device connected to said filter between said Hot and Neutral line segments;
- whereby the system avoids the formation of arcs from Hot to ground or Hot to Neutral, thus minimizing the likelihood of a sustained arc, and whereby the system provides protection from both differential mode (Hot to ground) and common mode (Hot and Neutral to ground) surges with only a single voltage clamping device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.