Voltage and current based control and triggering for isolator surge protector

An isolator surge protector, comprising:

• (a) a DC blocking capacitor connected between two terminals of the isolator surge protector;
• (b) a main bypass path connected in parallel with the DC blocking capacitor and including a main bypass path switching device which is responsive to primary and secondary triggering signals to create a low impedance path between the terminals of the isolator surge protector and across the DC blocking capacitor such that the DC blocking capacitor discharges rapidly through the low-impedance path;
• and
• (c) controller means for providing the primary triggering signal when a voltage level of an externally applied input voltage waveform across the main bypass path exceeds a primary voltage trigger level and for providing secondary triggering signals each time the voltage level across the main bypass path exceeds a secondary voltage trigger level which is less than the primary voltage trigger level during a secondary triggering period having a duration following the providing of the primary triggering signal lasting for a plurality of cycles of the input voltage waveform;
• wherein the controller means is autonomous and includes a diode and a storage capacitor connected across the main bypass path, wherein the controller means is powered from energy stored in the storage capacitor from the voltage level across the main bypass path prior to the providing of the primary triggering signal which provides current through the diode into the capacitor.

An isolator surge protector, comprising:

• (a) a DC blocking capacitor connected between two terminals of the isolator surge protector;
• (b) a main bypass path connected in parallel with the DC blocking capacitor and including a main bypass path switching device which is responsive to primary and secondary triggering signals to create a low impedance path between the terminals of the isolator surge protector and across the DC blocking capacitor such that the DC blocking capacitor discharges rapidly through the low-impedance path;
• and
• (c) controller means for providing the primary triggering signal when a voltage level of an externally applied input voltage waveform across the main bypass path exceeds a primary voltage trigger level and when an AC current level through the DC blocking capacitor exceeds a primary current trigger level when the voltage level across the main bypass path is less than the primary voltage trigger level and for providing secondary triggering signals each time the voltage level across the main bypass path exceeds a secondary voltage trigger level which is less than the primary voltage trigger level during a secondary triggering period having a duration following the providing of the primary triggering signal lasting for a plurality of cycles of the input voltage waveform.

An isolator surge protector, comprising:

• (a) a DC blocking capacitor connected between two terminals of the isolator surge protector;
• (b) a main bypass path connected in parallel with the DC blocking capacitor and including a main bypass path switching device which is responsive to primary and secondary triggering signals to create a low impedance path between the terminals of the isolator surge protector;
• and
• (c) controller means for providing the primary triggering signal both when a voltage level across the main bypass path exceeds a primary voltage trigger level and when an AC current level through the DC blocking capacitor exceeds a primary current trigger level when the voltage level across the main bypass path is less than the primary voltage trigger level, and for providing secondary triggering signals each time the voltage level across the main bypass path exceeds a secondary voltage trigger level which is less than the primary voltage trigger level during a secondary triggering period following the providing of the primary triggering signal.

An isolator surge protector, comprising:

• (a) a DC blocking capacitor connected between two terminals of the isolator surge protector;
• (b) a main bypass path connected in parallel with the DC blocking capacitor and including a main bypass path switching device which is responsive to primary and secondary triggering signals to create a low impedance path between the terminals of the isolator surge protector;
• and
• (c) controller means for providing the primary triggering signal when an AC current level through the DC blocking capacitor exceeds a primary current trigger level, and for providing secondary triggering signals each time the voltage level across the main bypass path exceeds a secondary voltage trigger level during a secondary triggering period following the providing of the primary triggering signal.