Back to results
US 6,555,961 B1Granted
Anode initiated surface flashover switch
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsJohn P. Brainard, Robert J. Koss
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A high voltage surface flashover switch has a pair of electrodes spaced by an insulator. A high voltage is applied to an anode, which is smaller than the opposing, grounded, cathode. When a controllable source of electrons near the cathode is energized, the electrons are attracted to the anode where they reflect to the insulator and initiate anode to cathode breakdown.
Claims24
A high voltage switch comprising:
- an electrically conductive cathode having inner and outer spaced surfaces;
- an electrically conductive anode having inner and outer spaced surfaces, said inner surface of said anode facing said inner surface of said cathode, said anode having applied thereto a high positive voltage relative to said cathode;
- a hollow tubular insulator sealed at one end to said anode and at an opposite end to said cathode to define a volume that is evacuated;
- and
- a controllable generator of electrons within the volume adjacent said cathode;
- wherein generated electrons cause an anode initiated breakdown to change said switch from a non-conducting to a conducting state.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.