Surge suppressor

• US 20040201940A1
• Filed: 04/10/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Germagian, Mark H., Bell, Ronnie L., Fournier, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 7,193,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/118
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/713 the switch being a safety switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/04 for network, e.g. LAN connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/18 for television
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/003 the coupling part being secured only to wires or cables

Abstract

The invention relates to surge suppressors. One embodiment provides a surge suppressing device including: a power circuit having an MOV and a thermal fuse in proximity to the MOV; an isolation structure containing the MOV and the thermal fuse; and a plurality of utility outlets in electrical communication with the power circuit. The isolation structure isolates the MOV and thermal fuse from at least a portion of the surge-suppressing device and encapsulates emissions from the MOV during an overvoltage event. Another embodiment provides a surge suppressing device including: a power section having a power circuit; an intermediate section adjacent to the power section; and an outlet section adjacent to the intermediate section such that the intermediate section separates the power section and the outlet section. The outlet section includes a plurality of utility outlets in electrical communication with the power circuit. Further embodiments are described.

Claims

1. A surge suppressing device comprising:

a power circuit including an MOV and a thermal fuse in proximity to the MOV;

an isolation structure containing the MOV and the thermal fuse, the isolation structure constructed and arranged to isolate the MOV and thermal fuse from at least a portion of the surge suppressing device and to encapsulate emissions from the MOV during an overvoltage event; and

a plurality of utility outlets in electrical communication with the power circuit.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the power circuit is mounted on a PCB.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the device further comprises:

a housing having first and second opposed housing portions and wherein the isolation structure is a wall that seals against the first housing portion and the power PCB to encapsulate the MOV and thermal fuse.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the device further comprises:

a housing having first and second opposed housing portions and wherein the isolation structure is a wall that is integral with the first housing portion, the wall being adapted to seal against the power PCB to encapsulate the MOV and the thermal fuse.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the device further comprises an overload detection circuit in electrical communication with the power circuit, the overload detection circuit operative to detect the onset of a power overload situation.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of utility outlets comprises an electrical output and shutters that are integral to the at least one utility outlet, the shutters requiring both blades of a power plug to make contact with equal force to allow contact to the output of the utility outlet.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the device further comprises a power cord including a power line connected to the power circuit.

8. A surge suppressing device comprising:

a power section including a power circuit;

an intermediate section adjacent to the power section; and

an outlet section adjacent to the intermediate section such that the intermediate section separates the power section and the outlet section, the outlet section including a plurality of utility outlets in electrical communication with the power circuit.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the device includes a ground line connected to the power circuit and wherein the intermediate section is a data section including a data communication interface electrically connected with the ground line and operative to provide surge protection to a communication device.

10. The device of claim 8 wherein the device further comprises:

a housing having first and second opposed housing portions and wherein the intermediate section comprises a structure that is integral with the first portion, the structure being adapted to separate the intermediate section from the power section and the outlet section, the structure and the first and second opposed portions of the housing defining the power section, the intermediate section and the outlet section.

11. The device of claim 8 wherein the device further comprises a power cord including a power line connected to the power circuit.

12. A surge suppressing device comprising:

a housing having a first face, the housing defining;

a power section including a power circuit; and

an outlet section including a plurality of utility outlets arranged in three rows on the first face of the housing, wherein the device has a longitudinal axis and the three rows run substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the three rows including a center row and two peripheral rows, the center row including at least first and second center outlets, the first and second center outlets arranged in top-to-bottom order, the peripheral rows including first and second peripheral outlets, the first and second peripheral outlets arranged in side-to-side order.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein the device further comprises:

a cord manager removeably and replaceably coupled to the housing.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein the device further comprises:

a cord manager engaged with the housing, the cord manager configured and adapted to adjustably extend from the housing.

15. The device of claim 13 wherein the housing has a second face, wherein the cord manager removeably and replaceably attaches to the second face of the housing, and wherein the cord manager is adapted to mount to an external location.

16. The device of claim 12 wherein the face lies substantially in a plane and wherein the peripheral rows are inclined downwardly out of the plane.

17. The device of claim 12 wherein the center outlets have a direction and the center outlets are oriented away from the power section.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the peripheral outlets are type B outlets and the peripheral outlets are oriented away from the center row.

19. The device of claim 17 wherein the center row of outlets are standard outlets and wherein the peripheral rows of outlets are adapted to receive transformer plugs.

20. The device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the outlets is switched and at least one of the outlets is always on.

21. The device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the outlets is a Schuko outlet.

22. The device of claim 12 wherein at least one of the outlets is a type H outlet.

23. The device of claim 12 wherein the device further comprises a power cord coupled to the housing, the housing having a power cord point of contact surface, the power cord adapted to rotate 180 degrees about an axis that is perpendicular to the power cord point of contact surface.

24. A surge suppressing device comprising:

a housing having a first face, the first face defining;

a power section, the power section comprising;

a power circuit having an MOV and a thermal fuse in proximity to the MOV;

an isolation structure containing the MOV and the thermal fuse, the isolation structure constructed and arranged to isolate the MOV and thermal fuse from at least a portion of the surge suppressing device and to encapsulate emissions from the MOV during an overvoltage event;

a data section adjacent to the power section, the data section including data interfaces; and

an outlet section adjacent to the data section, the outlet section including a plurality of utility outlets.

25. The device of claim 24 wherein the power circuit is mounted on a PCB.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein the housing comprises:

first and second opposed housing portions and wherein the isolation structure is a wall that is integral with the first housing portion, the wall being adapted to seal against the power PCB to encapsulate the MOV and the thermal fuse.

27. The device of claim 24 wherein the device further comprises an overload detection circuit in electrical communication with the power circuit, the overload detection circuit operative to detect the onset of a power overload situation.

28. The device of claim 24 wherein the device further comprises a power cord including a power line connected to the power circuit.

29. The device of claim 24 wherein the data section separates the power section and the outlet section and is adapted to restrict airflow from the plurality of outlets to the MOV.

30. A surge suppressing device comprising:

a power circuit including an MOV and a thermal fuse in proximity to the MOV;

isolation means for containing the MOV and the thermal fuse, encapsulating emissions from the MOV during an overvoltage event, and facilitating heat flow between the MOV and the thermal fuse; and

a plurality of utility outlets in electrical communication with the power circuit.

31. A surge suppressing device comprising:

a housing having a first face, the housing defining;

a power section including a power circuit having an MOV and a thermal fuse in proximity to the MOV;

an isolation structure containing the MOV and the thermal fuse, the isolation structure constructed and arranged to isolate the MOV and thermal fuse from at least a portion of the surge suppressing device and to encapsulate emissions from the MOV during an overvoltage event; and

an outlet section including a plurality of utility outlets arranged in two rows on the first face of the housing, wherein the device has a longitudinal axis and the two rows run substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the two rows each including at least first and second center outlets, first and second peripheral outlets arranged in side-to-side order.