Surge suppressor enclosure and fusing system

• US 6,876,533 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raycap S.A.
• Original Assignee: A.C./Data Systems Of Idaho, Inc.
• Inventors: Ryan, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benenson, Boris
• Application Number:
  US10/187,086
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 361/104, 361/118, 361/124, 361/125, 361/56, 361/117, 361/111, 361/103, 361/57, 316/111, 337/159, 296/23
• US Class Current: 361/104
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/44 Structural association with a spark-gap arrester
• CPC Class Codes: H01T 1/14 Means structurally associated with spark gap for protecting it against overload or for disconnecting it in case of failure H01T1/15, H01T1/16, H01T1/18 take precedence; emergency protective circuit arrangements for spark gap arrestors H02H7/24

Abstract

A surge suppressor includes a surge suppression device. A novel current limiting fuse design prevents current flow when the surge suppression device fails. A thermal fusing device is configured to prevent current flow when excessive heat is generated in the surge suppression device. A novel enclosure is used for containing the surge suppression device, over current fuse and thermal fuse.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Claims

1. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device;

a current limiting fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during an over current condition; and

a thermal fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during a over heating condition; and

an explosion resilient enclosure individually containing the surge suppression device, the current limiting fuse and the thermal fuse for preventing explosions from power surges from escaping outside the enclosure.

2. A surge suppressor according to claim 1 wherein the current limiting fuse is coupled between a power line and a first terminal of the surge suppression device and the thermal fuse is coupled between a second terminal of the surge suppression device and a neutral line.

3. A surge suppressor according to claim 1 wherein the current limiting fuse comprises a wire having a circular cross-sectional shape.

4. A surge suppressor according to claim 3 wherein the wire includes one or more crimps that flatten the cross-sectional shape for promoting fusing during high current conditions.

5. A surge suppressor according to claim 1 wherein the thermal fuse comprises a piece of metal soldered at a first end to a first terminal of the surge suppression device in a bent spring position and coupled at a second end to the enclosure electrically coupling the first terminal through the piece of metal to the enclosure, the fuse springingly detaching from the surge suppression device when heat from the surge suppression device melts the solder.

6. A surge suppressor according to claim 1 including a metal enclosure individually encasing only the surge suppression device, the current fuse and the thermal fuse isolating effects of power surge conditions in the surge suppression device from escaping outside the enclosure and damaging any neighboring surge suppression devices.

7. A surge suppressor according to claim 6 including arc suppression material packed inside the enclosure.

8. A surge suppressor according to claim 7 wherein the arc suppression material comprises a granular non flammable material.

9. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device;

a current limiting fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during an over current condition;

a thermal fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during an over heating condition, wherein the thermal fuse comprises a piece of metal soldered to the surge suppression device in a bent spring position, the fuse springingly detaching from the surge suppression device when heat from the surge suppression device melts the solder; and

a substance that will liquefy at less than the solder temperature encased around the thermal fuse.

10. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device;

a current limiting fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during an over current condition;

a thermal fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during an over heating condition; and

a metal enclosure containing the surge suppression device, the current fuse and the thermal fuse, wherein the enclosure is a conductive metal that operates as one terminal of the surge suppression device.

11. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device;

a current limiting fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during an over current condition;

a thermal fuse configured to disconnect the surge suppression device during an over heating condition; and

a metal enclosure containing the surge suppression device, the current fuse and the thermal fuse, wherein the enclosure includes a divider for electrically coupling to one end of the thermal fuse.

12. A surge suppressor, comprising:

one or a few surge suppression devices; and

a metal enclosure individually encasing only the one or few surge suppression devices for preventing effects of power surge conditions in the surge suppression device from escaping outside the enclosure and affecting any neighboring electrical equipment or neighboring surge suppression devices.

13. A surge suppressor according to claim 12 wherein the enclosure has metal sides that are approximately one quarter inch thick.

14. A surge suppressor according to claim 12 wherein the enclosure has metal sides that are at least one quarter inch thick.

15. A surge suppressor according to claim 14 wherein the fusing circuitry includes a round diameter wire operating as a current limiting fuse.

16. A surge suppressor according to claim 12 wherein the fusing circuitry includes a thermal fuse electrically and mechanically coupled between the surge suppression device and the enclosure that opens according to a melting point of solder holding the thermal fuse to the surge suppression device.

17. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device; and

a metal enclosure individually encasing the surge suppression device for preventing effects of power surge conditions in the surge suppression device from escaping outside the enclosure, wherein the enclosure is a conductive metal material operating as one terminal of the surge suppression device.

18. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device;

a metal enclosure individually encasing the surge suppression device for preventing effects of power surge conditions in the surge suppression device from escaping outside the enclosure, wherein the enclosure has metal sides that are approximately one quarter inch thick;

fusing circuitry contained inside the enclosure for preventing current flow when the surge suppression device has failed, wherein the fusing circuitry includes a round diameter wire operating as a current limiting fuse and the wire includes flattened areas for promoting arcing during an over current condition.

19. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device;

a metal enclosure individually encasing the surge suppression device for preventing effects of power surge conditions in the surge suppression device from escaping outside the enclosure; and

a wax material encasing a thermal fuse in the enclosure and a granular material packed inside the enclosure for suppressing electrical arcs.

20. A surge suppressor, comprising:

a surge suppression device;

a metal enclosure individually encasing the surge suppression device for preventing effects of power surge conditions in the surge suppression device from escaping outside the enclosure; and

a divider in the enclosure extending between a first terminal and second terminal of the surge suppression device.

21. A fuse, comprising:

a wire having a circular cross-sectional shape; and

one or more crimps in the wire that flatten the cross-sectional shape and serve to promote fusing during over current conditions.

22. A fuse according to claim 21 wherein the wire is a #16 average wire gage.

23. A fuse according to claim 21 wherein the crimps are each spaced about 12 inches apart.

24. A fuse according to claim 21 wherein the wire is coupled to a first terminal of a surge suppression device for disconnecting a power line from the surge suppression device during the over current condition.

25. A fuse according to claim 24 including a metal enclosure isolating the fuse and the surge suppression device from other electrical equipment and surge suppression devices.