Protector circuit

• US 4,695,916 A
• Filed: 12/17/1985
• Issued: 09/22/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Hideyuki, Satoh, Hidetaka, Jyumonji, Hiromichi, Kamijoh, Yoshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jennings, Derek S.
• Application Number:
  US06/809,825
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 361/56, 361/91, 361/110, 361/111, 361/117, 361/118, 361/119
• US Class Current: 361/56
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/04 responsive to excess voltage lightning arrestors H01C7/12, H01C8/04, H01G9/18, H01T
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/042 comprising means to limit the absorbed power or indicate damaged over-voltage protection device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/18 with means for reducing interference or noise; with means for reducing effects due to line faults with means for protecting lines

Abstract

A protector circuit comprises series connection of a bidirectional voltage limiting element and a bidirectional thyristor between a signal line connected to a communication equipment and ground. The breakdown voltage V_B of the bidirectional voltage limiting element is set to be slightly higher than the battery feed voltage V_Bf on the signal line and lower than a predetermined non-operation voltage V_A of the protector circuit. The sum of the breakdown voltage V_B and the break-over voltage V_BO of the bidirectional thyristor is set to be lower than breakdown voltage V_R of the equipment and higher than the non-operation voltage V_A.

Claims

1. A protector circuit connected between a signal line connected to a communication equipment and ground for protecting said equipment from surge voltages applied to said signal line, said signal line supplying a battery feed voltage V_Bf to said communication equipment, said protector circuit comprising:

a bidirectional voltage limiting element having a breakdown voltage V_B slightly higher than the battery feed voltage V_Bf on said signal line and lower than a predetermined non-operation voltage V_A of said protector circuit; and

a bidirectional thyristor connected in series with said bidirectional voltage limiting element, the sum of the break-over voltage V_B0 of said bidirectional thyristor and said breakdown voltage V_B being lower than the breakdown voltage V_R of said equipment and higher than said non-operation voltage V_A.

2. The protector circuit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of signal lines are connected to said equipment, a plurality of said series connected bidirectional voltage limiting elements and bidirectional thyristors being connected respectively between each said signal line and ground, said bidirectional thyristors having their respective gate terminals connected together and held open without being connected to any other part.

3. The protector circuit according to claim 2, wherein said bidirectional thyristor in each said series connection is provided on the ground side with respect to said bidirectional voltage limiting element.

4. The protector circuit according to claim 1, wherein said bidirectional thyristor has a gate terminal, a commercial power line is connected to said equipment, and a second bidirectional thyristor is connected between said commercial power line and ground, said second bidirectional thyristor having a gate terminal which is connected to the gate terminal of said first mentioned bidirectional thyristor.

5. The protector circuit according to claim 2, wherein a commercial power line is connected to said equipment, and a further bidirectional thyristor is connected between said commercial power line and ground, said further bidirectional thyristor having a gate which is connected to the gate terminals of said first mentioned bidirectional thyristors.

6. A protector circuit connected between a signal line connected to a communication equipment and ground for protecting said equipment from surge voltages applied to said signal line, said signal line supplying a battery feed voltage V_Bf to said communication equipment, said protector circuit comprising:

a first bidirectional voltage limiting element having a breakdown voltage V₁ slightly higher than the battery feed voltge V_Bf on said signal line;

a bidirectional thyristor connected in series with said first bidirectional voltage limiting element; and

a second bidirectional voltage limiting element connected between the gate and anode terminals of said bidirectional thyristor;

the sum of the breakdown voltages V_B1 and V_B2 of said first and second bidirectional voltage limiting elements and the gate-cathode voltage V_GK of said bidirectional thyristor being lower than the breakdown voltage V_R of said equipment and higher than a predetermined non-operation voltage V_A of said protector circuit, said breakdown voltage V_B2 of said second bidirectional voltage limiting element being lower than the break-over voltage V_B0 of said bidirectional thyristor.

7. The protector circuit according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of signal lines are connected to said equipment, a circuit including said first bidirectional voltage limiting element, said bidirectional thyristor in series thereto and said second bidirectional voltage limiting element connected between the gate and anode terminals of said bidirectional thyristor being connected between each of said signal lines and ground, the gate terminals of said individual bidirectional thyristors being connected together.

8. The protector circuit according to claim 7, wherein said bidirectional thyristor in each said circuit is provided on the ground side with respect to the associated first bidirectional voltage limiting element.

9. The protector circuit according to claim 6, wherein a commercial power line is connected to said equipment, and a second bidirectional thyristor is connected between said commercial power line and ground, the gate terminal of said second bidirectional thyristor being connected to the gate terminal of said first mentioned bidirectional thyristor.

10. The protector circuit according to claim 7, wherein a commercial power line is connected to said equipment, and a further bidirectional thyristor is connected between said commercial power line and ground, the gate terminal of said further bidirectional thyristor being connected to the gate terminals of said first mentioned bidirectional thyristors.

11. A protector circuit connected between each of a plurality of signal lines connected to a communication equipment and ground for protecting said equipment from surge voltages applied to said signal line, each of said signal lines supplying a battery feed current to said communication equipment, said protector circuit comprising:

bidirectional thyristors connected between respective ones of said signal lines and ground and each having a holding current higher than the battery feed current to each said signal line; and

bidirectional voltage limiting elements each connected between the gate and anode terminals of respective ones of said bidirectional thyristors, the sum of the breakdown voltage V_B of each said bidirectional voltage limiting element and the gate-cathode voltage of each said bidirectional thyristor being higher than a predetermined non-operation voltage V_A of said protector circuit and lower than the breakdown voltage V_R of said equipment, said breakdown voltage V_B of each said bidirectional voltage limiting element being lower than the break-over voltage V_BO of each said bidirectional thyristor;

the gate terminals of respective ones of said bidirectional thyristors being connected together.

12. The protector circuit according to claim 11, wherein the gate terminals of said bidirectional thyristors are grounded through a common resistor.