Sgs-thomson Microelectronics S.r.l.

Bruno Cavalli

Marco Morelli

Fabio Marchio

The device for protection comprises a zener diode voltage limiter having a breakdown voltage pre-set at a value (say, 30 volts) lower than the maximum value sustainable by the protected circuit in the closed condition and a quenching circuit having a pre-set lag controlled by each overvoltage impulse and suitable for disactivating said voltage limiter and to control the opening of said protected circuit with a time lag pre-set with respect to the start of each overvoltage impulse. In succession to said voltage limiter there is introduced in addition a zener diode with a higher breakdown voltage, say, equal to 110 volts, which allows the limitation to such a value of any overvoltages having a very low energy content superimposed over overvoltages having limited amplitude and long duration.

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Calolziocorte, Italy

Bruno Cavalli