Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co.

Holger Altmaier

Eberhard Lehmann

Klaus Scheibe

Gerhard Oertel

An overvoltage protection element for discharge of transient overvoltages, with two electrodes (2), a disruptive discharge-spark air spark gap (3) which acts between the electrodes (2), and a housing (4) which holds electrodes (2). Each electrode (2) has a connecting leg (5) and an arcing horn (6) which runs preferably at an acute angle to connecting leg (5). The arcing horns (6) are spaced from one another and together form the disruptive discharge-spark air gap. The overvoltage protection behavior of the overvoltage protection element (1) is improved by there being an arc splitter arrangement (23) which has a plurality of arc splitters (22) within housing (4) as well as by causing the disruptive discharge-spark air gap to be curved or angled through an arc of at least 10.degree. and less than 180.degree..

Overvoltage protection element

An overvoltage protection element for discharging transient overvoltages, with two electrodes (2), a disruptive discharge-spark air between the electrodes (2) and a housing (4) containing the electrodes (2). Each electrode (2) has a connecting leg (5) and an arcing horn (6) which runs at an acute angle relative to the connecting leg (5). The disruptive discharge-spark air gap is formed by facing surfaces of the arcing horns (6) of the electrodes (2), which are spaced from one another. In preferred embodiments, the arcing horns (6) of the electrodes (2), in their areas near the connecting leg (5), are provided with at least one hole (7) running therethrough which, preferably, has a diameter that is less than 2 mm.

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Steinheim, Germany

Holger Altmaier