Phoenix Contact Gmbh + Co. Kg

Thomas Meyer

Rainer Durth

Hannes Sagebiel

Christian Depping

Steffen Pfortner

Friedrich-Eckhard Brand

Andrei Siegel

Gernot Finis

Joachim Cerny

Andreas Christ

Viktor Okel

Steffen Pförtner

Bernd Pötzsch

Karsten Trachte

A spark gap arrangement with at least three electrodes and with at least two holding frames, which are arranged flat one on top of the other, wherein each of the holding frames has an edge that surrounds a recess for accommodating at least one electrode, wherein at least one receptacle opening is made in the edge of at least one holding frame, in which opening a control element is arranged, and wherein the holding frames are arranged offset relative to one another around their central axis perpendicular to the plane of the holding frame, in such a way that the receptacle opening of a first holding frame is located above an electrode which is accommodated in a second holding frame arranged underneath, so that the control element arranged in the receptacle opening of the first holding frame makes contact with the electrode accommodated in the second holding frame arranged underneath.

Spark gap arrangement

A multi-spark gap for an overvoltage protector, having multiple electrodes and insulation elements arranged between the electrodes, a holding arrangement for mechanical holding and for making electrical contact with the electrodes of the multi-spark gap, wherein the holding arrangement has at least a first electrically conductive clamping element, a second electrically conductive clamping element, and a first electrically conductive connecting element, wherein the electrodes are arranged between the first clamping element and the second clamping element, wherein the first clamping element makes electrical contact with the first electrode of the multi-spark gap, and wherein the second clamping element makes electrical contact with the last electrode of the multi-spark gap, and wherein the at least first connecting element mechanically connects the first clamping element and the second clamping element to one another.

Multi-spark gap for an overvoltage protector

A multi-spark gap having both a high power-follow current extinguishing capacity as well as a relatively low protective level in which a distance xbetween a first electrode and an adjacent second electrode, which together form a first individual spark gap, is larger than respective distances xbetween other adjacent electrode pairs of additional individual spark gaps. The distance xis at least 0.5 mm and the distances xof the additional individual spark gaps are at most 0.2 mm. Additionally, an ignition aid for igniting the first individual spark gap is provided, which aid has at least a resistive ignition element and a voltage-limiting element, wherein the ignition element is connected to an electric-arc combustion chamber of the first individual spark gap and is electrically connected on the one side to the first electrode and on the other side via the voltage-limiting element to the second contact element.

Multi-spark gap

A holding arrangement for multiple electrodes, with at least two holding frames, which can be stacked flat one on top of another. With the holding arrangement, a large number of electrodes, which also form more than one stack spark gap, can be arranged especially simply relative to one another, such that, in the individual holding frames, in each case at least two recesses for accommodating one electrode per recess are formed next to one another, whereby the contour of the individual recesses is matched to the outside dimensions of the individual electrodes, and in that the individual holding frames can be connected to one another.

Holding arrangement and arrangement of at least two stack spark gaps

A surge protection device with stack spark gaps, whereby a stack spark gap is formed from multiple electrodes and insulating elements that are arranged between the electrodes, with an ignition switch for influencing the ignition behavior of the stack spark gaps, with a first electrically conductive clamping element and with a second electrically conductive clamping element, whereby the clamping elements are arranged on opposite sides of the stack spark gaps, with at least one connecting element by which the clamping elements are connected to one another, and with connection elements for electrical connection of the stack spark gaps.

Surge protection device

An arrangement of stack spark gaps, whereby a stack spark gap has multiple electrodes and insulating elements that are arranged between the electrodes, with a first electrically conductive clamping element and a second electrically conductive clamping element, whereby the two clamping elements are arranged opposite to the front ends of the stack spark gaps, with at least one connecting element, by which the two clamping elements are connected to one another, and with connection elements for electrical connection to the stack spark gaps. A device is provided for holding the stack spark gaps together and having them make contact. Three stack spark gaps are arranged beside one another between the two clamping elements, at least one of which is electrically conductive, and the two clamping elements are connected to one another electrically via the connecting element and are arranged with the spark gaps so as to form a star circuit.

Arrangement of stack spark gaps and device for holding together and electrically contacting stack spark gaps

The object of the invention is a device () for protecting a component (EB) against thermal overload. The device () has an actuating mechanism (B) which is brought into thermal contact with the component to be protected (EB) when in use, and which is capable of activating a switch (S) upon reaching a certain temperature T. The switch (S) can be used both as a disconnection switch and as a short-circuiting switch in relation to the component to be protected (EB), with the switch (S) furthermore having a selection mechanism (A) with which one can choose whether the switch (S) should be used as a disconnection switch or as a short-circuiting switch in relation to the component to be protected (EB).

Device for protecting a component against thermal overload

An overvoltage protection element with a housing, an overvoltage-limiting component arranged in the housing, and with two connection elements for electrically connecting the overvoltage protection element to the current or signal path to be protected, wherein, normally, the connection elements are each in electrical contact with a pole of the overvoltage-limiting component. Reliable and effective electrical connection in the normal state and reliable isolation of a defective overvoltage-limiting component are ensured by the fact that a thermally expandable material is arranged within the housing in a way that, in the event of thermal overloading of the overvoltage-limiting component, the position of the overvoltage-limiting component is changed by expansion of the thermally expandable material relative to the position of the connection elements in a way that causes at least one pole of the overvoltage-limiting component to be out of electrical contact with the corresponding connection element.

Overvoltage protection element

The invention relates to a base element (ST, ST, ST) for receiving an overvoltage protective module (M, M, M) for use in a bus system, having a first bus connection arrangement (BK) for contacting a first bus potential (L), a second bus connection arrangement (BK) for contacting a second bus potential (L), a third bus connection arrangement (BK) for contacting a signal bus (L), wherein the signal bus in a first state indicates the occurrence of a fault and in a second state indicates the non-occurrence of a fault, wherein a fault indicates a missing or incorrectly received or faulty overvoltage protective module (M, M, M), wherein the first and second bus potential are to be used to supply arrangements on the overvoltage protective module (M, M, M), wherein the base element further comprises an electronic monitoring arrangement (UE), wherein the electronic monitoring arrangement (UE) identifies whether an overvoltage protective module (M, M, M) is received, wherein, if an overvoltage protective module (M, M, M) is received in the base element (ST, ST, ST), the second state is signalled via the signal bus, and, if no overvoltage protective module (M, M, M) is received in the base element (ST, ST, ST) or if the overvoltage protective module (M, M, M) is received incorrectly or if the overvoltage protective module (M, M, M) is faulty, the state of the signal bus remains unchanged, wherein the base elements (ST, ST, ST) can be clipped onto a mounting rail (TS, TS), and the first bus potential (L), the second bus potential (L) and the signal bus (L) are guided in a recess in the mounting rail (TS, TS).

Base element for accommodating an overvoltage protection module, and modular bus system

Systems and methods for overvoltage protection are disclosed. According to one illustrative implementation, an overvoltage protection device is provided having one or more overvoltage protection elements and a measuring device for monitoring the overvoltage protection elements. Further, the measuring device may include an evaluation device, which is designed to count pulse-like overvoltage events which are arrested by the overvoltage protection element, wherein the evaluation device is connected to the overvoltage protection element via a light-measuring device and/or a device for identifying a current flow. In further implementations, overvoltage protection devices may comprise an evaluation device which, on the basis of the counted pulses and/or an identified current flow, may determine whether the overvoltage protection element is still operational, is previously damaged, or is unusable, and/or an alarm device, which indicates whether the overvoltage protection element is still operational, is previously damaged, or is unusable.

Overvoltage protection device with a measuring device for monitoring overvoltage protection elements

An overvoltage protection element with a housing, an overvoltage-limiting component arranged in the housing, and with two connection elements for electrically connecting the overvoltage protection element to the current or signal path to be protected, wherein, normally, the connection elements are each in electrically conductive contact with a pole of the overvoltage-limiting component. Reliable and effective electrical connection in the normal state and reliable isolation of a defective overvoltage-limiting component are ensured by the fact that a thermally expandable material is arranged within the housing in a way that, in the event of thermal overloading of the overvoltage-limiting component, the position of the overvoltage-limiting component is changed by expansion of the thermally expandable material relative to the position of the connection elements in a way that causes at least one pole of the overvoltage-limiting component to be out of electrically conductive contact with the corresponding connection element.

The object of the invention is a thermal overload protection device () for protecting an electric component (), in particular an electronic component, wherein the overload protection device () has a short-circuit unit () for short-circuiting connections () of the component (), and an actuating member () actuating the short-circuit unit () in a temperature sensitive manner. According to the invention it is provided that the short-circuit unit () is attached to a circuit path support () in at least one area (), and is supported in at least another area () on the component () disposed on the circuit path support () via the actuating unit (), and/or at least one of the circuit paths () contacting one of the connections () to be short-circuited. The invention further relates to a respective arrangement () having a circuit path support (), at least one component () disposed thereupon, and at least one assigned overload protection device ().

Thermal overload protection apparatus

Overvoltage protection equipment may include: a first connection; a second connection; a first discharge path disposed between the first and the second connections, wherein the first discharge path comprises a spark gap; a second discharge path disposed between the first and the second connections, wherein the second discharge path comprises a triggerable circuit breaker and a thermistor connected in series; and a control device that induces the triggerable circuit breaker to switch on, based on at least one of a state or a state path of the first discharge path as a result of a discharge event.

Overvoltage protection equipment

A surge protection device (SPD) includes a spark gap (SG) and in series to the spark gap (SG) a temperature-dependent resistance element (R) with positive temperature coefficient, wherein the spark gap (SG) has a certain holding current, wherein the resistance element (R) is sized such that when a switching temperature is reached, the current is limited such that the holding current of the spark gap is undercut and is switched off, and wherein the resistance element is sized such that in the case of a transient event, the switching temperature is not reached.

Surge protector

An overvoltage protection element with a housing, with at least one overvoltage limiting component which is located in the housing, with terminal elements for electrical connection of the overvoltage protection element to the current or signal path which is to be protected, and with a state display which has a display element for display of the state of the overvoltage protection element. A conclusion about the state of the overvoltage protection element is easily possible as a result of a thermally activatable, endothermic material being both in thermal contact with the overvoltage limiting component and also in mechanical contact with the display element of the state display. When the overvoltage limiting component is heated above a certain minimum temperature, expansion of the thermally activatable, endothermic material produces a change in position of the display element whose magnitude is a measure of the heating of the overvoltage limiting component.

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Ottenstein, Germany

Thomas Meyer