Multi-spark gap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12142897-B2
Application number	US-202318307102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2023
Priority date	Apr 28, 2022
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

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 x 1 between a first electrode and an adjacent second electrode, which together form a first individual spark gap, is larger than respective distances x 2 between other adjacent electrode pairs of additional individual spark gaps. The distance x 1 is at least 0.5 mm and the distances x 2 of 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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-spark gap for an overvoltage protector, comprising:
multiple electrodes, and insulation elements arranged between the electrodes, wherein the electrodes are arranged in facing pairs each of which forms an individual spark gap, the individual spark gaps being connected in series,
two electrically conductive contact elements, between which the electrodes are arranged, so that a first contact element makes electrical contact with a first of the electrodes, and the second contact element makes electrical contact with the last of the electrodes of the multi-spark gap, and
a control circuit for controlling the ignition behavior of the multi-spark gap, wherein the control circuit has multiple control elements which are connected to the electrodes, except for the first electrode,
wherein a distance x 1 between the first electrode and an adjacent second electrode, which together form a first of the individual spark gaps, is larger than respective distances x 2 between the other pairs of electrodes which form additional individual spark gaps,
wherein an ignition aid for igniting a first individual spark gap is provided, which aid has at least a resistive ignition element and a voltage-limiting element, and
wherein the ignition element is connected to an electric-arc combustion chamber of the first individual spark gap and is electrically connected on one side to the first electrode and on another side is connected to the second contact element via the voltage-limiting element.

2. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein, in each case, a first connector of a control element is connected to an electrode of a respective one of the additional individual spark gaps and is connected with a second connector to one another and to the second contact element.

3. The multi-spark gap according to claim 2 , wherein a first connector of the voltage switch element is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the second contact element and a second connector of the voltage switch is connected to both the voltage-limiting element and to the second connectors of the control elements.

4. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the ignition aid has a voltage switch element which is arranged in a series circuit with the resistive ignition element and the voltage-limiting element.

5. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the distance x 1 between the first electrode and the adjacent second electrode of the first individual spark gap is at least 0.5 mm.

6. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the distances x 2 between the adjacent electrodes of the additional individual spark gaps are in each case at most 0.2 mm.

7. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the distance x 1 is between 1 mm and 2 mm and the distances x 2 between the electrodes of the additional individual spark gaps between 0.05 mm and 0.15 mm.

8. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the distances x 2 between the adjacent electrodes of the additional individual spark gaps are essentially the same.

9. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the distance x 1 between the first electrode and the adjacent second electrode of the first individual spark gap is at least five times the distance x 2 between the adjacent electrodes of the additional individual spark gaps.

10. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the individual electrodes are thin disks of carbon.

11. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the insulation elements between the individual electrodes are part of a common insulation and holding arrangement, in which both the individual electrodes as well as the contact elements are arranged.

12. The multi-spark gap according to claim 1 , wherein the individual insulation elements between the individual electrodes are in each case part of an individual insulation and holding frame, and wherein the individual insulation and holding frames are connected to one another.

13. The multi-spark gap according to claim 12 , wherein the individual insulation and holding frames in each case have a receptacle opening for accommodating a control element.

Assignees

• Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Meyer Thomas
• Durth Rainer

Classifications

• H01T4/04

  Housings (H01T4/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01T1/20

  Means for starting arc or facilitating ignition of spark gap · CPC title

• H01T1/14

  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) · CPC title

• H01T4/20

  Arrangements for improving potential distribution · CPC title

• H01T2/02

  comprising a trigger electrode or an auxiliary spark gap · CPC title