US3778679A - Temperature sensitive electrical regulating device - Google Patents

Temperature sensitive electrical regulating device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3778679A
US3778679A US00313584A US3778679DA US3778679A US 3778679 A US3778679 A US 3778679A US 00313584 A US00313584 A US 00313584A US 3778679D A US3778679D A US 3778679DA US 3778679 A US3778679 A US 3778679A
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United States
Prior art keywords
electrically conductive
gas discharge
discharge tube
electrically
regulating device
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00313584A
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English (en)
Inventor
G Jonassen
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TELECOMMUNICATION IND Inc
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TELECOMMUNICATION IND Inc
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01T—SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES
    • H01T1/00—Details of spark gaps
    • H01T1/14—Means structurally associated with spark gap for protecting it against overload or for disconnecting it in case of failure

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to temperature-sensitive electrical regulating devices, and in particular, to temperature-sensitive electrical regulating devices that do not present a fire hazard under sustained overload conditions.
  • the invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, and improvements herein shown and described.
  • the present invention is directed to a novel and improved temperature-sensitive electrical regulating device that does not become a fire hazard under overload conditions.
  • a three electrode gas discharge tube is encapsulated within an electrically insulative shell having thermal insulative potting material packed between said electrically insulative shell and said gas discharge tube.
  • a coupling element comprising an electrically insulative outer covering that encapsulates an inner core of electrically conductive material.
  • the outer covering is designed to provide structural integrity as well as insulative and aesthetic properties.
  • the inner core of electrically conductive material comprises a fusable electrically conductive lining of a hollow configuration which is in turn electrically coupled to a solid core of electrically conductive material.
  • the above described coupling element has its fusable electrically conductive lining of hollow configuration end electrically coupled to each electrode of said gas tube while the other end of said coupling element is free for coupling into an electrical network.
  • the gaseous environment of said gas discharge tube ionizes providing a conductive path for shunting the path of excessive current resulting from an overload condition.
  • the termperature of the regulating device increases and under a sustained overload condition would become a fire hazard but for the fact that the fusable electrically conductive link of hollow configuration encapsulated within said electrically insulative outer covering is also heated and upon reaching its melting point which is calculated to be at a level below which the device becomes a fire hazard, the electrically conductive link melts thereby flowing into the hollow area heretofore defined by the electrically conductive link thus causing a break in the electrically conductive path defined by said electrically conductive link.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a temperaturesensitive electrical regulating device constructed in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a cut-away view along line 2-2 of the temperature-sensitive electrical regulating device illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away view of the temperaturesensitive electrical regulating device illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a temperature-sensitive electrical regulating device constructed in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged cut-away view of another embodiment of a temperature-sensitive electrical regulating device constructed in accordance with the invention wherein the electrically conductive coupling element utilized comprises an inner core of closely packed granules of electrically conductive material.
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the temperature sensitive electrical regulating device coupled within an electrical environment in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. I a temperature-sensitive electrical regulating device indicated generally by reference numeral 10.
  • temperaturesensitive electrical regulating device comprises a housing 11, into which is encapsulated a gas discharge tube arrestor 12.
  • housing 11 can take almost any form or shape and can be made from any electrically insulative material. As depicted in FIGS. 1-3, one representative embodiment of the invention has housing 11 take on a rectangular shape having a somewhat square cross-section.
  • gas discharge tube arrestor 12 is of a three electrode type, however, nothing herein should be construed to restrict the applicability of this invention to only three electrode gas discharge tube arrestors. On the contrary, this invention is applicable to any gas discharge tube arrestor, be it a one electrode device or be it a multi-electrode device.
  • thermal insulating potting material 13 provides the means whereby thermal energy, generated by gas discharge tube 12, when said tube conducts under an overload condition, is reflected back within the confines of housing 11, and in particular, reflected back to the structure of gas discharge tube 12 and not permitted to dissipate to the surrounding environment.
  • electrically conductive coupling element 14 comprises an electrically insulative outer wall member 15 that is cylindrical in shape and defines an inner cavity running the entire length of tis structure.
  • electrically conductive coupling element 14 has, contained within the cavity defined by electrically insulative outer wall member 15, an electrically conductive lining Id of hollow configuration that occupies a portion of said defined cavity wherein one end of said electrically conductive lining 16 is electrically coupled to an electrode of said gas discharge tube 12 via solder connection 17 and the other end of said electrically conductive lining I6 is electrically coupled via solder connection 18 to a solid core of electrically conductive wire 19 having its own electrically insulative covering, said solid core of electrically conductive wire 19 occupying the remainder of the defined cavity of electrically conductive coupling element 14.
  • Electrically conductive wire I9 has its free end, namely, that end which is not electrically coupled to fusable electrically conductive lining 16, coupled to horseshoe coupling member 21 so as to provide a means for fascilitating the coupling of temperature sensitive electrical regulating device 10 into an electrical environment.
  • electrically conductive coupling element 14 as illustrated in FIG. 3, and as hereinafter discussed, has a portion of it consist of an electrically conductive wire while the remaining portion of said electrically conductive coupling element consists of an electrically conductive lining having a hollow configuration
  • the present invention has wide applicability to a variety of embodiments other than the embodiment specifically illustrated in FIG. 3.
  • the construction and theory of operation of the persent invention seeks, via thermal insulating potting material 13, to retain within the device the thermal energy generated by gas discharge tubel2, resulting in the concentration of thermal energy as opposed to its dissipation.
  • this conceptual operative difference from the prior art devices currently available on the market permits the present invention to function as an electrical regulating device that can sense both voltage and current overload conditions and respond thereto without becoming a fire hazard under a sustained overload condition.
  • electrically conductive coupling elements l4, l4'.and 14'' As per the embodiment depicted therein, a three electrode gas discharge tube arrestor has electrically coupled to each of its electrodes, an electrically conductive coupling element, be it 14, I4 and 14''.
  • an illustrative embodiment of the present invention depicted in the drawings illustrates a three electrode gas discharge tube arrestor with identically designed electrically conductive coupling elements 14, 14' and 14" re spectively coupled to each of said electrodes
  • nothing herein should be construed as to limit the invention to a three electrode device, or a device with each electrode having coupled thereto electrically conductive coupling element of identical design.
  • the present invention is applicable to a device compromising a gas discharge tube arrestor having any number of electrodes as well as a device that has all or in the alternative any combination thereof of said electrodes electrically coupled to an electrically conductive coupling element of a design as setforth herein.
  • electrically conductive coupling element I4 can have electrically conductive lining 16 of hollow configuration run the entire length of electrically conductive coupling element 14 and totally eliminate the use of electrically conductive wire 19; or, their combine utilization as illustrated in FIG. 3, can be, with regard to their respective lengths, as compared to the overall length of electrically conductive coupling ele ment M, of any desire ratio. Additionally, it is wihtin the scope of this invention to utilize as electrically conductive lining 16, a conductive lining that is not restrictive merely to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. Although FIG.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a fusable electrically conductive lining 16 having a hollow configuration
  • design that effectuate a break in the electrical conductivity of said electrically conductive lining 16 upon having said lining reach a predetermined temperature
  • said design take the form of a composition whose re sistance versus temperature plot effectuates the equivalent of an open circuit once said composition reaches a particular temperature level, or as illustrated in FIG.
  • having said lining take the form of closely packed granules 22 of electrically conductive material which, upon reaching a predetermined temperature level, will fuse into one solid mass which occupies only a portion of the volume heretofore occupied by the granules of electrically conductive material, thereby causing a break in the electrical conductivity of said granule structure, or as illustrated in FIG. 3, having said lining take the form of an electically conductive hollow lining which, upon reaching a predetermined temperature level, will change into a liquid thereby flowing into the cavity defined by the heretofore rigid hollow structure of said electrically conductive lining thus causing a break in the electrical conductivity of said hollow lining structure, or as illustrated in FIG.
  • solder connection 23 that electrically couples electrically conductive coupling element 14 to gas discharge tube arrestor 12, positioned within a cavity formed within thermal insulating potting material 13 such that upon reaching a predetermined temperature level, solder connection 23 will liquify thereby flowing into the cavity formed within said potting material thereby causing a break in the electrical conductivity between the electrode of said gas discharge tube arrestor and said electrically conductive coupling element.
  • coupling element 14 may take, it is also within the scope and intent of this invention to, by proper design, to selectively set the temperature at which electrically conductive coupling element 14 will no longer electrically conduct.
  • Such regulative capability can take the form of selectively combining the elements of composition that comprise electrically conductive lining 16 or its alternate equivalents such that a composition of matter is fabricated that has the predetermined desired melting point.
  • electrically conductive coupling elements 14 and 14 are electrically coupled across a source of electrical energy and between said source and the electrical environment that is to be protected (FIG. 5).
  • electrically conductive coupling element 14" is electrically coupled to ground.
  • the gaseous content of gas-tube arrestor l2 ionizes thereby providing a direct conductive path to ground via electrically conductive coupling element 14" thus shunting to ground any overload.
  • gas-discharge tube arrestor 12 of temperature-sensitive electrical regulating device 10 will begin to risev in temperature.
  • this rise in temperature is concentrated within the device itself by thermal insulating potting material 13 and not permitted to dissipate to the surrounding environment as is the case with the prior art devices which thereby create a fire hazard under sustained overload conditions.
  • the present invention concentrates, to within the device, the thermal energy generated by having gasdischarge tube arrestor I2 placed into an ionized state, thereby raising the temperature of electrically conductive coupling elements l4, l4, and 14". upon having the electrically conductive lining 16 as illustrated in FIG.
  • coupling elements 14, 14' and 14" may either be identical in design and fabrication and thus melt at the same temperature, or alternatively, be of different designs and fabrication and thus melt at separate and distinct temperature levels thereby providing a particular sequence of operation or alternatively, it is within the scope of this invention to utilize in place of any one or more of said coupling elements 14, i4 and 14'', a conductive connector or connectors as the case may be, which do not create an open circuit condition at a particular temperature level thereby keeping the respective electrode of said gas discharge tube-arrestor electrically coupled to the electrical environment regardless of the temperature level of the device.
  • the temperaturesensitive electrical regulating device of the present invention is a non-resetable device and thus once the device has been triggered, it must be replaced before overload protection is again achieved. Additionally, it is also obvious that once the device has been triggered and it has been lifted off of the line so as to avoid becoming a fire hazard, that the electrical environment across which said device was coupled is no longer protected. As a result, it is therefor within the scope of this invention to utilize said temperature-sensitive regulating device in combination with other back up overload protection means.
  • a temperature sensitive electrical regulating device for protecting an electrical environment against overload conditions said device compromising:
  • a gas discharge tube arrestor having at least one electrode, said gas discharge tube arrestor being positioned within the hollow cavity of said walled enclosure;
  • Electrically conductive coupling elements for electrically coupling each electrode of said gas discharge tube arrestor to said electrical environment said electrically conductive coupling elements compromising:
  • thermo insulative material encapsulating said gas discharge tube arrestor defines a cavity wherever an electrically conductive coupling element is electrically coupled to an electrode of said gas discharge tube arrestor.
  • a temperature sensitive electrical regulating device for protecting an electrical environment against overload conditions, said device comprising:
  • iv. means for coupling the electrically conductive core member of siad electrically conductive coupling element to said electrical environment.
  • a temperature sensitive electrical regulating device for protecting an electrical environment against overload conditions as described in claim 8, wherein said device is responsive to both voltage and current overload conditions.

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  • Fuses (AREA)
  • Emergency Protection Circuit Devices (AREA)
US00313584A 1972-12-08 1972-12-08 Temperature sensitive electrical regulating device Expired - Lifetime US3778679A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US31358472A 1972-12-08 1972-12-08

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US3778679A true US3778679A (en) 1973-12-11

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US00313584A Expired - Lifetime US3778679A (en) 1972-12-08 1972-12-08 Temperature sensitive electrical regulating device

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US (1) US3778679A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
JP (1) JPS555673B2 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
CA (1) CA969599A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
CH (1) CH583981A5 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
DE (1) DE2344912A1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
FR (1) FR2335080A1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
GB (1) GB1445622A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
IT (1) IT993877B (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
SE (1) SE398575B (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)
SU (1) SU522832A3 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4051546A (en) * 1975-12-04 1977-09-27 Cook Electric Company Gas tube arrester protector

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE484912C (de) * 1925-12-05 1929-10-26 Sigwart Ruppel Dipl Ing UEberspannungsschutz
US2548491A (en) * 1950-01-28 1951-04-10 Sylvania Electric Prod Low-current fuse
US2871313A (en) * 1954-02-26 1959-01-27 Westinghouse Electric Corp Fuse device
US3340431A (en) * 1966-06-27 1967-09-05 Wanaselja Oley Over-voltage protection instrument
US3386063A (en) * 1960-10-03 1968-05-28 Gen Electric Temperature responsive fuses and apparatus embodying such fuses

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE484912C (de) * 1925-12-05 1929-10-26 Sigwart Ruppel Dipl Ing UEberspannungsschutz
US2548491A (en) * 1950-01-28 1951-04-10 Sylvania Electric Prod Low-current fuse
US2871313A (en) * 1954-02-26 1959-01-27 Westinghouse Electric Corp Fuse device
US3386063A (en) * 1960-10-03 1968-05-28 Gen Electric Temperature responsive fuses and apparatus embodying such fuses
US3340431A (en) * 1966-06-27 1967-09-05 Wanaselja Oley Over-voltage protection instrument

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4051546A (en) * 1975-12-04 1977-09-27 Cook Electric Company Gas tube arrester protector

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT993877B (it) 1975-09-30
GB1445622A (en) 1976-08-11
JPS555673B2 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1980-02-08
FR2335080B1 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1978-05-12
SE398575B (sv) 1977-12-27
CH583981A5 (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1977-01-14
CA969599A (en) 1975-06-17
FR2335080A1 (fr) 1977-07-08
JPS4995165A (GUID-C5D7CC26-194C-43D0-91A1-9AE8C70A9BFF.html) 1974-09-10
DE2344912A1 (de) 1974-06-12
SU522832A3 (ru) 1976-07-25

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