An apparatus and method for protecting hardware devices using a spiral inductor. The surge suppressor protects hardware devices from electrical surges by isolating the radio frequency from an inner conductor. The surge suppressor includes a housing (220), an inner conductor (215), a surge blocking device (250), and a spiral inductor (230). The surge blocking device (250) is inserted in series with the hardware devices for blocking the flow of electrical energy therethrough. The spiral inductor (230) is coupled to the surge blocking device (250) and is shunted to ground for discharging the electrical surge.

Surge suppressor device

An AC line transient suppressor includes a first metal oxide varistor connected between the "hot" and "neutral" lines of an AC power system. A first inductor is connected from the hot line to one terminal of a second metal oxide varistor, the other terminal of which is connected to the neutral line. A second inductor having approximately twice the value of the first one is connected from the junction between the first inductor and the second metal oxide varistor to a hot supply terminal to which equipment to be protected is connected. A silicon suppressor having a predetermined clamping voltage is coupled between the hot supply terminal and the neutral line conductor. The inductance of the first inductor has a value selected to divert approximately 95% of the transient surge current through the first metal oxide varistor. The second inductor diverts approximately 65% of the remaining surge current through the second metal oxide varistor, so that only approximately 2% of the total surge current flows through the silicon junction diode suppressor, allowing it to provide a low clamping voltage.

Hybrid ac line transient suppressor

A surge suppressor for a radio frequency (RF) transmission line includes an a printed circuit board having a conductor for connection in series with a RF transmission line. The conductor has a capacitance for passing RF signals and blocking transients. To the printed circuit board are mounted a choke and a resistor, each of which is connected in series with the transmission line and in parallel to each other and to the capacitance of the conductor. The choke passes steady, direct current signals for powering equipment located on an antenna. The surge suppressor further includes first and second discharge stages connected to the conductor on opposite sides of the impedance. Each stage includes a discharge device connected to the conductor through a radio frequency choke or resonant circuit. The choke or resonant circuit blocks leakage of radio frequencies into the discharge devices. A gas discharge tube is used for the first stage, which is for connection to an antenna side of the surge suppressor. A solid state device, having a lower breakdown voltage than the gas discharge tube, is used in the second stage, which is for connection to voltage sensitive equipment. The resistor assists in isolating the first and second stages. The first stage further includes a second gas discharge tube having a breakdown voltage higher than the first gas discharge tube for use in warning of degradation of the first gas discharge tube.

Surge suppressor for radio frequency transmission lines

A device for suppressing electromagnetic static and voltage surges induced on radio frequency transmission cables is disclosed. The device comprises a blocking capacitor connected to prevent the conduction of DC currents but to permit the transmission of radio frequency signals. An inductor coil is connected between one side of the capacitor and ground. The inductor coil is of a value that blocks conduction of radio frequency signals but allows static and low frequency DC voltage surges to be conducted to ground. A gas discharge unit is also connected from the same side of the capacitor to ground. The discharge unit is a secondary discharge device that only operates when the transient speed and magnitude of the surge is sufficient to cause a back emf to develop across the inductor coil above a predetermined limit. The gas discharge unit assures that the capacitor is not damaged by the back emf. A resistor is connected between the other side of the capacitor and ground to discharge any DC voltage developed on the other side of said capacitor.

Device for electromagnetic static and voltage suppression

A surge protection device is disclosed that includes an input path for receiving an rf signal, dc power, and a surge, an output path for propagating the rf signal, and a dc blocking device coupled in series between the input path and the output path The surge protection device also includes a first inductor coupled to the input path for isolating the rf signal and providing a path for the dc power, a gas tube coupled to the first inductor for routing a portion of the surge to a ground plane, a second inductor coupled to the first inductor for providing a path for the dc power, and a metal oxide varistor coupled to the second inductor for routing a portion of the surge to the ground plane Furthermore, the surge protection device includes a third inductor coupled to the second inductor for providing a path for the dc power, a diode coupled to the third inductor for routing a portion of the surge to the ground plane, and a fourth inductor coupled to the third inductor for providing a path for the dc power to the output path

Rf surge protection device

A connector is provided for the suppression of electromagnetic impulses traveling a radio frequency cable. Paired first and second electrical connectors are provided for being operatively interposed along the signal cable. A spacer or mounting device is provided for electrically coupling the primary conductors and secondary conductors of one connector to their counterparts in the other paired connector. A gas discharge tube having a known breakdown voltage and a known capacitance is electrically and mechanically coupled between the first and second conductors of the mounting device. The inductance of the elements comprising the mounting device are determined such that this inductance interacts with the capacitance of the gas discharge tube and other stray capacitance of the combination thereof in order to produce a characteristic impedance which is generally equal to the characteristic impedance of the radio frequency signal cable, whereby the supressor will dissipate electrical surges while representing a low standing wave ratio to radio frequency energy being transmitted along the radio frequency signal cable.

Roger R. Block

Papers

Connector for electromagnetic impulse suppression