Claims
- 1. A modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus, comprising:
a substrate; a mounting post coupled to and extending substantially perpendicular to said substrate; a transient voltage surge suppression module, said module comprising:
a non-conductive housing having a surge suppression circuit contained therein; and mounting means coupled to said non-conductive housing, said mounting means comprising a bore therethrough for slidably mounting said transient voltage surge suppression module on said mounting post, said bore having an internal profile corresponding to an external profile of said mounting post.
- 2. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising:
one or more additional transient voltage surge suppression modules, said one or more additional transient voltage surge suppression modules slidably mounting on said mounting post, whereby said transient voltage surge suppression module and said one or more additional transient voltage suppression modules are mechanically coupled to said substrate by said mounting post.
- 3. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises an electrically-conductive bus, said surge suppression circuit being coupled thereto.
- 4. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 3, wherein said electrically-conductive bus extends from a location proximate the upper and bottom portions of said housing, said bus comprising a lower contact surface and an upper contact surface, said lower contact surface adapted to engage the surface of said substrate or said upper contact surface of a corresponding electrically-conductive bus of a second transient voltage surge suppression module slidably mounted on said mounting post intermediate to said transient voltage suppression module and said substrate.
- 5. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a printed circuit board.
- 6. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein an end of said mounting post proximate said substrate is internally threaded, said mounting post being coupled to said substrate by a bolt passing through said substrate.
- 7. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein said transient voltage surge suppression module includes keying means for ensuring that said module is slidably-mounted on said mounting post in a predefined orientation.
- 8. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said mounting post includes a key pin, said key pin corresponding to a channel extending longitudinally along said bore of said mounting means.
- 9. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein an end of said mounting post distal to said substrate is internally threaded, said transient voltage surge suppression module being secured on said mounting post by a bolt threadably inserted into said end of said mounting post distal to said substrate.
- 10. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 9, further comprising an electrical conductor compression lug having a mounting bore therethrough, said electrical conductor compression lug having a lower contact surface that engages said mounting means, said bolt further securing said compression lug to said mounting post.
- 11. A modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus, comprising:
a substrate; first and second mounting posts coupled to and extending substantially perpendicular to said substrate; a transient voltage surge suppression module, said module comprising:
a non-conductive housing having a surge suppression circuit contained therein; and first and second electrically-conductive buses mechanically coupled to said non-conductive housing and electrically coupled to first and second terminals of said surge suppression circuit, respectively, each of said first and second electrically-conductive buses comprising a bore therethrough for slidably mounting said transient voltage surge suppression module on said first and second mounting posts, respectively, said bores having an internal profile corresponding to an external profile of said mounting posts.
- 12. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 11, further comprising:
one or more additional transient voltage surge suppression modules, said one or more additional transient voltage surge suppression modules slidably mounting on said first and second mounting posts, whereby said transient voltage surge suppression module and said one or more additional transient voltage suppression modules are mechanically coupled to said substrate by said first and second mounting posts.
- 13. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein each of said first and second electrically-conductive buses extend from locations proximate the upper and bottom portions of said housing, each of said buses comprising a lower contact surface and an upper contact surface, said lower contact surfaces of said first and second buses adapted to engage the surface of said substrate or said upper contact surfaces of corresponding first and second electrically-conductive buses of a second transient voltage surge suppression module slidably mounted on said first and second mounting posts intermediate to said transient voltage suppression module and said substrate.
- 14. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein said substrate comprises a printed circuit board.
- 15. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein an end of each of said first and second mounting posts proximate said substrate is internally threaded, said mounting posts being coupled to said substrate by a bolt passing through said substrate.
- 16. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein said transient voltage surge suppression module includes keying means for ensuring that said module is slidably-mounted on said first and second mounting posts in a predefined orientation.
- 17. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of said first and second mounting posts includes a key pin, said key pin corresponding to a channel extending longitudinally along said bore of a corresponding one of said first and second electrically-conductive buses.
- 18. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 11, wherein an end of each of said first and second mounting posts distal to said substrate is internally threaded, said transient voltage surge suppression module being secured on said first and second mounting posts by first and second bolts threadably inserted into said end of each of said first and second mounting posts distal to said substrate.
- 19. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 18, further comprising first and second electrical conductor compression lugs having a mounting bore therethrough, said first and second electrical conductor compression lugs engaging said first and second electrically-conductive buses, respectively, said first and second bolts further securing said first and second compression lugs to said first and second mounting posts.
CLAIM OF BENEFIT UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119(e)
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/241954, filed Oct. 21, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60241954 |
Oct 2000 |
US |