Claims
- 1. A modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus, comprising:first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules, each of said modules comprising: a non-conductive housing having a surge suppression circuit contained therein; and mounting means; a substrate; a continuous mounting post coupled to and extending substantially perpendicular to said substrate, wherein both said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules are mounted on said mounting post by sliding said mounting means of each of said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules on said continuous mounting post; and a retaining member for securing said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules on said mounting post, whereby said first transient voltage surge suppression module is retained on said mounting post proximate to said substrate and said second transient voltage surge suppression module is retained on said mounting post proximate to said first transient voltage surge suppression module.
- 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 continuous mounting post, whereby said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules and said one or more additional transient voltage suppression modules are mechanically coupled to said substrate by said continuous 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 to 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 continuous 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 continuous mounting post proximate said substrate is internally threaded, said continuous 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 continuous mounting post in a predefined orientation.
- 8. The modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus recited in claim 7, wherein said continuous 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 continuous mounting post distal to said substrate is internally threaded, and wherein said retaining member comprises a bolt threadably inserted into said end of said continuous 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 continuous mounting post.
- 11. A modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus, comprising:first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules, each of said modules 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; a substrate; first and second continuous mounting posts coupled to and extending substantially perpendicular to said substrate, wherein both said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules are mounted on said continuous mounting posts by sliding said first and second electrically-conductive buses of each of said modules on said continuous mounting posts; and first and second retaining members for securing said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules on said first and second continuous mounting posts, respectively, whereby said first transient voltage surge suppression module is retained on said continuous mounting posts proximate to said substrate and said second transient voltage surge suppression module is retained on said continuous mounting posts proximate to said first transient voltage surge suppression module.
- 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 continuous mounting posts, whereby said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules and said one or more additional transient voltage surge suppression modules are mechanically and electrically coupled to said substrate by said first and second continuous 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 continuous 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 continuous mounting posts proximate said substrate is internally threaded, said continuous 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 each of said transient voltage surge suppression modules includes keying means for ensuring that each said module is slidably-mounted on said first and second continuous 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 continuous mounting posts includes a key pin, said key pin corresponding to a channel extending longitudinally along said born 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 continuous mounting posts distal to said substrate is internally threaded, said transient voltage surge suppression modules being secured on said first and second continuous mounting posts by first and second bolts threadably inserted into said end of each of said first and second continuous 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 continuous mounting posts.
- 20. A method of assembling a modular transient voltage surge suppressor apparatus, comprising the steps of:sliding a first transient voltage surge suppression module on a continuous mounting member that is coupled to and extends substantially perpendicular to a base, wherein said module comprises a non-conductive housing having a surge suppression circuit contained therein and mounting means adapted to slidably engage said continuous mounting member; sliding a second transient voltage surge suppression module on said continuous mounting member, wherein said module comprises a non-conductive housing having a surge suppression circuit contained therein and mounting means adapted to slidably engage said continuous mounting member; and securing said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules on said continuous mounting member using one or more retaining members, whereby said first transient voltage surge suppression module is retained on said mounting member proximate to said base and said second transient voltage surge suppression module is retained on said mounting member proximate to said first transient voltage surge suppression module.
- 21. The method recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of:sliding one or more additional transient voltage surge suppression modules on said continuous mounting member, wherein said additional modules each comprise a non-conductive housing having a surge suppression circuit contained therein and mounting means adapted to slidably engage said continuous mounting member, said retaining member further retaining said one or more additional modules on said continuous mounting member.
- 22. The method recited in claim 20, wherein said mounting means comprises an electrically-conductive bus, and wherein said surge suppression circuit is coupled thereto.
- 23. The method recited in claim 22, wherein said electrically-conductive bus extends from a location proximate to 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 base or said upper contact surface of a corresponding electrically-conductive bus of a second transient voltage surge suppression module slidably mounted on said continuous mounting member intermediate to said transient voltage suppression module and said base.
- 24. The method recited in claim 20, wherein said base comprises a printed circuit board.
- 25. The method recited in claim 20, wherein an end of said continuous mounting member proximate said base is internally threaded, said continuous mounting member being coupled to said base by a bolt passing through said base.
- 26. The method recited in claim 20, wherein said transient voltage surge suppression module includes keying means for ensuring that said modules are slidably-mounted on said continuous mounting member in a predefined orientation.
- 27. The method recited in claim 26, wherein said continuous mounting member includes a key pin, said key pin corresponding to a channel extending longitudinally along said bore of said mounting means.
- 28. The method recited in claim 20, wherein an end of said continuous mounting member distal to said base is internally threaded, and wherein said retaining member comprises a bolt threadably inserted into said end of said continuous mounting member distal to said base.
- 29. The method recited in claim 20, wherein said continuous mounting member comprises a single non-segmented member, said first transient voltage surge suppression module being slidably mounted thereon from an end distal to said base until said first module is proximate to said base, and said second transient voltage surge suppression module being slidably mounted thereon from said end distal to said base until said second module is proximate to said first module.
- 30. The method recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of:joining two or more mounting member segments to form said continuous mounting member, said first and second transient voltage surge suppression modules being slidable thereon after said step of joining.
CLAIM OF BENEFIT UNDER 35 U.S.C. §119(E)
This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/241,954, filed Oct. 21, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/241954 |
Oct 2000 |
US |