Patent ID: 7561388
Filing Date: 2009-07-14
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
1. A surge protection device having a ground connection, comprising: input ports for receiving an AC line voltage and a line neutral; output ports including an AC voltage output port and a neutral output port; a switching device selectively connecting the AC line voltage to the AC voltage output port, wherein said switching device operates in response to a control signal; a surge protection circuit coupled between AC line voltage, line neutral, and ground for protecting said output ports from transient voltage spikes comprising one or more voltage limiting devices and one or more associated thermal fuses for protecting said voltage limiting devices against excessive heat generation, and wherein said voltage signal indicates whether one of said thermal fuses has opened; and a controller having an input for receiving a voltage signal from said surge protection circuit wherein the voltage signal indicates whether a component in said surge protection circuit has failed, and wherein said controller includes an output for supplying the control signal to said switching device based upon the voltage signal from said surge protection circuit, whereby said controller causes said switching device to open in response to failure of said component, thereby disconnecting the AC voltage output port from the AC line voltage.