Patent Description:
The term "external and internal" refers to any electromagnetic stress such as shocks, electrical vibrations (of electric charges), pulses with steep fronts of atmospheric and terrestrial origin and alternating often at high frequency (due to harmonic and spurious resonances and interferences) in the telecommunication lines.

The term "very low voltage" means nominal operating voltages of the electrical supply plant ≤ <NUM> V in alternating current and ≤ <NUM> V in direct current.

In particular, the tuner-damper (<NUM>), the functional unit of the apparatus (<NUM>), is connected in junction to the voice and/or data lines, in which electric signals of just a few volts are exchanged.

Two aspects thus coexist and cooperate and do not conflict outside and inside the apparatus <NUM>: outside, the input data connector (2a) and output data connector (2b) arranged serially on the voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>); inside, the tuner-damper (<NUM>), functional unit of the apparatus (<NUM>), connected in junction to the voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>). In the following description, the connection of the apparatus <NUM> is indicated explicitly as: junction connection, being the functional connection; the actual connection.

In still greater detail, the apparatus (<NUM>), in accordance with the ratio of its exclusive prevention method, in order to meet all the levels of preventive protection for a very low-voltage voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>) of a telecommunication network/system and of the voice and/or data user apparatuses connected thereto, is arranged to be connected in junction both along the very low voltage electric line (<NUM>) of the user (i.e. immediately downstream of the point of delivery of the supplier body of the service), immediately upstream of the inputs(in) and immediately downstream of the outputs(out) of the nodal apparatuses for managing and using the service (such as control centres, control units, server hardware, modems, routers, switches), in junction immediately upstream of inputs(in) of the voice and/or data user apparatuses, in general, connected thereto (such as PCs, video/audio telephones) and in junction with the electric line (<NUM>) and LAN (Local Area Network), equally distributed along distinct sections of the electric line (<NUM>) and LAN and with set pitches according to whether the aforesaid sections are overhead or buried and indoor or outdoor.

As is known, voice and/or data lines, because of their constitution and great linear extent over the terrain, are generally very delicate structures and are vulnerable to electromagnetic shocks and are therefore high risk, subject to external and internal overvoltages and overcurrents and disturbances of different types that may occur in a telecommunication network/system.

Currently, the so-called "protection" devices against overvoltages (international acronym SPD, Surge Protective Device) used today (discharges of various types) also for telecommunications are limited to diverting the energy of overvoltages and overcurrents to earth, with all the known harmful and destructive effects deriving therefrom.

In particular, as known, such "protection" devices claim to divert to earth by an earthing system, without harm, the overvoltages and overcurrents but instead harm the environment (people and assets: the voice and/or data lines, control centres, control units, voice and/or data apparatuses connected thereto, with fire and/or explosion hazards).

In fact, it should be noted that the currently known systems only intervene on the "tail" of a voltage and current pulse, therefore with a pulse already formed, without preventing such a dangerous situation.

For example, the varistors (dischargers with a non-linear resistance) act as an open circuit between the voice and/or data line and the earthing system, whereas when an overvoltage and overcurrent occur, the impedance of the varistor is reduced for a few dozen nanoseconds and the device acts as a closed circuit, discharging the overvoltage and overcurrent to earth via the earthing system, always with all the known direct and indirect harmful and destructive effects arising therefrom: electrical discharges from the voice and/or data line to earth, reverse electrical discharges (from earth to the voice and/or data line) and resulting electroinduction.

Examples of prior art are disclosed in the documents <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>.

In this situation, the object of the present invention is to realise an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of external and internal origin for voice and/or data lines which overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

It is in particular an object of the present invention to realise an apparatus for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks for telecommunication networks/systems which allows the formation of such voltage and current peaks to be prevented.

It is also an object of the present invention to realise an apparatus for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks for telecommunication networks/systems which allows such voltage and current peaks to be damped and dissipated, avoiding discharge to earth by the earthing system.

The indicated objects are substantially achieved by an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks for very low voltage voice and/or data electric lines of telecommunication networks/systems, according to what is described herein.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will more greatly emerge from the detailed description of some preferred but not exclusive embodiments of an apparatus and a method for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks for telecommunication networks/systems illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:.

With reference to the figures cited, an apparatus for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks of external and internal origin for very low voltage electric lines, telephone and/or data lines, lines of telecommunication networks/systems according to the present invention has been indicated in its entirety by the reference number <NUM>.

The term "electric line" identifies, in the specific case considered below, a data cable (Ethernet) comprising eight internal cables (normally of different colours).

In particular, the apparatus <NUM> comprises an input (in) data connector 2a, configured to receive an electric signal from the voice and/or data electric line <NUM>, and an output (out) data connector 2b configured to return said electric signal to the voice and/or data electric line <NUM>.

As it is possible to see in the accompanying figures, both the input (in) data connector 2a and the output (out) data connector 2b are "female" data connectors. In all cases, it must be understood that the data connectors 2a, 2b could be realised according to different embodiments that are not expressly shown or disclosed here.

In practice, the electric line is cut into two terminals, the input (in) terminal <NUM> and the outlet (out) terminal <NUM>, each of which is connected to a respective "male" connector (RJ45) configured to be inserted into respective female input (in) 2a and output (out) 2b connectors, according to the present invention.

According to the present invention, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a tuner-damper <NUM> having its own casing <NUM> and internal volume <NUM>, the latter comprising a mixture of an incoherent, non-hygroscopic sediment of particles (solid crystal nanocores: such as quartz, tourmalines, hemimorphites and the like) of a piezoelectric and pyroelectric material and a refractory inert material (dolomitic, marble grit and the like), in air, interposed between the input polar electrodes and the heat dissipation bar <NUM>, configured to transform the energy load of the electromagnetic stress, which causes the overvoltages and overcurrents, into mechanical energy (vibrations, resulting relative movements of the particles and subsequent shocks to the particles) and into thermal energy (endogenous heat). Preferably, but not necessarily, this mixture of an incoherent, non-hygroscopic sediment of particles (solid crystal nanocores) of a piezoelectric and pyroelectric material and a refractory inert material, in air, is possibly supplemented with semiconductors (such as silicon carbide and the like) with variable valence that, adjusted together with the other essential particles of the mixture at different calibrations, contribute to preventing, absorbing and dissipating the hazardous energy load of the outer and inner electromagnetic stress defined above, starting from the more energetic stress of the "head" of the voltage pulse with a steep curve of atmospheric and terrestrial origin.

The tuner-damper <NUM> comprises a plurality of input polar electrodes <NUM> partially immersed inside this mixture and in contact therewith but separate and equidistant from one another.

Each input polar electrode <NUM> is connected to a respective cable <NUM> of the input (in) data connector 2a by electric wires and to a respective cable <NUM> of the output (out) data connector 2b.

In the accompanying figures (in particular 2a, 2b, <NUM>) it is possible to see that there are eight input polar electrodes <NUM>, respectively connected to eight electric cables <NUM> of the input data connector 2a and to eight electric cables <NUM> of the output data connector 2b.

Further, the tuner-damper <NUM> comprises at least one electrically conductive heat dissipation bar <NUM> immersed inside said mixture and connected, in use, to the earthing system <NUM>, preferably by interposing an earth-block filter Antimpatto® SCt.

This heat dissipation bar <NUM> has no metal contact with the input polar electrodes <NUM>, the mixture itself being interposed between the heat dissipation bar <NUM> and the input polar electrodes <NUM>.

Preferably, each input polar electrode <NUM> consists of a metal bar (<NUM>) (for example in the form of a screw) partially inserted into the mixture.

Preferably, the casing <NUM> of said tuner-damper <NUM> is cylinder-shaped and each input polar electrode <NUM> is inserted into a dedicated point (equally distributed defined points) through the lateral thickness <NUM> of said cylindrical casing and orthogonally to a plane touching the cylindrical casing in said point.

The heat dissipation bar <NUM> is positioned in the centre of the cylinder and orthogonally to the bases (10a,b) of said cylinder. Further, the dissipation bar <NUM> and the female input (in) 2a and output (out) 2b connectors are orthogonal to one another. The heat dissipation bar <NUM> has its own internal portion 7a that is immersed entirely in the mixture and two ends respectively, the one firmly joined metallically to a metallic threaded plate/crown <NUM> (like Dural - Duralluminio) for heat dissipation, which also acts as a cover (<FIG>), the other outer end 7b at the other base (in dielectric material) of the cylinder defining an output 7c connected, in use, to an earthing system <NUM>.

The fins of the plate/crown <NUM> are concentric and made of alternating circular projections and recesses (shown in figure 7a with alternating black and white crowns).

In particular, each input polar electrode <NUM> extends between two opposite ends, an inner one immersed in the mixture and an outer one connected to the respective cable <NUM> of the data connector. In addition, the inner end of the input polar electrode has a half-sphere shape.

From the example illustrated in the accompanying figures, it should be noted that each cable <NUM> comprises its own input branch 6a and own output branch 6b connected together at the input polar electrode <NUM> so that each electric signal can be transmitted between the input (in) data connector 2a and the output(out) data connector 2b whereas any hazardous energy load of the external and internal electromagnetic stress defined above, which cause the overvoltages and overcurrents, is detected and transformed by the tuner-damper <NUM>.

Preferably, the input data connectors 2a and 2b are category <NUM>, but the present invention extends to any category of connector.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a preferably flat resonating antenna <NUM>, mounted on a flat support surface (wafer), arranged in contact with the outside of the casing <NUM> of the tuner-damper <NUM> and configured so as to maintain the anti-electromagnetic pollution (electrosmog) work of the tuner damping device <NUM> at extremes (work tolerance: <NUM>%) by selectively discriminating between external and local electromagnetic polluting radiation.

As it can be seen in the example of <FIG>, the resonating antenna <NUM> comprises a plurality of concentric metal elements <NUM>, preferably of circular or rectangular or square shape that are separated from one another. Further, <FIG> also shows that the metal elements <NUM> are concentric and each is broken at a detachment point <NUM>. Preferably, the position of this detachment point <NUM> between one element <NUM> and the other is opposed with respect to a median plane that cuts the antenna <NUM> orthogonally.

This resonant antenna <NUM> is configured to receive outer signals having a frequency comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>. Further, the apparatus <NUM> comprises an outer casing <NUM> shaped as a module for an electrical panel adapted to be installed on a DIN guide.

In other words, the apparatus <NUM> is mechanically like a normal electrical panel module housed on a DIN guide occupying the space of two installation modules. The outer casing <NUM> is made of polyvinyl chloride PVC and has an IP67 degree of protection.

The alternative embodiment shown in <FIG> of the present invention is realised according to what was described previously, but the container <NUM> is configured as a "stand alone" module (and is thus not adapted to be installed on a DIN guide). This container <NUM> has an elongated extension according to a direction that goes from the input data connectors 2a, 2b to the damper <NUM>.

In detail, this container <NUM> is more tapered at the input data connectors 2a, 2b and is wider at the damper <NUM>.

Preferably, this container has two distinct seats <NUM> that extend parallel from a bottom end <NUM> of the container <NUM> to the input data connectors 2a, 2b. Advantageously, said seats <NUM> are shaped to house the cables of the line <NUM> respectively for the two input data connectors 2a, 2b.

Preferably, these seats <NUM> are closed above by a removable cover <NUM> so as to promote the connection of the cables during a condition where the cover <NUM> has been removed (<FIG>), and so as to maintain the cables in position during a condition of installation (<FIG>) of the cover <NUM>.

The inner structure of the container <NUM> is the same as the structure described previously.

The present invention further relates to a telecommunications network/system comprising one or more voice and/or data electric lines and the apparatus <NUM> described above in which at least one voice and/or data electric line <NUM> has an input terminal <NUM> having its own cables <NUM> connected to the input data connector 2a and its own output terminal <NUM> having its cables <NUM> connected to the output data connector 2b. In other words, externally, the input data connector (2a) and the output data connector (2b) are arranged serially along at least one very low voltage voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>), whereas internally the functional unit, the tuner-damper <NUM>, is connected in junction to the voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>) to prevent, absorb, damp and dissipate the energy load of the electromagnetic stress, which causes the overvoltages and overcurrents, relative to the voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>), transforming the energy load into mechanical energy (vibrations, resulting relative movements of the particles and subsequent shocks to the particles) and into thermal energy (endogenous heat).

In this manner, the discharge to earth of the energy load is avoided.

The present invention achieves the set objects with the intrinsic and exclusive ability of ensuring safety.

The apparatus <NUM> intervenes by preventing, absorbing, damping and dissipating also disturbance phenomena present in the very low voltage electric lines, telephone and/or data lines, lines of telecommunication networks/systems like: harmonics and spurious emissions, which are harmful not only to the voice and/or data electrical line itself but particularly also to voice and/or data apparatuses that are functional to the line and to electric and electronic users connected to the line.

In addition to the aforesaid functions, the apparatus <NUM> neutralises local electromagnetic pollution (electrosmog), i.e. near the apparatus.

Claim 1:
Apparatus (<NUM>) for preventing and damping of voltage and current peaks, of external and internal origin, for a very low voltage voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>) of a telecommunication network or system, based on detecting and transforming electromagnetic energy causing overvoltages and overcurrents, comprising:
an input data connector (2a) configured to receive an electric signal from the voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>);
an output data connector (2b) configured to return said electric signal to the voice and/or data electric line (<NUM>); and a tuner-damper (<NUM>) having its own casing (<NUM>) and internal volume (<NUM>), the latter comprising a mixture of an incoherent, non-hygroscopic sediment of particles of a piezoelectric and pyroelectric material and a refractory inert material, in air, configured to transform the energy load of external and internal electromagnetic stress, which causes the overvoltages and overcurrents, into mechanical energy and into thermal energy;
said tuner-damper (<NUM>) comprising:
a plurality of input polar electrodes (<NUM>) partially immersed inside said mixture and in contact therewith but separate and equidistant from one another;
each polar electrode (<NUM>) being connected to a respective cable (<NUM>) of the input data connector (2a) and to a respective cable (<NUM>) of the output data connector (2b); each input polar electrode (<NUM>) being configured to receive said electric signal; and
at least one heat dissipation and electrically conductive bar (<NUM>) at least partially immersed inside said mixture and connected, in use, to an earthing system (<NUM>).