Patent ID: 8477469

Claim:
Overvoltage protection element, comprising: a housing, at least one overvoltage limiting component which is located in the housing, two terminal contacts for electrical connection of the overvoltage protection element to a current or signal path to be protected, the first of the terminal contacts being directly in electrically conductive contact with the first pole of the overvoltage limiting component, an electrically conductive connecting element, a spring system which acts on the connecting element, and an insulating disconnecting element wherein, in a normal state of the overvoltage protection element, the connecting element is in electrically conductive contact both with a second of the terminal contacts and also with a second pole of the overvoltage limiting component via a thermally separating connection which is constructed to separate when the temperature of the overvoltage limiting component exceeds a given boundary temperature, and wherein the spring system is construct to exert a force which, with the thermally separating connection separated, causes the connecting element to move out of electrically conductive contact position such that the connecting element no longer is in electrically conductive contact with the second terminal contact and the second pole of the overvoltage limiting component, wherein the electrically conductive connecting element is permanently connected to the insulating disconnecting element such that, with the thermal connection separated, the conductive connecting element is moved by the force of the spring system out of the intermediate space between the second terminal contact and the second pole of the overvoltage limiting component and the insulating disconnecting element is moved into the intermediate space, so that the insulating disconnecting element is moved between the second terminal contact and the second pole of the overvoltage limiting component.