Patent ID: 7012500

Claim:
A protection device comprising: a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) having phase and neutral line side conductors for connection to a source of current and a load side for connection to a load, wherein said GFCI includes a circuit interrupting portion to automatically break a conductive path between said line side and load side upon detection of a ground fault, a reset portion to break and reset said conductive path, and a reset lockout portion to prevent said GFCI from being reset if said circuit interrupting portion is non-operational; and a surge protection device coupled across said phase and neutral line side conductors of said GFCI, said surge protection device comprising: a metal oxide varistor (MOV) which increases in temperature when subjected to a voltage spike; a thermal fusible layer coupled to a surface of said MOV, said thermal fusible layer capable of conducting current and adapted to form a high impedance path by separating, at least partially, or cracking, or sputtering, or melting, from the surface of the MOV when the temperature of the MOV exceeds a predetermined temperature to form of a spark gap electrically connected in series with the MOV to help dissipate voltage surges; a first conductor having a first end and a second end, said first end coupled directly to a first surface of said MOV and said second end coupled to one of said line side conductors of said GFCI; and a second conductor having a third end and a fourth end, said third end coupled directly to said thermal fusible layer and said fourth end coupled to the other of said line side conductors of said GFCI wherein said first conductor, said thermal fusible layer and said MOV establish a spark gap there between when said thermal fusible layer forms a high impedance path due to heat provided by said MOV as it exceeds said predetermined temperature.