Electronic surge arrestor

Claim 2

A fast-response electronic surge arrestor for protecting electrical equipment from large amplitude, fast rise-time transients of first and second polarities, said surge arrestor comprising: an input; an elongated conductor coupled to the input and adapted to be coupled to electrical equipment to be protected from transients, said conductor being in the form of a flat microwave strip transmission line disposed on a ground plane substrate and operative to receive transients of first and second polarities presented to the input and also signals in the UHF band for bi-directional transmission between the electrical equipment and the input; a source of reference potential; first and second transient suppression circuit means arranged in parallel and coupled between the conductor and the source of reference potential for dissipating transients of the first and second polarities, respectively; said first transient suppression circuit means comprising: a first fast-response Zener diode having an internal capacitance of a predetermined value and further having an anode coupled to the source of reference potential and a cathode; a first switching diode coupled to the conductor and in series with the first Zener diode and having an internal capacitance of a value less than the value of the internal capacitance of the first Zener diode for reducing the effective capacitance between the conductor and the source of reference potential, said first switching diode having an anode coupled to the conductor and a cathode coupled to the cathode of the first Zener diode; said first Zener diode being operative in response to a large amplitude, fast rise-time transient of the first polarity present on the conductor to dissipate said transient and said first switching diode cooperating with the first diode to minimize dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor; and a source of positive dc reverse bias voltage coupled to the juncture of the first Zener diode and the first switching diode and operative to establish a positive dc reverse bias voltage at said juncture having a value for further minimizing dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor due to rectification action of the diodes; and said second transient suppression circuit means comprising: a second fast-response Zener diode having an internal capacitance of a predetermined value and further having a cathode coupled to the source of reference potential and an anode; a second switching diode coupled to the conductor and in series with the second Zener diode and having an internal capacitance of a value less than the value of the internal capacitance of the second Zener diode for reducing the effective capacitance between the conductor and the source of reference potential, said second switching diode having a cathode coupled to the conductor and an anode coupled to the anode of the second Zener diode; said second Zener diode being operative in response to a large amplitude, fast rise-time transient of the second polarity present on the conductor to dissipate said transient and said second switching diode cooperating with the second Zener diode to minimize dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor; and a source of negative dc reverse bias voltage coupled to the juncture of the second Zener diode and the second switching diode and operative to establish a negative dc reverse bias voltage at said juncture having a value for further minimizing dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor due to rectification action of the diodes.

Claim 3

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 1 wherein: each of the first and second switching diodes is a PIN diode.

Claim 4

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 1 wherein: each of the positive and negative transients has an amplitude in excess of 700 volts, and a rise time and duration each measured in nanoseconds; and each of the first and second Zener diodes has a response time less than the rise time and duration of the transients.

Claim 5

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 1 further comprising: first and second capacitances coupled between the anodes and cathodes of the first and second Zener diodes, respectively, for suppressing any rf noise generated by the Zener diodes, thereby to prevent said noise from leaking back onto the conductor.

Claim 6

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the source of positive dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the juncture of the first Zener diode and the first switching diode at a positive dc reverse bias voltage having a value in excess of the positive peak value of rf signals on the conductor; and the source of negative dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the juncture of the second Zener diode and the second switching diode at a negative dc reverse bias voltage having a value in excess of the negative peak value of rf signals on the conductor.

Claim 7

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 1 wherein: each of the positive and negative transients has an amplitude in excess of 700 volts, and a rise time and duration each measured in nanoseconds; each of the first and second Zener diodes has a response time less than the rise time and duration of the transients; each of the first and second switching diodes is a PIN diode; the source of positive dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the juncture of the first Zener diode and the first switching diode at a positive dc reverse bias voltage having a value in excess of the positive peak value of rf signals on the conductor; and the source of negative dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the juncture of the second Zener diode and the second switching diode at a negative dc reverse bias voltage having a value in excess of the negative peak value of rf signals on the conductor.

Claim 8

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 6 further comprising: first and second microwave porcelain chip capacitances coupled between the anodes and cathodes of the first and second Zener diodes, respectively, for suppressing any rf noise generated by the Zener diodes, thereby to prevent said noise from leaking back onto the conductor.

Claim 9

A fast-response electronic surge arrestor for protecting electrical equipment from large amplitude, fast rise-time transients of first and second polarities, said surge arrestor comprising: an input; an elongated conductor coupled to the input and adapted to be coupled to electrical equipment to be protected from transients, said conductor being in the form of a flat microwave strip transmission line disposed on a grond plane substrate and operative to receive transients of first and second polarities presented to the input and also signals in the UHF band for bi-directional transmission between the electrical equipment and the input; a source of reference potential; first and second pairs of transient suppression circuit means arranged in parallel and coupled between the conductor and the source of reference potential for dissipating transients of the first and second polarities, respectively; each of said first pair of transient suppression circuit means comprising: a fast-response Zener diode having an internal capacitance of a predetermined value and further having an anode coupled to the source of reference potential and a cathode; a switching diode coupled to the conductor and in series with the Zener diode and having an internal capacitance of a value less than the value of the internal capacitance of the Zener diode for reducing the effective capacitance between the conductor and the source of reference potential, said switching diode having an anode coupled to the conductor and a cathode coupled to the cathode of the Zener diode; the Zener diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means being operative in response to a large amplitude, fast rise-time transient of the first polarity present on the conductor to collectively dissipate said transient, and the switching diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means cooperating with the Zener diodes to minimize dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor; and a source of positive dc reverse bias voltage coupled to the juncture of the Zener diodes and the switching diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means and operative to establish a positive dc reverse bias voltage at said junctures each having a value for further minimizing dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor due to rectification action of the diodes; and each of said second pair of transient suppression circuit means comprising: a fast-response Zener diode having an internal capacitance of a predetermined value and further having a cathode coupled to the source of reference potential and an anode; a switching diode coupled to the conductor and in series with the Zener diode and having an internal capacitance of a value less than the value of the internal capacitance of the Zener diode for reducing the effective capacitance between the conductor and the source of reference potential, said switching diode having a cathode coupled to the conductor and an anode coupled to the anode of the Zener diode; the Zener diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means being operative in response to a large amplitude, fast rise-time transient of the second polarity present on the conductor to collectively dissipate said transient, and said switching diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means cooperating with the Zener diodes to minimize dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor; and a source of negative dc reverse bias voltage coupled to the junctures of the Zener diodes and switching diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means and operative to establish negative dc reverse bias voltages at said junctures each having a value for further minimizing dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor due to rectification action of the diodes.

Claim 10

A fast-response electronic surge arrestor for protecting electrical equipment from large amplitude, fast rise-time transients of first and second polarities, said surge arrestor comprising: an input; an elongated conductor coupled to the input and adapted to be coupled to electrical equipment to be protected from transients, said conductor being in the form of a flat microwave strip transmission line disposed on a grond plane substrate and operative to receive transients of first and second polarities presented to the input and also signals in the UHF band for bi-directional transmission between the electrical equipment and the input; a source of reference potential; first and second pairs of transient suppression circuit means arranged in parallel and coupled between the conductor and the source of reference potential for dissipating transients of the first and second polarities, respectively; each of said first pair of transient suppression circuit means comprising: a fast-response Zener diode having an internal capacitance of a predetermined value and further having an anode coupled to the source of reference potential and a cathode; a switching diode coupled to the conductor and in series with the Zener diode and having an internal capacitance of a value less than the value of the internal capacitance of the Zener diode for reducing the effective capacitance between the conductor and the source of reference potential, said switching diode having an anode coupled to the conductor and a cathode coupled to the cathode of the Zener diode; the Zener diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means being operative in response to a large amplitude, fast rise-time transient of the first polarity present on the conductor to collectively dissipate said transient, and the switching diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means cooperating with the Zener diodes to minimize dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor; and a source of positive dc reverse bias voltage coupled to the juncture of the Zener diodes and the switching diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means and operative to establish a positive dc reverse bias voltage at said junctures each having a value for further minimizing dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor due to rectification action of the diodes; and each of said second pair of transient suppression circuit means comprising: a fast-response Zener diode having an internal capacitance of a predetermined value and further having a cathode coupled to the source of reference potential and an anode; a switching diode coupled to the conductor and in series with the Zener diode and having an internal capacitance of a value less than the value of the internal capacitance of the Zener diode for reducing the effective capacitance between the conductor and the source of reference potential, said switching diode having a cathode coupled to the conductor and an anode coupled to the anode of the Zener diode; the Zener diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means being operative in response to a large amplitude, fast rise-time transient of the second polarity present on the conductor to collectively dissipate said transient, and said switching diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means cooperating with the Zener diodes to minimize dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor; and a source of negative dc reverse bias voltage coupled to the junctures of the Zener diodes and switching diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means and operative to establish negative dc reverse bias voltages at said junctures each having a value for further minimizing dissipation of signals in the UHF band on the conductor due to rectification action of the diodes.

Claim 11

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 8 wherein: each of the switching diodes of the first and second pairs of transient suppression circuit means is a PIN diode.

Claim 12

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 8 wherein: each of the positive and negative transients has an amplitude in excess of 700 volts, and a rise time and duration each measured in nanoseconds; and each of the Zener diodes of the first and second pairs of transient suppression circuit means has a response time less than the rise time and duration of the transients.

Claim 13

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 8 further comprising: a capacitance coupled between the anode and cathode of each Zener diode of the first and second pairs transient suppression circuit means for suppressing any rf noise generated by the Zener diode, thereby to prevent said noise from leaking back onto the conductor.

Claim 14

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 8 wherein: the source of positive dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the junctures of the Zener diodes and the switching diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means at positive dc reverse bias voltages each having a value in excess of the positive peak value of rf signals on the conductor; and the source of negative dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the junctures of the Zener diodes and the switching diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means at negative dc reverse bias voltages each having a value in excess of the negative peak value of rf signals on the conductor.

Claim 15

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 8 wherein: each of the positive and negative transients has an amplitude in excess of 700 volts, and a rise time and duration each measured in nanoseconds; each of the Zener diodes of the first and second pair of transient suppression circuit means has a response time less than the rise time and duration of the transients; each of the switching diodes of the first and second pairs of transient suppression circuits means is a PIN diode; the source of positive dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the junctures of the Zener diodes and the switching diodes of the first pair of transient suppression circuit means at positive dc reverse bias voltages each having a value in excess of the positive peak value of rf signals on the conductor; and the source of negative dc reverse bias voltage is operative to establish the junctures of the Zener diodes and the switching diodes of the second pair of transient suppression circuit means at negative dc reverse bias voltages each having a value in excess of the negative peak value of rf signals on the conductor.

Claim 16

An electronic surge arrestor in accordance with claim 13 further comprising: a microwave porcelain chip capacitance coupled between the anode and cathode of each of the Zener diodes of the first and second pairs of transient suppression circuit means for suppressing any rf noise generated by the Zener diode, thereby to prevent said noise from leaking back onto the conductor.