A SURGE SUPPRESSOR ARRANGED FOR SUPPRESSING SURGES, A DRIVER COMPRISING A SURGE SUPPRESSOR AS WELL AS A METHOD FOR OPERATING THE SURGE SUPPRESSOR

Abstract

A surge suppressor, comprising a Metal Oxide Varistor, MOV, connected to a current-conductive track and arranged for suppressing surges present on said current-conductive track, a temperature dependent component thermally coupled to said current-conductive track, wherein an electrical parameter of said temperature dependent component is dependent on temperature, control means arranged for providing a quantitative measure of a lifespan of said MOV based on fluctuations of said electrical parameter over time.

Claims

1. A surge suppressor, comprising: a current-conductive track; a Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) connected to said current-conductive track and arranged for suppressing surges present on said current-conductive track; a temperature dependent component thermally coupled to said current-conductive track, wherein an electrical parameter of said temperature dependent component is dependent on a temperature of said current-conductive track; and control means arranged for providing a quantitative measure of a lifespan of said MOV based on fluctuations of said electrical parameter over time.

2. The surge suppressor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said surge suppressor is arranged for providing a predetermined threshold, wherein said control means are arranged for providing said quantitative measure of said lifespan of said MOV based on a comparison of said fluctuations of said electrical parameter over time with said provided predetermined threshold.

3. The surge suppressor in accordance with claim 2, wherein said control means are arranged for counting the number of times that said electrical parameter exceeds said predetermined threshold, thereby providing said quantitative measure of said lifespan.

4. The surge suppressor in accordance with claim 1, wherein said temperature dependent component is a thermal sensitive Surface Mounted Device, SMD.

5. The surge suppressor according to claim 1, wherein said temperature dependent component has a negative temperature coefficient.

6. The surge suppressor according to claim 5, wherein said control means are arranged for counting the number of times that said electrical parameter falls below said predetermined threshold.

7. The surge suppressor according to 1, wherein said temperature dependent component has a positive temperature coefficient.

8. The surge suppressor according to claim 7, wherein said control means are arranged for counting the number of times that said electrical parameter increases beyond said predetermined threshold.

9. The surge suppressor according to 1, wherein said current-conductive track is a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) track and wherein said temperature dependent component is a Surface Mounted Device, SMD mounted on top of said PCB track.

10. The surge suppressor according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprise a processor for providing said quantitative measure of said lifespan of said MOV.

11. The surge suppressor according to 1, wherein said temperature dependent component wherein a resistance value of said temperature dependent component is dependent on temperature.

12. A driver arranged to receive electrical power and provide output electrical power to an electrical load, said driver comprising said surge suppressor according to claim 1, wherein said surge suppressor is arranged to suppress surges to said electrical load.

13. A method of operating a surge suppressor, said method comprising the steps of: suppressing an electrical surge, by a Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) connected to said current-conductive track; providing, by said temperature dependent component, said electrical parameter of said temperature dependent component to said control means; and providing, by said control means, said quantitative measure of said lifespan of said MOV based on fluctuations of said electrical parameter over time.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said method further comprises the step of: counting, by said control means, a number of surges experienced by said surge suppressor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates a device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a surge suppressor according to the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates a method according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1 illustrates a device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Embodiment 1 illustrates the temperature dependent component 4 mounted on a Printed Circuit Board, PCB, 2. The Temperature sensitive component 4 is in thermal contact with the current carrying track 3.

[0037] FIG. 2 in embodiment 10 illustrates these components in another configuration.

[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates a surge suppressor 20 according to the present disclosure. The surge suppressor 20, comprises a Metal Oxide Varistor, MOV, 22 connected to a current-conductive track 21 and is arranged for suppressing surges present on said current-conductive track 21. The surge suppressor further comprises a temperature dependent component 23 thermally coupled to the current-conductive track 21, wherein an electrical parameter of said temperature dependent component is dependent on temperature.

[0039] The surge suppressor 20 also comprises control means 24 arranged for providing a quantitative measure of a lifespan of said MOV based on fluctuations of said electrical parameter over time. The control means is in communication with the temperature dependent component in order to determine/count the number of surges on the current carrying track 21. Additionally the surge suppressor may comprise indicating means (not shown) or other means to connect to an external display device (not shown) which may be arranged to give an indication of the number of surges that have occurred on the current carrying track 21.

[0040] FIG. 4 illustrates a method 30 according to the present disclosure. The method 30 comprising the steps of suppressing 31 an electrical surge, by a Metal Oxide Varistor, MOV, connected to said current-conductive track; [0041] providing 32 , by said temperature dependent component, said electrical parameter of said temperature dependent component to said control means; [0042] providing 33, by said control means, said quantitative measure of said lifespan of said MOV based on fluctuations of said electrical parameter over time.

[0043] Within the scope of the present disclosure, the term Metal Oxide Varistor, MOV, has been used to refer to a particular type of surge suppressors. The skilled person understands that the teaching of the present disclosure may be equally applicable with suitable modifications to other types of surge suppressors that are used to suppress surges in domestic appliances.

[0044] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims.

[0045] The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope thereof.