| abstract |
An electrical connector provided with a varistor, and to a protection device for incorporation into an electrical connector and having a varistor comprising at least two pins including a first pin which is a live 502 or neutral 504 pin and a second pin which is an earth pin 506, the first and second pins 502,504,506 extending through respective apertures 512 in a varistor plate 514 which has first and second faces, wherein a first conductive layer on the first face of the varistor plate 514 connects electrically to the first pin 502,504 and a second conductive region on the second face of the varistor plate connects electrically to the second pin 506, so that in response to an excessive voltage across the first 502,504 and second 506 pins the varistor plate will conduct electricity between the first 502,504 and second 506 pins. The arrangement can easily be adopted in connectors conforming to existing standards, such as existing mains electrical plugs 500. |