| abstract |
This invention provides a surge absorber for absorbing surges of electric current. The absorber has a metal oxide varistor hermetically sealed in a hollow insulator by a top and a lower electrical terminal and also has a conductive rod extending substantially downwardly and electrically connected to ground and to the lower electrical terminal by solder and also thermally connected to the metal oxide varistor whereby when the varistor is heated by a surge of an electric current therethrough to a temperature to heat the solder above the melting point of the solder, said conductive rod gets separated from the lower electrical terminal to fall downwardly, thereby stopping the electric current through the metal oxide varistor to ground. The lower electrical terminal is preferably so constructed that a hole is produced therein upon the separation of the conductive rod from the lower electrical terminal for equalizing the atmospheric pressure in the hollow and the pressure of the outside atmosphere, thereby preventing the absorber from exploding. |