Spark gap arrangement

Abstract

A spark gap arrangement (1) with at least three electrodes (2) and with at least two holding frames (3) arranged one above the other is shown and described, wherein the holding frames (3) each have a rim (4) that surrounds a recess (5) for receiving at least one electrode (2).In the spark gap arrangement (1) according to the invention, contacting at least one electrode (2) with a control element (7) is made possible even when using particularly narrow electrodes (3) by forming at least one receiving opening (6) in the edge (4) of at least one holding frame (3), in which a control element (7) is arranged, and by rotating the individual holding frames (3) relative to each other about their central axis M, which is arranged perpendicular to the plane of the holding frame (3), such that the receiving opening (6) of a first holding frame (3) is located above an electrode (2) which is received in a second holding frame (3) arranged below it, so that the control element (7) arranged in the receiving opening (6) of the first holding frame (3) contacts the electrode (2) received in the second holding frame (3) arranged below it.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a spark gap arrangement with at least three electrodes and at least two holding frames arranged flat one above the other, each holding frame having an edge surrounding a recess for accommodating at least one electrode. The invention also relates to a holding frame for such a spark gap arrangement.

[0002] A wide variety of surge protective devices are known from the state of the art and are used to protect electrical devices or cables from overvoltages that can be caused, for example, by lightning strikes or defects in technical systems. Spark gap arrangements with multiple electrodes have been used for decades in the field of surge protection for electrical devices and systems. To divert high overvoltages while simultaneously ensuring high mains follow current extinguishing capacity, multiple spark gaps are often used. Due to their design, these are often also referred to as stacked spark gaps. Such stacked spark gaps consist of multiple electrodes and multiple insulation layers arranged between the individual electrodes, so that there is insulation between each two electrodes, which has an opening in the middle, so that two electrodes form a spark gap.The electrodes are typically circular or rectangular graphite discs, between which ring-shaped or frame-like insulation is arranged. The insulation is often made of thin plastic foils, such as PTFE, and is typically less than 1 mm thick.

[0003] In practice, various variants are known for connecting the individual electrodes and the individual insulations to form a stacked spark gap. Large-surface contact plates are often used for this purpose. These form the end faces of the stacked spark gap and are bolted together in the axial direction via several guide rods, so that the individual electrodes and the individual insulations are clamped in their stacked arrangement between the contact plates. If the guide rods arranged between the contact plates are guided past the individual electrodes on the outside, this results in a relatively large installation space.

[0004] DE 20 2013 102 647 U1 discloses a stacked spark gap in which the installation space or space requirement is reduced by having the individual electrodes perforated centrally and the contact plates arranged on the end faces of the stacked electrodes connected to each other by a guide rod that extends through the perforations of the individual electrodes and the perforations of the annular insulation. By using only one guide rod and arranging it internally, a stacked spark gap can be realized whose space requirement is not significantly greater than that of the stacked electrodes.

[0005] DE 10 2016 114 787 A1 discloses a support unit for series-connectable and stackable spark gaps, which consists of an insulating body having a recess for the electrode. According to one embodiment, the insulating body is designed to accommodate a single electrode, with multiple insulating bodies then being stacked one above the other. A radial opening is additionally formed in the insulating body, which is connected to the receptacle for the electrode, so that the electrode can be contacted through the opening on its radial outer surface.

[0006] DE 10 2011 102 864 A1 also discloses a stacked spark gap with several individual spark gaps connected in series, wherein the individual electrodes are each arranged in an insulating body. The insulating bodies each have a recess for receiving a disk-shaped electrode and a receptacle for a control element, wherein the receptacle for the control element is connected to the recess for the electrode. A control element is connected to the edge of the electrode via a contact spring, so that the individual electrodes of the stacked spark gap can be triggered via the control elements.

[0007] DE 10 2018 118 898 B3 discloses a holding arrangement for multiple electrodes, comprising at least two holding frames that can be stacked flat one above the other. Three recesses are formed adjacently in each individual holding frame, each recess accommodating one electrode, so that by stacking several such holding frames on top of one another, three stacked spark gaps arranged adjacently can be realized. In addition to the recesses for the electrodes, a corresponding number of openings connected to the recesses are also formed in the individual holding frames, through which openings the outer surfaces of the individual electrodes can be contacted. The openings are formed on one long side of the holding frame, so that contact can be made with the individual electrodes from this side.

[0008] Various designs of stacked spark gaps are known from the prior art, in which the individual electrodes are each arranged in a frame-shaped insulating body. To influence the ignition behavior of the stacked spark gap, contact is made between the individual disc-shaped electrodes on their narrow side, i.e., on their outer surface arranged in the longitudinal extension of the stacked spark gap. For this purpose, it is already known to form a recess in the insulating body or the holding frame for accommodating a control element, which is connected to the narrow side of the respective electrode via a contact element.

[0009] In the holding frame known from DE 10 2018 132 088 B3, the contacting of the narrow side of the electrode is not carried out via a separate contact element, but via a protruding contact leg of the control element arranged in a recess, for which purpose the end of the contact leg extends through a slot into the recess in which the electrode can be arranged.

[0010] With increasing levels of integration, increasingly thinner electrodes are being used in spark gap arrangements, especially in stacked spark gaps. This makes contacting the disc-shaped electrodes with the control elements on the narrow side increasingly difficult, especially since the required insulation distances between the control elements must also be taken into account. Direct contact between the narrow side of the electrodes and unwired control elements is generally no longer possible.

[0011] The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a spark gap arrangement that enables contact between the individual electrodes, even when using particularly narrow electrodes. Furthermore, a holding frame is to be provided that can be used with such a spark gap arrangement.

[0012] This object is achieved in the spark gap arrangement described above with the features of patent claim 1 in that at least one receiving opening, in which a control element is arranged, is formed in the edge of at least one holding frame. Furthermore, the individual holding frames are arranged rotated relative to one another about their central axis M, which is arranged perpendicular to the plane of the holding frame, such that the receiving opening of a first holding frame is located above an electrode, which is received in a second holding frame arranged below it.This creates the possibility for a control element arranged in the receiving opening of the first holding frame to contact the electrode accommodated in the second holding frame arranged underneath, wherein the contacting of the electrode is not carried out on the narrow side surface, i.e. the narrow side, but on the end face, the front or rear side, which has a significantly larger area than the narrow side surface.

[0013] Even though the spark gap arrangement according to the invention can in principle also comprise only three electrodes and two holding frames, the spark gap arrangement preferably consists of several electrodes and, accordingly, several holding frames, so that the spark gap arrangement is a multiple spark gap or stacked spark gap. The individual holding frames—and with them the electrodes accommodated therein—are then arranged as a stack mounted rotated around the center point.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least one receiving opening in the holding frame is arranged near a corner of the holding frame. The arrangement of the receiving opening near a corner of the holding frame makes it possible for the angle by which the individual holding frames arranged one above the other must be rotated relative to one another to be relatively small. The individual holding frames are each rotated far enough relative to one another that a control element arranged in a receiving opening can contact the electrode arranged underneath in the region of a corner. Depending on the shape of the holding frames, which generally have an approximately rectangular basic shape, angles of rotation of less than 15°, in particular less than 10°, for example 7.5°, can be sufficient.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the individual holding frames each have a collar-shaped support section directed inwards towards the central axis M, against which at least one electrode each rests. The electrodes are therefore not held in position, or at least not only by the edge of the holding frame surrounding the recess, even if the recesses are adapted to the external dimensions of the electrodes, but also by the fact that the electrodes each rest with their edge on the collar-shaped support section of the holding frames. The support section is set back from the edge of the holding frame in the direction of the central axis M. An electrode can rest on either side of the collar-shaped support section.

[0016] The collar-shaped support section also simultaneously assumes the function of the insulating foils between the individual electrodes, which are otherwise frequently used in stacked spark gaps. By resting the individual electrodes against the support section of the respective holding frame, two electrodes at least partially held by a holding frame are thus spaced apart by a defined distance determined by the thickness of the support section. This allows for the realization of a spark gap arrangement with very small dimensions, particularly in the longitudinal extension of the spark gap arrangement or the stacked spark gap.

[0017] If a spark gap arrangement has two holding frames, a total of three electrodes can be accommodated by the two holding frames, with the middle electrode being arranged between the two holding frames and thus being held by both holding frames together. The two outer electrodes, on the other hand, only rest on a support section of a holding frame with one end face, the front and the back, respectively, while the other end face is electrically contacted by a contact plate and held in the holding frame. A spark gap arrangement with n holding frames can therefore accommodate n + 1 electrodes. Since the two outer electrodes are each contacted via a contact plate, n - 1 control elements can be provided in such a spark gap arrangement, which correspondingly contact n - 1 electrodes.

[0018] It has been stated above that the holding frames can have an approximately rectangular shape. However, this does not preclude the holding frames from having an outer contour and an inner contour that each deviates from a rectangle. The outer contour of the holding frame that deviates from a rectangle can be used, in particular, to provide space for the arrangement of the receiving opening for the control element in the edge of the holding frame. For this purpose, for example, the edge of the holding frame can have an outwardly projecting section, with the receiving opening for the control element then being formed in the region of the section.

[0019] If the holding frame has an inwardly directed collar-shaped support section, the inner contour of the holding frame is determined by the inner edge of the support section. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, the collar-shaped support section can have an octagonal inner edge, wherein individual inner angles can have different values. If, in the spark gap arrangement according to the invention, two holding frames are arranged rotated relative to one another by an angle α, it is preferably provided that four inner angles δ 1 have a value of 90° + α and four inner angles δ 2 have a value of 180° - α. The different inner angles δ 1 and δ 2 are arranged or formed alternately with one another in the circumferential direction.

[0020] In this preferred embodiment of the spark gap arrangement or the holding frame, the concrete shape of the holding frame, in particular its inner contour, is thus designed depending on the angle by which individual holding frames are arranged rotated relative to one another, or the angle of rotation between the individual holding frames depends on the concrete shape of the holding frames.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the spark gap arrangement according to the invention, the individual holding frames are designed such that they are locked in their mutually rotated arrangement. This also simplifies the positioning of the individual holding frames relative to one another and ensures that the position of the individual holding frames relative to one another, in particular the angle by which adjacent holding frames are rotated relative to one another, does not inadvertently change again during assembly of the spark gap arrangement. There are various options regarding the design of the locking mechanism between the individual holding frames. For example, the holding frames can each have at least one locking element on at least one side, with two locking elements of two holding frames interacting when the two holding frames are stacked on top of one another in the intended, mutually rotated arrangement.

[0022] Alternatively or additionally, the holding frames can each have at least one locking element on the front side and a counter-locking element on the back side, wherein the locking element of one holding frame engages with a counter-locking element of a second holding frame when the two holding frames are stacked one above the other, rotated by the specified angle α. For example, pin-shaped pins can be provided as locking elements, and corresponding pin holes can be provided as counter-locking elements.

[0023] The individual electrodes of the spark gap arrangement are preferably formed as rectangular, in particular square, thin discs made of graphite or a tungsten-copper composite material. The thickness of the electrode discs can be less than 5 mm, in particular less than 3 mm.

[0024] The aforementioned object is achieved in a holding frame for a corresponding spark gap arrangement with the features of patent claim 9. The holding frame has an edge surrounding a recess for receiving an electrode, wherein the recess is adapted to the outer dimensions of the electrode. According to the invention, at least one receiving opening for receiving a control element is formed in the edge of the holding frame.

[0025] With regard to the advantageous embodiments of the holding frame, reference can be made to the above, corresponding statements regarding the spark gap arrangement. For example, the holding frame preferably has a collar-shaped support section for at least one electrode, which is directed inwards towards the central axis M of the holding frame, wherein the support section is preferably set back from the edge of the holding frame in the direction of the central axis M. Furthermore, the outer contour and the inner contour of the holding frame are preferably designed such that they deviate from that of a rectangle, wherein in particular the collar-shaped support section has an octagonal inner edge. The inner edge preferably does not correspond to a regular octagon with eight equally sized interior angles δ. Rather, the inner edge preferably has four interior angles δ 1 and four interior angles δ 2 , which are arranged alternately with one another.The interior angle δ 1 is 90° + α and the interior angle δ 2 is 180° - α.

[0026] The support frame can be made of a plastic or a ceramic material and have a relatively small thickness of preferably less than 10 mm, in particular less than 5 mm. However, other insulating materials for the support frame and other dimensions, in particular other thicknesses, are also possible.

[0027] In detail, there are numerous possibilities for further developing and designing the spark gap arrangement according to the invention and the holding frame. Reference is made to the dependent claims as well as to the description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with the drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1a spark gap arrangement with four electrodes and three holding frames, in exploded view, Fig. 2a holding frame, in plan view, Fig. 3a sectional view of the holding frame according to Fig. 2 , Fig. 4 an enlarged detail of Fig. 3 , Fig. 5 a sectional view of two holding frames with three electrodes accommodated, Fig. 6 three holding frames arranged twisted to each other, Fig. 7 three holding frames arranged twisted to each other, with an electrode inserted in the upper holding frame, Fig. 8 a sectional view of four electrodes arranged in a stack arrangement two control elements and Fig. 9 an enlarged detailed view of Fig. 8 .

[0028] The figures show a spark gap arrangement 1 or electrodes 2 and holding frames 3 for a spark gap arrangement 1, wherein each holding frame 3 can partially accommodate two electrodes 2. A spark gap arrangement 1 consists of at least three electrodes 2 and at least two holding frames 3 accommodating the electrodes 2, wherein the holding frames 3 are arranged flat one above the other. Even if in Fig. 1 Although only three holding frames 3 are shown, the number of holding frames 3 and thus also the number of electrodes 2 that are part of the spark gap arrangement 1 is not limited thereto, but a spark gap arrangement 1 can also have significantly more electrodes 2 and thus also significantly more holding frames 3. In principle, a spark gap arrangement 1 with n holding frames 3 can accommodate a total of n - 1 electrodes 2.

[0029] An exploded view of such a spark gap arrangement 1 is shown in Fig. 1 The spark gap arrangement shown consists of three holding frames 3, 3', 3" and four electrodes 2, of which only three electrodes 2 are visible. In the middle holding frame 3', only the front electrode 2 is visible, which in the assembled state is arranged between the front holding frame 3 and the middle holding frame 3'. Not visible is the electrode which in the assembled state is arranged between the middle holding frame 3' and the rear holding frame 3". This electrode is also arranged in the middle holding frame 3', but in the illustration according to Fig. 1 covered by the first, front electrode 2 arranged in the middle holding frame 3'.

[0030] From the representation of the spark gap arrangement 1 and also from the representation of a single holding frame 3 according to Fig. 2 It can be seen that the holding frame 3 has an edge 4 surrounding a recess 5 for receiving an electrode 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrodes 2 are rectangular, in particular square, so that the recess 5 enclosed by the edge 4 is also rectangular or square. In the illustrated embodiment, the edge 4 of the holding frame 3 is also completely circumferential. In principle, however, it is also possible for the edge to have interruptions, as long as secure reception of an electrode 2 is still guaranteed.

[0031] A receiving opening 6 is formed in the edge 4 of the holding frame 3, into which a control element 7, which can in particular be a capacitor, can be inserted. The control elements 7 of the spark gap arrangement 1 serve to control or trigger the individual spark gaps, for which purpose a control element 7 is electrically connected to an electrode 2. In the spark gap arrangement 1 according to the invention, the contacting of the individual electrodes 2 is not—as in the prior art—made on their narrow side, but on the front or back of the electrode 2, i.e., on the large surface of the electrode 2.

[0032] For this purpose, the individual holding frames 3, and with them the electrodes 2 arranged therein, are arranged rotated relative to one another about their central axis M arranged perpendicular to the plane of the holding frames 3 in such a way that the receiving opening 6 of a first holding frame 3 is located above an electrode 2 which is received in a second holding frame 3 arranged below it. As a result, the control element 7 arranged in the receiving opening 6 of the first holding frame 3 can contact the electrode 2 received in the second holding frame 3 arranged below it. The spark gap arrangement 1 according to the invention thus has a plurality of holding frames 3 arranged one above the other, which are each arranged rotated relative to one another about the central axis M, resulting in a rotated stack of holding frames 3, each of which receives two electrodes 2. As can be seen in particular from Fig. 2 As can be seen, the receiving opening 6 is arranged near a corner of the holding frame 3, so that a control element 7 inserted in the receiving opening 6 also contacts the electrode 2 located underneath in the region of a corner.

[0033] From the Fig. 2 It can also be seen that the holding frame 3 has a collar-shaped support section 8 directed inwards towards the central axis M, against which an electrode 2 rests on each of the two sides when it is received by the holding frame 3. In the direction of the central axis M, the electrodes 2 are thus held in position in particular by the support section 8. In addition to the function of positioning an electrode 2 in the holding frame 3, the support section 8 also takes on the function of the insulating film between the individual electrodes 2, which is otherwise frequently used in stacked spark gaps. The thickness of the individual holding frames 3 as well as the thickness and position of the support section 8 in the holding frame 3 determine the distance between the individual electrodes 2 in the assembled state.

[0034] In the illustrated embodiment, the collar-shaped support section 8, viewed in the direction of the central axis M, is arranged centrally in the holding frame 3, as can be seen in particular from the sectional view according to Fig. 3 and the enlarged detail view according to Fig. 4 From the sectional view according to Fig. 5 It can be seen that the distance between two electrodes 2 is determined by the thickness of the support section 8 of the holding frame 3. This sectional view also shows how three electrodes 2 are held by two holding frames 3, 3', with the middle electrode 2 being arranged between the two holding frames 3, 3' and thus being held jointly by both holding frames 3, 3'. Furthermore, the view according to Fig. 5 It can be seen that an electrode 2 is located on both sides of the collar-shaped support section 8 of a holding frame 3.

[0035] Even if the individual electrodes 2 have a rectangular, in particular square, shape and thus the edge 4 of the holding frame 3, which surrounds a received electrode 2 on the outside, also has a square shape, both the outer contour and the inner contour of the holding frame 3 deviate from the shape of a rectangle. The outer contour of the holding frame 3, which deviates from a rectangle, is used to provide space for the arrangement of the receiving opening 6 for the control element 7. In the illustrated embodiment, the holding frame 3 has an outward-facing section 9 on each of its four sides, rising towards a respective corner, whereby a receiving opening 6 is formed in only two of these sections 9.

[0036] The inner contour of the holding frame 3, which deviates from the shape of a rectangle, is realized in that the support section 8 has a non-rectangular inner edge 10. The collar-shaped support section 8 has, for this purpose, an inwardly projecting section 11 on all four sides, each rising towards a corner. An outwardly rising section 9 of the holding frame 3 and the inwardly rising section 11 of the support section 8 are arranged offset from one another in such a way that the two sections 9, 11 of one side of the holding frame 3 do not lie opposite one another. Fig. 2 The plan view of a holding frame 3 shown appears to consist of two square holding frames arranged at an angle to one another.

[0037] The previously described design of the support section 8 results in it having an octagonal inner edge, whereby the eight interior angles are not all of the same size. Rather, the inner edge 10 has four smaller interior angles δ 1 and four larger interior angles δ 2, whereby the smaller interior angles δ 1 and the larger interior angles δ 2 are arranged alternately with one another. The interior angle δ 1 is 90° + α and the interior angle δ 2 is 180° - α, whereby the angle α corresponds to the angle of rotation of two holding frames 3 with respect to one another. This angle α can in particular be in the range between 5 and 10°, so that the first interior angle δ 1 is between 95° and 100° and the second interior angle δ 2 is between 170° and 175°.

[0038] Fig. 6 shows, by way of example, three holding frames 3 arranged one above the other, which are arranged rotated relative to one another about their central axis M. The angle of rotation α between the first holding frame 3 and the second holding frame arranged below it is 7.5°. Fig. 7 shows the same arrangement of three holding frames 3, with each individual holding frame 3 accommodating two electrodes 2, which together form a spark gap. The electrode 2 arranged between the first holding frame 3 and the second holding frame 3' is visible through the receiving opening 6 in the first, upper holding frame 3, so that a control element 7 inserted into the receiving opening 6 can contact this electrode 2 on its front side.

[0039] To ensure that the individual holding frames 3 remain in their intended, mutually rotated arrangement, the individual holding frames 3 are locked in their rotated arrangement. For this purpose, a locking element 12 is formed on each side of the holding frame 3, which interacts with the corresponding locking element 12 of a second holding frame 3 when the two holding frames 3 are stacked on top of each other. As can be seen from the exploded view of the spark gap arrangement 1 according to Fig. 1 As can be seen, the assembly of a surge protection device with such a spark gap arrangement 1 is also very simple, since the individual components can be stacked one on top of the other. Assembly can be carried out, in particular, from one direction.

[0040] For the electrical connection of the spark gap arrangement 1, two contact plates 13, 14 are also provided, whereby in this case the contact plate 13 is provided for the connection of a PE conductor and the contact plate 14 for the connection of a neutral conductor. In addition, Fig. 1 A housing half-shell 15 is shown, which forms part of a housing accommodating the spark gap arrangement 1. The dimensions of the housing half-shell 15 are only slightly larger than the external dimensions of the spark gap arrangement 1 or the individual holding frames 3, since no additional installation space is required for the control elements 7.

[0041] The contacting of individual electrodes 2 by control elements 7 is shown in the sectional view according to Fig. 8 und 9 can be seen, whereby in the two sectional views only the electrodes 2 are shown in their position rotated relative to one another as determined by the holding frames 3, but not the holding frames 3 themselves. The first electrode 21, arranged on the far right, is contacted on one side by the contact plate 14, which in turn is connected to a connection element 16 for the electrical connection of a neutral conductor. On the other side of the first electrode 21 is the second electrode 22, which are spaced from one another by the support section of the first holding frame arranged between the two electrodes 21, 22, so that the two electrodes 21, 22 form a first spark gap.Accordingly, the second electrode 22 and the third electrode 23 arranged at a distance adjacent thereto form a second spark gap, and the third electrode 23 and the fourth electrode 24, also arranged at a distance adjacent thereto, form a third spark gap of the spark gap arrangement 1. The side of the fourth electrode 24 facing away from the third electrode 23 is then connected to the contact plate 23, not shown here, which is provided for connecting a PE conductor.

[0042] On the side of the contact plate 14 facing away from the first electrode 21, a busbar 17 is arranged and electrically connected to the contact plate 14, wherein the two ends 18, 19 of the busbar 16 each contact a first terminal of a control element 7, 7'. Fig. 8 The first control element 7 shown above is arranged in a first opening 6 in the first holding frame 3. As a result, its second terminal can contact the front side of the second electrode 22, which is arranged in the first holding frame 3 at an angle to the first electrode 21, without touching the first electrode 21 with its second terminal.

[0043] The Fig. 8 below and in the Fig. 9 The second control element 7' shown is arranged in a second opening 6 in the first holding frame 3. This control element 7' can thus contact the third electrode 23, which is arranged in the second holding frame 3', on its front side with its second connection, without contacting the first electrode 21 and the second electrode 22 with its second connection. Because the two control elements 7, 7' are each arranged in an opening 6 in the first holding frame 3, the required insulation distances between the control elements 7, 7' themselves and between the control elements 7, 7' and the electrodes 21, 22 not contacted by them can be maintained. Bezugszeichen

[0044] 1Spark gap arrangement 2Electrodes 3Holding frame 4Edge 5Recess 6Receiving opening 7Control element 8Support section 9Outer section 10Inner edge 11Inner section 12Locking element 13Contact plate PE 14Contact plate N 15Housing half-shell 16Connection element 17Busbar 18, 19Ends of the busbar MCenter axis αTorsion angle δ 1 Interior angle δ 2 Interior angle

Claims

1. Spark gap arrangement (1) with at least three electrodes (2) and with at least two holding frames (3), which are arranged flat one on top of the other, wherein the holding frames (3) in each case have an edge (4), which surrounds a recess (5) for accommodating at least one electrode (2), wherein at least one receptacle opening (6) is made in the edge (4) of at least one holding frame (3), in which opening a control element (7) is arranged, characterized in that the individual holding frames (3) are arranged offset relative to one another around their central axis M, which is arranged perpendicular to the plane of the holding frame (3), in such a way that the receptacle opening (6) of a first holding frame (3) is located above an electrode (2) that is accommodated in a second holding frame (3) arranged underneath, so that the control element (7) arranged in the receptacle opening (6) of the first holding frame (3) makes contact with the electrode (2) that is accommodated in the second holding frame (3) arranged underneath.

2. Spark gap arrangement (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the at least one receptacle opening (6) is arranged close to a corner of the holding frame (3).

3. Spark gap arrangement (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holding frames (3) in each case have a collar-shaped support section (8) facing inward toward the central axis M, on which section in each case at least one electrode (2) comes to rest.

4. Spark gap arrangement (1) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the holding frames (3) have an outside contour and an inside contour, which in each case deviates from that of a rectangle.

5. Spark gap arrangement (1) according to Claim 4, wherein two holding frames (3) are arranged offset relative to one another at an angle α, characterized in that the collar-shaped support section (8) has an octagonal inside edge (10), wherein four inside angles δ1 have a value of 90° + α, and four inside angles δ2 have a value of 180° - α, and the inside angles δ1 and δ2 are arranged to alternate relative to one another.

6. Spark gap arrangement (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the individual holding frames (3) are locked in their arrangement offset relative to one another.

7. Spark gap arrangement (1) according to Claim 6, characterized in that the holding frames (3) in each case have at least one locking element (12) on at least one side, wherein two locking elements (12) of two holding frames (3) interacting when the two holding frames (3) are stacked one on top of the other.

8. Spark gap arrangement (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the individual electrodes (3) are designed as preferably rectangular, thin disks made of graphite or a tungsten-copper composite material.

9. Holding frame (3) for a spark gap arrangement (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, with an edge (4) that surrounds a recess (5) for accommodating an electrode (2), characterized in that at least one receptacle opening (6) for accommodating a control element (7) is made in the edge (4).

10. Holding frame (3) according to Claim 9, characterized in that a collar-shaped support section (8) facing inward toward the central axis M of the holding frame (3) is formed.

11. Holding frame (3) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the outside contour and the inside contour of the holding frame (3) deviate from that of a rectangle and in that the collar-shaped support section (8) has an octagonal inside edge (10), wherein four inside angles δ1 have a value of 90° + α, and four inside angles δ2 have a value of 180° - α, and the inside angles δ1 and δ2 are arranged to alternate relative to one another.

12. Holding frame (3) according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that on at least one side, at least one locking element (12) is made, which element serves to lock the holding frame (3) with a second holding frame (3).

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