Surge protection element

Abstract

The invention relates to a surge protection element (1) comprising a housing (2), a surge protection component (3), a status indicator (4), a release element (5), and an actuating element, wherein the status indicator (4) and the actuating element are connected to one another such that the status indicator (4) is moved from a first position to a second position upon movement of the actuating element. The mechanical actuating element is designed as a spring element (6) which has a bearing portion (61), a spring portion (62), an entraining portion (63), and a force-absorbing portion (64), wherein, in the first position of the spring element (6), the spring portion (62) is deflected from its rest position and the spring element (6) is retained in its first position, and wherein the force-absorbing portion (64), upon a state change of the surge protection element (1), is acted upon by a force (FA) via the release element (5) such that the spring element (6) is no longer retained in its first position and moves to its second position.

Description

[0001] Surge protection element

[0002] The invention relates to an overvoltage protection element with a housing, with an overvoltage component, with an optical status indicator, with a triggering element and with a mechanical actuating element according to the preamble of patent claim 1. In addition, the invention also relates to a mechanical actuating element for actuating an optical status indicator of an electronic device, in particular an overvoltage protection element.

[0003] Surge protection elements and surge protection devices have been known in various designs for decades. They serve to protect systems, consumers, and end devices from overvoltages or excessive voltage spikes, which can be caused, for example, by lightning strikes or switching operations. Depending on the installation location and requirements, surge protection elements have different overvoltage components. Surge components can include both surge-limiting components such as varistors and surge-switching components such as spark gaps, gas discharge tubes, or diodes, as well as combinations of these components.

[0004] Surge protection elements are often designed as "protective plugs" that, together with a device base, form a surge protection device. For installation, such a surge protection device is provided with connection terminals on the device base for the individual conductors, such as the phase conductors LI, L2, L3, as well as the neutral conductor N and, if applicable, the earth conductor PE. For easy mechanical and electrical contact between the device base and the respective surge protection element, the surge protection elements have connection contacts designed as plug pins. Sockets connected to the connection terminals in the device base serve as mating contacts, allowing the surge protection element to be easily plugged onto the device base.

[0005] With such surge protection devices, installation and assembly are very easy due to the pluggable nature of the surge protection elements. In addition, such surge protection devices often feature visual status indicators to indicate the status of the surge protection elements in the individual surge protection elements. The status indicator indicates whether the surge component located in the surge protection element is still functional or not.

[0006] DE 20 2004 006 227 U1 discloses a surge protection element in which the condition of a varistor as an overvoltage component is monitored by breaking a soldered connection between the varistor and a resilient metal tongue when the varistor overheats, resulting in the electrical disconnection of the varistor. When the soldered connection is broken, a plastic element is also displaced by the force of a spring from a first position to a second position, in which the resilient metal tongue is thermally and electrically separated from the varistor by the plastic element. An arc occurring between the metal tongue and the contact point of the varistor due to the opening of the contact point is thereby extinguished.The plastic element has two colored markings arranged next to each other, so that it also functions as a visual status indicator and the condition of the surge protection element can be read directly on site.

[0007] Also known from DE 10 2009 036 125 A1 is a surge protection element comprising a housing and a varistor arranged in the housing as an overvoltage component, in which a solder joint and a conductive connecting element are provided as a triggering element. In this surge protection element, the conductive connecting element is connected to an insulating separating element in such a way that, when the solder joint is opened, the insulating separating element is moved by spring force between a terminal of the varistor and the associated connection contact. The connecting element is preferably designed as a metal piece and arranged in the separating element formed by a rigid insulating plate.

[0008] The isolating element is moved by means of a release slide, which is actuated by a spring system such that, when the solder joint is severed, the release slide is moved from a first position to a second position by the force of the spring system. The electrically conductive connecting element is arranged in the first position of the release slide, and the insulating isolating element is arranged in the second position of the release slide between the connection contact and the corresponding pole of the varistor. In addition, the surge protection element known from DE 10 2009 036 125 A1 also features an optical status indicator, formed by a colored display surface on a tab of the release slide.

[0009] What both surge protection elements have in common is that they each have a thermal separation point consisting of a connecting element and a solder joint as a trigger element, which initiates a movement of the mechanical actuating element from a first position to a second position in the event of excessive heating of the varistor due to the solder connection being severed. To move the mechanical actuating element, which in both surge protection elements is formed by the plastic element or the trigger slide, at least one spring element must also be arranged in the housing, the spring force of which moves the actuating element from its first position to its second position. The need to mount several components, which together actuate the optical status indicator, in the housing and to align them with one another leads to increased complexity during assembly of the surge protection element.In addition, in both surge protection elements, the optical status indicator is provided directly on the plastic element or the trigger slide, which can lead to design restrictions regarding the shape and / or position of the optical status indicator.

[0010] The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a surge protection element in which the actuation of the optical status indicator is as simple as possible, so that the installation of the surge protection element is simplified.

[0011] This object is achieved in the surge protection element described above with the features of patent claim 1. In the surge protection element according to the invention, the mechanical actuating element is designed as a spring element having a bearing section, a spring section, a driving section, and a force-absorbing section. In the first position of the spring element, the spring section is deflected from its rest position, and the spring element is held in its first position in the housing against the restoring force FR of the spring section. For this purpose, the spring element can be held directly in its first position in the housing, for example, by latching onto a retaining element.Alternatively, the spring element can also be held indirectly in its first position in the housing against the restoring force FR of the spring section by holding the optical status indicator, which is connected to the spring element, in its first position on a holding element.

[0012] Because the mechanical actuating element itself is designed as a spring element, no additional spring elements are required to move the mechanical actuating element from its first position to its second position. Rather, the surge protection element according to the invention utilizes the restoring force FR of the spring element or spring section to move the spring element from its first position, deflected from its rest position, to its second position.

[0013] The force-absorbing section of the spring element is designed and assigned to the triggering element in such a way that, upon a change in the state of the surge protection element, the triggering element applies a force FA to the force-absorbing section, causing the spring element to no longer be held in its first position. The spring element then moves into its second position due to the restoring force FR of the spring section. If the spring element itself is held in its first position in the housing by latching onto a retaining element, applying a force FA to the force-absorbing section causes the spring element to disengage from the retaining element.

[0014] Since the mechanical actuating element or spring element is coupled to the optical status indicator, the optical status indicator is also moved from its first position to its second position when the spring element moves from its first position to its second position. A change in the state of the surge protection element detected by the trigger element thus triggers the activation of the optical status indicator, so that the change in the state of the surge protection element is displayed locally.

[0015] The design of the mechanical actuating element as a spring element also has the advantage that the spring element with the bearing section, the spring section, the driving section and the force absorption section has different functional sections, but in its concrete form can be adapted to the installation space available in the housing of the surge protection element as far as possible.

[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the spring element is designed as a wire spring with a relatively small thickness or width. The wire spring preferably has a circular or approximately circular cross-section, with the diameter or circumference of the wire spring being significantly smaller than its length. This is also advantageous in terms of space-saving installation of the wire spring in the housing of the surge protection element.

[0017] The functional design of the spring element or wire spring is such that the spring section adjoins the bearing section, the driving section adjoins the spring section, and the force-absorbing section adjoins the driving section. Thus, the bearing section is formed at one end of the wire spring, and the force-absorbing section, which is subjected to a force FA by the trigger element, is formed at the other end of the wire spring. The spring section and the driving section are located between these two sections, with the spring section being arranged between the bearing section and the driving section, and the driving section between the spring section and the force-absorbing section.

[0018] The individual sections of the spring element differ from one another not only in their function and their arrangement within the spring element or in the housing, but also in that they have at least partially different longitudinal extensions. The longitudinal extension of the force-absorbing section preferably runs essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the spring section. This orientation of the force-absorbing section relative to the spring section can be used to ensure that the movement performed by the spring element in order to disengage from the holding element has a different direction than the movement of the spring element from its first position to its second position. Preferably, both movements are a pivoting movement of the spring element, wherein the axes of rotation of the two pivoting movements run essentially perpendicular to one another.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the triggering element is designed and arranged such that the force FA of the triggering element is directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section. The application of the force FA of the triggering element to the force-absorbing section of the spring element then leads to a pivoting of the spring element about a first axis of rotation, which runs perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section and perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section. The spring element can thus easily be disengaged from a holding element by pivoting the spring element about the first axis of rotation when the triggering element applies a force FA to the force-absorbing section that is directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section.

[0020] The holding element, which according to a preferred embodiment holds the spring element in its first position against the restoring force FR of the spring section, is preferably designed as a projection or edge, the end of which engages over the spring element in the region of the driving section. If the spring element is designed as a wire spring and has only a relatively small width, the projection or edge also only needs to have a relatively small extension in order to hold the spring element in its first position against the restoring force of the spring section. This means that only a slight pivoting of the spring element is required to release the spring element from the first position. This advantageously results in only a relatively small installation space having to be made available for pivoting the spring element, with which it comes out of engagement with the holding element.In addition, the force-absorbing section of the spring element must only be subjected to a relatively low force by the trigger element in order for the spring element to carry out the pivoting movement required for the spring element to no longer engage with the holding element.

[0021] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the surge protection element according to the invention, the spring element is designed and arranged in the housing in such a way that the spring element can be pivoted about a second axis of rotation from its first position to its second position by the restoring force of the spring section. The second axis of rotation runs essentially parallel to the longitudinal extension of the force-absorbing section and thus essentially perpendicular to the first axis of rotation.

[0022] Since the restoring force of the spring section also depends on its length, the spring section is preferably designed as by far the longest section of the spring element. The spring section is, in particular, at least twice as long as the force-absorbing section. A relatively long spring section advantageously results in a relatively large restoring force being generated even with a relatively small deflection of the spring section from its rest position. This restoring force is responsible for moving the spring element from its first position to its second position and thus also for moving the optical status indicator from its first position to its second position.

[0023] The bearing section of the spring element preferably has at least a first section that adjoins the spring section and runs essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section. The longitudinal axis of this section of the bearing section then simultaneously forms the first axis of rotation about which the spring element is pivoted when the force-absorbing section is subjected to the force of the triggering section. According to a further preliminary embodiment, the bearing section is L-shaped, wherein the bearing section has a second section that runs essentially perpendicular to the first section and thus parallel to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section. The second section of the bearing section then forms the second axis of rotation about which the spring element is pivoted from its first position to its second position.

[0024] Corresponding to the bearing section of the spring element, a receiving area is formed in the housing, in which the bearing section is received when the spring element is mounted in the housing. The receiving area is designed to allow pivoting of the spring element about both the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation. Furthermore, the receiving area is designed such that the bearing section of the spring element is held in position by the receiving area when the spring section of the spring element is deflected from its rest position.

[0025] The driving section of the spring element serves to connect the spring element to the optical status indicator in such a way that, when the spring element moves from its first position to its second position, the optical status indicator is also moved from its first position to its second position. For this purpose, the driving section is preferably U-shaped or V-shaped, so that it has a loop-shaped area into which a preferably pin- or nose-shaped section of the optical status indicator engages.

[0026] Initially, it is stated that, upon a change in the state of the surge protection element, the trigger element initiates a movement of the mechanical actuating element from its first position to its second position. In the surge protection element according to the invention, the trigger element is designed such that it applies a force to the force-absorbing section of the spring element when the trigger element has detected a change in the state of the surge protection element.

[0027] The triggering element can, for example, be formed by a spring element, in particular a compression spring, which is initially deflected from its rest position until it is released upon a change in the state of the surge protection element. Holding such a spring element in its deflected position from the rest position can be achieved, for example, by means of a thermal break point.

[0028] According to a preferred embodiment of the overvoltage protection element according to the invention, an overcurrent protection element is provided as the triggering element, which has a movable actuating element, wherein the actuating element applies a force to the force-absorbing section of the spring element when the overcurrent protection element is triggered.

[0029] Such overcurrent protection elements are known in practice as (fuses) with indicators in various designs. When such an overcurrent protection element is triggered, not only is the current path through the overcurrent protection element interrupted, but the actuating element also moves. This can be, for example, a spring-loaded bolt protruding from one side of the housing of the overcurrent protection element or a spring-loaded cap of the overcurrent protection element. The advantage of using such a fuse with an indicator is that when an overcurrent occurs, the fuse not only interrupts the current path, but the triggering of the fuse can be indicated by the movement of the actuating element.

[0030] In the surge protection element according to the invention, the movement of the actuating element of the overcurrent protection element initiates the movement of the optical status indicator from its first position to its second position by the actuating element applying a force to the force-absorbing portion of the spring element. This disengages the spring element from the retaining element, so that the spring element pivots from its first position to its second position due to the restoring force of the spring portion.

[0031] The aforementioned object is achieved with a mechanical actuating element for actuating an optical status indicator of an electronic device, in particular a surge protection element, having the features of patent claim 12. According to the invention, the mechanical actuating element is designed as a compression spring having a bearing section, a spring section, a driving section, and a force-absorbing section. The spring section adjoins the bearing section, the driving section adjoins the spring section, and the force-absorbing section adjoins the driving section, with the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section running substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section. Regarding the advantages of such a mechanical actuating element designed as a wire spring, reference can be made to the above corresponding statements regarding the surge protection element.

[0032] The wire spring preferably has a round cross-section, the diameter of which is significantly smaller than the length of the wire spring or its spring section. The spring section is preferably at least twice, in particular three or four times, as long as the force-absorbing section. This allows a relatively large force to be generated to move the spring element from its first position to its second position with a relatively small force from a trigger element.

[0033] Furthermore, the bearing section preferably has at least a first section that adjoins the spring section and runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the spring section. The wire spring then has three sections: the bearing section, the spring section, and the force-absorbing section, each of which is oriented substantially perpendicular to one another.

[0034] In detail, there are several possibilities for further developing and designing the surge protection element and the mechanical actuating element according to the invention. Reference is made to the dependent claims as well as to the description of an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the drawing. The drawing shows:

[0035] Fig. 1 shows an overvoltage protection element according to the invention, with the spring element in its first position, from the side,

[0036] Fig. 2 the overvoltage protection element according to Fig. 1, with the spring element in its second position,

[0037] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the spring element,

[0038] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an enlarged section of the surge protection element according to Fig. 1, with the spring element in its first position,

[0039] Fig. 5 shows the enlarged section of the surge protection element according to Fig. 4, from the side, with the spring element in its first position,

[0040] Fig. 6 shows the enlarged section of the surge protection element according to Fig. 5, with the spring element in its second position,

[0041] Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the surge protection element, with the spring element in engagement with the holding element,

[0042] Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the surge protection element, with the spring element disengaged from the retaining element,

[0043] Fig. 9 the surge protection element with the spring element in engagement with the holding element, from the front, and

[0044] Fig. 10 the surge protection element with the spring element disengaged from the holding element, from the front.

[0045] The figures show a preferred embodiment of a surge protection element 1 with a housing 2, wherein a plurality of surge components 3 in the form of spark gaps are arranged in the housing 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the individual spark gaps 3 together form a stacked spark gap, in which the individual spark gaps 3 are connected in series. Instead of the spark gaps illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, a varistor, a gas discharge tube, or other surge-switching or surge-limiting components, as well as a combination thereof, can also be arranged in the housing 2 as surge components. Within the scope of the present invention, it is therefore not important which type of surge component or how many surge components the surge protection element 1 has.

[0046] The illustrated surge protection element 1 is designed as a protective plug with two connecting contacts 9, 10 designed as blade contacts, which can be plugged into corresponding plug sockets of a device base (not shown here). However, the surge protection element according to the invention does not have to be designed as a protective plug; rather, the surge protection element can also be a one-piece surge protection device, which thus does not have a separate device base.

[0047] The surge protection element 1 also has a visual status indicator 4 and a trigger element 5, which in this case is a fuse with a spring-loaded actuating element 51. To actuate the visual status indicator 4, a spring element 6 designed as a wire spring is arranged in the housing 2 of the surge protection element 1, by means of which the visual status indicator 4 can be moved from a first position (Fig. 1) to a second position (Fig. 2).

[0048] The surge protection element 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is, in its fully assembled state, still arranged in an outer housing (not shown here), with the connection contacts 9, 10 protruding from the underside of the preferably hood-like outer housing. A viewing window is arranged in the opposite upper side of the outer housing, through which the optical status indicator 4 or a marking 21 on the upper side of the housing 2 is visible, depending on the state of the surge protection element 1.

[0049] As can be seen in particular from the separate illustration of the spring element 6 according to Figure 3, the spring element 6 has a bearing section 61, a spring section 62, a driving section 63 and a force absorption section 64. The elongated spring section 62 is arranged between the bearing section 61 and the U-shaped driving section 63, and the driving section 63 is arranged between the spring section 62 and the force absorption section 64. It can also be seen from Figure 3 that the bearing section 61 has a first section 611, which adjoins the spring section 62 and runs perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section 62. In addition, the bearing section 61 also has a second section 612, so that the bearing section 61 is overall L-shaped. The second section 612 is perpendicular to the first section

[0050] 611 of the bearing section 61. In addition to the first section 611 of the bearing section 61, the force-absorbing section 64 is also arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section 62. The force-absorbing section 64 is also perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the first section 611 of the bearing section 61 and parallel to its second section

[0051] 612 arranged.

[0052] If the spring element 6 is in the first position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the spring section 62 is deflected from its rest position. During assembly of the spring element 6, the spring section 62 is deflected downward from the position shown in Fig. 6. To ensure that the spring element 6 remains in the first position despite the deflection of the spring section 62 from a rest position, a retaining element 7 designed as a projection is formed on the housing 2, the end 71 of which engages over the spring element 6 in the region of the driving section 63, as can be seen in particular in Fig. 4.

[0053] When the state of the surge protection element 1 changes, the force-absorbing section 64 of the spring element 6 is subjected to a force FA by the trigger element 5 or its actuating element 51, which is directed perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section 64. This causes the spring element 6 to pivot about a first axis of rotation z, which coincides with the first section 611 of the bearing section 61. By pivoting the spring element 6 about the axis of rotation z, the driving section 63 of the spring element 6 is pivoted away from under the end 71 of the holding element 7, so that the driving section 63 is no longer engaged with the holding element 7. This pivoting of the spring element 6 about the first axis of rotation z can be seen from a comparison of Figure 7 with Figure 8 and from a comparison of Figure 9 with Figure 10.

[0054] As soon as the spring element 6 is no longer held in its first position by the holding element 7, the spring element 6 is pivoted upward about a second axis of rotation y from its first position to its second position due to the restoring force FR of the spring section 62. The first position of the spring element 6 is shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5 as well as Figures 7 and 9, while Figures 2 and 6 show the spring element 6 in its second position.

[0055] From Figures 1 and 2, which also show the optical status indicator 4, it can be seen that a pin-shaped section 41 is formed on the optical status indicator 4, which engages in the U-shaped driving section 63 of the spring element 6, so that pivoting the spring element 6 from its first position to its second position also leads to a corresponding movement of the optical status indicator 4. If the surge protection element 1 is located in the outer housing (not shown in the figures), the section of the optical status indicator 4 having the marking 42 is not only pushed upwards by the movement of the spring element 6, but is also pressed slightly to the bottom right - in the illustration according to Figure 2 - by the top side of the outer housing. This position of the section of the optical status indicator 4 having the marking 42 is shown in dashed lines in Fig. 2.

[0056] In particular, from the enlarged section of the illustrations according to Figures 4 to 6, it can be seen that a receiving area 8 for receiving the bearing section 61 of the spring element 6 is formed in the housing 2. The receiving area 8 is adapted to the L-shaped configuration of the bearing section 61, so that it has a corresponding receiving section for the first section 611 and a second receiving section for receiving the second section 612 of the bearing section. Overall, the receiving area 8 is designed such that it enables both pivoting of the spring element 6 about the first axis of rotation z and pivoting of the spring element 6 about the second axis of rotation y.

[0057] Reference symbol

[0058] 1 surge protection element

[0059] 2 housings

[0060] 21 Marking

[0061] 3 Overvoltage component

[0062] 4 optical status indicators

[0063] 41 pin-shaped section

[0064] 42 Marking

[0065] 5 trigger element

[0066] 51 Actuating element

[0067] 6 spring element

[0068] 61 storage section

[0069] 611 first section

[0070] 612 second section

[0071] 62 spring section

[0072] 63 Takeaway section

[0073] 64 Force absorption section

[0074] 7 Holding element

[0075] 71 End

[0076] 8 Recording area

[0077] 9 Connection contact

[0078] 10 connection contact

[0079] F R Restoring force

[0080] F A Force of the trigger element z first rotation axis y second rotation axis

Claims

Patent claims 1. Overvoltage protection element (1) with a housing (2), with an overvoltage component (3), with an optical status indicator (4), with a triggering element (5) and with a mechanical actuating element, wherein the triggering element (5) initiates a movement of the mechanical actuating element from a first position to a second position upon a change in the state of the overvoltage protection element (1), and wherein the optical status indicator (4) and the mechanical actuating element are connected to one another in such a way that the optical status indicator (4) is also moved from a first position to a second position upon a movement of the mechanical actuating element from its first position to its second position, characterized in that the mechanical actuating element is designed as a spring element (6), wherein the spring element (6) has a bearing section (61), a spring section (62),a driving section (63) and a force-absorbing section (64), that the spring section (62) is deflected from its rest position in the first position of the spring element (6), that the spring element (6) counteracts the restoring force (F, R ) of the spring section (62) is held in its first position, and that the force-absorbing section (64) of the spring element (6) is actuated by the triggering element (5) with a force (F A ) is applied such that the spring element (6) is no longer held in its first position, so that the spring element (6) moves into its second position due to the restoring force of the spring section (62).

2. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (6) is designed as a wire spring, wherein the spring section (62) adjoins the bearing section (61), the driving section (63) adjoins the spring section (62) and the force absorption section (64) adjoins the driving section (63).

3. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section (64) runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section (62).

4. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the force (F A ) of the triggering element (5) is directed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section (64), and that the application of the force (F A) of the triggering element (5) causes the spring element (6) to pivot about a first axis of rotation (z), wherein the first axis of rotation (z) runs perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section (64) and perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section (62).

5. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the spring element (6) is moved by the restoring force (F R ) of the spring section (62) can be pivoted about a second axis of rotation (y) from its first position into its second position, wherein the second axis of rotation (y) runs substantially parallel to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section (64).

6. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the bearing section (61) has at least a first section (611) which adjoins the spring section (62) and runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section (62).

7. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the bearing section (61) is L-shaped and has a second section (612) which runs substantially parallel to the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section (64).

8. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a receiving area (8) is formed in the housing (2), in which the bearing section (61) of the spring element (6) is received.

9. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the driving section (63) of the spring element ments (6) cooperates with the optical status indicator (4) in such a way that the movement of the spring element (6) from its first position to its second position moves the optical status indicator (4) from its first position to its second position, for which purpose the driving section (63) is preferably U-shaped or V-shaped and the optical status indicator (4) preferably has a pin-shaped or nose-shaped section (41) which engages in the driving section (63).

10. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the spring element (6) is held by a holding element (7) against the restoring force (F R ) of the spring section (62) is held in its first position, wherein the holding element (7) is preferably designed as a projection or edge, the end (71) of which engages over the spring element (6) in the region of the driving section (63).

11. Overvoltage protection element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the triggering element (5) is designed as an overcurrent protection element, wherein the overcurrent protection element has a movable actuating element (51) which, when the overcurrent protection element is triggered, acts on the force-absorbing section (64) of the spring element (6) with the force (F A ) is applied.

12. Mechanical actuating element for actuating an optical status display (4) of an electronic device, in particular an overvoltage protection element (1), characterized in that the mechanical actuating element is designed as a wire spring (6) which has a bearing section (61), a spring section (62), a driving section (63) and a force-absorbing section (64), that the spring section (62) adjoins the bearing section (61), the driving section (63) adjoins the spring section (62) and the force-absorbing section (64) adjoins the driving section (63), and that the longitudinal extent of the force-absorbing section (64) runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section (62).

13. Mechanical actuating element according to claim 12, characterized in that the bearing section (61) has at least a first section (611) which adjoins the spring section (62) and runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the spring section (62).

14. Mechanical actuating element according to claim 13, characterized in that the bearing section (61) is L-shaped and has a second section (612) which is substantially perpendicular to the first Section (611) is turned off.

15. Mechanical actuating element according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the spring section (62) is at least twice as long as the force absorbing section (64).

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