Patent 7482786 was granted and assigned to NGK Insulators on January, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
An electric discharger includes: an inductor, a first semiconductor switch, and a second semiconductor switch which are connected in series between opposite terminals of a DC power supply unit; and a reactor connected to output terminals of the inductor. Induced energy is stored in the inductor when the first semiconductor switch is turned on. The inductor generates a high voltage when the first semiconductor switch is turned off. The reactor is discharged under the high voltage. The reactor has a pair of electrodes, a dielectric body and a space, the dielectric body and the space being disposed between the electrodes. The first semiconductor switch is turned on again when charging of the dielectric body of the reactor under the high voltage is substantially finished.