Flexible conductive plastic static control device
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsDaniel F. Gagnon, Daniel P. McCormick, Jeffrey W. Richardson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A static control device suitable for printers, copiers and the like is disclosed. A carrier strip of non-metallic electrically conductive material, such as plastic, is provided with a plurality of spaced bundles of electrically conductive filaments. The bundles extend beyond the carrier strip, in close proximity to media transported along a media path in the media handling apparatus. In the presence of electrical fields, the filaments induce ionization, and establish a conductive path for charges on the media to the carrier strip for grounding.
Claims20
A static control device comprising:
- a carrier strip of non-metallic, electrically conductive material, said strip having a length and first and second lateral edges extending along said length;
- and
- at least one bundle of electrically conductive filaments attached to said carrier strip, said at least one bundle of filaments disposed on said strip transverse to said lateral edges and extending beyond at least one of said lateral edges.
A static control system for a media handling apparatus comprising:
- frame members and conveying devices providing a media path for transporting sheets of media through the apparatus along said media path;
- and
- a static control device including;
- a non-metallic conductive carrier strip, said carrier strip having a length and first and second lateral edges, said carrier strip being attached and electrically connected to at least one of said frame members;
- and
- at least one bundle of electrically conductive filaments attached to said carrier strip, said at least one bundle of filaments disposed on said strip transverse to said lateral edges, and extending beyond at least one of said lateral edges.
A static control system for a media handling apparatus comprising:
- at least one frame member and conveying devices providing a media path for transporting sheets of media through the apparatus along said media path;
- and
- a static control device including;
- a flexible, conductive plastic carrier strip, said carrier strip having a length and first and second lateral edges, said carrier strip being attached and electrically connected to at least one of said frame members, and disposed transverse to media transported along said media path;
- and
- a plurality of bundles of electrically conductive filaments attached to said carrier strip, said plurality of bundles of filaments disposed on said strip transverse to said lateral edges, and extending beyond at least one of said lateral edges, toward said media path, said filaments having diameters sufficiently small to induce ionization in the presence of an electrical field, and having distal ends remote from said carrier strip disposed in spaced relation to media transported along said media path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.