Capacitor based bi-directional degaussing device with chamber
OwnerWilliam E. Olligesinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is an apparatus for destroying electronic memory media by use of a bi-directional degaussing device. The degaussing device utilizes an SCR gate controller to cause bi-directional polarity from a charged capacitor into a sealed chamber containing the magnetic media. The chamber has a movable steel plate cover and floor that encloses the chamber containing magnetic media during the degaussing stage. The cover and floor cause a reflective chamber that focuses and directs the flux level to the magnetic media. The gate controller allows the use of the same capacitor bank to power a coil in two different directions to obtain effective degaussing without multiple coils or directional capacitors.
Claims10
A bi-directional degaussing apparatus comprising:
- a bobbin having a front wall, a back wall, and two opposing side walls defining an interior chamber and an exterior continuous wall, said interior chamber having an upper opening and a lower opening;
- a coil capable of generating magnetic forces greater than 2000 A positioned around said exterior of said bobbin and shielded to cause the magnetic forces to be directed into said interior chamber;
- a movable floor for sealing said bottom opening, said floor positionable beneath said lower opening to support magnetic media placed within said chamber;
- a movable cover for sealing said upper opening, said cover positionable over said upper opening to seal magnetic media placed within said chamber;
- a capacitor bank for storing energy, said capacitor bank electrically coupled to said coil;
- a gate controller for generating a bi-directional release of stored energy from said capacitor bank to said coil, said coil providing a degaussing current to said interior chamber.
A method of degaussing magnetic media comprising:
- placing an object containing magnetic media with a chamber having a front wall, a back wall, and two opposing side walls, said chamber having a coil capable of generating magnetic forces greater than 2000 A positioned around the exterior of said chamber;
- activating a first spring loaded solenoid coupled to a floor for positioning the floor beneath said chamber for sealing a bottom opening and supporting of the magnetic media placed within said chamber;
- activating a second spring loaded solenoid coupled to a cover for covering the top of said chamber with said cover for sealing magnetic media placed within said chamber;
- charging a capacitor bank capable of storing energy;
- discharging said stored energy from said capacitor bank into a first side of said coil for degaussing magnetic media placed within the chamber;
- recharging the capacitor band capable of storing energy;
- discharging said stored energy from said capacitor bank into a second side of said coil;
- deactivating said first spring loaded solenoid, said spring retracting said floor allowing the magnetic media to be removed from the chamber;
- deactivating said second spring loaded solenoid, said spring retracting said cover allowing magnetic media to be placed into the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.