Systems and methods for monitoring and detecting electrostatic discharge (esd) conditions and events
AssigneeIONA Tech LLC
InventorsDaan STEVENSON, Jonathan TAPSON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electrostatic discharge (ESD) mitigation devices, systems, and methods. In one embodiment, an electrostatic detection device includes motor with a motor shaft, a shutter mounted on the motor shaft for rotation, a printed circuit board (PCB) stack disposed between the motor and the shutter. The PCB stack includes a top layer including sensor electrodes, an inner layer including a rear shield, and a bottom layer including a motor electrical connection.
Claims28
An electrostatic detection device, comprising:
- a motor including a motor shaft;
- a shutter mounted on the motor shaft for rotation;
- and
- a printed circuit board (PCB) stack disposed between the motor and the shutter, the PCB stack including:
- a top layer including sensor electrodes;
- an inner layer including a rear shield;
- and
- a bottom layer including a motor electrical connection, wherein the PCB stack comprises a monolithic structure including multiple layers of conductor-coated fiberglass sheet.
(canceled)
The electrostatic detection device of claim 11, further comprising;
- an aperture extending through one or more of the multiple layers;
- and
- a photodiode situated in the aperture.
An electrostatic detection device, comprising:
- sensor electrodes configured to measure electric field;
- a shutter configured to alternately shield and expose the sensor electrodes to the electric field to generate a sensor signal;
- and
- a processor configured to demodulate the sensor signal to generate a demodulated sensor signal, and in response to determining the demodulated sensor signal exceeds a threshold, to generate an audio or visual alarm on the electrostatic detection device indicating a risk of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event, wherein
- the electrostatic detection device is configured to be attached to a fixed object,
- the sensor electrodes are configured to measure a local surface charge of a user in proximity to the fixed object,
- the processor is configured to determine an electrostatic potential of the body of the user based on the local surface charge, and to generate the audio or visual alarm based on a comparison of the electrostatic potential to the threshold.
11-13. (canceled)
(canceled)
A system for mitigating electrostatic discharge (ESD) events in a facility, comprising:
- a plurality of electrostatic detection devices attached to one or more users, workbenches. or ESD-sensitive packages in the facility, each electrostatic detection device configured to measure a local surface charge of one or more users, workbenches. or ESD-sensitive packages in the facility, to determine an electrostatic potential of the one or more users, workbenches, or ESD-sensitive packages in the facility, and to transmit data of the electrostatic potential of the one or more users, workbenches, or ESD-sensitive packages in the facility;
- one or more hubs disposed in the facility configured to forward the data of the electrostatic potential of the one or more users, workbenches, or ESD-sensitive packages in the facility;
- and
- a remote computing device configured to receive the data of the electrostatic potential of the one or more users, workbenches, or ESD-sensitive packages in the facility, and to generate a map of the facility that displays locations in the facility having or that have had an electrostatic potential exceeding a risk threshold of an ESD event.
(canceled)
30-58. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.