Biodegradable and recyclable electrostatically shielded packaging for electronic devices and media
AssigneeSunclipse, Inc.
InventorGeorge E. Kilner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention is a biodegradable and recyclable bag for enclosing electronic circuits or media to shield the same from electrostatic damage. The bag is made of kraft paper and has a grid printed completely over either the entire interior, exterior or both surfaces of the bag. The grid is printed of conductive, highly loaded, carbon ink and penetrates to a degree into the porous surface of the bag. The bag is constructed to have overlapping seams and each portion of the overlap of the seams has the conductive grid printed on it to provide an electrostatically leak-tight seam.
Claims8
A biodegradable and recyclable package for electrostatically shielding electronic apparatus from electrostatic fields in an ambient environment comprising:
- a porous biodegradable and recyclable flexible enclosure for completely enclosing said electronic apparatus, said enclosure having a surface between said electronic apparatus and said ambient environment, said enclosure being comprised of kraft paper;
- and
- a network of conductive lines disposed onto said enclosure on all of said surface, said network having a surface resistivity of 10.sup.6 ohms per square inch or less, said network comprising a plurality of closely spaced conductively lines printed on said surface to form a mesh-like topology, said lines being disposed on said surface by printing of highly carbon-loaded ink, said network being in the form of a grid of linear lines, said grid being comprised of a first grid portion having columns and rows with a first degree of separation between adjacent columns and adjacent rows, and a second grid portion having columns and rows with a second degree of separation between adjacent columns and adjacent rows, said second degree of separation having a magnitude less than said first degree of separation, said first grid portion and second grid portion each being disposed over all of said surface, said network penetrating into at least a portion of said porous enclosure beneath said surface, said network being flexible at least as much as said flexible enclosure so that electrical continuity of said network is maintained despite repeated flexing of said enclosure,
- wherein said enclosure is fabricated in the form of a bag, said bag having at least one seam, said seam formed of two overlapping portions of said bag affixed together, said overlapping portions each having said network disposed thereon,
- whereby said electronic apparatus is effectively shielded from said electrostatic fields by said package and whereby said package is disposable, biodegradable and recyclable.
A static-dissipative, electrostatically shielding, flexible, biodegradable container for shielding an electronic apparatus in an ambient environment comprising:
- an enclosure fabricated from flexible sheet material, said enclosure providing a surface between said electronic apparatus and said ambient environment;
- and
- a network of conductive lines disposed onto said surface of said enclosure on all of said surface and penetrating into said flexible sheet material to retain electrical continuity of said network despite repeated flexing of said sheet material,
- whereby said electronic apparatus is reliably shielded from electrostatic fields and whereby said container is disposable, biodegradable and recyclable.
A method of fabricating a biodegradable, recyclable disposable, flexible, closeable container to shield an electronic apparatus when enclosed in said container comprising the steps of:
- providing a flexible kraft paper sheet adapted to be formed into said closeable container;
- and
- disposing into the surface of said kraft paper sheet highly carbon loaded ink to form a connected network of lines when said sheet is formed into said container, said disposition being deep enough to allow said network to retain electrical continuity even when said sheet repeatedly flexes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.