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AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsBarry J. Oldfield, Herbert J. Tanzer, Brian Tsuyuki, David J. Pommerenke, Mohammad M. Bari, Peter Gysling, Jon C. Anson, Richard G. Sevier
Estimating the term…
Systems and methods for protecting electronic devices from electrostatic discharge are provided. A preferred system includes a module configured to be received by an enclosure. The module incorporates an electronic component, such as a memory device, processor, and/or circuit assembly, for example, that is configured to electrically communicate with at least a portion of the enclosure when the module is received by the enclosure. The module also includes a first contact portion that is arranged to contact the enclosure as the module is received by the enclosure. Preferably, the first contact portion is formed, at least partially, of a dissipative material. So configured, when the first contact portion engages the enclosure, an electrostatic charge of the module may be discharged in a controlled manner. Methods also are provided.
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
An enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Screening of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic fields: devices for protecting against damage from electrostatic discharge
Printed circuits
Term ended 3 Feb 2022 (estimated)
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electronic equipment and, in particular, to systems and methods utilizing modules that are configured for providing controlled dissipation of electrostatic charges.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting a representative module and chassis of the enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram depicting an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
As mentioned briefly hereinbefore, hot-plugging and/or swapping of a module within a system enclosure may result in a potentially damaging or disruptive electrostatic discharge (ESD) event. As described in detail hereinafter, systems and methods of the present invention provide a controlled discharge rate of an amount of charge on a module. This potentially limits peak currents and resulting fields of such an ESD event, thereby reducing the opportunity for an ESD event to damage or, otherwise, hinder the operability of associated electronic components.
As shown in FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the enhanced electrostatic discharge protection system 100 of the present invention includes a module 102 and a system enclosure or chassis 104 that is adapted to receive one or more modules. The modules and enclosures of the present invention may be provided in numerous configurations, with preferred embodiments of the present invention embodying modules that are adapted for hot-plugging and/or swapping within their respective enclosures. By way of example, embodiments of modules of the present invention may be configured as controllers, disk drive carriers, etc. As utilized herein, the terms “hot-plugging” and “hot-swapping” refer to the operation of inserting a module into and/or removing a module from a corresponding system enclosure while power is operatively applied to components of the system.
In order to reduce the tendency of a potentially damaging ESD event to occur during hot-plugging and/or swapping of a module, module 102 is, at least partially, formed of a dissipative material, e.g., a material that is configured to provide a controlled discharge rate of an electrostatic charge of the module. By way of example, a conductive plastic may be utilized that is particularly selected with electrical properties that, in combination with the configuration of the module and/or chassis, are intended to avoid electrical arcing between the module and its respective chassis.