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Electrostatic system monitor and method therefor

  • US 4,649,374 A
  • Filed: 01/06/1984
  • Issued: 03/10/1987
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1984
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An electrostatic system monitor for monitoring the operation of static control equipment located at a user'"'"'s workstation, said static control equipment including (a) conductive surfaces such as a conductive workbench mat and a conductive floor mat, (b) a grounded tip soldering iron, and (c) a conductive wrist strap on the wrist of a user, said conductive surfaces and said wrist strap being connected to ground connection, said monitor and soldering iron being connected to electrical AC power having an electrical ground, said electrostatic system monitor comprising:

  • means connected to said ground and to said electrical ground for continuously sensing the low impedance continuity between said ground and said electrical ground, said sensing means being capable of issuing a loss-of-continuity signal in the event said low impedance exceeds a predetermined resistance value,means responsive to the manual contact with said conductive wrist strap for determining the resistance of said conductive wrist strap, said determining means being capable of producing (a) a safe resistance signal when the determined resistance is in a predetermined resistance range, (b) a loss-of-resistance signal when the determined resistance is below said predetermined resistance range, and (c) a gain-of-resistance signal when the determined resistance is above said predetermined resistance range,a surface resistance probe for detecting the surface resistance of said conductive surfaces when said probe is in contact with said surfaces,means connected to said surface resistance probe for selectively measuring the conductivity of said conductive surfaces, said measuring means being capable of generating (a) an adequate conductivity signal when the surface resistance is in a predetermined resistance range, (b) an unsafe resistance signal when the surface resistance is below said predetermined resistance range, and (c) an inadequate conductivity signal when the surface resistance is above said predetermined resistance range, andmeans responsive to a periodic manual contact with the tip of said soldering iron for detecting induced AC voltage, said detecting means being capable of producing an unsafe voltage signal when said induced AC voltage exceeds a preset voltage.

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