Electrostatic discharge protection device
First Claim
1. An electrostatic discharge protection device for selectively inhibiting electrostatic charge accumulation on an electronic device having a conductor comprising a plurality of wires attached thereto wherein each of the wires is terminated with a respective one of a plurality of spaced pads, each pad having a surface, the electrostatic discharge protection device comprising:
- a connector adapted to mate with the electrostatic discharge protection device; and
grounding means for providing an electrical connection between the plurality of spaced pads in an operative position and for providing electrical isolation between the plurality of spaced pads in an inoperative position, the grounding means being reversibly actuable from the operative position to the inoperative position by connecting the conductor to the connector such that the connector is mechanically interposed between the grounding means and the spaced pads.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrostatic discharge protection device is provided for use with a magnetic read/write transducer. The electrostatic discharge protection device electrically interconnects the conductive elements of magnetoresistive (MR) and inductive heads to provide a low-resistance conductive path placing the conductive elements at a substantially equal electrical potential, thus minimizing electrostatic discharge. The electrostatic discharge protection device provides an electrical path between the conductive elements which is manually or automatically removable upon connection to a mating element. The electrostatic protection device has a resilient inward bias to connect electrically conductive elements such that a ground is established between them and is removed automatically upon insertion of the conductive elements into a mating receptacle which is interposed between the conductive elements and the electrostatic discharge protection device.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An electrostatic discharge protection device for selectively inhibiting electrostatic charge accumulation on an electronic device having a conductor comprising a plurality of wires attached thereto wherein each of the wires is terminated with a respective one of a plurality of spaced pads, each pad having a surface, the electrostatic discharge protection device comprising:
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a connector adapted to mate with the electrostatic discharge protection device; and grounding means for providing an electrical connection between the plurality of spaced pads in an operative position and for providing electrical isolation between the plurality of spaced pads in an inoperative position, the grounding means being reversibly actuable from the operative position to the inoperative position by connecting the conductor to the connector such that the connector is mechanically interposed between the grounding means and the spaced pads. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An electrostatic discharge protection system for use with an electronic device having wires connected thereto, where the electronic device has a test mode for connecting the wires to a test device and a connected mode for connecting the wires to a circuit board, the electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
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first shorting means for selectively inhibiting charge accumulation when the electronic device is in the test mode, the first shorting means being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, the operative position providing shorting of charge accumulation, the inoperative position providing electrical communication to the test device; first actuation means for selectively moving the first shorting means between the operative position and the inoperative position; second shorting means for selectively inhibiting charge accumulation when the electronic device is in the connected mode, the second shorting means being movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, the operative position providing shorting of charge accumulation, the inoperative position providing electrical communication to the circuit board; and second actuation means for selectively moving the second shorting means between the operative position and the inoperative position. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of protecting an electronic device from electrostatic discharge damage comprising:
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placing a shunt across a connector having a plurality of conductive pads disposed thereon such that each of the plurality of pads is electrically connected; and establishing electrical isolation of the plurality of pads prior to use of the electronic device by reversibly interposing a slider between the shunt and the plurality of pads. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method of protecting an electronic device from electrostatic discharge damage, the electronic device having wires connected thereto, where the electronic device has a test mode for connecting the wires to a test device and a connected mode for connecting the wires to a circuit board, the method comprising:
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placing first shorting means across the wires for selectively inhibiting charge accumulation when the electronic device is in the test mode, the first shorting means being reversibly movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, the operative position providing shorting of charge accumulation, the inoperative position providing electrical communication to the test device; and placing second shorting means for selectively inhibiting charge accumulation when the electronic device is in the connected mode, the second shorting means being reversibly movable between an operative position and an inoperative position, the operative position providing shorting of charge accumulation, the inoperative position providing electrical communication to the circuit board. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. An electrostatic discharge protection system for selectively inhibiting electrostatic discharge on an electronic device having wires selectively connected thereto, wherein each of the wires is electrically terminated with a respective one of a plurality of spaced pads, each pad having a surface, the electrostatic discharge protection system comprising:
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a base fabricated from a conductive material; a housing having a supporting relationship to the base; at least one leg having a inherent resilient bias, the at least one leg integral with the base and extending therefrom and forming in conjunction with the base a grounding means, the grounding means having an operative position and an inoperative position, the operative position being attained when the inherent resilient bias of the at least one leg locks the at least one leg against the surface of one or more of the plurality of spaced pads, the one or more of the plurality of spaced pads in electrical communication with the base thus inhibiting electrostatic charge accumulation on the plurality of spaced pads, the inoperative position being attained when the plurality of spaced pads become electrically isolated from the base, disrupting the electrical communication with the plurality of spaced pads; and actuation means disposed on the housing for selectively reversibly moving the grounding means between the inoperative position and the operative position thus selectively inhibiting electrostatic charge accumulation. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification