Apparatus, system, and method for electrostatic discharge protection
First Claim
1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device comprising:
- an electrical insulation sheet having an insulation electrical impedance and having a discharge channel comprising a layer of electrical insulation material within the electrical insulation sheet that is thinner than other regions of the electrical insulation sheet and extending to a ground area of a printed circuit board, having a channel electrical impedance less than the insulation electrical impedance and configured to direct an electrostatic discharge to the ground area.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, system, and method provide electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection in electronic devices by guiding electrostatic charges to a ground through ESD channels within electrical insulation sheet. The ESD channels are positioned within the electrical insulation sheet to provide electrical paths to ground having a lower impedance than electrical paths to protected areas covered by the electrical insulation sheet. Accordingly, an ESD follows the path of least resistance safely to ground rather than to a critical component within the electronic device. In the exemplary embodiment, the ESD channels are openings in a dome contact layer of a keypad where the openings are positioned over one or more ground areas of a printed circuit board (PCB) and the insulting material of the dome contact layer covers areas of the PCB that are protected from ESD. By implementing dedicated GPIO lines, grounded metal domes cover the signal pads in the target discharge area to protect the GPIO lines from ESD. Device components are protected from ESD without additional ports or insulation.
37 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection device comprising:
an electrical insulation sheet having an insulation electrical impedance and having a discharge channel comprising a layer of electrical insulation material within the electrical insulation sheet that is thinner than other regions of the electrical insulation sheet and extending to a ground area of a printed circuit board, having a channel electrical impedance less than the insulation electrical impedance and configured to direct an electrostatic discharge to the ground area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An electronic portable device comprising:
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a printed circuit board comprising a ground area; an electrical insulation sheet having an insulation electrical impedance and having a discharge channel comprising a layer of electrical insulation material within the electrical insulation sheet that is thinner than other regions of the electrical insulation sheet and having an channel electrical impedance less than the insulation electrical impedance, the electrical insulation sheet positioned adjacent to the printed circuit board to align the discharge channel over at least a portion of the ground area. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A portable communication device comprising:
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a printed circuit board comprising a ground area and a plurality of contact pad sets comprising a center contact area and a peripheral contact area; an electrical insulation sheet comprising a plurality of dome contacts positioned over the contact area pairs and configured to form an electrical connection between a corresponding center contact area and a corresponding peripheral contact area, the electrical insulation sheet having a plurality of discharge channels comprising a layer of electrical insulation material within the electrical insulation sheet that is thinner than other regions of the electrical insulation sheet and having electrical impedances less than a sheet electrical impedance of the electrical insulation sheet, the discharge channels positioned adjacent to at least portions of the ground area. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification