EP0501749A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrostatic discharge protection device
Assignee: Polaroid Corp
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Filing: 1992-02-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-02-25
Abstract
Abstract An electrostatic discharge protection device is disclosed for use with a printed circuit board (hereafter referred to as "PCB") of the type having a major portion and a dependent integral tongue having oppositely disposed PCB surfaces with conductor pads disposed thereon. The electrostatic discharge protection device comprises a first hinge structure and a second hinge structure mounted to corresponding PCB surfaces. Each hinge structure has a base section securely mounted to the PCB surface, an elongated arm section pivotally connected to the base section and having an electrically conductive bar disposed along the length thereof, and means for urging the electrically conductive bar against and into electrical interconnection with the conductor pads while the PCB remains disconnected from a complementary edge connector. The PCB's subsequent mating with the edge connector operates to pivot the arm section away from the base section so as to electrically and physically disengage the electrically conductive bar from the conductor pads.
Inventors
- 👤 David V. Cronin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 08:16
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K9/00; H05K9/0067; H01; H01R; H01R13/00; H01R13/648; H01R13/6485; H05K1/00; H05K1/02; H05K1/0213; H05K1/0254; H05K1/0257; H05K1/0259; H01R12/00; H01R12/70; H01R12/71; H01R12/72; H01R12/721; H05K1/11; H05K1/117; H05K2203/00; H05K2203/17; H05K2203/175
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
264 words
An electrostatic discharge protection device (38) for use with a printed circuit board (12) of the type comprising a major portion (14) and a dependent integral tongue portion (16) defining substantially planar first and second printed circuit board surfaces (18, 20) oppositely disposed with respect to each other and further including a plurality of spaced apart first conductor pads (22) disposed on the first printed circuit board surface (18) along an edge of the tongue, the tongue being structured for releasable connection to a connector (26) of the type having a receptacle (32) complementary to the tongue to accommodate the insertion of the tongue into the receptacle, the electrostatic discharge protection device being characterized by: a) a first elongated electrically conductive bar (42); and b) a first hinge structure (46) comprising an elongated base section (50) securely mounted to and electrically isolated from the first printed circuit board surface, an elongated arm section (54) pivotally connected to the base section and having the first electrically conductive bar (42) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the base section so as to urge the first electrically conductive bar against the first conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween when the tongue is not inserted into the receptacle, the arm section operating to pivot away from the base section against the yieldable bias so as to disengage the first electrically conductive bar from the first conductor pads and to thereby break the electrical connection therebetween in response to the insertion of the tongue into the receptacle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
202 words
The ESD protection device according to claim 1 wherein the printed circuit board (12) further includes a plurality of second conductor pads (24) disposed on the second printed circuit board surface (20) of the tongue (16) opposite the first conductor pads (22), an electrostatic discharge protection device (40) being characterized by: a) a second elongated electrically conductive bar (44); and b) a second hinge structure (48) comprising an elongated base section (52) securely mounted to and electrically isolated from the second printed circuit board surface (20), an elongated arm section (56) pivotally connected to the base section (52) and having the second electrically conductive bar (44) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the base section so as to urge the second electrically conductive bar against the second conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween when the tongue is not inserted into the receptacle, the arm section operating to pivot away from the base section against the yieldable bias so as to disengage the second electrically conductive bar from the second conductor pads and to thereby break the electrical connection therebetween in response to the insertion of the tongue into the receptacle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
175 words
An electrostatic discharge protection device (38) for use with a printed circuit board (12) of the type comprising a major portion (14) and a dependent integral tongue portion (16) defining substantially planar first and second printed circuit board surfaces (18, 20) oppositely disposed with respect to each other and further including a plurality of spaced apart first conductor pads (22) disposed on the first printed circuit board surface along an edge of the tongue, the electrostatic discharge protection device (38) being characterized by: a) a first elongated electrically conductive bar (42); and b) a first hinge structure (46) comprising an elongated base section (50) securely mounted to and electrically isolated from the first printed circuit board surface, an elongated arm section (54) pivotally connected to the base section and having the first electrically conductive bar (42) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the base section so as to urge the first electrically conductive bar against the first conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
143 words
The device according to claim 3 wherein the printed circuit board (12) further includes a second plurality of conductor pads (24) disposed on the second printed circuit board surface (20) of the tongue (16) opposite the first conductor pads (22), an electrostatic discharge protection device (40) being characterized by: a) a second elongated electrically conductive bar (44); and b) a second hinge structure (48) comprising an elongated base section (52) securely mounted to and electrically isolated from the second printed circuit board surface (20), an elongated arm section (56) pivotally connected to the base section (52) and having the second electrically conductive bar (44) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the base section so as to urge the second electrically conductive bar against the second conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
273 words
An electrostatic discharge protection device (64) for use with a printed circuit board (12′) of the type comprising a major portion (14′) and a dependent integral tongue portion defining substantially planar first and second printed circuit board surfaces (18′, 20′) oppositely disposed with respect to each other and further including a plurality of spaced apart first conductor pads (22′) disposed on the first printed circuit board surface (18′) along an edge of the tongue, the tongue being structured for releasable connection to a connector of the type having a receptacle (32) complementary to the tongue to accommodate the insertion of the tongue into the receptacle, the electrostatic discharge protection device being characterized by: a) a first elongated electrically conductive bar (42′); and b) a first hinge structure (62) comprising a pair of clips (66, 68) removably secured around the printed circuit board (12′) about the printed circuit board surfaces (18′, 20′), an elongated arm section (54′) pivotally connected to the clips opposite the first substantially planar printed circuit board surface and having the first electrically conductive bar (42′) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the clips so as to urge the first electrically conductive bar against the first conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween when the tongue is not inserted into the receptacle, the arm section operating to pivot away from the biasing clips against the yieldable bias so as to disengage the first electrically conductive bar from the first conductor pads and to thereby break the electrical connection therebetween in response to the insertion of the tongue into the receptacle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
188 words
The device according to claim 5 wherein the printed circuit board (12′) further includes a second plurality of conductor pads (24′) disposed on the second printed circuit board surface (20′) of the tongue opposite the first conductor pads (22′), the electrostatic discharge protection device (64) being characterized by: a) a second elongated electrically conductive bar (44′); and b) a second hinge structure comprising an elongated arm section (56′) pivotally connected to the clips (66, 68) opposite the second substantially planar printed circuit board surface (20′) and having the second electrically conductive bar (44′) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the biasing clips so as to urge the second electrically conductive bar against the second conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween when the tongue is not inserted into the receptacle, the arm section operating to pivot away from the clips against the yieldable bias so as to disengage the second electrically conductive bar from the second conductor pads and to thereby break the electrical connection therebetween in response to the insertion of the tongue into the receptacle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
185 words
An electrostatic discharge protection device (64) for use with a printed circuit board (12′) of the type comprising a major portion (14′) and a dependent integral tongue portion defining first and second substantially planar printed circuit board surfaces (18′, 20′) oppositely disposed with respect to each other and further including a plurality of spaced apart first conductor pads (22′) disposed on the first printed circuit board surface (18′) along an edge of the tongue, the electrostatic discharge protection device being characterized by: a) a first elongated electrically conductive bar (42′); and b) a first hinge structure (62) comprising a pair of clips (66, 68) removably secured around the printed circuit board (12) about the printed circuit board surfaces (18′, 20′), an elongated arm section (54′) pivotally connected to the clips opposite the first substantially planar printed circuit board surface and having the first electrically conductive bar (42′) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the clips so as to urge the first electrically conductive bar against the first conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
132 words
The device according to claim 7 wherein the printed circuit board (12′) further includes a plurality of second conductor pads (24′) disposed on the second printed circuit board surface (20′) of the tongue opposite the first conductor pads (22′), the electrostatic discharge protection device (64) being characterized by: a) a second elongated electrically conductive bar (44′); and b) a second hinge structure comprising an elongated arm section (56′) pivotally connected to the clips (66, 68) opposite the second substantially planar printed circuit board surface (20′), and having the second electrically conductive bar (44′) disposed along the length thereof, and means for yieldably biasing the arm section to move towards the biasing clips so as to urge the second electrically conductive bar against the second conductor pads thereby creating an electrical connection therebetween.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
92 words
The device according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 characterized in that the first and second electrically conductive bars have respectively a first and second integral end (58, 60; 58′, 60′) extending beyond the edge of the tongue (16, 16′), the first and second ends being structured so as to be in electrical connection with each other when the electrically conductive bars (42, 44; 42′, 44′) are yieldably biased into contact with their respective conductor pads and thereby electrically interconnecting the first and second electrically conductive bars.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
39 words
The device according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 characterized in that the first and second electrically conductive bars are selected from the group comprising an elastic, electrically conductive foam, plastic, fiber, and foil.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
57 words
The device according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 characterized in that the first and second electrically conductive bars have multiple spaced apart slits (61, 63; 61′, 63′) disposed on the conductive bars (42, 44; 42′, 44′) in a direction orthogonal to the tongue edge along which the conductive pads are disposed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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