Electronically monitored and controlled electrostatic discharge floor structure

Claim 2

An electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure for covering a base surface, comprising: a bottom layer comprising moisture resistant material; a middle layer which comprises an electrically grounded lattice of conductive material affixed to said bottom layer; and a top layer of semiconductive tiles affixed to said middle layer.

Claim 3

A flooring structure as in claim 1, wherein said bottom layer of moisture resistant material comprises a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface.

Claim 4

A flooring structure as in claim 1, wherein said middle layer of conductive lattice material comprises conductive tape arranged in a lattice.

Claim 5

The flooring structure of claim 1, further comprising a variable resistance connected between said conductive lattice material and ground.

Claim 6

The flooring structure of claim 4, further comprising a monitor for measuring the resistance of said variable resistance.

Claim 7

A flooring structure as in claim 1, wherein said bottom layer of moisture resistant material comprises a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface and further comprising a moisture sensor which detects moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer and an alarm which is activated when said moisture sensor detects moisture.

Claim 8

The flooring structure of claim 1, further comprising a molding strip which is attached to the sides around the periphery of said flooring structure to completely electrically insulate and make moisture resistant the periphery edge of the flooring structure layers.

Claim 9

The flooring structure of claim 1, further comprising conductive epoxy for affixing said semiconductive tiles to the lower layers.

Claim 10

The flooring structure of claim 1, further comprising a support layer between said bottom layer and said middle layer.

Claim 11

The flooring structure of claim 1, further comprising a moisture sensor which detects moisture in said bottom layer.

Claim 12

The flooring structure of claim 1, further comprising a moisture dryer for drying moisture in said bottom layer.

Claim 13

An electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure for covering a base surface, comprising: a bottom layer comprising a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface; a middle layer comprising an electrically grounded lattice of conductive material affixed to said bottom layer; a top layer comprising semiconductive tiles affixed to said middle layer; a variable resistance connected between said conductive lattice material and ground; and a moisture sensor positioned and arranged to detect moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer.

Claim 14

An electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure for covering a base surface, comprising: a bottom layer comprising a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface; a middle layer comprising an electrically grounded lattice of conductive material affixed to said bottom layer; a top layer comprising semiconductive tiles affixed to said middle layer; a variable resistance connected between said conductive lattice material and ground; and a moisture sensor positioned and arranged to detect moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer.

Claim 15

A flooring structure as in claim 12, wherein said conductive lattice material comprises conductive tape arranged in a lattice.

Claim 16

The flooring structure of claim 12, further comprising a monitor for measuring the resistance of said variable resistance.

Claim 17

The flooring structure of claim 12, further comprising an alarm which is activated when said moisture sensor detects moisture.

Claim 18

The flooring structure of claim 12, further comprising a moisture dryer for drying moisture under said planar body of said bottom layer.

Claim 19

The flooring structure of claim 12, further comprising a molding strip which is attached to the sides around the periphery of said flooring structure to completely electrically insulate and make moisture resistant the periphery edge of the flooring structure layers.

Claim 20

The flooring structure of claim 12, further comprising conductive epoxy for affixing said semiconductive tiles t said lower layers.

Claim 21

The flooring structure of claim 12, further comprising a support layer between said bottom layer and said middle layer.

Claim 22

An electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure for covering a base surface, comprising: a bottom layer comprising a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface; a middle layer comprising an electrically grounded lattice of conductive material affixed to said bottom layer; a top layer comprising semiconductive tiles affixed to said middle layer; a variable resistance connected between said conductive lattice material and ground; a moisture sensor positioned and arranged to detect moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer; a monitor positioned and arranged to measure the resistance between said conductive lattice material and ground; an alarm positioned and arranged to be activated when said moisture sensor detects moisture; and a moisture dryer positioned and arranged to dry moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer.

Claim 23

An electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure for covering a base surface, comprising: a bottom layer comprising a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface; a middle layer comprising an electrically grounded lattice of conductive material affixed to said bottom layer; a top layer comprising semiconductive tiles affixed to said middle layer; a variable resistance connected between said conductive lattice material and ground; a moisture sensor positioned and arranged to detect moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer; a monitor positioned and arranged to measure the resistance between said conductive lattice material and ground; an alarm positioned and arranged to be activated when said moisture sensor detects moisture; and a moisture dryer positioned and arranged to dry moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer.

Claim 24

A flooring structure as in claim 20, wherein said conductive lattice material comprises conductive tape arranged in a lattice.

Claim 25

The flooring structure of claim 20, further comprising a centralized control and monitor circuit box which centralizes the controlling and monitoring of the operation of the flooring structure electronic circuitry.

Claim 26

The flooring structure of claim 20, further comprising a molding strip which is attached to the sides around the periphery of said flooring structure to completely electrically insulate and make moisture resistant the periphery edge of the flooring structure layers.

Claim 27

The flooring structure of claim 20, further comprising conductive epoxy for affixing said semiconductive tiles to said lower layers.

Claim 28

The flooring structure of claim 20, further comprising a support layer between said bottom layer and said middle layer.

Claim 29

An electrostatic charge controlling flooring system comprising multiple flooring structures, insulated from each other, but having the same ground, wherein each flooring structure comprises: a bottom layer comprising a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface; a middle layer comprising an electrically grounded lattice of conductive material affixed to said bottom layer; a top layer comprising semiconductive tiles affixed to said middle layer.

Claim 30

An electrostatic charge controlling flooring system comprising multiple flooring structures, insulated from each other, but having the same ground, wherein each flooring structure comprises: a bottom layer comprising a planar body with support members which raise said planar body above said base surface; a middle layer comprising an electrically grounded lattice of conductive material affixed to said bottom layer; a top layer comprising semiconductive tiles affixed to said middle layer.

Claim 31

The flooring system of claim 26, wherein multiple flooring structures each have a variable resistance connected between their conductive lattice material and ground.

Claim 32

The flooring system of claim 27, wherein each flooring structure further comprises a monitor for measuring the variable resistance.

Claim 33

The flooring system of claim 26, wherein multiple flooring structures are connected in series by connecting a variable resistance between adjacent flooring structures to the conductive lattice material of each flooring structure, and by connecting one of said flooring structures to ground through a variable resistance.

Claim 34

The flooring system of claim 29, wherein each flooring structure further comprises a monitor for measuring the variable resistance.

Claim 35

The flooring system of claim 26, wherein each flooring structure further comprises a moisture sensor which detects moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer.

Claim 36

The flooring system of claim 31, wherein each flooring structure further comprises an alarm which is activated when said moisture sensor detects moisture.

Claim 37

The flooring system of claim 26, further comprising a moisture dryer for drying moisture underneath said planar body of said bottom layer.

Claim 38

The flooring system of claim 26, wherein each flooring structure further comprises a molding strip which is attached to the sides around the periphery of said flooring structure to completely electrically insulate and make moisture resistant the periphery edge of the layers of each flooring structure which results in each flooring structure being electrically insulated from the other flooring structures.

Claim 41

The method of forming an electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure of claim 35, further including attaching said semiconductive tiles to said lower layers by conductive epoxy.

Claim 42

The method of forming an electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure of claim 35, further including attaching a molding strip to the sides around the periphery of said flooring structure to completely electrically insulate and make moisture resistant the periphery edge of the flooring structure layers.

Claim 43

The method of forming an electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure of claim 35, further including providing a support layer between said bottom layer and said strips of conductive tape.

Claim 44

The method of forming an electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure of claim 35, further including connecting a variable resistance between said strips of conductive tape and ground.

Claim 45

The method of forming an electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure of claim 39, further including providing a monitor for measuring the resistance of said variable resistance.

Claim 46

The method of forming an electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure of claim 35, further including attaching a moisture sensor which detects moisture in said bottom layer.

Claim 47

The method of forming an electrostatic charge controlling flooring structure of claim 35, further including installing moisture dryers for drying moisture in said bottom layer.

Claim 52

A moisture detector circuit which detects moisture underneath a flooring structure, comprising: a conductive foam material, which has less resistance when it absorbs moisture, having first and second terminals; a variable resistance having a first terminal connected to a node and a second terminal connected to said first terminal of said conductive foam material; a transistor having its control terminal connected to said second terminal of said conductive foam, having a first power terminal connected to a ground, and having a second power terminal connected to said node, said second power terminal being connected to said ground when a voltage is applied to said node and when the combined value of the resistance of the variable resistance and the resistance of the conductive foam material is low enough; and an alarm circuit which, when it is switched on, generates an output when there is a positive voltage between said node and second power terminal of said transistor.

Claim 53

A moisture detector circuit which detects moisture underneath a flooring structure, comprising: a conductive foam material, which has less resistance when it absorbs moisture, having first and second terminals; a variable resistance having a first terminal connected to a node and a second terminal connected to said first terminal of said conductive foam material; a transistor having its control terminal connected to said second terminal of said conductive foam, having a first power terminal connected to a ground, and having a second power terminal connected to said node, said second power terminal being connected to said ground when a voltage is applied to said node and when the combined value of the resistance of the variable resistance and the resistance of the conductive foam material is low enough; and an alarm circuit which, when it is switched on, generates an output when there is a positive voltage between said node and second power terminal of said transistor.

Claim 54

The moisture detector circuit of claim 45, wherein said alarm circuit comprises a relay which, when there is a positive voltage between said node and said second power terminal of said transistor, activates a pole switch to close a contact and complete a circuit of a power source and alarm which are in series when a switch is in an on position.

Claim 55

A moisture detector circuit which detects moisture underneath a flooring structure, comprising: a conductive foam material, which has less resistance when it absorbs moisture, having first and second terminals; a variable resistance having a first terminal connected to a node and a second terminal connected to said first terminal of said conductive foam material; a transistor having its control terminal connected to said second terminal of said conductive foam, having a first power terminal connected to a ground, and having a second power terminal connected to said node, said second power terminal being connected to said ground when a voltage is applied to said node and when the combined value of the resistance of the variable resistance and the resistance of the conductive foam material is low enough; and a moisture dryer circuit which, when it is switched on, activates a moisture dryer when there is a positive voltage between said node and said second power terminal of said transistor.

Claim 56

A moisture detector circuit which detects moisture underneath a flooring structure, comprising: a conductive foam material, which has less resistance when it absorbs moisture, having first and second terminals; a variable resistance having a first terminal connected to a node and a second terminal connected to said first terminal of said conductive foam material; a transistor having its control terminal connected to said second terminal of said conductive foam, having a first power terminal connected to a ground, and having a second power terminal connected to said node, said second power terminal being connected to said ground when a voltage is applied to said node and when the combined value of the resistance of the variable resistance and the resistance of the conductive foam material is low enough; and a moisture dryer circuit which, when it is switched on, activates a moisture dryer when there is a positive voltage between said node and said second power terminal of said transistor.

Claim 57

The moisture detector circuit of claim 47, wherein said moisture dryer circuit comprises a relay which, when there is a positive voltage between said node and said second power terminal of said transistor, activates a pole switch to close a contact and complete a circuit of a moisture dryer which is in series with a power source when a switch is in an on position.

Claim 58

A moisture detector circuit which detects moisture underneath a flooring structure, comprising: a conductive foam material, which has less resistance when it absorbs moisture, having first and second terminals; a variable resistance having a first terminal connected to a node and a second terminal connected to said first terminal of said conductive foam material; a transistor having its control terminal connected to said second terminal of said conductive foam, having a first power terminal connected to a ground, and having a second power terminal connected to said node, said second power terminal being connected to said ground when a voltage is applied to said node and when the combined value of the resistance of the variable resistance and the resistance of the conductive foam material is low enough; and an alarm circuit which, when it is switched on, generates an output and a moisture dryer circuit which, when it is switched on, activates a moisture dryer when there is a positive voltage between said node and said second power terminal of said transistor.

Claim 59

A moisture detector circuit which detects moisture underneath a flooring structure, comprising: a conductive foam material, which has less resistance when it absorbs moisture, having first and second terminals; a variable resistance having a first terminal connected to a node and a second terminal connected to said first terminal of said conductive foam material; a transistor having its control terminal connected to said second terminal of said conductive foam, having a first power terminal connected to a ground, and having a second power terminal connected to said node, said second power terminal being connected to said ground when a voltage is applied to said node and when the combined value of the resistance of the variable resistance and the resistance of the conductive foam material is low enough; and an alarm circuit which, when it is switched on, generates an output and a moisture dryer circuit which, when it is switched on, activates a moisture dryer when there is a positive voltage between said node and said second power terminal of said transistor.