Abstract: A chair for discharging static electricity carried by an occupant has a seat covering and an electrode under the covering for permitting the occupant to safely touch a source of current having a moderate voltage of less than about 200 volts, without being shocked thereby. When the charge exceeds a predetermined level, current flows through the covering between the occupant and the conductor, discharging the occupant. The electrode can be a flexible wire or a resilient foam member. A current limiting resistor protects the occupant from high discharge currents. In a preferred version, there are two of the resistors connected in parallel for fall-safe operation. The chair can have a wheeled base of electrically conductive construction for grounding the chair.

Abstract: A chair for discharging static electricity carried by an occupant has a non-conductive seat covering and an electrode under the covering for permitting the occupant to safely touch a source of current having a moderate voltage of less than about 200 volts, without being shocked thereby. When the charge exceeds a predetermined level, current flows through the covering between the occupant and the conductor, discharging the occupant. The electrode can be a flexible wire or a resilient foam member. A current limiting resistor protects the occupant from high discharge currents. The chair can have a wheeled base of electrically conductive construction for grounding the chair. In one version of the chair, a discrete breakdown device prevents discharge from moderate voltages and the covering can be made conductive.