Electrostatic Discharge Protection Assembly

Abstract

An electrostatic discharge protection assembly includes a shirt that is worn on a user when the user is working with electronic equipment which is sensitive to electrostatic discharge. A set of first insulators is provided and each of the first insulators is woven into fabric of the shirt. Each of the first insulators is comprised of an electrically capacitive material to absorb static electrical energy in the user's body. A set of second insulators is provided and each of the second set of insulators is woven into fabric of the shirt. Each of the second insulators is comprised of an electrically insulating material. Thus, the second insulators inhibit electrical communication between the electronic device and the first insulators. In this way the potential for electrostatic discharge between the user and the electronic device is reduced.

Description

(b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

(d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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(e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

Not Applicable

(f) STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

(g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to protection devices and more particularly pertains to a new protection device for reducing electrostatic discharge between a user and electronic equipment.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to protection devices.

(h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a shirt that is worn on a user when the user is working with electronic equipment which is sensitive to electrostatic discharge. A set of first insulators is provided and each of the first insulators is woven into fabric of the shirt. Each of the first insulators is comprised of an electrically capacitive material to absorb static electrical energy in the user's body. A set of second insulators is provided and each of the second set of insulators is woven into fabric of the shirt. Each of the second insulators is comprised of an electrically insulating material. Thus, the second insulators inhibit electrical communication between the electronic device and the first insulators. In this way the potential for electrostatic discharge between the user and the electronic device is reduced.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

(i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an electrostatic discharge protection assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a back view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

(j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new protection device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the electrostatic discharge protection assembly 10 generally comprises a shirt 12 that is worn on a user when the user is working with electronic equipment 14 that is sensitive to electrostatic discharge. The electronic equipment 14 may comprise an electronic component of an electronic device 14 or the like. The shirt 12 has a body portion 16 and a pair of sleeves 18. The body portion 16 has a bottom edge 20 and each of the sleeves 18 has a cuff 22 and an elbow 24. The shirt 12 has an inside surface 26 and an outside surface 28, and the shirt 12 may be comprised of an electrically insulating material.

A set of first insulators 30 is provided and each of the first insulators 30 is woven into fabric of the shirt 12. Moreover, each of the first insulators 30 is integrated into the inside surface 26 of the shirt 12. In this way each of the first insulators 30 is in electrical communication with the user's body when the shirt 12 is worn. Each of the first insulators 30 is comprised of an electrically capacitive material to absorb static electrical energy in the user's body. The first insulators 30 are distributed around the bottom edge 20 of the body portion 16, around the cuff 22 of each of the sleeves 18 and on the elbow 24 of each of the sleeves 18. Moreover, the first insulators 30 are comprised of a flexible material so as not to interfere with the user's range of motion while the shirt 12 is worn.

A set of second insulators 32 is provided and each of the second set of insulators is woven into fabric of the shirt 12. Each of the second insulators 32 is integrated into the outside surface 28 of the shirt 12. In this way each of the second insulators 32 may be in electrical communication with the electronic equipment 14 when the electronic equipment 14 touches the shirt 12. Each of the second insulators 32 is comprised of a flexible material so as not to interfere with the user's range of motion while the shirt 12 is worn.

Each of the second insulators 32 is comprised of an electrically insulating material. In this way the second insulators 32 inhibit electrical communication between the electronic device 14 and the first insulators 30. Thus, the first insulators 30 and the second insulators 32 reduce the potential for electrostatic discharge between the user and the electronic device 14. The second insulators 32 are distributed around the bottom edge 20 of the body portion 16, the cuff 22 of each of the sleeves 18 and the elbow 24 of each of the sleeve. In an alternative embodiment 34 as shown in FIG. 5, the set of first insulators 30 and the set of second insulators 32 may be distributed over an entirety of the body portion 16 and each of the sleeves 18.

In use, the shirt 12 is worn when the user will be working with electronic equipment 14 that is sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Each of the first insulators 30 absorbs static electrical energy from the user's body. Additionally, each of the second insulators 32 inhibits the electronic device 14 from being in electrical communication with the first insulators 30. In this way the electronic equipment 14 is protected from being exposed to static electrical energy from the user's body.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

Claims

1. An electrostatic discharge protection assembly being configured to inhibit electrostatic discharge between a user and an electronic device, said assembly comprising:

a shirt being worn on a user when the user is working with electronic equipment that is sensitive to electrostatic discharge;

a set of first insulators, each of said first insulators being woven into fabric of said shirt, each of said first insulators being comprised of an electrically capacitive material wherein each of said first insulators is configured to absorb static electrical energy in the user's body; and

a set of second insulators, each of said second set of insulators being woven into fabric of said shirt, each of said second insulators being comprised of an electrically insulating material wherein each of said second insulators is configured to inhibit electrical communication between the electronic device and said first insulators thereby reducing the potential for electrostatic discharge between the user and the electronic device.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said shirt has a body portion and a pair of sleeves, said body portion having a bottom edge, each of said sleeves having a cuff and an elbow, said shirt having an inside surface and an outside surface.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of said first insulators is integrated into said inside surface of said shirt wherein each of said first insulators is configured to be in electrical communication with the user's body when said shirt is worn.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said first set of insulators is distributed around said bottom edge of said body portion, said first set of insulators being distributed around said cuff of each of said sleeves, said first set of insulators being distributed on said elbow of each of said sleeves.

5. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of said second insulators is integrated into said outside surface of said shirt wherein each of said second insulators is configured to be in electrical communication with the electronic equipment when the electronic equipment touches said shirt.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said second set of insulators is distributed around said bottom edge of said body portion, said second set of insulators being distributed around said cuff of each of said sleeves, said second set of insulators being distributed on said elbow of each of said sleeves.

7. An electrostatic discharge protection assembly being configured to inhibit electrostatic discharge between a user and an electronic device, said assembly comprising:

a shirt being worn on a user when the user is working with electronic equipment that is sensitive to electrostatic discharge, said shirt having a body portion and a pair of sleeves, said body portion having a bottom edge, each of said sleeves having a cuff and an elbow, said shirt having an inside surface and an outside surface;

a set of first insulators, each of said first insulators being woven into fabric of said shirt, each of said first insulators being integrated into said inside surface of said shirt wherein each of said first insulators is configured to be in electrical communication with the user's body when said shirt is worn, each of said first insulators being comprised of an electrically capacitive material wherein each of said first insulators is configure to absorb static electrical energy in the user's body, said first set of insulators being distributed around said bottom edge of said body portion, said first set of insulators being distributed around said cuff of each of said sleeves, said first set of insulators being distributed on said elbow of each of said sleeves; and

a set of second insulators, each of said second set of insulators being woven into fabric of said shirt, each of said second insulators being integrated into said outside surface of said shirt wherein each of said second insulators is configured to be in electrical communication with the electronic equipment when the electronic equipment touches said shirt, each of said second insulators being comprised of an electrically insulating material wherein each of said second insulators is configured to inhibit electrical communication between the electronic device and said first insulators thereby reducing the potential for electrostatic discharge between the user and the electronic device, said second set of insulators being distributed around said bottom edge of said body portion, said second set of insulators being distributed around said cuff of each of said sleeves, said second set of insulators being distributed on said elbow of each of said sleeves.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein said set of first insulators is distributed over an entirety of said body portion and each of said sleeves.

9. The assembly according to claim 7, further comprising said set of second insulators is distributed over an entirety of said body portion and each of said sleeves.