초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for neutralizing static electric charges are disclosed, which include a cooperating pair of laterally spaced apart electrodes disposed so as to be in a flow path of a moving airstream. A relatively high positive DC voltage is applied to one electrode, and a relatively high ne

An apparatus and method for neutralizing static electric charges are disclosed, which include a cooperating pair of laterally spaced apart electrodes disposed so as to be in a flow path of a moving airstream. A relatively high positive DC voltage is applied to one electrode, and a relatively high negative DC voltage is applied to the other electrode. As a result, the electrodes generates free positive and negative ions, which are carried away by the airstream and delivered directly to the manufacturing area, where they are attracted to opposite static charges. Thus the ions act to neutralize static charges of either polarity, and the excess ions will eventually be attracted to each other or to ground, leaving no static in the area. In a preferred embodiment, the electrodes are mounted immediately downstream of a HEPA filter bank which removes essentially all particulate matter and dust before the ions are generated in the airstream.

대표청구항 ▼

In a clean enclosure sized so as to be adapted to enclose a manufacturing area, means for moving an airstream along a path of travel through said enclosure, the improvement therein comprising apparatus for concurrently generating both positive and negative ions in the airstream such that the ions ar

In a clean enclosure sized so as to be adapted to enclose a manufacturing area, means for moving an airstream along a path of travel through said enclosure, the improvement therein comprising apparatus for concurrently generating both positive and negative ions in the airstream such that the ions are able to rapidly neutralize static electricity on objects in or brought into the area, and comprising at least one pair of electrodes operatively mounted within the path of travel of said airstream in said enclosure, with each of said at least one pair of electrodes being in the form of elongate bars which are disposed parallel to each other, and with the electrodes of each pair being spaced apart from each other a distance of between about six to twelve inches in a direction extending transversely to the direction of the path of travel and having an intervening airspace therebetween which is free of any electrically conductive components, and each of said electrodes including a plurality of needle-like electrically conductive projections which extend toward the other electrode of the pair, and means for supplying a positive direct current voltage to one of said electrodes of each pair, and a negative direct current voltage to the other of said electrodes of each pair, with the magnitude of the supplied voltages being sufficient to cause the electrodes to interact and cooperate in drawing ions from each other, whereby both positive and negative ions may be concurrently generated and carried through the enclosure by the moving airstream. A method for delivering air to a sensitive manufacturing area, and for rapidly neutralizing static electricity on objects in or brought into the area, and comprising the steps of moving an airstream between a cooperating pair of electrodes, with the electrodes being in the form of elongate bars which are disposed parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other a distance of between about six to twelve inches in a direction extending transversely to the direction of the airstream and having an intervening airspace therebetween which is free of any electrically conductive components, with each of said electrodes including a plurality of needle-like electrically conductive projections which extend toward the other electrode of the pair, while supplying a positive direct current voltage to one of said electrodes and a negative direct current voltage to the other of said electrodes, with the magnitude of the supplied voltages being sufficient to cause the electrodes to interact and cooperate in drawing ions from each other, and so as to concurrently generate both positive and negative ions in the airstream, and while directing the airstream and entrained positive and negative ions directly to the manufacturing area and without the use of confining ductwork, to thereby minimize the loss of ions which would otherwise result from contact with such ductwork.