초록 ▼

Ionizing method and apparatus includes a pair of inverters to supply ionizing voltages to ionizing electrodes only during alternate halves of a duty cycle in which one inverter is actuated to operate at high oscillating frequency while the other inverter is inactive, and thereafter in an alternate h

Ionizing method and apparatus includes a pair of inverters to supply ionizing voltages to ionizing electrodes only during alternate halves of a duty cycle in which one inverter is actuated to operate at high oscillating frequency while the other inverter is inactive, and thereafter in an alternate half of the duty cycle in which the one inverter is inactive and the other inverter is actuated to operate at high oscillating frequency. Each inverter includes a return current path that combines in a common return path in which return currents may be monitored for selective control of one or both of the inverters. Small step-up transformers and other components operating at high oscillation frequency promote confined packaging of high voltage generators for convenient mounting adjacent a pair of ionizing electrodes to reduce lengths of heavily-insulated high-voltage cables between generators and electrodes. Each electrode only operates on one polarity of high voltage derived from half-wave rectified high-frequency oscillations during the actuation of the associated inverter. Closely-spaced mounting of the electrodes adjacent a web of material having net electrostatic charge to be neutralized facilitates alternately supplying ions of each polarity from separate ones of the electrodes to neutralize charge on the web.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for controlling static charges with a system including first and second ionizing electrodes connected to respective first and second high voltage generators that supply positive high voltage and negative high voltage seperately to the first and second ionizing el

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A method for controlling static charges with a system including first and second ionizing electrodes connected to respective first and second high voltage generators that supply positive high voltage and negative high voltage seperately to the first and second ionizing electrodes for generating positive ions from the first electrode and negative ions from the second electrode, the method comprising:establishing a common ground return for both said first and second high voltage generators;conducting away a flow of electrical charges of opposite polarity from said first high voltage generator through the common ground return therefor at a rate corresponding substantially to the rate of ion production by the first ionizing electrode;conducting away a flow of electrical charges of opposite polarity from said second high voltage generator through the common ground return at a rate corresponding substantially to the rate of ion production by the second ionizing electrode;directing substantially all ions of one and another polarity produced by the first and second electrodes to flow between said first and second electrodes in the absence of an external electrostatic field in the region thereof;disposing said first and second electrodes near a surface exhibiting electrostatic charge of various magnitude, including substantially zero charge, of one or other polarity for establishing thereby an electrostatic field near the first and second electrodes to cause a portion of ion current from the electrode of opposite polarity to flow to the charged surface;establishing the combined flow of electrical charge from both of said first and second high voltage generators through the common ground return at a rate corresponding substantially to the rate of ion current flow directed to the charged surface; andsensing said combined flow of the electrical charges from both of said first and second high voltage generators.