ADAPTEUR DE MISE A LA TERRE POUR UN DISPOSITIF INFORMATIQUE

COMPUTING DEVICE GROUNDING ADAPTER

Abrégé français

Un adaptateur de mise à la terre pour périphériques informatiques comprend des éléments de corps présentant des faces opposées, une face étant la prise avec trois orifices femelles et l'autre face ayant une broche mâle en saillie pour permettre une connexion entre un cordon d'alimentation d'un périphérique et le périphérique lui-même, ce qui permet une conductivité électrique pour le conducteur de mise à la terre uniquement de la prise électrique murale au périphérique.

Abrégé anglais

A computing device grounding adapter includes body members having opposite faces, one face being the receptacle with three female orifices and the other face having one male protruding blade, for connecting between a computing device power cord and the computing device itself thereby allowing electrical conductivity for the ground line only from the wall electrical outlet to the computing device.

Revendications

WE CLAIM:
1. A computing device grounding adapter comprising:
a single body member having an outlet end and an inlet end;
the outlet end having only a ground male blade and adapted for connecting to
a computing device power cord female end;
the inlet end having three female orifices and adapted for connecting to a
computing device male connectors; and
connecting means linking said outlet and inlet ends providing at least ground
connected wiring, wherein electrical conductivity for the ground line is
permitted.
2. A computing device grounding adapter comprising:
a first body member having only a ground male blade and adapted for
connecting to a computing device power cord female end;
a second body member having three female orifices and adapted for
connecting to a computing device male connectors; and
an electrical cord linking said first and second body members providing at
least ground connected wiring, wherein electrical conductivity for the ground
line
is permitted.
3. A computing device grounding adapter according to claim 2 wherein said
electrical cord contains only a ground wire line.
4. A computing device grounding adapter according to claim 2 wherein said
electrical cord contains wires for ground, load and neutral lines.
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Description

CA 02356377 2006-03-23
COMPUTING DEVICE GROUNDING ADAPTER
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to grounding devices, and more
particularly
to an adapter providing grounding for servicing a computing device.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Generally, static electricity surcharges cause irreparable damage to a variety
of
computing products that amounts to millions of dollars in losses to computing
device manufacturers and owners annually. Damages can be dormant, and prone
to baffle the best of computing device technicians or computing device owners.
Electro static discharge (ESD) and magnetic static discharge (MSD) may occur
in
many computing devices such as personal computers, routers, hubs and switches.
Clip-on grounding anti-static devices such as anti-static straps have been in
existence for many years. They work on the principle of eliminating static
electricity
from the human body to a capacitor in the wrist strap area of the anti-static
strap.
The wire from the capacitor is clipped to the body of the computing device to
carry
the surcharge of the capacitor to the body of the computing device. The AC
power
cord's ground wire carries the static electricity from the body of the
computing
device away and into the electrical outlet based on the premise that the
computing
device remains plugged into the AC power cord at all times.
Today, it is standard to have computing devices built in such a way that an
electrical
charge exists within a computing device at all times even when the device's
switch
is on the "OFF" position. To perform any type of work on these devices,
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one will first have to remove the AC power cord to eliminate all electrical
source to these
devices. It follows that by disconnecting the AC power cord, the ground wire
is no
longer in use in order to carry excessive charge to the wall electrical
outlet. Therefore, a
clip-on grounding anti-static device's effectiveness is lost when servicing
these
computing devices.
Manufacturers of computing devices, certification programs and service manuals
highly
recommend that an anti-static strap be used when performing any type of
servicing to
all computing devices. Yet, it is also advised to unplug all systems. Today,
anti-static
straps are not used or used uselessly since the computing devices are no
longer
grounded to the electrical outlet thus making the anti-static strap obsolete.
The threat
of damages due to static electrical charges still exists and is not being
eliminated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above shortcomings.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adapter to be
positioned
between a computing device and its AC power cord thereby enabling continuity
of the
ground wire only hence restoring effectiveness of the anti-static strap and
other clip-on
anti-static devices now used in the servicing industry.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a device which
is easy to use,
simple to manufacture and cost-efficient.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a
computing
device grounding adapter comprising a single body member having an outlet end
and
an inlet end; the outlet end having only a ground male blade and adapted for
connecting
to a computing device power cord female end; the inlet end having three female
orifices
and adapted for connecting to a computing device male connectors; and
connecting
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means linking said outlet and inlet ends providing at least ground connected
wiring,
wherein electrical conductivity for the ground line is permitted.
According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a
computing device
grounding a dapter c omprising a first b ody m ember h aving o nly a g round
male b lade
and adapted for connecting to a computing device power cord female end; a
second
body member having three female orifices and adapted for connecting to a
computing
device male connectors; and an electrical cord linking said first and second
body
members providing at least ground connected wiring, wherein electrical
conductivity for
the ground line is permitted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;
and
Figure 2 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A primary means of protecting ESD sensitive items is to provide a continuous
ground
path to bring ESD sensitive materials and personnel to the same electrical
potential. All
conductors in the environment, including personnel, must therefore be bonded
or
electrically connected and attached to a known ground or contrived ground.
Electrostatic protection can be maintained at a potential above a "zero"
voltage ground
reference as long as all items in the system are at the same potential.
According to
ESD Association Standard, the preferred ground connection for grounding ESD
sensitive equipment is to ground all components to the equipment ground or the
third
wire electrical ground connection. Connecting the ESD sensitive equipment to
the
equipment ground will thus bring all components of the workstation to the same
electrical potential.
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Referring to Figure 1, a first embodiment of the present invention is
illustrated, where a
grounding adapter 10, compatible with a standard computing device
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and its power cord, is comprised of two insulated body members 1 and 3 having
opposite faces, member 1 being adaptedly shaped for connecting to a computing
device power cord female end and having a single male blade 4, and member 3
being adaptedly shaped for connecting to a computing device male connectors
through female orifices 5, 6 and 7, respectively ground, neutral and load. A
blade permitting electrical conductivity is only present in orifice 5 or
ground
socket. The body members 1 and 3 are linked together via an electrical cord 2
which may contain only one ground wire or in the alternative may also have
connecting wires for the load and neutral lines.
Referring now to Figure 2, an alternative embodiment of the present invention
where a grounding adapter 20 is illustrated as a single unit comprised of body
members 1 and 3, respectively adaptedly shaped for connecting to a computing
device power cord and to a computing device. The overall principle of the
invention remains the same except for the fact that the linkage between
members 1 and 3 is now internal to the adapter 20 and resulting in less length
for the adapter 20.
In operation, the adapter 10 or 20, which is compatible with a standard
computing device power cord and with a computing device male connectors, is
positionally connected between said power cord and male connectors while
allowing electrical conductivity for the ground line from the electrical
outlet only,
thereby preventing conductivity for the load line and the neutral line from
said
outlet. The adapter 10 or 20 enables an effective ESD ground for computing
devices and the technician servicing said devices since it provides a
continuous
ground path in order to bring ESD sensitive equipment and the service
technician to the same electrical potential. Service technicians can therefore
confidently wear their wrist strap knowing that the equipment they now work on
is properly grounded for ESD protection.
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The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described, but
may
be varied within the scope of the claims in construction and detail.

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