Flowing-fluid X-ray induced ionic electrostatic dissipation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9839107-B2
Application number	US-201615065440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Jul 23, 2014
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A method and system for reducing static charges on a material. X-rays can ionize a flowing fluid. The ions can be transported to the material and can reduce or dissipate the static charges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for reducing static charge, the system comprising:
a. an ionization chamber including a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port;
b. an x-ray source attached to the ionization chamber and configured to emit x-rays into the ionization chamber to ionize a fluid in the chamber to create an ionized fluid;
c. a bottom side of a flat panel display with liquid crystal having a static charge, the system being configured to direct the ionized fluid out through the outlet port and onto the bottom side of the flat panel display;
d. a rubbing machine for aligning the liquid crystal;
e. a lift pin, for lifting the flat panel display off of the rubbing machine, passes through the ionization chamber, though the outlet port, and through a connection tube between the ionization chamber and the bottom side of the flat panel display;
f. the connection tube and the lift pin pass through a hole in a table portion of the rubbing machine; and
g. the ionized fluid passes around an outside of the lift pin, within the connection tube, from the ionization chamber to the bottom side of the flat panel display.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein material of the lift pin and energy of the x-rays are selected to allow at least 10% of x-rays impinging on the lift pin to transmit through the lift pin to ionize fluid flowing on an opposite side of the lift pin.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein material of an inner surface of the ionization chamber fluoresces x-rays in response to x-rays received by the inner surface, and the fluoresced x-ray flux is at least 30% of the received x-ray flux.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the connection tube electrically insulates the ionized fluid from metal in the table.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ionization chamber is connected to an electrical voltage, the electrical voltage having the same polarity as desired ions in the ionized fluid.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a means for flowing fluid from the inlet port through the ionization chamber and out through the outlet port.

7. A method for reducing a static charge in a flat panel display with liquid crystal located on or in a rubbing machine, the method comprising:
a. flowing a fluid through an ionization chamber;
b. emitting x-rays into the ionization chamber, the x-rays forming ions in the fluid in the ionization chamber, thus forming an ionized fluid;
c. emitting the ionized fluid out of the ionization chamber and onto the flat panel display, the ions in the fluid causing a reduction of the static charge on the flat panel display; and
d. lifting the flat panel display off of a table with lift pins while passing the ionized fluid through hollow channels in the lift pins and onto a bottom side of the flat panel display.

8. A method for reducing a static charge in a flat panel display with liquid crystal located on or in a rubbing machine, the method comprising:
a. flowing a fluid through an ionization chamber;
b. emitting x-rays into the ionization chamber, the x-rays forming ions in the fluid in the ionization chamber, thus forming an ionized fluid;
c. emitting the ionized fluid out of the ionization chamber and onto the flat panel display, the ions in the fluid causing a reduction of the static charge on the flat panel display;
d. passing lift pins through the ionization chamber and through holes in a table supporting the flat panel display; and
e. lifting the flat panel display off the table with lift pins while passing the ionized fluid around an outer perimeter of the lift pins onto a bottom side of the flat panel display.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising passing some of the x-rays through the lift pins to ionize fluid in the ionization chamber on an opposite side of the lift pin from a source of the x-rays.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising fluorescing x-rays from the ionization chamber in response to impinging x-rays.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising electrically connecting the ionization chamber to an electrical voltage, the electrical voltage having the same polarity as desired ions in the Ionized fluid.

12. A system for reducing static charge, the system comprising:
a. two ionization chambers, each including an x-ray source configured to emit x-rays into the ionization chamber to ionize a fluid in the chamber to create an ionized fluid;
b. each ionization chamber located at opposite ends of a connection tube from each other; and
c. the connection tube including an opening for emission of the ionized fluid.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the system is configured to direct the ionized fluid onto a top side of a flat panel display.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the system is configured to direct the ionized fluid onto the top side of the flat panel display near a roller portion of a rubbing machine.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system is configured to direct the ionized fluid onto the top side of the flat panel display before the roller portion of the rubbing machine.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the system is configured to direct the ionized fluid onto the top side of the flat panel display after the roller portion of the rubbing machine.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the opening is a nozzle.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the connection tube further comprises multiple openings for emission of the ionized fluid.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein each of the multiple openings is a nozzle.

Assignees

• Moxtek Inc

Inventors

• Miller Eric

Classifications

• G02F1/133784

  by rubbing · CPC title

• H01J9/241

  the vessel being for a flat panel display (H01J9/261 takes precedence; flat discharge lamps H01J9/248) · CPC title

• H05F3/04 Primary

  by means of spark gaps or other discharge devices (devices providing for corona discharge per se H01T19/00) · CPC title

• H05K9/0066

  Constructional details of transient suppressor · CPC title

• G02F1/1303 Primary

  Apparatus specially adapted to the manufacture of LCDs · CPC title