GB2180204A - Road vehicle earthing device - Google Patents

Road vehicle earthing device Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2180204A
GB2180204A GB08522838A GB8522838A GB2180204A GB 2180204 A GB2180204 A GB 2180204A GB 08522838 A GB08522838 A GB 08522838A GB 8522838 A GB8522838 A GB 8522838A GB 2180204 A GB2180204 A GB 2180204A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
earthing
earthing device
strip
vehicle
end region
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB08522838A
Other versions
GB8522838D0 (en
Inventor
Anthony Chester Mason
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
TONY MASON Ltd
Original Assignee
TONY MASON Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by TONY MASON Ltd filed Critical TONY MASON Ltd
Priority to GB08522838A priority Critical patent/GB2180204A/en
Publication of GB8522838D0 publication Critical patent/GB8522838D0/en
Publication of GB2180204A publication Critical patent/GB2180204A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R16/00—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for
    • B60R16/02—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric constitutive elements
    • B60R16/06—Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric constitutive elements for removing electrostatic charges

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Elimination Of Static Electricity (AREA)

Abstract

An earthing device (1) for a motor vehicle is formed from a carbon black and ethylene copolymer compound having a low volume resistivity (typically 10 ohm cm) and a high tensile strength (typically 11 MPa). A plurality of apertures (5) are provided at one end to facilitate mounting of the device on the vehicle body, and the other end (4) is thickened to provide abrasion resistance. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Road vehicle earthing device This invention relates to a road vehicle earthing device, and more particularly to an earthing strip suit able for earthing static electricity from a private car or light van.
It has long been recognised as desirable to earth a motor vehicle to prevent the build-up of static electric charge on the vehicle. Early proposals, e.g. as descri bed in patent specification GB 799408, made use of metal leaf springs, but more recently it has been pro posed to form the earthing device as a strip of an el ectrically conductive rubber material. However, tests have shown that rubber compounds which were thought to have been satisfactory for the purpose do not, as a practical matter, provide adequate earthing of the vehicle body.Attempts have been made to im prove the conductivity of rubber earthing strips by incorporating in the strip metal wires, but this addsto manufacturing costs and, in any event, is of doubtful use since the wire tendsto wear away more rapidly than the rubber atthefree end of the strip, and ac cordingly does not make reliable contact with the road surface.
We have now discovered that a particular plastics compound can be formed into an earthing strip of suitable shape which is effective to earth a vehicle body and prevent the build-up of the static electric charge on the body.
The plastics compound which we have discovered issuitableforthe manufacture of earthing strips is based on carbon black and an ethylene copolymer and is formulated to give a very low volume re sistivelywhich changes little during processing. Typ ical volume resistivity is 10 ohmCm. Additionally, the material has a high tensile strength (typically 11 M Pa at break measured by ISO-R-527) and is thus satisfac tory for use as an elongate strip. Earthing strips made ofthis material have been found to have adequate abrasion resistance.
A particular example of a suitable compound is sold by Cabot Plastics Ltd underthe designation CABELEC 988. This material was designed for the production of pipes, tubing and containers.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an earthing device for a road vehicle, the device com prising aflexiblememberformedofacompound comprising carbon black and an ethylene copolymer, theflexible member being connectabletothe road vehicle and having a free end for engaging the road surface and having an electrical resistance which permits adequate earthing of static electric charge from the vehicle body.
The invention will be better understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein the single figure shows an earthing device for a motor car.
Referring to the drawing, the earthing device 1 comprises a strip 2 moulded from CABELEC 988 hav ing a normally upper end region 3forattachmenttoa vehicle body and a normally lower end region 4for ; engagement with the ground. The upper end region 3 is preferably provided with a series of apertures 5 whereby the effective length of the strip may be chosen to suit a particularvehiclebyboltingthestrip directly to the vehicle body, orto a clamp secured to the vehicle body, using a selected one of the apertu res 5 to receive the fixing bolt.
The lower end region 4 is preferably of longer cross-section than the central zone of the strip over at least part of its length to provide abrasion resistance.
In the embodiment shown the lower end region is in the form of an arrow head which is thicker than the adjacent portion of the strip.
1. An earthing device for a road vehicle,the de- vice comprising a flexible member formed of a compound comprising carbon black and an ethylene copolymer, the flexible member being connectable to the road vehicle and having a free end for engaging the road surface and having an electrical resistance which permits adequate earthing of static electric charge from the vehicle body.
2. An earthing device according to claim 1 wherein the compound from which the flexible member is formed has a volume resistivity of substantially 10 ohm cm, which volume resistivity does not substantially change during processing of the compound.
3. An earthing device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the flexible member has a tensile strength ofsubstantially 11 M Pa at break measured by 1 50-R-527.
4. An earthing device according to any preceding claim wherein one end region oftheflexible member is providedwith a series of apertureswherebythe effective length oftheflexible member may be chosen to suit a particular vehicle by securing the flexible memberto the vehicle using a selected one ofthe apertures.
5. An earthing device according to claim 4 wherein the other end region oftheflexible member has a larger cross-sectional area than the central zone ofthe member.
6. An earthing device according to claim 5 wherein the said other end region is in the form of an arrow head.
7. An earthing device for a motor vehicle sub stantiallyas herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Road vehicle earthing device This invention relates to a road vehicle earthing device, and more particularly to an earthing strip suit able for earthing static electricity from a private car or light van. It has long been recognised as desirable to earth a motor vehicle to prevent the build-up of static electric charge on the vehicle. Early proposals, e.g. as descri bed in patent specification GB 799408, made use of metal leaf springs, but more recently it has been pro posed to form the earthing device as a strip of an el ectrically conductive rubber material. However, tests have shown that rubber compounds which were thought to have been satisfactory for the purpose do not, as a practical matter, provide adequate earthing of the vehicle body.Attempts have been made to im prove the conductivity of rubber earthing strips by incorporating in the strip metal wires, but this addsto manufacturing costs and, in any event, is of doubtful use since the wire tendsto wear away more rapidly than the rubber atthefree end of the strip, and ac cordingly does not make reliable contact with the road surface. We have now discovered that a particular plastics compound can be formed into an earthing strip of suitable shape which is effective to earth a vehicle body and prevent the build-up of the static electric charge on the body. The plastics compound which we have discovered issuitableforthe manufacture of earthing strips is based on carbon black and an ethylene copolymer and is formulated to give a very low volume re sistivelywhich changes little during processing. Typ ical volume resistivity is 10 ohmCm. Additionally, the material has a high tensile strength (typically 11 M Pa at break measured by ISO-R-527) and is thus satisfac tory for use as an elongate strip. Earthing strips made ofthis material have been found to have adequate abrasion resistance. A particular example of a suitable compound is sold by Cabot Plastics Ltd underthe designation CABELEC 988. This material was designed for the production of pipes, tubing and containers. Accordingly, the present invention provides an earthing device for a road vehicle, the device com prising aflexiblememberformedofacompound comprising carbon black and an ethylene copolymer, theflexible member being connectabletothe road vehicle and having a free end for engaging the road surface and having an electrical resistance which permits adequate earthing of static electric charge from the vehicle body. The invention will be better understood from the following description of an embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein the single figure shows an earthing device for a motor car. Referring to the drawing, the earthing device 1 comprises a strip 2 moulded from CABELEC 988 hav ing a normally upper end region 3forattachmenttoa vehicle body and a normally lower end region 4for ; engagement with the ground. The upper end region 3 is preferably provided with a series of apertures 5 whereby the effective length of the strip may be chosen to suit a particularvehiclebyboltingthestrip directly to the vehicle body, orto a clamp secured to the vehicle body, using a selected one of the apertu res 5 to receive the fixing bolt. The lower end region 4 is preferably of longer cross-section than the central zone of the strip over at least part of its length to provide abrasion resistance. In the embodiment shown the lower end region is in the form of an arrow head which is thicker than the adjacent portion of the strip. CLAIMS
1. An earthing device for a road vehicle,the de- vice comprising a flexible member formed of a compound comprising carbon black and an ethylene copolymer, the flexible member being connectable to the road vehicle and having a free end for engaging the road surface and having an electrical resistance which permits adequate earthing of static electric charge from the vehicle body.
2. An earthing device according to claim 1 wherein the compound from which the flexible member is formed has a volume resistivity of substantially 10 ohm cm, which volume resistivity does not substantially change during processing of the compound.
3. An earthing device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the flexible member has a tensile strength ofsubstantially 11 M Pa at break measured by 1 50-R-527.
4. An earthing device according to any preceding claim wherein one end region oftheflexible member is providedwith a series of apertureswherebythe effective length oftheflexible member may be chosen to suit a particular vehicle by securing the flexible memberto the vehicle using a selected one ofthe apertures.
5. An earthing device according to claim 4 wherein the other end region oftheflexible member has a larger cross-sectional area than the central zone ofthe member.
6. An earthing device according to claim 5 wherein the said other end region is in the form of an arrow head.
7. An earthing device for a motor vehicle sub stantiallyas herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
GB08522838A 1985-09-16 1985-09-16 Road vehicle earthing device Withdrawn GB2180204A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08522838A GB2180204A (en) 1985-09-16 1985-09-16 Road vehicle earthing device

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08522838A GB2180204A (en) 1985-09-16 1985-09-16 Road vehicle earthing device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8522838D0 GB8522838D0 (en) 1985-10-23
GB2180204A true GB2180204A (en) 1987-03-25

Family

ID=10585226

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08522838A Withdrawn GB2180204A (en) 1985-09-16 1985-09-16 Road vehicle earthing device

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2180204A (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102017119927A1 (en) * 2017-08-30 2019-02-28 Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft motor vehicle

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN114152351B (en) * 2022-02-09 2022-05-24 深圳市海清视讯科技有限公司 Electrostatic clamp installation detection method, device, equipment and storage medium

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1532350A (en) * 1976-09-25 1978-11-15 Stamicarbon Electrically conducting thermoplastic elastomer mixtures
GB2057372A (en) * 1979-07-16 1981-04-01 Takahashi S Device for electrically grounding a vehicle

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1532350A (en) * 1976-09-25 1978-11-15 Stamicarbon Electrically conducting thermoplastic elastomer mixtures
GB2057372A (en) * 1979-07-16 1981-04-01 Takahashi S Device for electrically grounding a vehicle

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102017119927A1 (en) * 2017-08-30 2019-02-28 Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft motor vehicle
DE102017119927B4 (en) 2017-08-30 2022-07-07 Dr. Ing. H.C. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft Motor vehicle, method of operating a motor vehicle, grounding system and grounding stake

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8522838D0 (en) 1985-10-23

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