GB2217304A

GB2217304A - Container of fibre-reinforced plastics material with a current-conduction inner layer

Info

Publication number: GB2217304A
Application number: GB8908654A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerd Dieter Maibach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-04-19
Filing date: 1989-04-17
Publication date: 1989-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2009-04-17
Also published as: FR2630087A1; GB2217304B; IT8904819A0; GB8908654D0; DE8816793U1; DE3812943A1; DE3812943C2; IT1233573B; FR2630087B1

Description

f -, ?, z /- 17 35 0 4 1 - 3650 CONTAINER OF FiBRE-REINFORCED PLASTICS

MATERIAL WITH A CURRENT CONDUCTING INNER LAYER The invention relates to a container of fibre-reinforced plastics material for st orage and/or transporation of electronic devices or parts, comp, rising a top part and a bottom part which are sealingly assembled by way of a groove and tongue with the interposition of an elastic seal wherein at least the inner surfaces of the top part and the bottom part are provided with an electrically conducting layer.

Containers of that kind are intended o protect sensitive electronic devices or parts from damage due to radiation in the event of an atomic bomb explosion. When an atomic bomb explodes, sensitve electronic components are damaged by the strong radiation with occurs and are thus made practically useless. The current-conducting layers on the bottom part and the top part prevent such damage from being incurred. It is important however for the conducting layers of the top part and the bottom part to be.conductively connected together as far as possible over the entire periphery of the joint between the top part and the bottom part (the journal 'Elektronik' issue 21/1984). It is known to provide on the inside of the container contacts which connect the current-conducting layers on the top part and the bottom part together when the container is in a closed condition. However, those contacts on the inside of the container are a nuisance and there is the risk of damage to the content of the container, in particular when bumps or shocks occur during transporation. There is also the risk of the contacts suffering from corrosion when the containr is used for storage over a prolonged period.

3650 2 Atteiapts have also already been made to make the elastic seal altogether current-conducting. Moisture which is present on the outside of the container however, means that surface leakage currents occur at that location, and in the course of a prolonged period of time such currents result in damage to the seal so that there is no guarantee of absolute protection for the content of the container from. moisture. That is the case in particular when the containers are used in the navy as there are always traces of salt in the atmosphere in,a seawater area.

Lo remedy the above-indicated disadvantages, the present invention is based on the problem of so designing a container of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification that Uhe protective function in relation to radiation damage is ensured over a long period of time even under unfavourable corrosive environmentdl conditions.

To solve that problem the invention provides that the seal is provided with a further current-conducting layer only on its side which faces towards the middle of the container, approximately as -Par as its central plane, and that, in addition, the current-conducting layer on the top part and the bottom part is also taken only approximately as far as the central plane of the seal.

That reliably prevents the occurrence of surface leakage currents, which are the main cause of loss of sealing integrity. At the same time that a.rangement provides an uninterrupted reliable contact bridge between the current-conducting layers on the top part and the bottom part, over the entire outside periphery of the container, thus providing 1 1 11 1 3650 3 - optimum long-torm protection.

By virtue of the fact that the currentconducting layer on the top part and the bottom part is taken in each case only approximately as far as the central plane of the seal, moisture which penetrates as far as the middle of the seal under particularly disadvantageous conditions still cannot result in any surface leakage currents which pass into the interior of the container.

In order to completely prevent moisture from penetrating as far as the elastic seal, in a further development an outwardly disposed, further, non-electrically conducting seal may additionally be provided in front of the elastic seal. The inner elastic seal may possibly be entirely covered with a current-conducting layer or it may be made from current-conducting elastic sealing material.

Further configurations according the invention are set forth in the subsidiary claims and are described in greater detail, together with the advantages thereof, in the following description, with reference to the accompanying single Figure of drawing showing a preferred embodiment.

A top part 1 of fibre-reinforced plastics material, of which only part is shown, comprises a peripherally extending edge bead 2 which carries a downwardly projecting tongue 3 which in the closed condition of the container engages into a peripherally extending groove 4 in a bottom part 5 in the edge bead 6 which also extends around the periphery of the container. A seal 7 in the form of a sealing 0-ring is fitted in the groove 4, for sealing purposes; when the end faces 8 and 9 of the top part 1 and the bottom part 5 come to bear against each other, the seal 7 produces a sealing effect, in 3650 a prestressed condition.

To provide an inexpensive design configuration with a high level of resistance to shocks and bumps the edge bead 2 is strengthened by reinforcing inserts 10, more specifically in the corner and edge region.

A respective current-conducting layer 11 and 12 is arranged on the inner surfaces of the top part 1 and the bottom part 5 respectively. The respective layers are taken over the end faces 8 and 9 as far as the middle of the groove 4 and the tongue 3, as indicated by broken lines in the accompanying Figure. In addition, provided on the external peripheral side of the seal 7 which is towards the interior of the container is a further currentconducting layer 13 which, when the container is in a closed condition, electrically conductively interconnects the currentconducting layers 11 and 12 over the entire inner periphery of the container so that the whole of the internal volume of the container is screened. The current-conducting layers 11 and 12 are produced for example by metal vapour deposition or by arc metal spraying, preferably using copper.

To provide for particularly good conductivity in respect of the further currentconducting layer 13 on the seal 7, the inner region thereof may be provided with a silver coating which in addition is particularly elastic and also relatively corrosi - on-resistant. The use of a gold coating would be the optimum in regard to resistance to corrosion and conductivity, but would be very expensive. To provide corrosion protection, the Current-conducting layers 11 and 12 may be protected with a surface protection, for example a coating of 7 1 a, 1 3650 paint or lacquer, at least in the region of the interior of the container.

3650

Claims

1. A container of fibre-reinforced plastics material for storage and/or transporation of electronic devices or parts, comprising a top part and a bottom part which are sealingly assembled by way of a groove and a tongue with the interposition of an elastic seal, wherein at least the inner surfaces of the top part and the bottom part are provided with a current-conducting layer, wherein the seal is provided with a further current-conducting layer on the side thereof which faces towards the middle of the container, approximately as far as its central plane, and in addition the current-conducting layer on the top part and the bottom part is also taken only approximately as far as the central plane of the seal.

2. A contain.er according to Claim 1 including an outwardly disposed further non-current-conducting seal provided in front of the elastic seal.

3. A container according to Claim 2 wherein the inner elastic seal is entirely covered with a current-conducting layer or comprises current conducting elastic seal material.

4. A container according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the further current-conducting layer is a silver layer.

5. A container according to Claim 4 wherein the silver layer is applied by vapour deposition.

6. A container according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the current-conducting layers on the inner side of the container are protected with a protective layer.

7. A container according to Claim 6 wherein the protective layer is a layer of paint or lacquer.

8. A container according to Claim 1, 3650 11 1 constructed, a:-ranged and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.

PubUs 1989 at The Patent 0Moe. State House, 86,71 Holboni, Lon nWC 4Tp.p,, Opl,,, be obWn Sales Branch, St MarY CraY, OrPir.Stoll, Kent BR5 SILD, Printeddo Uxth May ed from The P&Otft,,..

bY MultIP1OX tacbmlques ltd, St CM, Kent, Con. 11S7