Static electricity is recognized, for example, as a prime cause of program errors, lost data, and computer downtime. There have been several prior efforts to achieve solutions to the problem of providing an anti-static product for the workplace or other environments in which sensitive computer equipment, electronic medical equipment or the like are operated.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,117,113 to Tudor (the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference), it is disclosed that the use of quaternary ammonium salts may be blended with PVC resin to provide static electricity dissipative effects. This patent also mentions that the PVC compositions may include, in addition to the quaternary ammonium salt, a variety of additives, including plasticizers, stabilizers, fillers, and colorants.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,547 discloses an anti-static material containing a base material which is rubber and/or polyvinyl chloride resin, to which are added a cationic quaternary ammonium salt and polyethylene glycol, and optionally aluminum hydroxide or calcium carbonate. At column 4, lines 6-10 it is disclosed that plasticizers such as DOP, DHP, DOA or the like, a Ba-Zn stabilizing agent for plastics, or a high molecular weight acrylic work assisting agent or the like may be added.
Anti-static formulations of PVC resin are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,325 to Long, Jr. as including (a) a zinc salt of a C8-22 fatty acid or a mixture of a zinc salt of C8-22 fatty acid and a calcium salt of a C8-22 fatty acid, (b) a tertiary amine, or (3) a mixture of a tertiary amine with a higher aliphatic alcohol.
Hydroxyalkyl quaternary ammonium ethers as antistatic agents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,440 to Susi et al. In particular, the antistatic agents disclosed in this patent are said to posses high thermal stability which minimize the degradative effects of elevated temperatures.
Another PVC formulation is disclosed in Tybus et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,413. This patent generally discloses that PVC compositions having an impact modifying agent may also include a variety of stabilizers. Specifically, it is disclosed that metal salts of fatty acids, particularly those of calcium, zinc, tin, barium and magnesium, di-organo-tin compounds. As best as applicant can determine, however, no suggestion of imparting anti-static properties to such PVC compositions is disclosed therein.