Patent ID: 7399931

Claim:
A gasket for protecting a fingerprint reader from receiving an electrostatic discharge when a user's finger is placed in contact with an electronic scanning portion of the fingerprint reader, the gasket comprising a resilient member having an electrically-conductive lower surface, an opening, and one or more flanges extending generally upwardly relative to the electrically-conductive lower surface about the opening, the one or more flanges having electrically non-conductive inner flange surfaces, the opening configured to allow the gasket to be positioned generally about the electronic scanning portion with a path to ground for the electrostratic discharge being formed by the gasket's electrically-conductive lower surface contacting a portion of the fingerprint reader, and with the electrically non-conductive inner flange surfaces forming an electrically-insulative barrier generally between the electronic scanning portion, the electrostatic discharge, and the electrically-conductive lower surface.