METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR DRYING ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20130192083A1
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Inventors: Zielinski, Reuben Quincey, Trusty, Joel Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,991,067 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/403
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/08 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/083 by using sorbent or hygroscopic materials, e.g. chemical substances, molecular sieves
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/10 Temperature; Pressure F26B23/026 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/06 Chambers, containers, or receptacles large containers having means for heating, cooling, aerating or other conditioning of contents B65D88/74
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/14 Chambers, containers, receptacles of simple construction
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/22 Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/00 Drying solid materials or objects by processes involving the application of heat in specific machines or apparatus F26B9/00 - F26B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/353 Resistance heating , e.g. using the materials or objects to be dried as an electrical resistance
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/04 by evaporation or sublimation of moisture under reduced pressure, e.g. in a vacuum F26B11/049 and F26B17/128 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 5/044 for drying materials in a batch operation in an enclosure having a plurality of shelves which may be heated F26B5/045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 9/003 Small self-contained devices, e.g. portable

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for drying electronic devices are disclosed. Embodiments include methods and apparatuses that heat and decrease pressure within the electronic device. Some embodiments increase and decrease pressure while adding heat. Other embodiments include a desiccator for removing moisture from the air being evacuated from the electronic device prior to the air reaching an evacuation pump. Further embodiments detect humidity within the low-pressure chamber and determine when to increase and/or decrease pressure based on the humidity. Still further embodiments determine that the device is sufficiently dry to restore proper function based on the detected humidity, and in some embodiments based on the changes in humidity while pressure is being increased and/or decreased. Still further alternate embodiments automatically control some or all aspects of the drying of the electronic device. Additional embodiment disinfect the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the acts of:

placing a portable electronic device that has been rendered at least partially inoperable due to moisture intrusion into a low-pressure chamber;

heating the electronic device;

decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber;

removing moisture from the interior of the portable electronic device to the exterior of the portable electronic device;

increasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber after said decreasing pressure;

equalizing the pressure within the low-pressure chamber with the pressure outside the low-pressure chamber; and

removing the portable electronic device from the low-pressure chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing includes placing the portable electronic device on a platen, and said heating includes heating the platen to at least approximately 110 deg. F. and at most approximately 120 deg. F.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said placing includes placing the portable electronic device on a platen, said heating includes heating the platen to at least approximately 110 deg. F. and at most approximately 120 deg. F., and said decreasing pressure includes decreasing the pressure to at least approximately 28 inches of Hg below the pressure outside the chamber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said decreasing pressure and increasing pressure are repeated sequentially before said removing the portable electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising:

automatically controlling said repeated decreasing pressure and increasing pressure according to at least one predetermined criterion.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising:

detecting when a sufficient amount of moisture has been removed from the electronic device; and

stopping the repeated decreasing pressure and increasing pressure after said detecting.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

measuring the relative humidity within the low-pressure chamber; and

increasing pressure after the relative humidity has decreased and the rate of decrease of the relative humidity has slowed.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

measuring the relative humidity within the low-pressure chamber;

wherein said decreasing pressure and increasing pressure are repeated sequentially before said removing the portable electronic device; and

wherein said decreasing pressure begins when the relative humidity has increased and the rate of increase of the relative humidity has slowed.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

measuring the relative humidity within the low-pressure chamber;

wherein said decreasing pressure and increasing pressure are repeated sequentially before said removing the portable electronic device; and

wherein said repeated decreasing pressure and increasing pressure is stopped once the difference between a sequential relative humidity maximum and relative humidity minimum are within a predetermined tolerance.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

measuring the relative humidity within the low-pressure chamber;

wherein said decreasing pressure and increasing pressure are repeated sequentially before said removing the portable electronic device; and

wherein said repeated decreasing pressure and increasing pressure is stopped once the relative humidity within the chamber reaches a predetermined value.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising:

decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber using a pump; and

removing moisture from the gas being drawn from the chamber with the pump prior to the gas reaching the pump.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising:

removing moisture from a desiccant, wherein said removing moisture includes removing moisture using the desiccant

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

isolating the desiccant from the pump prior to said removing moisture from the desiccant.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising:

reversing the airflow through the desiccator while removing moisture from the desiccant.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said heating includes heating the desiccant to approximately 250 deg. F.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising:

disinfecting the electronic device.

17. The method of claim 1, comprising:

detecting when a sufficient amount of moisture has been removed from the electronic device.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a low-pressure chamber defining an interior, the low-pressure chamber having an interior sized and configured for placement of an electronic device in the interior and removal of an electronic device from the interior;

an evacuation pump connected to the chamber;

a heater connected to the chamber; and

a controller connected to the evacuation pump and to the heater, the controller controlling removal of moisture from the electronic device by controlling the evacuation pump to decrease pressure within the low-pressure chamber and controlling operation of the heater to add heat to the electronic device.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller controls the evacuation pump to decrease pressure within the low-pressure chamber multiple times, and wherein the pressure within the low-pressure chamber increases between successive decreases in pressure.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, comprising:

a valve connected to the low-pressure chamber and the controller, wherein the pressure within the low-pressure chamber increases between successive decreases in pressure at least in part due to the controller controlling the valve to increase pressure.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, comprising:

a humidity sensor connected to the low-pressure chamber and the controller, wherein the controller controls the evacuation pump to at least temporarily stop decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber based at least in part on signals received from the humidity sensor.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the controller controls the evacuation pump to at least temporarily stop decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber when the rate at which the relative humidity changes is approximately zero.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein humidity sensor detects maximum and minimum values of relative humidity as the evacuation pump decreases pressure within the low-pressure chamber multiple times, and wherein the controller determines that the device is dry when the difference between successive maximum and minimum relative humidity values is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the controller controls the valve to equalize pressure between the interior of the low-pressure chamber and the outside of the low-pressure chamber.

25. The apparatus of claim 18, comprising:

a humidity sensor connected to the low-pressure chamber and the controller,

wherein the controller controls the evacuation pump to begin decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber when the rate at which the relative humidity changes either is approximately zero.

26. The apparatus of claim 18, comprising:

a temperature sensor connected to the heater and the controller, wherein the controller controls the heater to maintain a predetermined temperature based at least in part on signals received from the pressure sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 18, comprising:

a pressure sensor connected to the low-pressure chamber and the controller, wherein the controller controls the evacuation pump to at least temporarily stop decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber based at least in part on signals received from the pressure sensor.

28. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the heater includes a platen with which the electronic device is in direct contact during removal of moisture from the electronic device.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, comprising:

a sterilizing member connected to the chamber, the sterilizing member being configured and adapted to kill germs on an electronic device positioned within the chamber.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

means for heating an electronic device;

means for reducing the pressure within the electronic device; and

means for detecting when a sufficient amount of moisture has been removed from the electronic device.