METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR DRYING ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20140259730A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Inventors: Zielinski, Reuben, Trusty, Joel, Trusty, Micah
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/403
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 2200/00 Drying processes and machines for solid materials characterised by the specific requirements of the drying good
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 25/22 Controlling the drying process in dependence on liquid content of solid materials or objects
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 3/02 by convection, i.e. heat being conveyed from a heat source to the materials or objects to be dried by a gas or vapour, e.g. air F26B3/283 and F26B3/343 take precedence
• 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 9/06 in stationary drums or chambers

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 energy, such as by using a heated platen in contact with the electronic device or by supplying a gas (e.g., air), which may be heated, into the interior of the electronic device. Embodiments include heating the gas supplied into the interior of the electronic device with pump used to decrease pressure within the electronic device and/or a separate heater. Still other embodiments include controlling the temperature of the gas supplied into the electronic device. Still further embodiments automatically control, such as by using an electronic processor, some or all aspects of the drying of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

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

decreasing pressure within the low pressure chamber;

introducing air into the interior of the electronic device, the introduced air being at a pressure above the pressure within the low pressure chamber;

removing moisture from the interior of the portable electronic device;

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 introducing air is while the pressure in the low pressure chamber is below the pressure outside the low pressure chamber.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said introducing air is during said decreasing pressure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said introducing air is before said equalizing the pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the introduced air is at a pressure above the pressure outside the low pressure chamber.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

heating the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said heating the electronic device includes heating the air introduced into the interior of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising:

measuring the temperature of the air being introduced into the interior of the electronic device.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising:

controlling the temperature of the air being introduced into the electronic device to be at least 90 degrees F. and at most 140 degrees F.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said decreasing pressure and said heating are performed by a vacuum pump.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein said decreasing pressure is performed by a vacuum pump, and wherein said heating is performed by an object other than the vacuum pump.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein said heating the electronic device includes heating the air introduced into the interior of the electronic device and heating an exterior surface of the electronic device through direct contact with the exterior surface of the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said decreasing pressure includes decreasing the pressure to at least approximately 28 inches of Hg below the pressure outside the chamber.

14. The method of claim 1, comprising:

attaching an air nozzle to an electronic port of the electronic device; and

introducing air through the electronic port.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said introducing includes introducing air into the electronic device at a rate of at least approximately 0.5 cubic feet per minute and at most approximately 2.5 cubic feet per minute.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a low pressure chamber defining an interior, the low pressure chamber with 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 and configured and adapted to decrease pressure within the low pressure chamber; and

a gas injector configured and adapted for pneumatic connection to the electronic device while the evacuation pump removes gas from the low pressure chamber, the injector being configured and adapted for introducing a gas into the interior of the electronic device, the gas being at a pressure above the pressure within the interior of the low pressure chamber.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the gas injector is configured and adapted to inject air into the interior of the electronic device.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the gas injector is configured and adapted to connect to and inject gas through an electronic connection port of the electronic device.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising:

a heater connected to the gas injector, wherein the heater heats the gas before it is introduced into the interior of the electronic device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heater is the evacuation pump.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heater is not the evacuation pump.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, comprising:

a heater adapted to heat an exterior surface of an electronic device placed in the low pressure chamber through direct contact with the exterior surface of the electronic device.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, comprising:

a controller to control the temperature of the gas introduced into the interior of the electronic device.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the heater heats the gas to at least approximately 90 degrees F. and at most approximately 140 degrees F.

25. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising:

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.

26. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller controls the evacuation pump to decrease pressure within the low pressure chamber to at least approximately 28 inches of Hg below the pressure outside the chamber.

27. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the gas injector introduces gas into the interior of the electronic device when the evacuation pump has decreased the pressure within the low pressure chamber below ambient conditions.

28. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the gas injector introduces gas into the interior of the electronic device while the evacuation pump is decreasing pressure within the low pressure chamber.

29. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the gas injector introduces gas at a pressure above the pressure outside the low pressure chamber.

30. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the gas injector is configured and adapted to introduce air into the electronic device at a rate of at least approximately 0.5 cubic feet per minute and at most approximately 2.5 cubic feet per minute.