Method and apparatus for preventing waterdrops inside a sealed instrument

• US 3,932,944 A
• Filed: 09/12/1974
• Issued: 01/20/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsumasa Chiba
• Original Assignee: Mitsumasa Chiba
• Inventors: Chiba, Mitsumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, John J.
• Application Number:
  US05/505,320
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• Field of Search: 34/12, 34/15, 34/92, 34/104, 58/1 R
• US Class Current: 34/380
• 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 7/00 Drying solid materials or objects by processes using a combination of processes not covered by a single one of groups F26B3/00 and F26B5/00 F26B1/005, F26B5/04, F26B23/026 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/02 Evacuated cases; Cases filled with gas or liquids; Cases containing substances for absorbing or binding moisture or dust
• CPC Class Codes: G04D 1/10 Devices for opening or closing watch bottoms or covers machines therefor G04D3/00

Abstract

An arrangement for preventing the production of waterdrops inside a wrist watch, comprising a hollow sealed container communicating with a suction pipe having an on-off valve for a suction pump on one side and an air feed section having an on-off valve, a desiccator and a filtering material on the other side. A watch is placed in the container with the crystal of the watch loosened. Air in the container is withdrawn by the pump to decrease the pressure therein, whereupon dry air, which has been passed through a desiccator and filtering material, is suctioned into the sealed container and enters the wrist watch therein, so that dry air is thus enclosed in the watch.

Claims

1. A method of preventing the formation of moisture in a watch having a detachable air-tight cover comprising the steps of placing the watch with its cover loosened in a sealed zone;

evacuating the air from said zone to cause a vacuum therein then feeding in dry air therein, whereby the dry air penetrates the watch and even when the zone is opened and the cover tightened, the dry air remains in the watch preventing the future foundation of moisture therein.

2. An apparatus for providing a protective dry air in a watch to prevent the formation of moisture in the watch comprising in combination:

a. a box-like housing having a deep lower chamber with a top and bottom defined therein, an elongated shallow recess upper chamber (2) with an upper peripheral abutment (8) formed of packing material around said recess upper chamber, a transparent plate (9) resting on said packing material covering said recess and sealed by said packing material, and first and second ports (4,

     3) to said upper chamber;

b. a plurality of vertical cylindrical containers (15) including a first and a last container in said lower chamber, each container being linked to another container alternately towards the top and bottom of said chamber so as to define an elongated gas travel path in said lower chamber, said containers each being filled with a silcia gel desiccator;

an air filter (17a) connected to said first container, an aperture (22) and a one-way valve (20) into said lower chamber connecting to said air filter (17a) said last container being connected to said first port (4);

c. a threaded first valve (6) with a knob (12) connected to said first port (4) to control the dry air flow into said recess upper chamber (2), and a second valve (5) connected to said second port (4);

d. a suction outlet connection connected to said second port (3) for connection to vacuum exhaust means and pump means (103) to exhaust air from said recess upper chamber whereby when a watch with a loosened cover is placed in said chamber, said first valve (6) is closed, said second valve means (5) is opened and pump means (103) exhausts air from the chamber and from the watch, then, when said second valve means is closed and said first valve means (6) is opened, dry air from said lower chamber flows into the recess upper chamber into said watch remaining therein even when said chamber is opened to allow tightening of the watch cover.