Methods and apparatuses for drying electronic devices
First Claim
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 and onto a heated conduction platen, wherein the heated conduction platen includes a platen in combination with a heater, wherein the portable electronic device is selected from the group consisting of cell phones, digital music players, watches, pagers, cameras, and tablet computers;
heating the portable electronic device;
decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber during said heating;
removing moisture from the interior of the portable electronic device to the exterior 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 chamberwherein said heating includes controlling the temperature of the heated conduction platen in contact with the electronic device to maintain the temperature of the heated conduction platen at or above approximately 110 deg. F and at or below approximately 120 deg. F, and said decreasing pressure includes decreasing the pressure to approximately 28-30 inches of Hg below the pressure outside the chamber.
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Accused Products
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.
121 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method, comprising the acts of:
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placing a portable electronic device that has been rendered at least partially inoperable due to moisture intrusion into a low-pressure chamber and onto a heated conduction platen, wherein the heated conduction platen includes a platen in combination with a heater, wherein the portable electronic device is selected from the group consisting of cell phones, digital music players, watches, pagers, cameras, and tablet computers; heating the portable electronic device; decreasing pressure within the low-pressure chamber during said heating; removing moisture from the interior of the portable electronic device to the exterior 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 wherein said heating includes controlling the temperature of the heated conduction platen in contact with the electronic device to maintain the temperature of the heated conduction platen at or above approximately 110 deg. F and at or below approximately 120 deg. F, and said decreasing pressure includes decreasing the pressure to approximately 28-30 inches of Hg below the pressure outside the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method for removing moisture from the interior of a portable electronic device, comprising the acts of:
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providing a low-pressure chamber having a heated conduction platen arranged therewithin; providing a desiccator in fluid communication with the chamber and the desiccator; providing a pump in fluid communication with the chamber; placing upon said heated conduction platen the portable electronic device that has been rendered at least partially inoperable due to moisture intrusion, the portable electronic device being selected form the group consisting of cell phones, digital music players, watches, pagers, cameras, and tablet computers; heating the electronic device conductively by heating said heated conduction platen; controlling the heating of said heated conduction platen to maintain the temperature of the heated conduction platen within a range of about 110 degrees F. to about 120 degrees F.; decreasing pressure within the chamber during said heating by drawing gas from within the chamber using said pump to approximately 28-30 inches of Hg below the pressure outside of said chamber; removing moisture from the gas flow being drawn from within the chamber prior to the gas flow reaching said pump by directing said gas flow through said desiccator in a first direction; removing moisture from the interior of the portable electronic device to the exterior of the portable electronic device; increasing pressure within the chamber after said decreasing pressure, said increasing pressure including introducing ambient air into the low-pressure chamber; measuring the relative humidity within the chamber; equalizing the pressure within the chamber with the pressure outside of said chamber; and decreasing pressure and increasing pressure within the chamber a least once until the difference between a sequential relative humidity maximum and relative humidity minimum are within a predetermined tolerance. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification