METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR DRYING ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20170082360A1
• Filed: 12/05/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Revive Electronics, LLC
• Inventors: Zielinski, Reuben, Trusty, Joel, DOUBERTEEN, David, Earle, Mark, ARAIN, Imran
• Granted Patent: US 9,644,891 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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. An apparatus, comprising:

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

an evacuation pump connected to the low pressure chamber and configured to decrease pressure within the low pressure chamber;

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

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the low pressure chamber is configured in a rectangular shape from rigid thin walled plastic with vertical ribs for structural integrity while under vacuum pressure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a relative humidity sensor and a vacuum pressure sensor are integrated within the interior of the low pressure chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the low pressure chamber is configured as a collapsible pouch and substantially forms around the electronic device under vacuum pressure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a relative humidity sensor and a vacuum pressure sensor are integrated within a sealed plenum pneumatically connected to the collapsible pouch.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the collapsible pouch is integrated with flexible conductive circuitry providing conductive heat transfer to the electronic device inside the collapsible pouch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gas injector configured and adapted for pneumatic connection to the electronic device, the injector being configured and adapted for introducing a gas into the interior of the electronic device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater comprises surface mount (SMT) resistors.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the SMT resistors are covered with a staggered airway chamber to allow gas to be heated while flowing over the SMT resistors.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heater is comprised of SMT resistors mounted on a printed circuit board and covered with a thermally conductive silicone.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a surface of the heater is shaped to conform to a shape of the electronic device placed in the low pressure chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the evacuation pump is comprised of two pumps in series.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the two pumps in series are comprised of one high volume pump and one high vacuum pump to achieve a high vacuum within a threshold period.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contact with the surface of the electronic device comprises direct contact between the heater and the surface of the electronic device.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contact with the surface of the electronic device comprises indirect contact, via one or more conductive mediums, between the heater and the surface of the electronic device.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the surface of the electronic device comprises an exterior surface or an interior surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a detector for detecting when a threshold amount of moisture has been removed from the electronic device.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further 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.