1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing moisture from electronic devices and, more particularly, to a collapsible, standup bag having a permeable, desiccant-filled container for removing moisture from an electronic device enclosed therein.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A common problem associated with electronic devices is the likelihood of malfunction and/or damage to the electronic device should the device's electronic circuitry be exposed to overly moist conditions. Users of portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, often drop or otherwise inadvertently transport their device into a toilet, pool or other body of water, which can result in immediate damage to the device. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to humid conditions can result in moisture building up within the electronic device, which can cause damage to the device if the moisture does not evaporate.
A number of attempts have been directed to solving the problem of ridding the damaging moisture content from electronic devices to put the device back in functioning order. While heating a moisture-exposed device increases the internal vapor pressure within the device, thereby forcing out the moisture, heating the device can actually cause further damage the device if done improperly. Another common approach is placing the electronic device in rice, which has moisture absorbing qualities; however, doing so can scratch the device in addition to leaving an unpleasant residue on the outer surface of the device.
Other methods of removing moisture from electronic devices have focused on sealing the moisture-exposed device within a container having a desiccant material, such as silica gel, stored therein. One example of such an approach is described in U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2010/0122470 to Davis, which uses a desiccant material included within a sealable watertight container to remove moisture from an electronic device. A significant disadvantage of the Davis apparatus is that an entire face of the electronic device rests against an inner wall of the watertight container, which negatively impacts the ability of the desiccant material to absorb moisture from the openings in the device.
While the above described methods of removing moisture from electronic devices are useful for their intended purpose, a more efficient method of removing moisture from electronic devices is needed in order to better prevent permanent damage to moisture-exposed electronic devices.
Considering the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing moisture from an electronic device wherein all surfaces of the electronic device are exposed within the apparatus for optimum moisture absorption efficiency.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing moisture from an electronic device including a collapsible, standup bag having an opening that is resealable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing moisture from an electronic device including a desiccant-filled container having openings for absorbing the moisture from the electronic device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing moisture from an electronic device wherein the desiccant-filled container includes a cradle for vertically supporting the electronic device within the bag.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing moisture from an electronic device that includes visual display for concurrently indicating the moisture content absorbed by the desiccant-filled container.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are more readily apparent with reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for removing moisture from an electronic device and includes a desiccant-filled container within a collapsible, standup bag. The container includes openings for allowing fluid flow communication between the desiccant material and the surrounding atmosphere. The desiccant-filled container may include a cradle for vertically supporting the electronic device during the moisture removal process. Since the bag is capable of standing up, nearly every surface of the electronic device being supported on the container is exposed to the moisture absorbing desiccant material, which increases the efficiency of moisture removal from the electronic device sealed therein. A visual display is included on the bag for concurrently indicating the moisture content absorbed by the desiccant-filled container, thereby allowing the user to know when he or she can safely remove the electronic device from the resealable bag.
For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Referring initially to
The embodiment of the container 12 shown in
The bag 14 includes a top end 22 defining a resealable closure 24 and a bottom end 26 defining a collapsible, standup assembly 28. The resealable closure 24 produces an airtight enclosure within the interior chamber of the bag 14 when sealed.
As shown in
The moisture removing apparatus 10 may be used in conjunction with a number of portable electronic devices 100, including, but not limited to cellular phones, digital cameras, camcorders, mp3 players, handheld video games and electronic readers.
While the present invention has been shown and described in accordance with several preferred and practical embodiments, it is recognized that departures from the instant disclosure are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the present invention which are not to be limited except as defined in the following claims as interpreted under the Doctrine of Equivalents.
This patent application is based on provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/549,533 filed on Oct. 20, 2011.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61549533 | Oct 2011 | US |