Humidity control for enclosure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10134447-B2
Application number	US-201615088675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of this disclosure are directed to methods, apparatuses and approaches involving the use of a moisture absorbing material (e.g., desiccant) to control moisture. As may be implemented consistent with one or more embodiments, moisture is removed from an environmental control module that includes a desiccant material contained within a package. Liquid is deposited inside the package and sealed with the desiccant in the package.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a package;
a desiccant material contained within the package;
a liquid within the package; and
a seal configured and arranged to seal the liquid and desiccant material in the package and being configured and arranged with the package, desiccant material and liquid to, upon opening of a passage through the seal, maintain a humidity level within an enclosure environment in which the package resides by passing humid gas between the package and the enclosure environment via the passage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured and arranged with the package, desiccant material and liquid to maintain the humidity level by passing humid gas, which carries a portion of the liquid from within the package, from the package to the enclosure environment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a channel in the package and having an opening extending from an environment within the package to an external surface of the package, the seal being configured and arranged to seal the channel.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the channel is configured and arranged to provide restricted transfer of moisture between the environment within the package and an environment in which the package resides, upon opening of the passage.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a membrane that separates the desiccant material from the passage and that is configured and arranged to transfer moisture between the desiccant material and the passage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seal includes a structural component having:
a channel configured to transfer moisture at a restricted rate, the channel being exposed to an environment in the package including the desiccant; and
a sealing component that seals the channel, the sealing component being configured and arranged to, in response to a portion thereof being altered, provide an opening into the channel and therein couple the environment in the package with an environment external to the package, via the channel.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the desiccant is configured and arranged to absorb the liquid and to, via the package and the seal, maintain relative humidity in an enclosure in which the package resides by
absorbing water vapor as relative humidity in the enclosure exceeds a target range, and
releasing water vapor as relative humidity in the enclosure falls below the target range.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the seal is a material having an adhesive configured and arranged to adhere to an external surface of the package.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including a sealed enclosure, the package being within the sealed enclosure and configured and arranged with the enclosure to provide transfer of humid gas between an environment within the package and an environment that is external to the package and within the enclosure.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the desiccant material is configured and arranged to absorb the liquid and to provide a specified relative humidity within the sealed enclosure, by releasing the absorbed liquid via the passage.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including a tool configured and arranged to, with the package sealed within the enclosure, open the passage in the seal while the enclosure is sealed, therein providing exchange of a predetermined amount of humid gas from within the package to the environment within the enclosure.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , further including a circuit component sealed within the enclosure.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the circuit component includes a hard disk-drive disk, a head-actuation assembly, and a motor, the head-actuation assembly and the motor being configured and arranged to read and write data on the disk.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the desiccant material is configured and arranged to absorb the liquid and, upon opening of the passage, absorb vapor from a portion of the sealed enclosure that is external to the package.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Beatty Paul A
• Wood Joe A

Classifications

• B01D2252/2053

  Other nitrogen compounds · CPC title

• B65B31/00

  Packaging articles or materials under special atmospheric or gaseous conditions; Adding propellants to aerosol containers · CPC title

• B01D53/1412

  Controlling the absorption process · CPC title

• B01D2252/205

  Other organic compounds not covered by B01D2252/00 - B01D2252/20494 · CPC title

• B01D2252/10

  Inorganic absorbents · CPC title