Adsorbent breather for enclosure protection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019282945-A1
Application number	US-201616318784-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 20, 2016
Priority date	Jul 20, 2016
Publication date	Sep 19, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An adsorbent breather assembly for filtering contaminants such as particulars and vapor phase contaminants, e.g. volatile organic compounds, for use with electronic devices can include a blocking region adjacent to the adsorbent filter layer to improve filtering performance.

First claim

1 . An adsorbent breather assembly for removing contaminants within an enclosure having a fluid port, the assembly comprising:
a flow layer comprising a breathable media having at least a bottom surface and a top surface, the flow layer being in fluid communication with the fluid port; an adsorbent filter layer arranged adjacent to the top surface of the flow layer; a blocking region adjacent to the adsorbent filter layer and arranged to be at least partially aligned with the fluid port, the blocking region being configured to prevent fluid passage or diffusion therethrough; and a breathable membrane encapsulating at least the flow layer and the adsorbent filter layer.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid impermeable blocking layer, wherein the blocking region is formed by the fluid impermeable blocking layer.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive layer connected with the breathable membrane about a perimeter of the breathable membrane and configured to adhere the assembly to a surface of the enclosure.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer further comprises an adhesive layer port, the adhesive layer port being at least partially aligned with the blocking region.

6 . (canceled)

7 . (canceled)

8 . (canceled)

9 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the adhesive layer and the breathable membrane at least partially enclose the adsorbent filter layer and the flow layer.

10 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blocking region is arranged at a top surface of the adsorbent filter layer opposite the flow layer.

11 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blocking region is arranged at a bottom surface of the adsorbent filter layer adjacent to the flow layer.

12 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blocking region is embedded in the adsorbent filter layer.

13 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the adsorbent filter layer comprises a first adsorbent filter layer and a second adsorbent filter layer arranged in at least partial contact with the first adsorbent filter layer; and the fluid impermeable blocking region is arranged between the first adsorbent filter layer and the second adsorbent filter layer.

14 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the port has a first area; and the blocking region has a second area larger than the first area.

15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the second area of the blocking region is aligned with the first area of the port and fully encompasses the first area.

16 . (canceled)

17 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the ratio of the blocking region area to the adsorbent filter layer area is between 10 and 100%.

18 . (canceled)

19 . (canceled)

20 . (canceled)

21 . (canceled)

22 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the blocking region is encapsulated between the breathable membrane layer and the adsorbent filter layer.

23 . (canceled)

24 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the breathable membrane is configured to permit a primary airflow to flow from the port, through the flow layer, through the adsorbent filter layer, and pass out of the assembly through the breathable membrane; and also configured to permit a secondary airflow to pass or diffuse into the adsorbent filter layer through the breathable membrane and then pass or diffuse back out of the adsorbent filter layer through the breathable membrane.

25 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the enclosure comprises an electronic device enclosure configured to retain an electronic device; the fluid port comprises a port in a wall of the enclosure; and the breathable membrane is arranged to allow a primary airflow entering the port to flow through the flow layer, through the adsorbent filter layer, and into an interior of the enclosure through the breathable membrane.

26 . The assembly of claim 25 , wherein the fluid port is an enclosure port, and further comprising:
an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer being arranged adjacent to the flow layer opposite the adsorbent filter layer, wherein the adhesive layer and the breathable membrane encapsulate the flow layer and the adsorbent filter layer, and wherein the adhesive layer has an adhesive layer port therethrough, the adhesive layer port being aligned with the enclosure port.

27 . (canceled)

28 . (canceled)

29 . A method of mitigating contamination of an electronic device enclosure, the method comprising:
flowing a primary airflow from an exterior of the electronic assembly enclosure through an inlet of the electronic assembly enclosure and into an interior of the electronic assembly enclosure through an adsorbent breather assembly, the adsorbent breather assembly comprising:
a flow layer arranged in fluid communication with the inlet;
an adsorbent filter layer arranged adjacent to the flow layer; and
a blocking region arranged adjacent to the adsorbent filter layer and aligned with the inlet;
passing the primary airflow through the flow layer and into the adsorbent filter layer; passing the primary airflow around the nonporous blocking region to laterally flow at least a portion of the primary airflow through the adsorbent breather assembly; and blocking the diffusion pathway of adsorbed contaminate vapors to prevent pre-mature vapor breakthrough at the vicinity of the inlet hole.

30 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising:
flowing a secondary airflow from the interior of the electronic assembly enclosure and into the adsorbent breather assembly; and flowing the secondary airflow from the adsorbent breather assembly back to the electronic device assembly interior to adsorb contaminants in the secondary airflow.

Assignees

• Gore & Ass
• W L Gore & Associates Tech Shenzhen Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lu xiao chun
• Gidumal Rajan
• Li Xishou

Classifications

• B01D53/04

  with stationary adsorbents {(B01D53/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B01D46/10 Primary

  Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces · CPC title

• G11B33/1486

  Control/regulation of the pressure, e.g. the pressure inside the housing of a drive · CPC title

• G11B25/043

  using rotating discs · CPC title

• B01D2251/306

  of potassium · CPC title