Patent ID: 9709327
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: F26B

Claim:
1. A system for rapidly drying inundated wireless telecommunications handsets, comprising: a housing defining one or more chambers for receiving an inundated wireless telecommunications handset, said one or more chambers enclosing a space around a surface, said space being sized and shaped to receive a wireless telecommunications handset therein, said surface being positioned to support an inundated handset within said one or more chambers, and said one or more chambers being sealable to create a seal for sustaining a negative pressure atmosphere in said space in excess of a threshold for at least an effective duration of time in excess of twenty minutes; a negative pressure system for producing said negative pressure atmosphere in said space at magnitudes equal to or greater than said threshold, said threshold being equal to or greater than 30 mm Hg gauge pressure; said housing having a door for each of said one or more chambers for opening access to said one or more chambers, said door being positionable in at least two positions, including an open position for opening external access to said one or more chambers to allow placement of said inundated handset on said surface in said one or more chambers, and including a closed position for closing external access to said one or more chambers and enabling said seal; said surface comprising a thermal energy system for delivering thermal energy to a handset in said space, said thermal energy system comprising an electrical resistive heating element; one or more sensors for directly or indirectly monitoring one or more conditions in said space; an indicator for indicating a state to a user, said state being a state of completion of said effective duration and/or a state of completion of the operation of the system; one or more controllers for serving operative functions while said door is closed and said seal is created, said functions including (i) causing said negative pressure system to operatively produce said negative pressure atmosphere in said chamber, (ii) causing said thermal energy system to operatively deliver said thermal energy, (iii) monitoring said one or more sensors, and (iv) operatively controlling said indicator; an interface module having a display screen for communicative interaction with a user of said system; and a mechanism for accepting payment by a user of said system.