projector

Abstract

This projector provides a mechanism to suppress malfunctions caused by filter clogging. [Solution] The projector of the present invention has an air intake port for taking in air, and comprises an outer casing that constitutes the outer casing, a filter attached to the air intake port, an air intake chamber that takes in air through the filter, a first fan and a second fan arranged in the air intake chamber, and a partition that divides the air intake chamber into a first space where the first fan is located and a second space where the second fan is located, wherein the air intake capacity of the first fan is greater than that of the second fan.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a projector.

Background Art

[0002] There is disclosed a projector that cools an optical member with outside air taken into an intake chamber in which a plurality of intake fans are arranged from an intake port provided in an outer housing (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). In this projector, a filter for capturing foreign substances such as dust contained in the outside air is arranged at the intake port.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above projector, when a plurality of intake fans having different output air volumes are arranged in one intake chamber and the intake filter becomes clogged, a backflow occurs in the fan with a small output air volume, so that the cooling by the fan with a small output air volume does not function, and some of the optical components to be cooled cannot be sufficiently cooled, resulting in a malfunction.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present invention, a projector is provided comprising: an outer casing having an air intake port for taking in air inside; a filter disposed in the air intake port; an air intake chamber for drawing in air through the filter; a first fan and a second fan disposed in the air intake chamber; and a partition in the air intake chamber that separates a first space where the first fan is located from a second space where the second fan is located, wherein the air intake capacity of the first fan is greater than that of the second fan. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the projector according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the intake unit. [Figure 3] This is a plan view showing the internal configuration of the intake unit. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the configuration of the intake unit of a comparative example. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the airflow in the intake unit of this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the dimensions of each component may be shown on a different scale to make them easier to see.

[0008] Figure 1 shows the configuration of the projector in this embodiment. The projector 1 of this embodiment modulates illumination light emitted from the light source unit 2 to generate image light corresponding to image information, and projects the formed image light onto a projection surface such as a screen. As shown in Figure 1, the projector 1 comprises a light source unit 2, an image forming unit 3, a projection optical unit 4, an outer casing 5, an intake unit 6, an exhaust unit 7, a first duct member 8, a second duct member 9, and a control device CONT.

[0009] The following explanation will use the XYZ Cartesian coordinate system as needed. In each drawing, the X-axis is the axis along the optical axis AX1 of the illumination light WL emitted from the light source unit 2 toward the image forming unit 3. The Y-axis is perpendicular to the X-axis and is the axis along the direction in which the projection optical unit 4 projects image light, i.e., the optical axis AX2 of the projection optical unit 4. The Z-axis is the axis perpendicular to the optical axes AX1 and AX2. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the direction along the Z-axis is referred to as the "up-down Z direction," with +Z being the "upper side" and -Z being the "lower side," the direction along the X-axis is referred to as the "left-right X direction," with +X being the "right side" and -X being the "left side," and the direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the "front-back Y direction," with +Y being the "front side" and -Y being the "rear side." Note that the vertical Z direction, horizontal X direction, and front-to-back Y direction are merely names used to describe the arrangement of the various components of the projector 1, and do not define the actual installation posture or direction of the projector 1.

[0010] The light source unit 2 supplies white illumination light WL to the image forming section 30 of the image forming unit 3. The light source unit 2 is, for example, a halogen lamp, a mercury lamp, a light-emitting diode, or a laser light source.

[0011] The image forming unit 3 includes an image forming section 30, a uniform illumination optical system 31, and a color separation light guide optical system 32. The image forming section 30 includes light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B, and a cross dichroic prism 34. Each of the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B modulates the incident color light according to the image information to form image light. Each of the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B is composed of a light-transmitting liquid crystal panel.

[0012] The cross dichroic prism 34 combines the image light emitted from each of the optical modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B. The cross dichroic prism 34 has a roughly square shape in plan view, formed by bonding together four right-angle prisms, and a dielectric multilayer film is provided at the roughly X-shaped interface where the right-angle prisms are bonded together. Based on this configuration, the image forming unit 30 of this embodiment generates full-color image light by combining image light of each color.

[0013] In this embodiment, field lenses 10R, 10G, and 10B are provided on the light incident side of each of the optical modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B. Although not shown in the diagram, an incident polarizer is placed between each of the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B and each of the field lenses 10R, 10G, and 10B, and an exit polarizer is placed between each of the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B and the cross dichroic prism 34.

[0014] The illumination light WL emitted from the light source unit 2 is incident on the uniform illumination optical system 31. The uniform illumination optical system 31 includes a first lens array 311, a second lens array 312, a polarization conversion element 313, and a superimposed lens 314.

[0015] The first lens array 311 includes a plurality of first mini-lenses for dividing the illumination light WL from the light source unit 2 into a plurality of partial luminous beams. The plurality of first mini-lenses are arranged in a matrix in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis AX1 of the illumination light WL.

[0016] The second lens array 312 includes a plurality of second small lenses corresponding to the plurality of first small lenses of the first lens array 311. The plurality of second small lenses are arranged in a matrix in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis AX1.

[0017] The second lens array 312, together with the superimposing lens 314, forms an image of each first small lens of the first lens array 311 near the image formation regions of the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B, respectively.

[0018] The polarization conversion element 313 converts the light emitted from the second lens array 312 into one linearly polarized light. The polarization conversion element 313 has, for example, a polarization separation film and a retardation plate (not shown).

[0019] The superimposing lens 314 condenses each partial light beam emitted from the polarization conversion element 313 and superimposes them near the image formation regions of the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B, respectively.

[0020] The color separation light guiding optical system 32 separates the illumination light WL passing through the uniform illumination optical system 31 into red light LR, green light LG, and blue light LB, and guides them to the respective light modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B. The color separation light guiding optical system 32 includes a first dichroic mirror 321, a second dichroic mirror 322, a first reflection mirror 323, a second reflection mirror 324, a third reflection mirror 325, a first relay lens 326, and a second relay lens 327.

[0021] The first dichroic mirror 321 reflects red light LR and transmits green light LG and blue light LB. The second dichroic mirror 322 reflects green light LG and transmits blue light LB from the green light LG and blue light LB that have been transmitted through the first dichroic mirror 321. The first reflective mirror 323 reflects red light LR. The second reflective mirror 324 and the third reflective mirror 325 reflect blue light LB. The first relay lens 326 is positioned between the second dichroic mirror 322 and the second reflective mirror 324, and the second relay lens 327 is positioned between the second reflective mirror 324 and the third reflective mirror 325.

[0022] The projection optical unit 4 consists of a group of projection lenses, and full-color image light synthesized by the cross dichroic prism 34 of the image forming unit 30 is incident on it. In this embodiment, the projector 1 may be equipped with a lens shift mechanism that shifts the optical axis AX2 of the projection optical unit 4.

[0023] The outer casing 5 houses the light source unit 2, the image forming unit 3, the intake unit 6, and the exhaust unit 7, and also constitutes the outer casing of the projector 1. In the projector 1 of this embodiment, a heat source that generates heat during operation is housed inside the outer casing 5. In this embodiment, examples of heat sources include the optical modulation panels 33R, 33G, and 33B of the image forming unit 3, and the polarization conversion element 313 of the uniform illumination optical system 31.

[0024] The intake unit 6 is a unit that supplies air K drawn in from outside the outer casing 5 to the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, 33B and the polarization conversion element 313, which are heat sources, in order to cool the heat sources. If dust adheres to the light modulation panels 33R, 33G, 33B and the polarization conversion element 313, which are heat sources of the projector 1 in this embodiment, there is a risk that shadows of dust and other particles may enter the image light. For this reason, the intake unit 6 in this embodiment is assumed to be equipped with a filter 60 that captures dust contained in the air K. Details of the configuration of the intake unit 6 will be described later.

[0025] The first duct member 8 is a component that supplies the air K drawn in by the first fan 71 of the intake unit 6 to the light modulation panels 33B and 33G, which are the first heat sources that are relatively hot. The first duct member 8 efficiently cools the light modulation panels 33B and 33G by blowing air out from the outlet 8a. The second duct member 9 is a component that supplies air K drawn in by the second fan 72 of the intake unit 6 to the optical modulation panel 33R and the polarization conversion element 313, which are second heat sources that are at a lower temperature than the first heat source. The second duct member 9 efficiently cools the optical modulation panel 33R and the polarization conversion element 313 by blowing air out from the outlet 9a.

[0026] The control device CONT controls the operation of each component of the projector 1. The control device CONT includes a control unit C1, a storage unit C2, and a drive unit C3. The control unit C1 consists of a processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory unit C2 is a memory that includes HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. For example, the memory unit C2 stores various programs, various instructions, various information, etc. that the projector 1 processes when it is in operation. The control unit C1 reads predetermined information from the storage unit C2 and outputs control signals for each device to the drive unit C3. Based on the control signals output from the control unit C1, the drive unit C3 generates drive signals for the light source unit 2, the image forming unit 3, the intake unit 6, and the exhaust unit 7, respectively.

[0027] The outer casing 5 includes a front section 51, a rear section 52, a left side section 53, a right side section 54, a top section 55, and a bottom section 56. The outer casing 5 is formed, for example, in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. In Figure 1, the top section 55 is shown as a transparent material to illustrate the internal structure of the outer casing 5.

[0028] The front portion 51 is a plate-shaped part located on the front side (+Y) in the front-rear direction Y, and is aligned with the XZ plane. The rear portion 52 is a plate-like part located on the rear side (-Y) in the front-rear direction Y, and is aligned with the XZ plane. The left side portion 53 is a plate-like part located to the left (-X) of the left-right direction X, and is aligned with the YZ plane. The right side portion 54 is a plate-like portion located to the right (+X) of the left-right direction X, and is aligned with the YZ plane. The top surface portion 55 is a plate-like portion that lies along the XY plane, connecting the upper (+Z) ends of the front portion 51, rear portion 52, left side portion 53, and right side portion 54. The bottom portion 56 is a plate-like part that lies along the XY plane, connecting the lower (-Z) ends of the front portion 51, rear portion 52, left side portion 53, and right side portion 54.

[0029] The front portion 51 has an opening 51a located approximately in the center. The projection optical unit 4 is inserted into the outer housing 5 through the opening 51a and connected to the image forming unit 3. In this embodiment, the front end of the projection optical unit 4 protrudes outward from the outer housing 5 through the opening 51a, but the front end of the projection optical unit 4 may be located inside the outer housing 5 beyond the opening 51a.

[0030] Within the outer casing 5, the intake unit 6 is positioned to the left (-X) of the image forming unit 3. The left side surface 53 of the outer casing 5 has an intake port 53a. The intake port 53a is located opposite the intake unit 6 and takes in outside air K into the outer casing 5.

[0031] Within the outer casing 5, the exhaust unit 7 is positioned to the right (+X) of the image forming unit 3. The right side surface 54 of the outer casing 5 has an exhaust port 54a. The exhaust port 54a is located opposite the exhaust unit 7. The exhaust unit 7 is an exhaust fan, such as a centrifugal fan or a sirocco fan, that releases heat from inside the outer casing 5 to the outside. Based on this configuration, the projector 1 of this embodiment is supplied to the outer casing 5 by the intake unit 6, and the heated air after the heat source has been cooled can be discharged to the outside of the outer casing 5 by the exhaust unit 7.

[0032] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the intake unit 6. Figure 3 is a plan view showing the internal configuration of the intake unit 6. In Figure 3, the intake case 61 is shown as a transparent component to make the internal configuration easier to see. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the intake unit 6 comprises a filter 60, an intake case 61, an intake chamber 62, a first fan 71 and a second fan 72, a compartment 63, and a pressure sensor 65.

[0033] The filter 60 is positioned in the intake port 53a of the outer casing 5 and collects dust contained in the air K drawn into the interior from the intake port 53a. The filter 60 is held in the intake case 61. The filter 60 is fixed to the fixing part 610 of the intake case 61. Details of the filter 60 will be described later. The intake case 61 constitutes the intake chamber 62. The intake chamber 62 takes in air K through the filter 60. The first fan 71 and the second fan 72 are located in the intake chamber 62.

[0034] One possible configuration would be to install multiple intake chambers (for example, two) with fans, i.e., two intake units. However, in this case, multiple spaces are required to house the intake units, which leads to the problem of the projector itself becoming larger. Also, if multiple intake chambers are installed, multiple filters are required, meaning that the user will need to replace filters in multiple locations during maintenance, making maintenance work complicated.

[0035] In contrast, the intake unit 6 of this embodiment is based on a configuration in which two fans 71 and 72 are housed in one intake chamber 62, and one filter 60 is placed in each intake chamber 62. As a result, the intake unit 6 of this embodiment is designed to reduce the size of the projector 1 while improving the ease of maintenance work.

[0036] As shown in Figure 3, the intake chamber 62 includes a first space 621 where the first fan 71 is located and a second space 622 where the second fan 72 is located. For example, centrifugal fans and sirocco fans can be used as the first fan 71 and the second fan 72, but the type of fan is not limited to these. In this embodiment, for example, sirocco fans were used as the first fan 71 and the second fan 72.

[0037] In this embodiment, the first fan 71 and the second fan 72 have different specifications or sizes, with the first fan 71 being larger than the second fan 72. Therefore, the intake capacity of the first fan 71 is greater than that of the second fan 72. In this embodiment, the intake capacity of the first fan 71 is set to twice that of the second fan 72.

[0038] In this specification, intake capacity refers to the amount of air drawn in by the fan operating when the projector is running. In other words, high intake capacity means a large amount of air actually drawn in when the projector is running. Therefore, even if the first fan 71 and the second fan 72 have the same configuration (same specifications and size) and there is no difference in performance, if they are driven under different operating conditions, the situation in which the intake volume of the first fan 71 becomes greater than that of the second fan 72 also means that the intake capacity of the first fan 71 is greater than that of the second fan 72.

[0039] The partition 63 is a component that partitions the intake chamber 62, which is the internal space of the intake case 61. The partition 63 may be composed of a part of the intake case 61, or it may be composed of a component separate from the intake case 61. In the intake chamber 62, the first space 621 and the second space 622 are partitioned by the partition 63. The partition 63 includes a plate portion 63a that partitions the intake chamber 62, and a connecting portion 63b that protrudes from the tip of the plate portion 63a toward the filter 60 and is connected to the filter 60.

[0040] Based on this configuration, the intake chamber 62 is divided into a first space 621 and a second space 622 by a partition 63, thereby restricting the inflow of air between the first space 621 and the second space 622. Therefore, only air K that has passed through the filter 60 can be taken into the first space 621 and the second space 622.

[0041] As mentioned above, the first fan 71 is larger than the second fan 72, so the first space 621 that houses the first fan 71 is wider than the second space 622 that houses the second fan 72.

[0042] The filter 60 comprises a filter body FM and a retaining frame 602 that holds the filter body FM. The filter body FM is made of a material capable of collecting dust, such as a nonwoven fabric or a mesh material.

[0043] The retaining frame 602 includes a frame 20 that surrounds the outer periphery of the filter body FM, and a first partition wall 21 and a second partition wall 22 that divide the area surrounded by the rectangular frame 20. When viewed from above, the frame 20 has a first side portion L1 and a second side portion L2 that form the long sides of a rectangle and are opposite to each other, and a third side portion L3 and a fourth side portion L4 that form the short sides of a rectangle and are opposite to each other.

[0044] The filter body FM includes a first filter section FM1, a second filter section FM2, and a third filter section FM3. The first filter section FM1, the second filter section FM2, and the third filter section FM3 are all the same size. The first filter section FM1 is provided in the area enclosed by the frame 20 and the first partition wall 21. The second filter section FM2 is provided in the area enclosed by the frame 20, the first partition wall 21, and the second partition wall 22. The third filter section FM3 is provided in the area enclosed by the frame 20 and the second partition wall 22.

[0045] The fixing part 610 holds the filter 60 by surrounding the outer surface of the retaining frame 602, so that the side of the filter 60 opposite to the intake surface is in contact with the case side wall 611 or facing it with a small gap. The case side wall 611 has a first air intake port 11 that communicates with the first space 621 and a second air intake port 12 that communicates with the second space 622. As a result, the first fan 71 draws in the air K taken in through the filter 60 into the first space 621 from the first air intake port 11. The second fan 72 also draws in the air K taken in through the filter 60 into the second space 622 from the second air intake port 12.

[0046] The filter 60 in this embodiment can be fixed to the fixing portion 610 of the intake case 61 even if its orientation in the left-right direction is reversed. Therefore, since the intake unit 6 in this embodiment has two mounting directions for the filter 60, the ease of filter replacement for the user can be improved.

[0047] When the filter 60 is fixed to the fixing part 610 with the first side L1 positioned upward (+Z) and the second side L2 positioned downward (-Z), the first partition wall 21 of the filter 60 is connected to the connection part 63b of the compartment 63. On the other hand, when the filter 60 is fixed to the fixing part 610 with the second side L2 positioned upward (+Z) and the first side L1 positioned downward (-Z), the second partition wall 22 of the filter 60 is connected to the connection part 63b of the compartment 63.

[0048] Hereinafter, the state in which the first partition wall 21 is connected to the partitioned section 63 will be referred to as the first state, and the state in which the second partition wall 22 is connected to the partitioned section 63 will be referred to as the second state. In other words, the positions of the first side L1 and the second side L2 relative to the partition 63 in the second state are reversed compared to the positions of the first side L1 and the second side L2 relative to the partition 63 in the first state.

[0049] As shown in Figure 3, in the first state, the filter body FM is divided by the first partition wall 21 into a first part B1 corresponding to the first space 621 and a second part B2 corresponding to the second space 622. In the first state, the first part B1 corresponds to the first filter section FM1 and the second filter section FM2 of the filter body FM, and the second part B2 corresponds to the third filter section FM3 of the filter body FM.

[0050] In the first state, the first partition wall 21 is fitted into the connection part 63b of the compartment 63, thereby dividing the filter 60 between the first part B1 and the second part B2 in a manner that prevents air from flowing in. That is, the first partition wall 21 is connected to the compartment 63 with the filter 60 fixed to the fixing part 610, and together with the compartment 63, separates the air K taken into the interior of the outer casing 5 via the filter 60 into air flowing into the first space 621 and air flowing into the second space 622. For this reason, the first fan 71 draws in air via the first filter part FM1 and the second filter part FM2, which correspond to the first part B1 of the filter 60, and the second fan 72 draws in air via the third filter part FM3, which corresponds to the second part B2 of the filter 60.

[0051] On the other hand, in the second state, where the position of the filter 60 shown in Figure 2 is inverted vertically, the filter body FM is divided by the second partition wall 22 into a first part B1 corresponding to the first space 621 and a second part B2 corresponding to the second space 622. In the second state, the first part B1 corresponds to the second filter section FM2 and the third filter section FM3 of the filter body FM, and the second part B2 corresponds to the first filter section FM1 of the filter body FM.

[0052] In the second state, the second partition wall 22 fits into the connection part 63b of the compartment 63, thereby dividing the filter 60 between the first part B1 and the second part B2 in a manner that prevents air from flowing in. That is, the second partition wall 22 connects to the compartment 63 with the filter 60 fixed to the fixing part 610, and together with the compartment 63, separates the air K taken into the interior of the outer casing 5 via the filter 60 into air flowing into the first space 621 and air flowing into the second space 622. For this reason, the first fan 71 draws in air via the second filter part FM2 and the third filter part FM3, which correspond to the first part B1 of the filter 60, and the second fan 72 draws in air via the first filter part FM1, which corresponds to the second part B2 of the filter 60.

[0053] In this embodiment, the intake unit 6 is configured such that air that has passed through the first part B1 of the filter 60 is supplied to the first space 621, and air that has passed through the second part B2 of the filter 60 is supplied to the second space 622.

[0054] The pressure sensor 65 detects the pressure in the first space 621 of the intake chamber 62. In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 65 is located on the outside of the intake case 61, and at least the sensor light-receiving surface is positioned within the first space 621 through a through hole (not shown). The pressure sensor 65 is electrically connected to the control device CONT of the projector 1. The pressure sensor 65 outputs the detection result to the control device CONT.

[0055] When the projector 1 of this embodiment is driven, the control device CONT controls the first fan 71 and the second fan 72 based on the detection result of the pressure sensor 65. The control device CONT compares the detection result of the pressure sensor 65 with a threshold value stored in the storage unit C2. If the detection result of the pressure sensor 65 is higher than the threshold value, the control device CONT determines that there is no clogging in the filter 60 and controls the operation of the first fan 71 and the second fan 72 to continue.

[0056] The air drawn in by the first fan 71 is supplied to the light modulation panels 33B and 33G via the first duct member 8, cooling the light modulation panels 33B and 33G. The air drawn in by the second fan 72 cools the light modulation panel 33R and the polarization conversion element 313 via the second duct member 9. As a result, the projector 1 of this embodiment can suppress the temperature rise of the heat sources, the light modulation panels 33B, 33G, 33R and the polarization conversion element 313, without allowing dust to adhere to them.

[0057] Here, as a comparative example, the effects obtained by the intake unit 6 of this embodiment will be explained by comparing it with a configuration in which there is no partition 63 separating the first space 621 and the second space 622.

[0058] Figure 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an intake unit in a comparative example. Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 3, which shows the configuration of the intake unit 6 in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 4, the intake unit 106 of the comparative example has an intake chamber 162 that is not partitioned and is therefore a single space. Also, the filter 160 in the intake unit 106 of the comparative example does not have a first partition wall 21 and a second partition wall 22 connected to the partition section 63.

[0059] In the comparative example intake unit 106 having such a configuration, suppose that the filter 160 becomes clogged with deposits 90. At this time, if a first fan 71 and a second fan 72 with different intake capacities are arranged in the intake chamber 162, the first fan 71, which has a relatively larger intake capacity, will take in air K1 from inside the outer casing 5, which is easier to draw in, via the second fan 72, rather than through the filter 160. Although not shown in Figure 4, the air K1 from inside the outer casing 5 is taken in from the second duct member 9 to the second fan 72.

[0060] In other words, in the comparative example intake unit 106, if the filter 160 becomes clogged with dust and other deposits 90, the air K1 inside the outer casing 5 flows backward through the second fan 72 and is circulated inside the outer casing 5 by the first fan 71. Since this backward-flowing air through the second fan 72 is heated by the heat source inside the outer casing 5, the first fan 71 begins to supply high-temperature air to the heat source inside the outer casing 5. Consequently, the cooling performance of the heat source by the first fan 71 is significantly reduced, and the second fan 72 is unable to cool the heat source.

[0061] In the comparative example intake unit 106, the pressure inside the intake chamber 162 is detected, but because the backflow of air from the second fan 72 makes it difficult for the pressure inside the intake chamber 162 to decrease, a pressure drop inside the intake chamber 162 cannot be detected well. For this reason, even if the pressure inside the intake chamber 162 is detected in the comparative example intake unit 106, it is difficult to determine whether or not the filter 160 is clogged.

[0062] Therefore, in the comparative example intake unit 106, if the filter 160 became clogged, the temperature of the heat source inside the outer casing 5 could become too high, potentially causing malfunctions or failures due to exposure to high temperatures.

[0063] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the airflow in the intake unit 6 of this embodiment. In contrast to the configuration of the comparative example, in the intake unit 6 of this embodiment, the first space 621 where the first fan 71 is located and the second space 622 where the second fan 72 is located are separated by a partition 63, so that the first fan 71 does not take in air from the second space 622 side. Therefore, even if the filter 60 becomes clogged with deposits 90, as shown in Figure 5, the first fan 71, which has a large intake capacity, takes in air K through the filter 60. Similarly, the second fan 72 also takes in air K through the filter 60.

[0064] In the intake unit 6 of this embodiment, if the filter 60 becomes clogged, for example, the amount of air that the first fan 71 draws in from the outside through the filter 60 decreases, so the amount of air discharged by the first fan 71 into the first space 621 becomes greater than the amount of air supplied from the outside. Therefore, when the filter 60 begins to become clogged, the amount of air discharged from the first space 621 increases, causing the pressure inside the first space 621 to begin to decrease.

[0065] In the projector 1 of this embodiment, the pressure in the first space 621 is detected by the pressure sensor 65, and the detection result is output to the control device CONT. The control device CONT determines that a blockage has occurred in the filter 60 if the detection result of the pressure sensor 65 is lower than a threshold. At this time, the control device CONT increases the intake volume of the first fan 71 and the second fan 72. For example, the control device CONT increases the drive voltage supplied to the first fan 71 and the second fan 72.

[0066] As a result, the first fan 71 and the second fan 72 can compensate for the decrease in the intake volume of air K caused by clogging of the filter 60. Therefore, even if clogging occurs in the filter 60, the first fan 71 and the second fan 72 can stably supply air K to the heat source.

[0067] Thus, with the intake unit 6 of this embodiment, even if the filter 60 becomes clogged, the air inside the outer casing 5 will not flow back, unlike the intake unit 106 of the comparative example.

[0068] On the other hand, if the control device CONT determines from the pressure sensor 65 that the pressure in the first space 621 has reached a lower limit, it determines that the filter 60 is completely clogged and therefore air K is not being taken into the intake chamber 62 through the filter 60. The control device CONT then stops driving the first fan 71 and the second fan 72. The control device CONT may also control the projector 1 to notify that the filter 60 is clogged and needs to be replaced. For example, the notification method could be to turn on a lamp, generate a notification sound, or display a message indicating that a predetermined filter needs to be replaced on the projected image.

[0069] As described above, in the case of the intake unit 6 of this embodiment, the pressure sensor 65 is provided only on the side of the first space 621 where the first fan 71, which has a relatively large intake capacity, is located. The first space 621, where the fan with a large intake capacity is located, experiences a larger pressure change when the filter 60 becomes clogged compared to the second space 622. For this reason, the projector 1 of this embodiment uses the pressure sensor 65 to detect the pressure in the first space 621, where it is easier to detect pressure changes due to clogged filter 60 compared to the second space 622. As a result, the control device CONT can accurately determine when clogged filter 60 occurs.

[0070] Furthermore, in the projector 1 of this embodiment, the sizes of the first space 621 and the second space 622 are set according to the intake capacity of the first fan 71 and the second fan 72. In other words, the area ratio of the first part B1 of the filter 60 located in the first space 621 and the second part B2 of the filter 60 located in the second space 622 is set to the same value as the ratio of the intake capacity of each fan 71 and 72. For this reason, in the projector 1 of this embodiment, the value per unit area of ​​the amount of air intake through the filter 60 is equal in the first space 621 and the second space 622.

[0071] Therefore, in the projector 1 of this embodiment, over time, the degree of clogging that occurs in the first part B1 of the filter 60 located in the first space 621 and the degree of clogging that occurs in the second part B2 of the filter 60 located in the second space 622 can be considered to be the same. Therefore, if clogging occurs in the first part B1 of the filter 60, a similar degree of clogging will occur in the second part B2 of the filter 60. Thus, the projector 1 of this embodiment can determine whether or not clogging has occurred in the entire filter 60 based on the clogging that occurs in the first part B1, which is a part of the filter 60. Furthermore, since the degree of clogging that occurs in the filter 60 is the same in the first part B1 and the second part B2, the filter 60 can be used without waste.

[0072] As described above, the projector 1 of this embodiment has an air intake port 53a for taking in air K, and comprises an outer casing 5 that constitutes the outer casing, a filter 60 disposed at the air intake port 53a, an air intake chamber 62 that takes in the air through the filter 60, a first fan 71 and a second fan 72 disposed in the air intake chamber 62, and a partition 63 that divides the air intake chamber 62 into a first space 621 where the first fan 71 is located and a second space 622 where the second fan 72 is located. The intake capacity of the first fan 71 is greater than that of the second fan 72.

[0073] As described above, in the projector 1 of this embodiment, in the intake unit 6 that draws air into an intake chamber 62 containing two fans with different intake capacities via a filter 60, even if the filter 60 becomes clogged, it is possible to suppress the backflow of air from inside the outer casing 5 into the intake chamber 62. This allows for efficient cooling of the light modulation panels 33B, 33G, 33R and the polarization conversion element 313, which are heat sources housed inside the outer casing 5. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions caused by clogging of the filter 60, such as malfunctions of the light modulation panels 33B, 33G, 33R and the polarization conversion element 313 or failures due to heat.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the projector 1 has a pressure sensor 65 placed on the first space 621 side, where pressure changes are easily detected, and no pressure sensor is placed on the second space 622 side. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not the filter 60 is clogged while simplifying the configuration compared to the case where two pressure sensors are provided. Thus, the projector 1 of this embodiment can reduce costs by reducing the number of parts.

[0075] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the fixing part 610 for fixing the filter 60 is provided on the intake case 61, but the fixing part for fixing the filter 60 may also be provided on the outer housing 5 side.

[0076] Furthermore, the specific details regarding the shape, number, arrangement, and materials of each component of the projector are not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified as appropriate.

[0077] A summary of this disclosure is provided below.

[0078] (Note 1) It has an air intake port for taking in air, and the exterior casing is formed by the outer casing, A filter positioned at the aforementioned air intake port, An intake chamber that draws in the air through the filter, The first fan and the second fan are arranged in the intake chamber, In the intake chamber, a partition is provided that separates the first space where the first fan is located from the second space where the second fan is located. Equipped with, The intake capacity of the aforementioned first fan is greater than that of the aforementioned second fan. A projector characterized by the following features.

[0079] In this projector configuration, when air is drawn into an intake chamber containing two fans with different intake capacities via a filter, even if the filter becomes clogged, it is possible to suppress the backflow of air from inside the outer casing into the intake chamber. This allows for efficient cooling of the optical components, which are heat sources, housed inside the outer casing. Therefore, this configuration can suppress malfunctions such as optical component failures caused by filter clogging or failures due to heat.

[0080] (Note 2) A pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the first space of the intake chamber, A control device that controls the first fan and the second fan based on the detection result of the pressure sensor, Furthermore, The projector described in Appendix 1, characterized by the features described herein.

[0081] In this configuration, the first space, where the first fan with high intake capacity is located, experiences a larger pressure change when the filter becomes clogged compared to the second space. This configuration allows for high-precision control of both the first and second fans by placing the pressure sensor in the first space, where pressure changes due to filter clogging are more likely to occur. Furthermore, the configuration is simplified and the number of parts is reduced compared to a system with two pressure sensors, thereby lowering costs.

[0082] (Note 3) If the detection result is lower than the threshold, the control device determines that a blockage has occurred in the filter and increases the intake volume of the first fan and the second fan. The projector described in Appendix 2, characterized by the features described herein.

[0083] With this configuration, the first and second fans can compensate for the decrease in air intake caused by filter clogging. Therefore, even if filter clogging occurs, the first and second fans can maintain cooling performance by stably supplying air.

[0084] (Note 4) The filter comprises a filter body and a retaining frame that holds the filter body. The retaining frame is connected to the partition and includes a first partition wall that divides the filter body into a first portion corresponding to the first space and a second portion corresponding to the second space. A projector characterized by any one of the appendices 1 to 3.

[0085] With this configuration, a single filter can be divided into a first section and a second section. Therefore, air that has passed through the first section of the filter can be supplied to the first space, and air that has passed through the second section of the filter can be supplied to the second space.

[0086] (Note 5) The aforementioned retaining frame is The first and second sides facing each other, The system further includes a second partition wall connected to the partition when the filter is positioned at the air intake, in a second state where the positions of the first and second sides relative to the partition are reversed compared to the positions of the first and second sides relative to the partition in a first state where the partition and the first partition wall are connected, The projector described in Appendix 4, characterized by the features described herein.

[0087] This configuration allows for two different mounting directions for the filter, improving the ease of filter replacement for the user.

[0088] (Note 6) The intake case that constitutes the intake chamber is further comprising The intake case has a fixing portion for fixing the filter, A projector characterized by any one of the appendices 1 to 5.

[0089] This configuration allows for the construction of an intake unit in which a first fan and a second fan are housed in an intake chamber within an intake case on which a filter is fixed.

[0090] (Note 7) The first fan and the second fan differ in their specifications or size from each other. A projector characterized by any one of the appendices 1 to 6.

[0091] This configuration makes it easy to create a setup where the intake capacity of the first and second fans differs by using fans with different specifications or sizes.

[0092] (Note 8) The first and second fans are composed of fans with the same configuration, but are driven under different operating conditions. A projector characterized by any one of the appendices 1 to 6.

[0093] With this configuration, even when using fans of the same configuration, it is easy to realize a configuration in which the intake capacity of the first fan and the second fan are different by changing the driving conditions. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0094] 1...Projector, 5...Outer casing, 21...First partition wall, 22...Second partition wall, 53a...Air intake, 60,160...Filter, 61...Air intake case, 62,162...Air intake chamber, 63...Compartment, 65...Pressure sensor, 71...First fan, 72...Second fan, 602...Retaining frame, 610...Fixing part, 621...First space, 622...Second space, B1...First part, B2...Second part, CONT...Control device, FM...Filter body, K...Air, L1...First side, L2...Second side.

Claims

1. It has an air intake port for taking in air, and the exterior casing is formed by the outer casing, A filter positioned at the aforementioned air intake port, An intake chamber that draws in the air through the filter, The first fan and the second fan are arranged in the intake chamber, The intake chamber includes a partition that separates a first space where the first fan is located from a second space where the second fan is located. The intake capacity of the first fan is greater than that of the second fan. A projector characterized by the following features.

2. A pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in the first space of the intake chamber, A control device that controls the first fan and the second fan based on the detection result of the pressure sensor, Furthermore, The projector according to claim 1.

3. If the detection result is lower than the threshold, the control device determines that a blockage has occurred in the filter and increases the intake volume of the first fan and the second fan. The projector according to claim 2.

4. The filter comprises a filter body and a retaining frame that holds the filter body. The retaining frame is connected to the partition and includes a first partition wall that divides the filter body into a first portion corresponding to the first space and a second portion corresponding to the second space. A projector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The aforementioned retaining frame is The first and second sides facing each other, The system further includes a second partition wall connected to the partition when the filter is positioned at the air intake, in a second state where the positions of the first and second sides relative to the partition are reversed compared to the positions of the first and second sides relative to the partition in a first state where the partition and the first partition wall are connected, The projector according to feature 4.

6. The intake case that constitutes the intake chamber is further comprising The intake case has a fixing portion for fixing the filter, A projector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The first fan and the second fan differ in their specifications or size from each other. A projector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The first fan and the second fan are composed of fans with the same configuration, but are driven under different operating conditions. A projector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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