Projector Airflow Layout for Compact Cooling and Dust Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projectors with compact designs face challenges in effectively cooling multiple heat-generating components due to limited space for partitioning structures, leading to inefficient cooling and potential dust ingress.
Innovation Solution
A projector design with a cooling fan configuration that includes upper and lower surface air inlet ports, where the lower surface inlet port has a larger area than the upper, reducing flow path resistance and enhancing airflow, coupled with heat sinks to efficiently cool components while minimizing dust entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If multiple heat generating members are closely packed together in a compact projector, then the projector size is reduced, but cooling efficiency deteriorates due to insufficient space for partitioning structures
Solution Approach 1:
The interior of the case is partitioned into a first zone for the light source unit and a second zone for the power supply and control circuit board using a partitioning structure. This segmentation allows separate cooling zones to be created, enabling effective cooling of each zone with dedicated air inlet ports and cooling fans, thus resolving the contradiction between compact size and cooling efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The partitioning structure extends in the vertical dimension to divide the compact horizontal space into separate cooling zones. By utilizing the vertical dimension for zone separation, the design achieves effective thermal management within a compact footprint, allowing multiple heat-generating components to be cooled efficiently without increasing overall projector volume.
2Temperature
If a partitioning structure is erected to separate cooling zones, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional structural components
Solution Approach 1:
The partitioning structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it separates the first zone and second zone for thermal management, provides mounting support for the cooling fan, and defines the boundaries for air flow paths. By combining these functions into a single structural element, the design achieves effective cooling without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If dust-proof filters are installed at air inlet ports, then dust ingress is prevented, but cooling efficiency decreases due to restricted airflow
Solution Approach 1:
Different dust-proofness levels are applied to different zones: the first zone has high dust-proofness with filters at its air inlet ports to protect the light source unit, while the second zone has lower dust-proofness allowing greater airflow for effective cooling of the power supply and control circuit board. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between dust protection and cooling efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design ensures effective cooling of components and reduces dust ingress, maintaining performance and reducing maintenance needs, while maintaining a compact form factor.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling fan disposed near a rear surface outside air inlet portion of a case which lies opposite to a projection direction and having an upper surface outside air inlet port configured to let in outside air from an upper surface and a lower surface outside air inlet port configured to let in outside air from a lower surface of the case
Implementation Method 2
a heat sink provided corresponding to a discharge port of the cooling fan and connected with the optical apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A projector includes an optical apparatus, a control circuit board disposed above an upper side of the optical apparatus, a cooling fan disposed near a rear surface outside air inlet port in a case which lies opposite to a projection direction and having an upper surface outside air inlet port configured to let in outside air from an upper surface and a lower surface outside air inlet port configured to let in outside air from a lower surface of the case, and a heat sink provided corresponding to a discharge port of the cooling fan and connected with the optical apparatus, and a flow path resistance on a side facing the lower surface outside air inlet port is smaller than a flow path resistance on a side facing the upper surface outside air inlet port.