Projector Cooling Structure With Asymmetric Upper-Lower Airflow
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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 through complex partitioning configurations.
Innovation Solution
A projector design with a cooling fan positioned near the rear surface and upper and lower air inlet ports, where the lower surface inlet port has a larger area than the upper, creating a flow path with reduced resistance, allowing efficient air flow and minimizing dust entry while cooling components effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a partitioning structure is erected to separate zones for cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into an upper cooling path and a lower cooling path, with each path having dedicated air inlet ports and flow resistance characteristics. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each cooling path without requiring complex physical partitioning structures, thereby improving cooling efficiency while maintaining device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different flow path resistances are designed for the upper and lower cooling paths according to local cooling requirements. The lower surface outside air inlet port is designed with a larger area and smaller flow path resistance to accommodate higher cooling demands in specific regions, while the upper path handles residual cooling needs, optimizing overall cooling efficiency without complex partitioning.
2Volume of moving object
If heat generating members are closely packed to achieve compact shape, then device size is reduced, but cooling efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system utilizes both upper and lower surfaces of the case for air intake, transitioning from a single-plane cooling approach to a three-dimensional cooling architecture. This allows efficient heat dissipation from closely packed components by exploiting vertical space and creating multiple cooling pathways, thereby maintaining compact projector size while preserving cooling efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If dust-proof filters are installed to prevent dust ingress, then dust protection is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design converts the potential harm of dust ingress into a benefit by using asymmetric flow path resistance design. The lower surface inlet with larger area and smaller resistance naturally draws more air flow, creating a controlled airflow pattern that reduces dust entry risk. This approach achieves dust protection without requiring additional filters, thereby maintaining device simplicity and reducing maintenance requirements.
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, eliminating the need for dust-proof filters and minimizing maintenance, 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.