Projector Intake Port Design for Blocked Airflow

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing projectors have a complex configuration due to separate outside air intake ports, which hinders size reduction and increases complexity, especially when one port is blocked, affecting cooling efficiency and sound quality.

Innovation Solution

A projector design with an exterior housing featuring a communication port and an intake port with lower flow resistance, where the fan communicates with both, allowing outside air to flow through the intake port when the communication port is blocked, eliminating the need for a separate emergency intake port and simplifying the configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a separate second outside air intake port is provided for emergency air intake when the first port is closed, then the projector can maintain cooling function under blocked conditions, but the device configuration becomes more complicated and size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling function under blocked conditionsVSAvoiddevice configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The communication port is designed to serve dual functions: it acts as a sound emission port for the first sound emitter during normal operation, and simultaneously serves as an air intake port when the first outside air intake port is blocked. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate second outside air intake port, thereby maintaining cooling reliability under blocked conditions while avoiding increased device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the sound emission function and emergency air intake function into a single communication port. By combining these two previously separate functions into one port, the design avoids the complication of adding a separate emergency intake port, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If a lid that opens inward is used for the second outside air intake port, then emergency air intake is enabled, but the configuration becomes more complicated and projector size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency air intake capabilityVSAvoidprojector size

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The communication port is designed to serve dual functions: it acts as a sound emission port for the first sound emitter during normal operation, and simultaneously serves as an air intake port when the first outside air intake port is blocked. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate second outside air intake port, thereby maintaining cooling reliability under blocked conditions while avoiding increased device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the sound emission function and emergency air intake function into a single communication port. By combining these two previously separate functions into one port, the design avoids the complication of adding a separate emergency intake port, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If the intake port is provided at the noncontact portion of the fifth wall, then outside air can be taken in without blockage from installation surface, but the flow path resistance must be managed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair intake without blockageVSAvoidflow path resistance management

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fifth wall is designed with differentiated regions: a contact portion that contacts the installation surface and a noncontact portion that does not contact the installation surface. The intake port is specifically positioned at the noncontact portion, giving this local region the quality of being unblockable by the installation surface, while the contact portion provides structural support and sealing functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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

This design maintains sound quality, suppresses cooling efficiency decreases, and reduces projector size by integrating airflow management within the projector's housing, eliminating the need for additional intake ports.

Implementation Method 1

the fan communicates with the communication port and the intake port and sucks air outside the exterior housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAirflow:

Implementation Method 2

an intake port that is provided at the noncontact portion and exerts a flow path resistance smaller than a flow path resistance exerted by the communication port

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlow path resistance:

Data Source

PatentUS20240402582A1projector

Publication Date: 2024.12.05 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

A projector includes an exterior housing having a first wall and a second wall opposite from each other, a third wall and a fourth wall opposite from each other, and a fifth wall and a sixth wall opposite from each other, a speaker unit including a first sound emitter provided in the speaker housing, and an intake fan. The first wall includes a communication port serving as a sound emission port of the first sound emitter, the fifth wall includes a contact portion that comes into contact with an installation surface, a noncontact portion that does not come into contact with the installation surface, and an air intake port provided at the noncontact portion, and the air intake fan communicates with the communication port and the air intake port.