Patent ID: 9305857
Filing Date: 2016-04-05
CPC Classification: G03B,H01L,H04N

Claim Text:
1. A cooling device configured to cool an apparatus including a plurality of exothermic members comprising: a plurality of thermoelectric elements or a plurality of absorption-type refrigerators provided for the plurality of exothermic members, and having a capability of cooling each of the plurality of the exothermic members by absorbing heat from the plurality of exothermic members; a fan having a capability of cooling the plurality of exothermic members by blowing air onto the plurality of exothermic members; a plurality of temperature sensors to detect a temperature of each of the plurality of exothermic members; and a controller that controls the cooling device, the controller being configured to: (i) determine whether the apparatus is in a first state that does not cause condensation, or in a second state that causes condensation, based on a lowest temperature among the temperature detected by the plurality of temperature sensors, (ii) decrease the cooling capability of the plurality of thermoelectric elements or the plurality of absorption-type refrigerators, and increase the cooling capability of the fan, when it is determined that the apparatus is in the second state that causes condensation, and (iii) increase the cooling capability of the plurality of thermoelectric elements or the plurality of absorption-type refrigerators, and decrease the cooling capability of the fan, when it is determined that the apparatus is in the first state that does not cause condensation.