Projector with cooling configuration

A projector includes a casing, an optical engine, and a heat dissipating module. The casing includes a first sidewall, a front wall defining a hole, a second sidewall, and a rear wall connected in sequence. The optical engine includes a lens module substantially aligned with the hole defined by the front wall, a DMD, and an illuminator module. The illuminator module is arranged at a side of the lens module away from the second sidewall, and includes a housing having a side surface away from the lens module and at least one light source installed on the side surface. The heat dissipating module includes a first heat sink attached to the at least one light source, a blower, and an exhaust fan. The blower is for blowing air towards the first heat sink from an air inlet.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to projectors and, particularly, to a projector having an effective cooling configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Due to reduction of the size of projectors, the density of generated heat in projectors increases quickly. As a result, performance and reliability of the projectors will be influenced if heat dissipation is not effectively provided, and the life span of the projectors may even be shortened. Hence, how to discharge the increased heat effectively is a great challenge to designers in related fields.

What is needed, therefore, is a projector with a reduced size and having effective heat dissipation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail below, with references to the accompanying drawings.

Referring toFIG. 1, a projector100according to a first exemplary embodiment is shown. The projector100includes a casing10, an optical engine20, a printed circuit board (PCB)30, and a heat dissipating module40.

The casing10is configured for housing the optical engine20, the PCB30, and the heat dissipating module30. The casing10includes a top wall11, a bottom wall12, a front wall13, a rear wall14, a first sidewall15, and a second sidewall16. The first sidewall15, the front wall13, the second sidewall16, and the rear wall14are connected in sequence. In the present embodiment, the front wall13defines a hole131adjacent to the second sidewall16and a grid-shaped air outlet132adjacent to the first sidewall15. The first sidewall15defines a first grid-shaped air inlet151adjacent to the rear sidewall14, and the rear wall14also defines a second grid-shaped air inlet141(seeFIG. 3) adjacent to the first sidewall15.

Referring toFIG. 2, the optical engine20is configured for projecting an image onto a screen (not shown). The optical engine20includes an illuminator module21, a digital micromirror device (DMD)22, and a projection lens module23. The formation of the image on a screen is by the following process: firstly, light emitted from the illuminator module21is concentrated and reflected to the DMD22by optical components (not shown), such as converging lens and reflecting mirror. The DMD22reflects the light and produces the image towards the projection lens module23which focusing the image and then projects the image onto the screen.

The projection lens module23is substantially aligned with the hole131of the front wall13. The illuminator module21is disposed at a side of the lens module23away from the second sidewall16. The DMD22is attached to a heat conductive plate221for transmitting heat generated from the DMD22out from the optical engine20. In the present embodiment, the heat conductive plate221is thermally connected to a heat diffusing plate222which is secured on the casing10and thermally connected to the casing10. In order to decrease heat resistance between the heat conductive plate221and the heat diffusing plate222, a thermal interface material223is disposed therebetween.

In the present embodiment, the illuminator module21includes a housing211, a first light source212, a second light source213, and a third light source214.

Further referring toFIG. 3, the housing211is substantially a cuboid including a first side surface211aadjacent to the projection lens module23, an opposite second side surface211baway from the projection lens module23, and an end surface211cconnecting the first and second side surfaces211aand211b. The first side surface211aand the second side surface211bare substantially parallel to the first sidewall15of the casing10. The end surface211cis substantially parallel to the front surface13of the casing10.

The first light source212and the second light source213are installed on the second side surface211bof the housing211. The third light source214is installed on the end surface211cof the housing211. In the present embodiment, the first light source212, the second light source213, and the third light source214are a red light emitting diode (LED) light source, a blue LED light source, and a green LED light source respectively.

The PCB30is electrically connected to the optical engine20in order to control the projection of the optical engine20. The PCB30is perpendicularly secured on the bottom wall12and substantially parallel to the rear wall14. The PCB30is adjacent to the second air inlet141defined on the rear wall14. In the present embodiment, the PCB30is attached to a metal board31. The metal board31is secured on the bottom wall12and used to protect the PCB30. In order to improve the heat dissipating efficiency of the PCB30, a heat sink32is mounted on the PCB30.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 4, the heat dissipating module40includes a blower41, a first heat sink42, a second heat sink43, and an exhaust fan44.

The blower41is arranged corresponding to the first air inlet151for blowing air into the casing10from the first air inlet151towards the air outlet132. The exhaust fan44is arranged corresponding to the air outlet132for pulling the air out of the casing10. Thus, a heat-dissipating route is formed between the first/second air inlets151,141and the air outlet132of the casing10.

The first heat sink42is attached to the first light source212and the second light source213for dissipating heat generated therefrom, and disposed in the heat-dissipating route formed between the first/second air inlets151,141and the air outlet132. The first heat sink42includes a number of fins substantially parallel to the bottom wall12of the casing10. The height of the first heat sink42along a direction perpendicular to the first sidewall15can be designed equal to the distance from the first light source212or the second light source213to the first sidewall15of the casing10, so that, the space between the second side surface211band the first sidewall15can be used efficiently. The second heat sink43is attached to the third light source214for dissipating heat generated therefrom. In the present embodiment, the size of the second heat sink43together with the exhaust fan44is not bigger than the size of the air outlet132.

The heat dissipating module40further includes a heat pipe45thermally connected the first heat sink42and the second heat sink43. So that, the first heat sink42and the second heat sink43will have substantially same temperatures.

Referring toFIG. 4, the air flowing direction of the projector100is shown. The air coming into the casing10from the second air inlet141can dissipating a portion of heat generated from the PCB30. A portion of the air coming into the casing10from the first air inlet151will first pass across the heat sink32mounted on the PCB30and then be blown towards the first heat sink42, the other portion of the air coming into the casing10from the first air inlet151will be directly blown towards the first heat sink42. A portion of the air outlet132spatially corresponding to the second heat sink43is used as an air inlet, through which the air coming into the casing10will pass then flow to the second heat sink43, and then be evacuated from the casing10by the exhaust fan44.

Referring toFIG. 5, a projector200according to a second exemplary embodiment is shown. The projector200is similar to the projector100of the first exemplary embodiment. The difference between the projector200and the projector100is that, in the projector200, the first light source212, the second light source213, the third light source214are all installed on the second side surface211bof the housing211, and attached to a heat sink210, the first heat sink42and the second heat sink43are omitted.

While certain embodiments have been described and exemplified above, various other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described and exemplified, and the embodiments are capable of considerable variation and modification without departure from the scope of the appended claims.