Abstract:
An exhaust device of an image display is provided. The exhaust device includes a supporter and an exhaust cover. The supporter is connected to and supported by a back cover of the image display, and is protruded toward an inside of the image display, and has openings formed thereat forming an exhaust channel. The exhaust cover is connected to and supported by the supporter, and is formed on the exhaust channel so that the exhaust channel is diverged into plural directions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an exhaust device of an image display, and more particularly, to an exhaust device of an image display, which exhausts heat generated in the image display from the image display.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     In general, a projection TV (television) is a sort of an image display, which projects an image generated by an optical engine equipped with a projection lens on a wide screen through a reflection mirror to thereby display a screen image larger than an original image.  
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a prior art projection TV.  
         [0006]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a projection TV  1  is constructed to include an optical engine  2  for forming an image, a projection lens  3  for enlarging and projecting the formed image, a reflection mirror  4  for reflecting the enlarged and projected image at a given angle, and a screen  5  for displaying the reflected image.  
         [0007]     The screen  5  is fixed to a front cabinet  7 , and the reflection mirror  4  is fixed to a back cover  6  with it being inclined at a given angle with respective to the back cover  6 .  
         [0008]     The back cover  6  and the front cabinet  7  form a housing structure of the projection TV  1 .  
         [0009]     When an image signal and a power source are applied to the above-constructed projection TV  1 , it forms an image through the optical engine  2  and projects the formed image light through the projection lens  3  onto the reflection mirror  4 .  
         [0010]     Thereafter, the projected image light is reflected by the reflection mirror  4 , and the reflected image light is projected onto the screen whereby a screen image is displayed.  
         [0011]     In the meantime,  FIG. 2  illustrates a lamp of the optical engine  2  and a heat-exhausting structure thereof in the prior art projection TV, and  FIG. 3  illustrates an exhaust cover in the prior art projection TV.  
         [0012]     A lamp  21  of the optical engine  2  is installed at a lamp housing  23 , and a cooling fan  8  for exhausting heat generated by the lamp  21  from the projection TV is installed at one side of the lamp housing  23 .  
         [0013]     Also, an exhaust cover  9  is formed in an opening  61  of the back cover  6  facing the cooling fan  8 .  
         [0014]     A plurality of cover plates  91  inclined at a given angle and spaced apart from one another by a given space are installed in the exhaust cover  9 . Here, the inclined angle of the cover plates  91  is for preventing interior light from being emitted outside.  
         [0015]     Also, the space between the cover plates  91  forms an exhaust channel for emitting interior heat outward.  
         [0016]     However, the exhaust cover  9  has a drawback in that the plurality of the cover plates  91  constituting the exhaust cover  9  increase resistance against air flow generated by the cooling fan  8  to thereby decrease a cooling efficiency of the cooling fan  8  and induce noises.  
         [0017]     Moreover, the exhaust cover  9  has another drawback in that light generated at the lamp  21  leaks through the space between the cover plates  91 , which causes users&#39; dissatisfaction.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an exhaust device of an image display that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.  
         [0019]     An object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust device of an image display, which can smooth flow of exhaust air in the image display and minimize noises generated therein.  
         [0020]     Another object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust device of an image display, which can prevent the light of a lamp from leaking outside of the image display.  
         [0021]     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.  
         [0022]     To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an exhaust device of an image display includes: a supporter connected to and supported by a back cover of the image display, protruded toward an inside of the image display, and having openings formed thereat forming an exhaust channel; and an exhaust cover connected to and supported by the supporter, and formed on the exhaust channel so that the exhaust channel is diverged into plural directions.  
         [0023]     In another aspect of the present invention, an exhaust device of an image display includes: a supporter connected to and supported by a back cover of the image display, and having inner and outer openings formed thereat to thereby form an exhaust channel; and an exhaust cover connected to and supported by the supporter, and having a guide surface formed therein, the guide surface facing the supporter and extended from the inner opening to the outer opening.  
         [0024]     In a further another aspect of the present invention, an exhaust device of an image display includes: a supporter having one end and the other end and a connection part, the one end forming an inner opening facing a cooling fan installed at the image display, the other end being fixed to a back cover of the image display to thereby form an outer opening, the connection part being supported by a support rib extended from the inner opening; and an exhaust cover connected to the supporter, an occupation area of the exhaust cover on the exhaust channel becoming larger as the exhaust cover&#39;s position is moved from the inner opening to the outer opening, so that exhaust air emitted through the inner opening to the outer opening is emitted to an peripheral part of the outer opening.  
         [0025]     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a prior art projection TV;  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a view illustrating a lamp of an optical engine and a heat-exhausting structure thereof in the prior art projection TV;  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a prior art exhaust cover;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a view illustrating an exhaust cover in an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a view illustrating an exhaust cover installed at a back cover in an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0033]      FIGS. 7 and 8  are perspective views of a supporter in an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0034]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.  
         [0035]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exhaust cover in an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 5  illustrates an exhaust cover installed at a back cover in an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0036]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIGS. 7 and 8  are perspective views of a supporter in an exhaust device of an image display according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 through 8 , an exhaust cover  12  is formed in the shape of a horn. When viewing the exhaust cover  12  at a front side, a center part of the exhaust cover  12  is formed in the shape of a recess, and a guide surface  124  connecting the center part to a peripheral part thereof forms a smooth curve surface.  
         [0038]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the guide surface  124  of the exhaust cover  12  is formed in such a way that its curvature radius becomes larger with an increase in a distance from the center part.  
         [0039]     A boss  121  for connecting the exhaust cover  12  with a supporter  30  is formed at the center part of the exhaust cover  12 , and has a screw hole  123  formed therein into which a screw  11  is connected.  
         [0040]     Also, reinforcing ribs  122  may be further formed to connect the boss  121  with the exhaust cover  12  so as to reinforce the structural strength of the boss  121 .  
         [0041]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the exhaust cover  12  is mounted on a rear surface of a back cover  6  in the image display.  
         [0042]     In the meantime, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the exhaust device according to the present invention is constructed to include the exhaust cover  12  and the supporter  30 .  
         [0043]     A lamp  21  constituting an optical engine  2  of the image display is mounted at a lamp housing  23 , and a cooling fan  8  for exhausting heat generated by the lamp  21  from the image display is installed at one side of the lamp housing  23 .  
         [0044]     Also, the supporter  30  and the exhaust cover  12  for forming an exhaust channel are formed at a position facing a cooling fan  8 .  
         [0045]     As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the supporter  30  has an inner opening  31  formed at an inner direction of the exhaust channel and an outer opening  31  formed at an outer direction of the exhaust channel.  
         [0046]     That is, as shown in  FIG. 6 , the inner opening  31  is formed at a part facing the cooling fan  8 , and the supporter  30  enables air expelled by the cooling fan to flow therethrough from the inner opening  31  to the outer opening  37 .  
         [0047]     Here, the outer opening  37  is larger in area than the inner opening  31 .  
         [0048]     Also, the supporter&#39;s part forming the outer opening  37  is connected to and supported by the back cover  6 .  
         [0049]     Also, the supporter  30 A has a support rib  32  formed therein and thereby supports a connection part  33  connected with the support rib  32 . The connection part  33  is connected to the exhaust cover  12  with the screw  11 .  
         [0050]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , an exhaust channel is formed between the exhaust cover  12  and the supporter  30 , and the exhaust channel is formed in the shape of a curved surface.  
         [0051]     This is to smoothly exhaust air expelled by the cooling fan  8 . At least a part of the supporter  30  facing the exhaust cover  12  may be formed in a curved shape so as to form a curve-shaped exhaust channel.  
         [0052]     Also, a barrier wall  34  protruded toward the inner opening  31  is form at an outer surface of the supporter  30 . The barrier wall  34  is formed to cover a part of the cooling fan  8  so that air expelled by the cooling fan  8  does not leak from the exhaust channel.  
         [0053]     An inflow opening  35  of the exhaust channel is formed larger than an outflow opening  36  of the exhaust channel, and the outflow opening  36  is formed at a more peripheral position with respect to a center of the supporter  30  when compared to the inflow opening  36 .  
         [0054]     That is, the exhaust channel is inclined toward a peripheral direction with respect to the center of the supporter  30 .  
         [0055]     This is because the guide surface  124  is extended from the inner opening  31  to the outer opening  37  and the guide surface  124 &#39;s part facing the exhaust channel and located near the outer opening  37  is relatively larger in area than the guide surface  124 &#39;s part facing the exhaust channel and located near the inner opening  31 .  
         [0056]     That is, an occupation area of the guide surface  124  on the exhaust channel become larger as its position is moved from the inner opening  31  to the outer opening  37 .  
         [0057]     The above-structured exhaust channel minimizes the outward emission of noises generated by the cooling fan  8 , and prevents light generated by the lamp  21  from being emitted outside through the outflow opening  36 .  
         [0058]     The exhaust cover  12  may be made of a metal or plastic material, preferably a material capable of reducing a light reflection and an air flow resistance.  
         [0059]     In some cases, a light reflection blocker may be formed on an inner surface of the exhaust cover  12  so as to minimize light reflection.  
         [0060]     An operation and assembly process of the above-structured exhaust device will now be described.  
         [0061]     Firstly, the supporter  30  is connected to the back cover  6 , and then the connection part  33  of the supporter  30  is fixedly connected to the screw hole  123  of the boss  121  of the exhaust cover  12  with the screw  11 .  
         [0062]     Thereafter, an optical engine  2  is positioned and fixed in such a way that the cooling fan  8  equipped together with the engine  2  is faced with the center of the exhaust cover  12 .  
         [0063]     In the meantime, when a power source is applied to the image display, light is generated at the lamp  21 , whereby an image is displayed a projection lens and a screen.  
         [0064]     Also, the cooling fan  8  is driven, whereby heat generated by the lamp  21  is emitted outside through the inflow and outflow openings  35  and  36  of the supporter  30  according to an air flow.  
         [0065]     At this time, the cooling fan  8  is partially covered with the barrier wall of the supporter  30 , whereby air expelled by the cooling fan  8  is exhausted outside through the exhaust channel.  
         [0066]     Also, light generated by the lamp  21  is blocked by the exhaust cover  12 , whereby the generated light is not emitted outside of the image display.  
         [0067]     As stated above, the present invention forms the exhaust cover  12  in the shape of a horn, thereby making it possible to smooth an exhaust air flow and to prevent the noises of the cooling fan  8  and the light of the lamp  21  from being emitted outside of the image display.  
         [0068]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.