Abstract:
An appliance, such as a television, may include a heater disposed therein to prevent the formation of condensation on the components of the appliance. The heater may be an existing module of the appliance that is powered up to provide heat when needed or the heater may be a separate, stand-alone heater. A sensor may be provided in the appliance to determine if condensation may form and control the heater accordingly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims foreign priority under 35 USC 119(a)-(d) to Chinese Patent Application 2007______, filed on Sep. 5, 2007, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application further claims the benefit under 36 USC 119(e) to U.S. provisional patent application 60/825,305, filed Sep. 12, 2006, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for controlling condensation in an appliance and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for controlling condensation in an LCD television by heating at least a portion of an interior of the television. 
         [0003]    Condensation may be detrimental to televisions, and in particular, LCD televisions. Climatic changes, especially those from day to night, may cause condensation to form on various television components. While condensation is on the television parts, salt mist from the ocean, dust, smoke or other particulate matter in the air may stick to the wet surfaces. Once the condensation dries, there may be a film of this particulate matter left on the television components. Eventually, the build up of this film may cause failure of the television. 
         [0004]    WO Patent Publication 2003081905A1, to Rees, et al., describes a similar, but different problem. More specifically, Rees describes how condensation may form on the external surface of a waterproof television when exposed to high moisture conditions. Rees describes a heating circuit that may elevate the temperature of the television enclosure, thereby limiting the formation of condensation on the external surfaces of the television. Rees, however, does not appear to describe apparatus or methods for preventing condensation from forming on internal television components. There is a significant difference from limiting condensation on the external components of a waterproof television, which condensation may hinder the viewer&#39;s ability to see the picture, and limiting condensation on the internal components of a television, which condensation may result in failure of the television. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,342, issued to Morishita et al., describes apparatus and methods for dehumidifying and cooling the inside of a box containing an electric apparatus. While this design may be used to limit condensation of moisture on internal television components, such a design may not be practical, as a drain for removing the condensate is required. Installing a drain on a television may be impractical, especially in the home. 
         [0006]    As can be seen, there is a need for improved apparatus and methods for limiting or preventing condensation on the internal components of an electronic device, such as a television. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one aspect of the present invention, an appliance comprises at least one component inside a housing; and a heater inside the housing, the heater warming a space inside the housing when activated. 
         [0008]    In another aspect of the present invention an appliance comprises at least one component inside a housing of the appliance; a heater inside the housing of the appliance; and at least one sensor inside the housing of the appliance, the sensor activating the heater prior to formation of condensation inside the housing of the appliance. 
         [0009]    According to a further aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling condensation in an appliance comprises powering on a heater inside the appliance, the heater being powered on either when a user selects to power on the heater, or when the appliance determines a need for powering on the heater; and heating a space inside a housing of the appliance. 
         [0010]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a television having an internal heater according to one embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a flow chart describing a method for controlling condensation in an appliance according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
         [0014]    The term “appliance” as used herein may refer to any electronic equipment having components contained within a housing. An appliance may include a television, VCR, DVD player/recorder, surround sound system, digital cable system, a digital television recorder, a video recorder, a television set-top box and the like. 
         [0015]    The term “user interface” (UI) as used herein may refer to an interface between an appliance and the user in which the user may select and/or adjust certain features of the appliance. Typically, the user interface may be a menu system that allows the user to adjust various features, such as, when the appliance is a television, color, brightness, sound quality, contrast and the like. 
         [0016]    Broadly, the present invention provides apparatus and methods for controlling condensation in an appliance. In certain embodiments of the present invention, apparatus and methods are provided for controlling condensation in LCD television by heating at least a portion of an interior of the television. 
         [0017]    Unlike conventional condensation control systems, the condensation control system of the present invention does not require additional external connections, such as for a drain. Moreover, the present invention may provide condensation-free internal television components without requiring a waterproof television cabinet. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a cross-sectional block diagram of an appliance  10 , such as a television. The appliance  10  may be connected to an external power supply (not shown) through wires  12 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the appliance  10  may be powered with batteries (not shown). The wires  12  may connect to a power supply  18  inside a housing  20  of the appliance  10 . 
         [0019]    The appliance  10  may contain a number of components  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c . The components  14   a ,  14   b , and  14   c  may include, for example, an LCD screen  14   a , circuit boards  14   b , electrical connectors  14   c  for joining circuit boards  14   b , and the like. 
         [0020]    A heater  16  may be disposed inside the housing  20 . The heater may be any conventional heating device used for warming air located inside the housing  20 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the heater  16  may be added to the chassis, such as a conventional intrafacility fiber cable (IFC)  130  chassis (not shown) of a television. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the heater  16  may be controlled with a user interface, such as a remote control  24 . For example, a menu system of a television may contain an option entitled “Condensation control” for which a user may selected whether or not heater  16  will be energized to warm the inside of the housing  20 . The heater  16  may be an existing module inside the television that is powered up to generate heat. For example, this module may be a conventional Advanced digital Module, such as an ADM1T module of the television. Alternatively, the heater  16  may be a separate component inside the television, such as a conventional resistive type heater. 
         [0021]    According to an alternate embodiment of the present invention, at least one sensor  22  may be present inside the housing  20 . The sensor  22  may be located, for example, on at least one of the components  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c  to measure the temperature of the component  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c . The sensor  22  may also be located within the housing  20  to measure the air temperature or humidity inside the housing  20 . 
         [0022]    The sensor  22  may measure temperature and signal the heater  16  to activate when the measured temperature is below a predetermined temperature. The power supply  18  may also include a control module for controlling the heater  16  based on measurements taken by the sensor  22 . The sensor  22  may also measure humidity inside the housing  20 . In this case, the heater  16  may activate when the temperature inside the housing  20  approaches a calculated dew point inside the housing  20 . The dew point may be calculated by the control module  18 . The dew point may be calculated as the temperature where the relative humidity inside the housing  20  reached a predetermined value, such as 50% or greater. Once the calculated dew point is reached, the heater  16  may warm the air inside the housing  20 , thereby reducing the relative humidity inside the housing  20  and preventing or limiting the formation of condensation on the components  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c.    
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a flow chart describing a method  40  for controlling condensation in an appliance (e.g., appliance  10 ) according to the present invention. The method  40  may include a step  42  of determining if condensation may occur on components (e.g., components  14   a ,  14   b ) within a housing of the appliance. A sensor (e.g., sensor  22 ) may be used to measure at least one of temperature and humidity inside the housing of the appliance to assist in making this determination. A step  44  may include heating the inside of the housing. The heating step  44  may be carried out using a heater (e.g., heater  16 ) placed inside the housing. The step  42  may be replaced by a step  46  of directly controlling the heater, without the need to predetermine if condensation may occur on the components. 
         [0024]    The apparatus and methods of the present invention may be especially useful in climates where the temperature changes significantly during the course of a day. Furthermore, the apparatus and methods of the present invention may be especially useful in relatively humid climates, where temperature changes may result in the formation of condensation. Additionally, the apparatus and methods of the present invention may be useful in locations where there may be high particulate concentration in the air, such as in areas near ocean coasts, where salt particles are often in high concentration in the air. 
         [0025]    It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.