JP2005134849A - Information display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information display device in which temperature inside a casing is efficiently managed and the contamination of a filter due to introduction of outside air is reduced by opening an inlet port and an exhaust port to introduce outside air and cool inside the casing when the temperature inside the casing gets high, and by closing the inlet port and the exhaust port to make the air circulate inside the casing to cool inside when the temperature inside the casing falls and is not so high as to introduce outside air. <P>SOLUTION: The information display device is constituted of: the casing 1 in which a transparent board 2, a display element 3 and an electric circuit section 5 are arranged so that at least two air passages are formed; the inlet port 8 formed in the casing to introduce outside air; the exhaust port 9 to exhaust the air which passes through the passage in the casing to the outside; a fan 10 to introduce outside air through the inlet port and exhaust the air through the exhaust port to the outside; air flow direction control plates 11 and 12 attached to the inlet port and the exhaust port so as to close and open the ports, and a driving mechanism 13 which controls the air flow direction control plates to be simultaneously in open state and closed state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is an information display device such as a road information display device that displays characters, symbols, etc., and informs the driver of the road to know the road conditions and encourages safe driving, and displays information such as LEDs in the information display device. The present invention relates to an information display device that prevents the temperature in a casing from rising due to heat generated from an element or heat from sunlight.

  Since information display devices such as road information display devices are generally installed outdoors, control circuits and power supply circuits for controlling display elements in the housing due to intrusion of rain and the like should not malfunction. It is sealed. In addition, the gap between the display unit in which the display elements are arranged in a dot matrix and the housing has a waterproof structure. However, in order to make the display unit waterproof, the cost of the display unit has increased recently. An information display device whose front surface is covered with a transparent plate such as glass is used. Thus, when the inside of a housing | casing is made into a perfect sealing state, the problem that the temperature in a housing | casing became high with the heat from the said display element, the heat from the said electric circuit part, and the direct heat by the sun generate | occur | produced.

  Therefore, in order to lower the temperature in the housing, there are proposed two methods of a device, a device that circulates air in the housing and a device that introduces and cools outside air in the housing. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-66674 is a device for circulating the air in the housing, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-35695 is a device for introducing outside air.

The technology for circulating the air in the housing forms a flow path for circulating the air inside the housing by a windscreen, cools the display unit by circulating the air with a fan, and introduces outside air. The technology is to install a suction port with a filter attached to the back of the housing, form a flow path for air to flow through the heat generation source, and pass the air introduced by the fan from the suction port through the flow path Then, the inside of the casing is cooled by exhausting air from an exhaust port installed on the back surface of the casing.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-66674 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-356955

  By the way, in the above-described technology for circulating the air in the casing, the temperature in the casing becomes very high due to heat from the display element, heat from the electric circuit portion including the power supply unit, and direct heat from the sun. However, there is a problem that the inside of the housing cannot be sufficiently cooled only by circulating the air in the housing, the brightness of the display element is lowered rapidly, and the electric circuit is broken by heat.

  Also, in the technology that introduces the outside air into the housing by driving the blower and exhausts it from the exhaust port, even if the temperature inside the housing is not high enough to introduce the outside air, it becomes dirty from the exhaust port. The fan must be driven at all times so that air does not flow in. Therefore, the operating time of the blower becomes longer, the filter provided for cleaning the outside air becomes dirty in a short period, and the filter is replaced in a short period. There was a problem that it was necessary and it took time and cost for replacement.

  The present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, and the object of the present invention is to open the intake and exhaust ports and introduce outside air when the temperature in the housing becomes high. If the inside of the housing is cooled and the temperature inside the housing is not low enough to introduce outside air, the intake and exhaust ports are closed and air is circulated in the housing to cool the inside of the housing. It is an object of the present invention to provide an information display device in which the filter is less contaminated by efficient temperature control and introduction of outside air.

  The information display device according to the present invention achieves the above-described object, and the means of claim 1 includes a transparent plate, a display unit, and an electric circuit unit so that at least two air flow paths are formed. A housing that is disposed, an air inlet that introduces outside air formed in the housing, an air outlet that exhausts the air that has passed through the flow path in the housing, and air that is introduced from the air inlet to the outside. A fan for exhausting from the exhaust port to the outside, a wind direction control plate attached to the intake port and the exhaust port so as to be closed and open, and a drive mechanism for simultaneously controlling the wind direction control plate in an open state and a closed state In this configuration, the air direction control plate is opened to introduce and exhaust outside air into the housing, and the air direction control plate is closed to circulate the air in the housing.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the above-described means of the first aspect, two intake ports provided in the housing are arranged on both sides of a lower position of the rear plate of the housing, and exhaust ports are provided in the rear plate of the housing. One is arranged at the center of the upper position, and even one fan prevents stagnation of air in the housing.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the amount of air from the intake port flowing in the flow path between the display unit and the transparent plate is changed between the display element and the electric circuit unit. It is characterized in that it is larger than the amount of air flowing through the flow path.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the above-mentioned means of the first aspect, the timing at which the driving mechanism is driven and closed or opened by the wind direction control plate is determined by an output from a temperature sensor provided in the housing, or Control is performed according to the lighting rate of the display element to be displayed.

  The means of claim 5 is the means of claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism connects a shaft rotated by a motor, the shaft and the wind direction control plate, and controls each wind direction by rotation of the shaft. It is characterized in that the plate is composed of a link that simultaneously closes and opens.

  As described above, the present invention is provided with the wind direction control plate at the intake port for introducing outside air and the exhaust port for exhausting the air circulated in the housing, and controls the respective wind direction control plates at the same time. Since the exhaust port is closed or opened, outside air is introduced into the housing by opening the wind direction control plate, and air in the housing is circulated by closing the wind direction control plate. When the temperature inside the case becomes high, outside air is introduced and cooled. When the temperature inside the case is not high enough to introduce outside air, the air inside the case is circulated. Therefore, it is not necessary to replace the filter frequently, and maintenance for the filter replacement can be reduced.

  Further, two fans are arranged on both sides of the lower position on the back plate of the case and one exhaust port is arranged at the center of the upper position on the back plate of the case, thereby providing one fan. Even so, it is possible to prevent stagnation of the air in the housing, and to make the heat convection more effective when the outside air is introduced by taking in air from the lower part and exhausting it from the upper part.

  Furthermore, by making the air volume from the air inlet flowing in the flow path between the display element and the transparent plate larger than the air volume flowing in the flow path between the display element and the electric circuit section, a portion with a large amount of heat generation can be obtained. Since it can cool more efficiently, the temperature inside the housing can be lowered.

  In addition, by controlling the timing at which the drive mechanism is driven and closed or opened by the wind direction control plate by the output from the temperature sensor provided in the housing or by the lighting rate displayed by the display element, Whether the outside air is introduced or circulated is determined automatically and accurately, and the temperature rise in the housing can be reliably prevented.

  Furthermore, the drive mechanism is composed of a shaft that is rotated by a motor, and a link that connects the shaft and the wind direction control plate and simultaneously closes and opens each wind direction control plate by rotating the shaft. Since it has a simple structure, it has no trouble and has effects such as cost reduction.

  Air direction control plates are provided at the intake port for introducing outside air and the exhaust port for exhausting the air circulated in the housing, and each air direction control plate is controlled simultaneously to close or open the intake port and the exhaust port. Therefore, the outside air is introduced into the housing by opening the wind direction control plate, and the air in the housing can be circulated by closing the wind direction control plate.

Embodiments of an information display apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a housing, and a transparent plate 2 such as glass is attached in a sealed state to the opening of the front plate 1a. Reference numeral 3 denotes a display unit in which LEDs as display elements installed on the back side of the transparent plate 2 via air flow paths a are arranged in a dot matrix. Reference numeral 4 denotes a driving board that is attached to a display unit 3 integrally with the display unit 3 and controls the lighting of LEDs, and an air flow path b is formed between the display unit 3 and the display unit 3.

  Reference numeral 5 denotes an electric circuit portion in which a control circuit for controlling the display unit 3 and a power supply unit are incorporated, and a first air passage c for forming an air flow path c toward the drive substrate 4 and an exhaust port 7 to be described later. A gap is also formed between the first duct plate 6 and the second duct plate 7. The first duct plate 6 is formed with a throttle plate portion 6a whose upper end is bent in order to restrict the amount of air flowing in the flow channel c, and the air exhaust flow channel d between the rear plate 1b of the housing 1 and the first duct plate 6. Is forming. In addition, the second duct plate 7 is disposed with an interval in the vertical direction from the first duct plate 6, and forms an air intake passage e between the rear plate 1 b of the housing 1.

  Reference numeral 8 denotes two intake ports for introducing outside air opened downward at the left and right positions of the back plate 1b of the housing 1, and a cover plate 8a is attached so that rain, dust and the like do not enter directly. Further, a filter 8b for removing dust, salt and the like is attached to the intake port 8.

  Reference numeral 9 denotes an exhaust port that opens upward at the center position of the back plate 1b of the housing 1 and exhausts the heated air in the housing 1, and covers the cover plate 9a in the same manner as the cover plate 8a of the intake port 8. Is installed. Reference numeral 10 denotes a fan mounted in the air exhaust flow path d, and the fan 10 is driven to introduce outside air from the intake port 8 and pass through the air flow paths a to e. After that, the heated air is exhausted from the exhaust port 9.

  Reference numeral 11 denotes a wind direction control plate rotatably attached to an upper edge portion of the back plate 1b of the housing 1 where the two air inlets 8 are formed. The wind direction control plate 11 is rotated by a drive mechanism 13 described later. The inlet 8 is closed or opened by being moved. Reference numeral 12 denotes a wind direction control plate that is rotatably attached to a lower edge portion of the back plate 1b where the exhaust port 9 is formed. The wind direction control plate 11 is rotated by a drive mechanism 13 so that the exhaust port 9 is opened. Block or open.

  The drive mechanism 13 includes a motor 13a fixed in the housing 1, a shaft 13b rotated by the motor 13a, a pair of bearings 13c that rotatably support the shaft 13b, the shaft 13b, and the three wind directions. When the control plates 11 and 12 are connected and the motor 13a rotates, all the air direction control plates 11 and 12 are rotated to simultaneously close the intake port 8 and the exhaust port 9, and the motor 13 It comprises a link 13d for rotating all the air direction control plates 11 and 12 by reversely rotating to open the intake port 8 and the exhaust port 9 simultaneously.

  Although not shown, a temperature sensor is attached to the upper part of the housing 1, and when the temperature sensor detects a temperature higher than a preset temperature, the motor 13a of the drive mechanism 13 is energized and the wind direction control plates 11 and 12 are installed. When the temperature sensor is lower than the set temperature, the motor 13a of the drive mechanism 13 is energized to close the wind direction control plates 11 and 12 and close the inside of the housing 1. The air is circulated, and when cooling is unnecessary in winter or the like, the power supply to the fan 10 is stopped.

  Note that the lighting rate, which is the ratio of the display elements that are lit instead of the temperature sensor to the total display elements, that is, the lighting rate is high when the number of lighting display elements is large, and the lighting rate is low when the number is low. When the lighting rate is higher than the preset lighting rate, the air direction control plates 11 and 12 are periodically rotated in the opening direction to introduce outside air, and when the lighting rate is low The air direction control plates 11 and 12 may be closed to circulate air.

Next, a method for cooling the inside of the housing based on the above-described configuration will be described.
First, when the information is displayed on the information display device and the first temperature detection preset by the temperature sensor is performed, the fan 10 is energized and internal circulation of air is executed. In this state, when it is determined that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the electric circuit unit 5 is higher than the second set temperature, or when it is determined that the lighting rate of the display element is high, the electric circuit unit 5 Energizes the motor 13 a of the drive mechanism 13. As a result, the shaft 13b rotates and the air direction control plates 11 and 12 provided at the intake port 8 and the exhaust port 9 are rotated via the link 13d to open the intake port 8 and the exhaust port 9.

  Thereby, outside air is introduced into the housing 1 from the two intake ports 8 and is introduced into the flow paths a, b, and c via the flow path e. Here, assuming that the portion with the highest temperature rise is the front surface of the display unit 3, the flow rate of the flow path a is adjusted by, for example, the diaphragm plate 6a of the first duct plate 6 so as to be 70% of the whole. You can do it. The remaining air flow is 30% in the other flow paths b and c. Accordingly, the entire inside of the housing 1 can be efficiently cooled, and the drive substrate 4 including lead wires (not shown) of the display unit 3 can be efficiently cooled, so that the reliability of the display element is increased.

  The outside air that has passed through the channels a to c is exhausted to the outside from the exhaust port 9 through the channel d. Since the intake port 8 is provided with a filter 8b, dust, salt, and the like contained in the outside air are removed when the outside air is sucked.

  And if the electric circuit part 5 judges that the temperature in the housing | casing 1 fell by the above-mentioned operation | movement, or the lighting rate became low, the inlet port 8 and the exhaust port 9 will be obstruct | occluded by the wind direction control plates 11 and 12, and it mentioned above Transition to the internal circulation of air by the fan 10.

  As a result, the fan 19 is continuously in an operating state, and the air in the housing 1 is circulated in the above-described flow paths a to e in the same state as described above, thereby preventing a temperature rise in the housing 1. Can do. Since the introduction of the outside air is stopped, the inflow of the outside air to the filter 8b is stopped, so that the accumulation of dust, salt, etc. in the filter 8b is limited, and therefore the number of maintenance of the filter 8b can be reduced. Become.

  Further, when the electric circuit unit 5 determines that the temperature sensor detects a temperature lower than the first set temperature described above at night or in winter, and the temperature inside the housing 1 has not decreased, it is determined whether or not there is a display. Regardless of this, the power supply to the fan 10 is stopped to save power. However, when the information display device installed in a cold region is snowed in winter, the fan 10 may be energized continuously for circulation of warm air for preventing snow.

It is sectional drawing of the information display apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a rear view same as the above. It is a block diagram for demonstrating the structure of a drive mechanism. (A) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which open | releases a wind direction control board and takes in external air, (b) is explanatory drawing which obstruct | occludes a wind direction control board and shows a circulation state.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Housing | casing 2 Transparent plate 3 Display unit 4 Drive board 5 Electric circuit part 6 1st duct board 7 2nd duct board 8 Intake port 9 Exhaust port 10 Fan 11, 12 Wind direction control board 13 Drive mechanism 13a Motor 13b Shaft 13d Link

Claims (5)

A housing in which a transparent plate, a display unit, and an electric circuit unit are arranged so that at least two air flow paths are formed; an air inlet for introducing outside air formed in the housing; An exhaust port that exhausts the air that has passed through the flow path to the outside, a fan that introduces outside air from the intake port and exhausts the air from the exhaust port, and is attached to the intake port and the exhaust port so as to be closed and openable And a drive mechanism for controlling the wind direction control plate in an open state and a closed state at the same time, and opening the wind direction control plate to introduce and exhaust outside air into the housing. An information display device characterized in that air in the housing is circulated by closing the wind direction control plate. Two intake ports provided in the housing are arranged on both sides of the lower position on the back plate of the housing, and one exhaust port is arranged in the central portion of the upper position on the back plate of the housing, and one fan 2. The information display device according to claim 1, wherein stagnation of air in the housing is prevented even if there is. The amount of air flowing from the intake port flowing in the flow path between the display unit and the transparent plate is made larger than the amount of air flowing in the flow path between the display unit and the electric circuit unit. 1. The information display device according to 1. The timing at which the drive mechanism is driven and closed or opened by the wind direction control plate is controlled by an output from a temperature sensor provided in the housing or by a lighting rate of a display element to be displayed. The information display device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drive mechanism is composed of a shaft that is rotated by a motor, and a link that connects the shaft and the wind direction control plate, and that simultaneously turns each wind direction control plate by the rotation of the shaft. The information display device according to claim 1.

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