JP2012189863A - Optical modulation device and projector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical modulation device in which influence of heat generation by an integrated circuit caused during driving is reduced, and occurrence of fault can be prevented.SOLUTION: An optical modulation device 4 includes: a modulation device body 5 for modulating an incident light bundle; a housing case 7 in which the modulation device body 5 is housed; a flexible substrate 6 on which an integrated circuit 6A for driving the modulation device body 5 is formed and one end of which is connected to the modulation device body 5; and a heat releasing member 8 for releasing heat of the integrated circuit 6A. The heat releasing member 8 includes: a heat releasing member body 81 brought into contact with the integrated circuit 6A and releasing heat of the integrated circuit 6A; and a holding member 82 for holding the flexible substrate 6 with the heat releasing member body 81. The heat releasing member body 81 is constituted of a separate body from the housing case 7.

Description

  The present invention relates to a light modulation device and a projector.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a liquid crystal panel (modulation device body) for modulating an incident light beam and a driver IC (integrated circuit) for driving the modulation device body are formed, and one end of the flexible circuit board is connected to the modulation device body. A light modulation device (electro-optical device) is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).
In the optical modulation device described in Patent Document 1, a part of a drive circuit for driving the modulation device main body is separated from the modulation device main body, and the part is provided on a flexible substrate, thereby reducing the size of the modulation device main body. And enlargement of the pixel area with respect to the size of the modulation device main body.

JP 2002-333640 A

  However, the optical modulation device described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the temperature of the modulation device body rises due to the heat generation of the integrated circuit that occurs during driving, and a malfunction may occur in the modulation device body.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a light modulation device and a projector that can reduce the influence of heat generated in an integrated circuit during driving and suppress the occurrence of defects.

  The light modulation device according to the present invention includes a modulation device main body that modulates an incident light beam, a storage case that houses the modulation device main body, and an integrated circuit that drives the modulation device main body, one end of the modulation device A flexible board connected to the apparatus main body, and a heat radiating member for radiating heat of the integrated circuit, the heat radiating member being in contact with the integrated circuit and radiating heat of the integrated circuit; A holding member that holds the flexible substrate with the heat radiating member main body, and the heat radiating member main body is formed separately from the storage case.

In the present invention, since the light modulation device includes the heat dissipation member described above, the heat of the integrated circuit can be dissipated to the outside. That is, the temperature rise of the modulation device main body due to the heat generation of the integrated circuit generated during driving can be suppressed, and the occurrence of problems in the modulation device main body can be suppressed.
In particular, the heat radiating member includes the heat radiating member main body and the holding member described above, and the flexible substrate (integrated circuit) is held between the heat radiating member main body and the holding member, so that the heat radiating member main body can be set in a state of being in close contact with the integrated circuit. . That is, the heat of the integrated circuit can be effectively transmitted to the heat radiating member body.
Moreover, since the heat radiating member main body is configured separately from the storage case, it is possible to suppress the heat transmitted from the integrated circuit to the heat radiating member main body from being transmitted to the storage case. That is, it is possible to effectively suppress the temperature rise of the modulation device main body due to the heat generated by the integrated circuit during driving.

In the light modulation device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the heat dissipating member includes a biasing member that biases the heat dissipating member main body and the sandwiching member toward each other.
In the present invention, since the heat radiating member includes the biasing member described above, the heat radiating member body can be satisfactorily adhered to the integrated circuit. Therefore, the heat of the integrated circuit can be more effectively transmitted to the heat radiating member body.

In the light modulation device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the clamping member is integrally formed with the storage case.
In the present invention, since the holding member is integrally formed with the storage case, it is possible to prevent a portion of the flexible substrate located between the storage case and the heat dissipation member body from being bent during handling of the light modulation device. Can be prevented.

In the light modulation device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that a blocking member for thermally blocking between the holding member and the flexible substrate is disposed between the holding member and the flexible substrate.
In the present invention, since the blocking member described above is disposed between the sandwiching member and the flexible substrate, the sandwiching member and the flexible substrate are thermally blocked, and the heat of the integrated circuit is transmitted to the sandwiching member. Can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the heat of the integrated circuit from being transmitted to the modulation device body following the heat transfer path of the holding member, the storage case, and the modulation device body, and the temperature rise of the modulation device body can be effectively suppressed.

In the light modulation device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that an elastic member is disposed between the storage case and the heat dissipation member.
In the present invention, since the elastic member is disposed between the storage case and the heat dissipation member, a portion of the flexible substrate located between the storage case and the heat dissipation member is bent by the elastic force of the elastic member. Relative movement of the storage case and the heat dissipation member can be suppressed. That is, it can suppress that the said site | part of a flexible substrate is bent, and can prevent the disconnection of a flexible substrate.

In the light modulation device according to the aspect of the invention, it is preferable that the light modulation device includes a plurality of fin-shaped portions protruding from the outer surface and arranged in parallel from the storage case side to the heat radiating member side.
In the present invention, since the elastic member includes the plurality of fin-shaped portions described above, when the storage case and the heat radiating member move relative to each other so that the portion of the flexible substrate is bent, the plurality of fin-shaped portions touch each other. Elastic force acts in a direction in contact with each other and away from each other.
That is, it is possible to suppress bending of the portion of the flexible substrate more than the above state by the elastic force in the direction in which the plurality of fin-like portions are separated from each other while the portion of the flexible substrate is bent to some extent. . Therefore, even when an external force is applied to the light modulation device (storage case and heat dissipation member), relative movement of the storage case and heat dissipation member can be allowed to some extent, and damage to the storage case and heat dissipation member can be avoided.

The projector of the present invention is a projector including a light modulation device that modulates an incident light beam and a projection optical device that projects the light beam modulated by the light modulation device. It is a light modulation device.
In the present invention, since the projector includes the light modulation device described above, the projector can enjoy the same operations and effects as the light modulation device described above.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a projector according to a first embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the light modulation apparatus in 1st Embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the light modulation apparatus in 1st Embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the light modulation apparatus in 1st Embodiment. The figure for demonstrating the structure of the light modulation apparatus in 2nd Embodiment.

[First embodiment]
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[Configuration of projector]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the projector 1.
The projector 1 projects an image and displays a projected image on a screen (not shown).
As shown in FIG. 1, the projector 1 includes an optical unit 3 that is housed in the exterior housing 2.
Although not shown in FIG. 1, a cooling unit having a cooling fan or the like for cooling a heat generating member inside the outer casing 2 in addition to the optical unit 3 is provided inside the outer casing 2. A power supply unit that supplies power to the members, a control device that controls the operation of the entire projector 1, and the like are disposed.

[Configuration of optical unit]
As shown in FIG. 1, the optical unit 3 includes a light source device 31 having a light source lamp 311 and a reflector 312, an illumination optical device 32 having lens arrays 321, 322, a polarization conversion element 323, and a superimposing lens 324, and a dichroic. The color separation optical device 33 having the mirrors 331 and 332 and the reflection mirror 333, the incident side lens 341, the relay lens 343, the relay optical device 34 having the reflection mirrors 342 and 344, the three light modulation devices 4, and 3 Two incident side polarizing plates 35, three outgoing side polarizing plates 36, a cross dichroic prism 37 as a color synthesizing optical device, and a projection lens 38 as a projection optical device are provided.
In the optical unit 3, the light beam emitted from the light source device 31 and passing through the illumination optical device 32 is made red (R), green (G), and blue (B) by the color separation optical device 33 with the above-described configuration. Separated into three colored lights. Each separated color light is modulated by each light modulation device 4. The modulated color lights are combined by a prism 37 to form an image and projected onto a screen by a projection lens 38.

[Configuration of light modulator]
2 to 4 are diagrams for explaining the configuration of the light modulation device 4. Specifically, FIG. 2A is a view of the light modulation device 4 viewed from the light incident side, FIG. 2B is a side view of the light modulation device 4, and FIG. 2C is the light modulation device. It is the figure which looked at 4 from the light-projection side. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the light modulation device 4 viewed from the light incident side, and FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the light modulation device 4 viewed from the light emission side.
The three light modulation devices 4 have the same configuration, and as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a liquid crystal panel 5 as a modulation device body, an FPC 6 as a flexible substrate, a storage case 7, and a heat radiating member 8. With.

The liquid crystal panel 5 modulates the incident light beam under the control of the control device.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the liquid crystal panel 5 has a configuration in which liquid crystal, which is an electro-optical material, is hermetically sealed between a pair of rectangular substrates 51 and 52 made of glass or the like in plan view. is doing.
Among these, the substrate 51 is a driving substrate for driving the liquid crystal, a plurality of data lines arranged in parallel to each other, a plurality of scanning lines arranged in a direction orthogonal to the plurality of data lines, The pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix corresponding to the intersections of the scanning lines and the data lines, switching elements such as TFTs (Thin Film Transistors), and drive circuits for driving the switching elements.

The substrate 52 is a counter substrate disposed on the light incident side of the substrate 51 so as to face the substrate 51 at a predetermined interval, and has a common electrode to which a predetermined voltage Vcom is applied.
Then, by inputting a signal from the control device via the FPC 6, a voltage is applied between the predetermined pixel electrode and the common electrode, and the alignment state of the liquid crystal interposed between the pixel electrode and the common electrode is controlled. The incident light beam is modulated.
As shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, a pair of dustproof glasses 5A and 5B having substantially the same shape as the substrates 51 and 52 are attached to the light incident side and the light emitting side of the liquid crystal panel 5, respectively. Yes.
The pair of dust-proof glasses 5A and 5B are made of a highly heat-conductive material, for example, a translucent substrate such as quartz.

The FPC 6 is formed by patterning signal wiring or the like on a base material such as polyimide, and electrically connects the control device and the liquid crystal panel 5.
That is, one end of the FPC 6 is electrically connected to an external circuit connection terminal (not shown) formed near the end of the liquid crystal panel 5 by crimping or the like.
Further, a connector (not shown) is provided on the other end side of the FPC 6 and is electrically connected to the control device via the connector.
In the FPC 6, a driving IC chip 6A as an integrated circuit is provided on the light emitting side at one end as shown in FIG.
The driving IC chip 6A includes a part of the driving circuit, and is electrically and mechanically fixed to the FPC 6.

The storage case 7 is a member that is made of a heat conductive material such as metal and that stores the liquid crystal panel 5.
As shown in FIG. 4, the storage case 7 has a storage recess 71 that is recessed on the light incident side, corresponding to the outer shape of the liquid crystal panel 5 on the light output side.
The liquid crystal panel 5 is housed in the housing recess 71.
Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, an opening 71 </ b> A corresponding to the image forming area of the liquid crystal panel 5 is formed in the bottom portion of the storage recess 71.

The heat radiating member 8 is a member that radiates the heat of the driving IC chip 6A to the outside. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the first heat radiating plate 81 as the heat radiating member main body and the second heat radiating as the clamping member. A plate 82, a blocking member 83 (FIGS. 3 and 4), and a clip 84 as an urging member are provided.
The 1st heat sink 81 is comprised from heat conductive materials, such as a metal, and is comprised separately from the storage case 7, as shown in FIG. 2 thru | or FIG.
The first heat radiating plate 81 has a width dimension larger than the width dimension of the FPC 6 and is formed in a substantially rectangular plate shape extending along the extending direction of the FPC 6.
As shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the first heat radiating plate 81 is disposed on the light emitting side of the FPC 6, and the light incident side plate surface 81A abuts on the driving IC chip 6A to drive the IC chip. Dissipates 6A of heat.
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, a sheet member 81C such as a graphite sheet having high thermal conductivity is attached to the light incident side plate surface 81A.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2B or FIG. 3, the pair of light incident side plate surfaces 81 </ b> A that extend substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the FPC 6 and are arranged in parallel along the extending direction of the FPC 6. The presser portion 811 is formed.
Then, as shown in FIG. 2 (B), the pair of presser portions 811 is provided between the FPC 6 (the driving IC chip 6A and the fixing portion) with the second heat radiating plate 82 in a state where the light modulation device 4 is assembled. On the other hand, each part of the FPC 6 is clamped.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2B or 3, the pair of presser portions 811 mechanically interfere with the driving IC chip 6 </ b> A when the FPC 6 is sandwiched between the second heat radiating plate 82. In order to avoid this, slopes 811A are formed.

In the first heat radiating plate 81, a plurality of fins 812 projecting outward and extending along the extending direction of the FPC 6, as shown in FIG. 2C or 4, on the light emitting side plate surface 81 B. Is formed.
Moreover, as shown in FIG. 4, the recessed part 812A in which the clip 84 is installed is formed in a part in each front-end | tip part of the several fin 812, respectively.

The second heat radiating plate 82 is made of a heat conductive material such as metal, has a shape substantially the same as that of the first heat radiating plate 81 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, and the first heat radiating plate with the FPC 6 interposed therebetween. It is arranged at a position facing 81.
In this embodiment, the 2nd heat sink 82 is integrally formed in the storage case 7, as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG.
In the second heat radiating plate 82, the plate surface 82 </ b> A on the side away from the first heat radiating plate 81 protrudes toward the outside and extends in the extending direction of the FPC 6 as shown in FIG. A plurality of fins 821 extending in the direction is formed.
Further, in the second heat radiating plate 82, as shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, protrusions 822 for locking the clip 84 are formed on the pair of side portions.

As shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the blocking member 83 is configured by a rectangular sheet having low thermal conductivity.
The blocking member 83 is disposed between the second heat radiating plate 82 and the FPC 6 in a state where the light modulation device 4 is assembled, and thermally blocks the second heat radiating plate 82 and the FPC 6.

As shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the clip 84 includes a base portion 841 extending substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the FPC 6 and a pair of engaging portions 842 protruding from both ends of the base portion 841, and is substantially U-shaped. Have
In the clip 84, the base 841 is applied to each of the recesses 812A from the light emission side of the first heat radiating plate 81, and the pair of engaging portions 842 are engaged with the pair of protrusions 822. The plate 81 is urged toward the second heat radiating plate 82, and the first heat radiating plate 81 is fixed to the second heat radiating plate 82.
In the present embodiment, the base 841 straddles the driving IC chip 6A when viewed from the light incident side or the light emitting side with the pair of engaging portions 842 engaged with the pair of protrusions 822. It is arranged in.

The first embodiment described above has the following effects.
In the present embodiment, since the light modulation device 4 includes the heat radiating member 8, the heat of the driving IC chip 6A can be radiated to the outside. That is, the temperature rise of the liquid crystal panel 5 due to the heat generated by the driving IC chip 6A that occurs during driving can be suppressed, and the occurrence of problems in the liquid crystal panel 5 can be suppressed.
In particular, since the heat radiating member 8 includes the first heat radiating plate 81, the second heat radiating plate 82, and the clip 84, the first heat radiating plate 81 can be satisfactorily adhered to the driving IC chip 6A. That is, the heat of the driving IC chip 6 </ b> A can be effectively transmitted to the first heat radiating plate 81.
Moreover, since the 1st heat sink 81 is comprised separately from the storage case 7, it suppresses that the heat transmitted from the drive IC chip 6A to the 1st heat sink 81 is transmitted to the storage case 7. it can. That is, the temperature rise of the liquid crystal panel 5 due to heat generated by the driving IC chip 6A that occurs during driving can be effectively suppressed.

Further, the second heat radiating plate 82 is integrally formed with the storage case 7.
As a result, the storage case 7 and the heat radiating member 8 are fixed to each other. Therefore, a portion of the FPC 6 positioned between the storage case 7 and the first heat radiating plate 81 is bent when the light modulation device 4 is handled. This can prevent the disconnection of the FPC 6.
Further, since the shielding member 83 is disposed between the second heat radiating plate 82 and the FPC 6, the space between the second heat radiating plate 82 and the FPC 6 is thermally blocked, and the heat of the driving IC chip 6A is transferred to the second heat radiating plate. It is possible to suppress the transmission to 82. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the heat of the driving IC chip 6A from being transmitted to the liquid crystal panel 5 along the heat transfer path of the second heat radiating plate 82 to the storage case 7 to the liquid crystal panel 5, and the temperature rise of the liquid crystal panel 5 is effective. Can be suppressed.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, 2nd Embodiment of this invention is described based on drawing.
FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the light modulation device 4 according to the second embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing the positional relationship among the FPC 6, the storage case 7, the first heat radiating plate 81, and the second heat radiating plate 82.
In the following description, the same structure and the same member as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted or simplified.
In the first embodiment, the second heat radiating plate 82 is integrally formed with the storage case 7.
On the other hand, in the second embodiment, the second heat radiating plate 82 is configured separately from the housing case 7, and the elastic member 9 is disposed between the housing case 7 and the heat radiating member 8. It is different from the form. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, the elastic member 9 is attached to the light incident side and the light emission side of the FPC 6 between the storage case 7 and the heat dissipation member 8.
As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of fin-like portions 91 are formed on the outer surfaces of the elastic members 9. The fin-like portions 91 project outward and are arranged in parallel from the storage case 7 side to the heat radiating member 8 side.
In the present embodiment, the elastic member 9 is made of silicone rubber.

According to the second embodiment described above, there are the following effects in addition to the same effects as in the first embodiment.
In the present embodiment, since the elastic member 9 is disposed between the storage case 7 and the heat dissipation member 8, a portion of the FPC 6 that is located between the storage case 7 and the heat dissipation member 8 by the elastic force of the elastic member 9. The relative movement of the storage case 7 and the heat radiating member 8 can be suppressed. That is, it is possible to prevent the FPC 6 from bending and to prevent the FPC 6 from being disconnected.
In addition, since the elastic member 9 includes the plurality of fin-shaped portions 91, when the storage case 7 and the heat radiating member 8 are relatively moved so that the above-described portion of the FPC 6 is bent, the plurality of fin-shaped portions 91 contact each other. Elastic force acts in a direction in contact with each other and away from each other.
That is, it is possible to prevent the portion of the FPC 6 from being bent more than the above state by the elastic force in the direction in which the plurality of fin-like portions 91 are separated from each other while the portion of the FPC 6 is bent to some extent. Therefore, even when an external force is applied to the light modulation device 4 (the storage case 7 and the heat radiating member 8), the relative movement of the storage case 7 and the heat radiating member 8 can be allowed to some extent. Damage can be avoided.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, and the like within the scope that can achieve the object of the present invention are included in the present invention.
In each of the embodiments described above, the clip 84 as the biasing member is provided separately from the first and second heat radiating plates 81 and 82. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the first and second heat radiating plates 81, It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which pressure is applied to the FPC 6 (driving IC chip 6A) by forming at least one of 82 in the shape of a leaf spring and connecting them together. That is, the urging member according to the present invention may be integrally provided on at least one of the heat dissipation member main body and the clamping member.

  In the second embodiment, a pair of elastic members 9 are provided. However, the elastic members 9 may be formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and through which the FPC 6 is inserted.

In each of the embodiments described above, the liquid crystal panel 5 constituting the light modulation device 4 is a transmissive liquid crystal panel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a reflective liquid crystal panel may be employed.
In each of the above embodiments, the projector 1 is configured by a three-plate projector including three light modulation devices 4, but is not limited thereto, and one, two, or four or more light modulation devices 4 are provided. You may comprise as a projector provided.
In each of the above embodiments, only an example of a front type projector that projects from the direction of observing the screen has been described, but the present invention also applies to a rear type projector that projects from the side opposite to the direction of observing the screen. Applicable.

  The present invention can be used as a projector used in presentations and home theaters.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Projector, 4 ... Light modulation apparatus, 5 ... Liquid crystal panel (modulation apparatus main body), 6 ... FPC (flexible substrate), 6A ... IC chip for driving (integrated circuit), 7 ... Storage case, 8 ... Heat dissipation member, 9 ... Elastic member, 38 ... Projection lens (projection optical device), 81 ... First heat dissipation plate (heat dissipation member body), 82 ... Second heat radiating plate (clamping member), 83... Blocking member, 91.

Claims (7)

A modulation device body for modulating the incident light beam;
A storage case in which the modulation device main body is stored;
An integrated circuit for driving the modulation device body is formed, and a flexible substrate having one end connected to the modulation device body;
A heat radiating member for radiating heat of the integrated circuit,
The heat dissipation member is
A heat dissipating member body that contacts the integrated circuit and dissipates heat of the integrated circuit;
A clamping member that clamps the flexible substrate with the heat dissipation member body,
The heat dissipation member body is
The light modulation device is configured separately from the storage case. The light modulation device according to claim 1,
The heat dissipation member is
An optical modulation device comprising: an urging member that urges the heat radiating member main body and the clamping member in a direction approaching each other. The light modulation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The clamping member is
The light modulation device is formed integrally with the storage case. The light modulation device according to claim 3.
Between the clamping member and the flexible substrate,
A light modulating device, wherein a blocking member for thermally blocking between the clamping member and the flexible substrate is disposed. The light modulation device according to claim 1 or 2,
The clamping member is
It is configured separately from the storage case,
Between the storage case and the heat dissipation member,
An optical modulation device comprising an elastic member. The light modulation device according to claim 5,
The elastic member is
A light modulation device comprising: a plurality of fin-like portions protruding from an outer surface and arranged in parallel from the storage case side to the heat dissipation member side. A projector comprising: a light modulation device that modulates an incident light beam; and a projection optical device that projects a light beam modulated by the light modulation device,
The projector according to claim 1, wherein the light modulation device is the light modulation device according to claim 1.

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