JP3780628B2 - LCD projector - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal projector that enlarges and projects information on a liquid crystal panel on a screen by light emitted from a light source, and more particularly to a liquid crystal projector that reduces the influence of heat from a light source or a power source on the liquid crystal panel.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, liquid crystal projectors (hereinafter also simply referred to as “projectors”) project video and information by projecting light transmitted through a liquid crystal panel onto a screen using light from a light source. That is, a conventional liquid crystal projector forms illumination light by a light source such as a metal halide lamp, for example, drives each liquid crystal panel with red, green, and blue color signals, and splits the red light by the color separation means. Each of the green, blue and blue illumination lights is transmitted through each liquid crystal panel. The light transmitted through these liquid crystal panels is synthesized by a light synthesizing unit, and then projected onto a screen surface by a projecting unit to form a color projection image. A liquid crystal projector having such a configuration is called a three-plate front projector, but in addition to this, a single-plate front projector that obtains a color image by using a single color liquid crystal panel. There are also rear projectors that irradiate.
[0003]
By the way, a light source lamp such as a metal halide lamp and a power supply block for lighting the light source lamp are heat sources, and the temperature inside the projector rises as the light source lamp is turned on. In other words, the liquid crystal panel transmits the light by irradiating the light from the light source lamp and enlarges and displays the image through the projection lens. However, the light from the light source lamp is directly incident on the liquid crystal panel. The light source lamp absorbs light energy and infrared rays and generates heat.
[0004]
As is well known, the liquid crystal panel is vulnerable to high temperatures, and as the temperature rises, the contrast ratio decreases, and in the worst case (about 80 ° C. or higher), the liquid crystal panel may boil and lose its function as a display device. There is. For this reason, it is common practice to send air to the liquid crystal panel by an air blowing fan to cool the liquid crystal panel with air.
[0005]
Recent market demands for liquid crystal projectors are high resolution, high output (high brightness) and miniaturization. Any of these requirements leads to an increase in the temperature in the projector, and thus an increase in the temperature of the liquid crystal panel, and a technique for efficiently cooling the liquid crystal panel is an important technique especially for downsizing the liquid crystal projector. The present invention relates to a method for cooling a liquid crystal panel in a small liquid crystal projector. In the following description, a single-plate front projector is taken as an example of the liquid crystal projector.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made in view of such a point of view, and the object thereof is to provide a liquid crystal projector capable of displaying high-output and stable information by eliminating the influence of a heat source on the liquid crystal panel of a particularly downsized liquid crystal projector. That is.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, a liquid crystal projector according to the present invention enlarges a light source, a liquid crystal panel unit that transmits light emitted from the light source and displays a subject image, and a subject image that passes through the liquid crystal panel unit. In a liquid crystal projector provided with optical means, a light source, and a power supply unit for supplying power to the liquid crystal panel unit in one housing, the projector is provided at a substantially central portion of the liquid crystal projector and at least the liquid crystal panel unit is disposed. When the chassis separating the projector lower at least the power supply unit is arranged, the first and the blowing fan disposed at a predetermined position of the liquid crystal projector, the first outside air inlet disposed in a liquid crystal projector bottom A second outside air inlet provided at a predetermined position of the liquid crystal projector, and connected to the second outside air inlet. A third air intake duct and a third air intake duct disposed at a predetermined position of the air intake duct and opened when the second outside air intake port is blocked, and takes in the outside air taken in from the first outside air intake port into the intake duct. Outside air intake port, and the first blower fan discharges the outside air taken into the liquid crystal projector from the first outside air inlet port and passed through the power supply unit, and taken in from the second outside air inlet port. It is characterized in that the outside air that has passed through the liquid crystal panel unit at the top of the liquid crystal projector is discharged through a duct .
This chassis cuts off the heat generated from the power supply unit so that the thermal influence on the lower part of the projector does not reach the main components such as the liquid crystal panel unit on the upper part of the projector.
Further, the first blower fan discharges the outside air taken into the liquid crystal projector from the first outside air suction port and passed through the power supply unit, and taken in from the second outside air suction port via the intake duct. By adopting a configuration that discharges the outside air that has passed through the upper liquid crystal panel unit, the main components such as the heat source such as the power supply unit and the liquid crystal panel unit are directly cooled by the outside air sucked from the outside air inlet, and the main components such as the liquid crystal panel unit The components are not affected by the rise in the temperature inside the liquid crystal projector, and the main components such as the liquid crystal panel unit are stabilized .
[0008]
In addition, a third outside air intake port that opens when the second outside air intake port is blocked at a predetermined position of the intake duct and takes outside air taken in from the first outside air intake port into the intake duct is provided. Even if the second outside air inlet is blocked for some reason, the third outside air inlet sucks the air circulating in the liquid crystal projector into the air intake duct and puts it into the liquid crystal projector. Since a new air flow can be formed, the safety performance of the liquid crystal projector when the second outside air inlet is blocked can be further improved.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0010]
First, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the structure and operation of the main part of the liquid crystal projector of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an example of the liquid crystal projector of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.
[0011]
The liquid crystal projector of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 is entirely covered with a cover, and a chassis 1 forming a casing is disposed inside the cover so as to separate the upper and lower sides of the projector. The front shape of the chassis 1 is bent into a crank shape as shown in FIG. 2, and main parts such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) unit 3 are attached to the flat and side portions of the bent chassis 1. Has been made. As a result, the chassis 1 also helps to reduce the size of the entire liquid crystal projector.
[0012]
The lens unit 2 and the LCD unit 3 are disposed on the upper front side of the liquid crystal projector of the present invention, and the polarizing plate unit 4 is disposed behind the lens unit 2 and the LCD unit 3. And an exit side polarizing plate (not shown) of the LCD unit 3 constitutes a liquid crystal panel unit (some liquid crystal panel units disperse liquid crystal molecules in a polymer and do not require a polarizing plate). A lamp unit 5 and a blower fan (first blower fan) 6 are arranged behind the liquid crystal panel unit.
[0013]
A power supply block 7 that mainly drives the light source lamp 5a is disposed below the projector separated by the chassis 1.
In the following description, the upper part of the chassis 1 is defined as the upper part, the lower part as the lower part, the lens unit 2 side as the front side, and the blower fan 6 side as the rear side. Details of the method of attaching each unit to the chassis 1 are omitted.
[0014]
A chassis 1 arranged at a substantially central part of the liquid crystal projector has a role of separating the upper part of the projector on which main parts are arranged from the lower part of the projector on which the power supply block 7 as a heat source is arranged. Due to the function, the thermal influence of the power supply block 7 does not reach the main components on the upper part of the projector.
[0015]
That is, outside air sucked from the outside air intake port (first outside air inlet port) on the lower front side of the liquid crystal projector by the blower fan 6 disposed on the rear side of the projector is blocked from flowing to the upper part of the projector by the chassis 1. As a result, the power supply block 7 is cooled by air that flows from the front side to the rear side of the power supply block 7. Thereby, the thermal influence of the power supply block 7 does not reach the LCD unit 3 or the like, and the temperature rise of the LCD unit 3 or the like is reduced.
[0016]
Here, in the lamp unit 5, a light source lamp 5a such as a metal halide lamp and a lamp reflector 5b are integrally formed, and are held interchangeably by a holding mechanism (not shown). In the lamp reflector 5b, the optical path is bent so as to be substantially parallel to the optical path of the illumination light emitted from the light source lamp 5a and transmitted through the polarizing plate unit 4 and the LCD unit 3.
In the LCD unit 3, the illumination light is modulated into image light and emitted to the lens unit 2 that is an optical means. In the lens unit 2, the image light modulated by the LCD unit 3 is enlarged and irradiated to project a color image on a screen (not shown).
[0017]
Similarly, details of a method for cooling main components arranged on the upper portion of the projector will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0018]
The portion located the LCD unit 3 and the polarizing plate unit 4 in the liquid crystal projector of the present invention (see FIG. 1) is, blowing fan (second blower fan of) 8 (not necessarily) and an outer air intake port ( (Second outside air inlet) 9 is arranged. With the outer air on the inner side of the intake port 9 guides the outside air sucked from outside air suction port 9 to the blowing fan 8 intake duct 10 (see FIG. 1) is arranged, outside air intake in the front side of the air intake duct 10 A mouth (third external air inlet) 11 is provided.
[0019]
Then, outside air is taken in from the outside air inlet 9 and the intake duct 10 by the blowing fans 6 and 8, and between the lens unit 2 and the LCD unit 3 and between the LCD unit 3 and the polarizing plate unit 4 by the outside air taken in (see FIG. 1). The liquid crystal panel unit is forcibly cooled by passing air through.
As described above, in the liquid crystal projector of the present invention, the LCD unit 3 and the polarizing plate unit 4 are directly air-cooled by the outside air taken in from the outside air intake port 9 and the intake duct 10. The rise can be reduced, and the influence on the LCD unit 3 and the polarizing plate unit 4 due to the temperature rise in the liquid crystal projector can be reduced.
[0020]
Here, the input plate 4a of the polarizing plate unit 4 is disposed with its upper portion inclined forward so as to guide the outside air to the polarizing plate unit 4 as shown in the side sectional view of FIG. As shown in the front view of FIG. 2, a ventilation hole 12 that smoothly passes outside air is provided. Thereby, the outside air sucked from the outside air intake port 9 and the intake duct 10 can be properly passed to the rear side of the projector, and the heat generated from the lamp unit 5 can also be blown out to the rear of the projector.
[0021]
Next, the operation of the external air intake port 11 disposed in the intake duct of the liquid crystal projector of the present invention with reference to FIG.
[0022]
When the liquid-crystal projector of the present invention is air-cooled via the outside air intake port 9 and the intake duct 10 and the outside air intake port 9 is blocked for some reason, the inside of the projector is sealed and the temperature inside the projector rises. When the temperature inside the projector rises, there is a possibility that members constituting the liquid crystal projector may be altered or deformed. In the liquid crystal projector of the present invention is therefore, was to provide a 如-out to ambient air inlet 11 shown in FIG. 2 in the intake duct 10.
[0023]
Then, in the unlikely event that the outside air intake port 9 is closed, inhaled inside the liquid crystal projector air to the intake duct 10 by the outer air intake port 11 of this, so as to form a flow of fresh air into the projector Safety considerations were made. Thereby, the safety performance of the liquid crystal projector when the outside air inlet 9 is blocked can be further improved. Although not shown, constituted by a lid opening the outer air inlet 11 of this inward, the lid utilizing the pressure inside the projector is reduced when the outside air intake port 9 is blocked It is good also as a structure which opens automatically.
[0024]
The liquid crystal projector of the present invention has the following specific effects.
First, the liquid crystal projector of the present invention directly cools the LCD unit 3 and the like by the outside air taken in from the outside air inlet 9 and the intake duct 10. The thermal influence on the LCD unit 3 and the like due to the temperature rise in the projector can be reduced.
Second, the liquid crystal projector of the present invention is advantageous in reducing the size of the liquid crystal projector because the cooling system can be constructed by reducing the number of blower fans to one or two.
Thirdly, in order to realize the liquid crystal projector structure of the present invention, the chassis 1 is merely arranged at the center, which is advantageous for downsizing and cost reduction of the entire liquid crystal projector.
Fourthly, the duct structure of the liquid crystal projector according to the present invention can be realized simply by providing the intake duct 10 in the chassis 1 or the like, which is advantageous in reducing the size and cost of the entire liquid crystal projector.
[0025]
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various embodiments can be adopted. For example, the light source may be arranged at the bottom of the projector (light is irradiated to the LCD unit or the like through a mirror), and the main components such as the LCD unit and the heat source such as the light source and the power source may be completely separated. Therefore, the present invention is applied to all projector devices having a structure that blocks the top and bottom of the projector. In the present embodiment, a single-plate front projector has been described. Needless to say, the present invention can be widely applied to various projector apparatuses using an image display unit other than a three-plate front projector, a rear projection liquid crystal projector, and an LCD unit. it can.
[0026]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the liquid crystal projector according to the present invention is configured to be separated into an upper part of the projector in which main parts such as a liquid crystal panel are arranged by a chassis structure and a lower part of the projector in which a power source as a heat source is arranged. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the characteristics of the main components such as the liquid crystal panel without the thermal influence of the power source or the like reaching the main components above the projector. In the liquid crystal projector of the present invention, outside air is directly taken in from the outside air intake port and the air intake duct, and the main parts such as the liquid crystal panel are cooled, so that the temperature rise of the main parts is reduced and the temperature inside the liquid crystal projector is increased. This is beneficial because it can reduce the impact on the main parts.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing an example of a liquid crystal projector of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Chassis, 2 ... Lens unit, 3 ... LCD unit, 4 ... Polarizing plate unit, 5 ... Lamp unit, 6, 8 ... Fan for ventilation, 7 ... Power supply block, 9 , 11, 13 ... Outside air intake port, 10 ... intake duct, 12 ... ventilation holes

Claims (6)

A light source;
A liquid crystal panel unit for projecting light emitted from the light source and projecting a subject image;
Optical means for enlarging the subject image transmitted through the liquid crystal panel unit;
In the liquid crystal projector having a power supply unit in one housing for supplying power to said light source and said liquid crystal panel unit,
A chassis that is provided in a substantially central part of the liquid crystal projector and separates at least an upper part of the projector on which the liquid crystal panel unit is disposed and a lower part of the projector on which at least the power supply unit is disposed ;
A first blower fan disposed at a predetermined position of the liquid crystal projector ;
A first outside air inlet disposed at a lower portion of the liquid crystal projector ;
A second outside air inlet disposed at a predetermined position of the liquid crystal projector;
An intake duct disposed in connection with the second outside air inlet;
A third outside air that is disposed at a predetermined position of the intake duct and opens when the second outside air intake port is blocked, and takes outside air taken in from the first outside air intake port into the intake duct. Inlet and
With
The first blower fan discharges the outside air taken into the liquid crystal projector from the first outside air inlet and passed through the power supply unit, and taken in from the second outside air inlet to the intake duct. A liquid crystal projector that discharges outside air that has passed through the liquid crystal panel unit above the liquid crystal projector. A second blower fan is disposed in connection with the intake duct, and the second blower fan takes in outside air from the second outside air inlet and blows outside air through the intake duct to the liquid crystal panel unit. the liquid crystal projector according to claim 1, characterized in that. The third outside air suction port is configured to automatically open using the decrease in the air pressure inside the liquid crystal projector when the second outside air suction port is blocked. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 1 . An input plate that guides the outside air sucked from the second outside air inlet or the third outside air inlet to the liquid crystal panel unit is formed below the entrance side polarizing plate of the liquid crystal panel unit. the input panel of claim 1, characterized in that ventilation holes for combining and outside air sucked gas around the light source from the second outside air inlet or the third outside air inlet is formed LCD projector. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 1, wherein the front shape of the chassis is formed by being bent into a crank shape. The liquid crystal projector according to claim 1, wherein the chassis also serves as a locking unit that locks at least the light source, the liquid crystal panel unit, and the optical unit.

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