IP Library Granted Patent US 7,806,531
Granted Patent B2
US 7,806,531 · App. 11/583,782 · Granted Oct 5, 2010

Projector

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,806,531
App. No.
11/583,782
Granted
Oct 5, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A projector includes: a casing having a surface; a cooling medium flowpath provided inside the casing, through which a cooling medium is allowed to flow; and a radiator in which a part of the cooling medium flowpath is arranged, the radiator being deployable by rotating with respect to the casing, and adapted to be accommodated in the casing and along the surface of the casing.

Claims (78)

1. A projector for use with a cooling medium, comprising:

a casing having a surface;

a radiator connected to the casing, the radiator being deployable by rotation away from the surface of the casing and adapted to be accommodated along the surface of the casing, the radiator including a plurality of first fins, the radiator defining openings provided between mutually adjacent first fins, and the openings penetrating through the radiator;

a cooling medium flowpath provided inside the casing and through which the cooling medium is allowed to flow, a part of the cooling medium flowpath being disposed in the radiator, and the cooling medium flowpath being at least partially exposed at the openings;

a hinge joining the casing to the radiator, the hinge allowing the radiator to rotate away from the surface of the casing; and

a plurality of second fins provided in the casing, the second fins of the casing being arranged between the mutually adjacent first fins and the second fins and the first fins fit each other when the radiator is accommodated along the surface of the casing.

2. The projector according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

a power control unit prohibiting supply of power to the projector when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

3. The projector according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

a warning section issuing a warning indicating that the radiator is not deployed when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

4. The projector according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a light source arranged inside the casing;

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

an illuminance controller reducing the illuminance of light at the light source when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

5. The projector according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a radiator deploying section automatically deploying the radiator in conjunction with supply of power to the projector.

6. The projector according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a power input section exposed when the radiator is deployed.

7. A projector for use with a cooling medium, comprising:

a casing having a top plate;

a radiator connected to the top plate;

a cooling medium flowpath provided inside the casing, through which the cooling medium flows, a part of the cooling medium flowpath being disposed in the radiator, the radiator being deployable by drawing the radiator out of the casing, and being adapted to be accommodated in the casing;

slide rails allowing the top plate of the casing to elevate and lower, the slide rails allowing the top plate to be drawn out to deploy the radiator; and

accordion-folded flexible tubes forming a part of the cooling medium flowpath and being provided between the cooling medium flowpath inside the casing and the top plate.

8. The projector according to claim 7 , wherein

the casing internally includes an optical path space, and the radiator is accommodated in the optical path space.

9. The projector according to claim 7 , wherein

the casing defines an opening, and a part of the radiator closes the opening in the casing when the radiator is drawn out of the casing.

10. The projector according to claim 7 , wherein

the casing defines an opening, the projector further comprising a closing member closing the opening of the casing when the radiator is drawn out of the casing.

11. The projector according to claim 10 , wherein

the closing member closes the opening in the casing in conjunction with an operation of drawing the radiator out of the casing.

12. The projector according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

a power control unit prohibiting supply of power to the projector when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

13. The projector according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

a warning section issuing a warning indicating that the radiator is not deployed when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

14. The projector according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a light source arranged inside the casing;

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

an illuminance controller reducing the illuminance of light at the light source when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

15. The projector according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a radiator deploying section automatically deploying the radiator in conjunction with supply of power to the projector.

16. The projector according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a power input section exposed when the radiator is deployed.

17. A projector for use with a cooling medium, comprising:

a casing defining a depressed portion;

a radiator;

a cooling medium flowpath provided inside the casing and through which the cooling medium flows, a part of the cooling medium flowpath being disposed in the radiator, wherein

the part of the cooling medium flowpath is a spiral-shaped pipe that is expandable and contractible in a long direction of the casing, the part being accommodated within the depressed portion of the casing when contracted in the long direction of the casing, and the part being deployed away from the casing when expanded in the long direction of the casing.

18. The projector according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a plurality of the cooling medium flowpaths.

19. The projector according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a heat-radiating member provided in the cooling medium flowpath, and constituting a part of the casing when the cooling medium flowpath is contracted.

20. The projector according to claim 17 , wherein

the cooling medium flowpath includes a first cooling medium flowpath in which the cooling medium flows away from the casing and a second cooling medium flowpath in which the cooling medium flows toward the casing, and the first cooling medium flowpath and the second cooling medium flowpath being disposed in one portion of the casing.

21. The projector according to claim 17 , wherein

the casing includes a first portion and a second portion which is different than the first portion, the cooling medium flowpath including a first cooling medium flowpath in which the cooling medium flows away from the casing and a second cooling medium flowpath in which the cooling medium flows toward the casing, the first cooling medium flowpath being arranged in the first portion of the casing, and the second cooling medium flowpath being arranged in the second portion of the casing.

22. The projector according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

a power control unit prohibiting supply of power to the projector when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

23. The projector according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

a warning section issuing a warning indicating that the radiator is not deployed when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

24. The projector according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a light source arranged inside the casing;

a deployment detector detecting whether the radiator is deployed; and

an illuminance controller reducing the illuminance of light at the light source when the deployment detector detects that the radiator is not deployed.

25. The projector according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a radiator deploying section automatically deploying the radiator in conjunction with supply of power to the projector.

26. The projector according to claim 17 , further comprising:

a power input section exposed when the radiator is deployed.

27. The projector according to claim 7 , further comprising:

a cooling pipe disposed in the top plate; and

an accordion-folded flexible tube forming a part of the cooling medium flowpath, the accordion-folded flexible tube being provided between the casing and the top plate so as to join the cooling medium flowpath in the casing to the cooling pipe in the top plate, the accordion-folded flexible tube expanding and contracting when the slide rails allow the top plate of the casing to elevate and lower.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: SEIKO EPSON CORP.
To: COLUMBIA PEAK VENTURES, LLC
Reel/Frame 058952/0475 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2007
From: ZAKOJI, MAKOTO; SETO, TAKESHI; EGAWA, AKIRA; TAKAGI, KUNIHIKO
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018705/0831 →