IP Library Granted Patent US 7,815,315
Granted Patent B2
US 7,815,315 · App. 11/808,493 · Granted Oct 19, 2010

Cooling device and projector

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,815,315
App. No.
11/808,493
Granted
Oct 19, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cooling device with a thermoelectric conversion element having a heat absorbing surface and a heat releasing surface includes: a heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member connected with the heat absorbing surface in a heat-conductive manner; a heat-releasing-side heat conductive member connected with the heat releasing surface in a heat-conductive manner; a plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members that is disposed to the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member, protrudes in an out-of-plane direction from an end surface remote from the heat absorbing surface and extends in a predetermined direction; and a plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members that is disposed to the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member, protrudes in an out-of-plane direction from an end surface remote from the heat releasing surface and extends in a predetermined direction intersecting with the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members in plan view.

Claims (69)

1. A cooling device including a thermoelectric conversion element having a heat absorbing surface and a heat releasing surface, comprising:

a heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member connected with the heat absorbing surface in a heat-conductive manner;

a heat-releasing-side heat conductive member connected with the heat releasing surface in a heat-conductive manner;

a plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members that is disposed to the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member, protrudes in an out-of-plane direction from an end surface remote from the heat absorbing surface and extends in a predetermined direction; and

a plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members that is disposed to the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member, protrudes in an out-of-plane direction from an end surface remote from the heat releasing surface and extends in a predetermined direction intersecting with the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members in plan view.

2. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members extends in a predetermined direction orthogonal to the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members in plan view.

3. The cooling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a spacer that has heat conductive property and is interposed between the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member and the heat absorbing surface.

4. The cooling device according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a heat-transfer inhibiting member that is interposed between the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member and the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member, the heat-transfer inhibiting member holding the spacer and the thermoelectric conversion element, wherein

the heat-transfer inhibiting member is formed of a material having a heat conductivity equal to or smaller than 0.9 W/(m·K),

the heat-transfer inhibiting member includes: a dented portion that is dented toward a heat-releasing-side heat conductive member side and enables the spacer to be accommodated; and an opening portion that is formed in a bottom surface portion of the dented portion and enables the thermoelectric conversion element to be accommodated, and

the dented portion is formed so as to cover outer end portions of the spacer and the thermoelectric conversion element.

5. The cooling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a heat-absorbing-side duct that encloses the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members, extends in an extending direction of the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members and enables air to flow in the extending direction, wherein

the heat-absorbing-side duct is formed of a material having a heat conductivity equal to or smaller than 0.9 W/(m·K).

6. The cooling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a heat-releasing-side duct that encloses the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members, extends in an extending direction of the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members and enables air to flow in the extending direction, wherein

the heat-releasing-side duct is formed of a material having a heat conductivity equal to or larger than 42 W/(m·K).

7. The cooling device according to claim 1 , wherein

the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member and the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member satisfy a relationship of A 1 :A 2 =Q ab :Q D , where:

A 1 is a surface area of the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member;

A 2 is a surface area of the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member;

Q ab is a heat absorption amount of the thermoelectric conversion element; and

Q D is a heat absorption amount of the thermoelectric conversion element.

8. The cooling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a cooling fan that is disposed so as to face the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member and sends air to the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members, wherein

the cooling fan is an axial-flow fan that sucks and ejects air in a direction of a fan rotation axis, and

the fan rotation axis is displaced relative to a center position of the thermoelectric conversion element in plan view.

9. A projector, comprising:

an optical component disposed in a sealed structure having a ringed air flow passage for circulating air; and

a circulation fan for circulating the air in the ringed air flow passage, wherein

the sealed structure includes an optical component casing, a plurality of duct portions and a cooling device,

the optical component casing accommodates the optical component and has an air inlet for taking air inside and an air outlet for exhausting the air to the outside,

the plurality of duct members introduces air into the optical component casing through the air inlet and re-introduces the air that is exhausted from the optical component casing through the air outlet to the outside into the optical component casing through the air inlet,

the cooling device includes: a thermoelectric conversion element; a heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member; and a heat-releasing-side heat conductive member,

the thermoelectric conversion element has a heat absorbing surface and a heat releasing surface,

the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member is connected with the heat absorbing surface in a heat-conductive manner,

the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member has a plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members that protrudes in an out-of-plane direction from an end surface remote from the heat absorbing surface and extends in a predetermined direction,

the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member is connected with the heat releasing surface in a heat-conductive manner,

the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member has a plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members that protrudes in an out-of-plane direction from an end surface remote from the heat releasing surface and extends in a predetermined direction,

the heat absorbing surface of the thermoelectric conversion element faces the inside of the sealed structure, and

the heat releasing surface of the thermoelectric conversion element faces the outside of the sealed structure.

10. The projector according to claim 9 , wherein

the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members extends in a predetermined direction orthogonal to the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members in plan view.

11. The projector according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a spacer that has heat conductive property and is interposed between the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member and the heat absorbing surface.

12. The projector according to claim 11 , further comprising:

a heat-transfer inhibiting member that is interposed between the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member and the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member, the heat-transfer inhibiting member holding the spacer and the thermoelectric conversion element, wherein

the heat-transfer inhibiting member is formed of a material having a heat conductivity equal to or smaller than 0.9 W/(m·K),

the heat-transfer inhibiting member includes: a dented portion that is dented toward a heat-releasing-side heat conductive member side and enables the spacer to be accommodated; and an opening portion that is formed in a bottom surface portion of the dented portion and enables the thermoelectric conversion element to be accommodated, and

the dented portion is formed so as to cover outer end portions of the spacer and the thermoelectric conversion element.

13. The projector according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a heat-absorbing-side duct that encloses the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members, extends in an extending direction of the plurality of heat-absorbing-side fin members and enables air to flow in the extending direction, wherein

the heat-absorbing-side duct is formed of a material having a heat conductivity equal to or smaller than 0.9 W/(m·K).

14. The projector according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a heat-releasing-side duct that encloses the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members, extends in an extending direction of the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members and enables air to flow in the extending direction, wherein

the heat-releasing-side duct is formed of a material having a heat conductivity equal to or larger than 42 W/(m·K).

15. The projector according to claim 9 , wherein

the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member and the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member satisfy a relationship of A 1 :A 2 =Q ab :Q D , where:

A 1 is a surface area of the heat-absorbing-side heat conductive member;

A 2 is a surface area of the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member;

Q ab is a heat absorption amount of the thermoelectric conversion element; and

Q D is a heat absorption amount of the thermoelectric conversion element.

16. The projector according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a cooling fan that is disposed so as to face the heat-releasing-side heat conductive member and sends air to the plurality of heat-releasing-side fin members, wherein

the cooling fan is an axial-flow fan that sucks and ejects air in a direction of a fan rotation axis, and

the fan rotation axis is displaced relative to a center position of the thermoelectric conversion element in plan view.

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 Jun 11, 2007
From: MOMOSE, YASUNAGA; YANAGISAWA, YOSHIYUKI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 019447/0352 →