IP Library Granted Patent US 8,240,166
Granted Patent B2
US 8,240,166 · App. 12/430,153 · Granted Aug 14, 2012

Cooling system and electronic equipment including cooling system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,240,166
App. No.
12/430,153
Granted
Aug 14, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic equipment includes a cooling system using boiling and condensation of a refrigerant, especially stabilizes the cooling performance, and reduces the influence which vibration accompanying phase change of boiling and condensation gives to the electronic equipment. Electronic equipment includes a cooling system including a cooling part which cools heat generating from a heat generator such as a heat generating component by using boiling of a refrigerant and is thermally connected to the heat generator such as the heat generating element, a heat radiation part which radiates heat absorbed by the refrigerant in the cooling part by condensation, a refrigerant drive part for delivering the condensed refrigerant to the cooling part again, and piping which fluidly connects them, and the electronic equipment includes preliminary heating means for heating the refrigerant, which flows to the cooling part from the refrigerant drive part, between the refrigerant drive part and the cooling part.

Claims (26)

1. A cooling system for cooling a heat generating element, comprising,

a cooling part thermally connected to the heat generating component and containing a refrigerant to be heated to its boiling by a heat energy generated by the heat generating component so that the heat energy is absorbed by the refrigerant,

a heat radiator for discharging the heat energy absorbed by the refrigerant so that the refrigerant is condensed,

a refrigerant driver for urging toward the cooling part the refrigerant condensed by the heat radiator, and

a pipe arrangement for fluidal communication among the cooling part, heat radiator and refrigerant driver,

wherein the system further comprises a heater arranged to heat the refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant driver to the cooling part,

wherein the heater includes a heat controller to adjust another heat energy generated by the heater to be applied to the refrigerant in accordance with a condition of the heat generating component.

2. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the heater increases the another heat energy in response to an operation start of the heat generating component.

3. A cooling system for cooling a heat generating element, comprising,

a cooling part thermally connected to the heat generating component and containing a refrigerant to be heated to its boiling by a heat energy generated by the heat generating component so that the heat energy is absorbed by the refrigerant,

a heat radiator for discharging the heat energy absorbed by the refrigerant so that the refrigerant is condensed,

a refrigerant driver for urging toward the cooling part the refrigerant condensed by the heat radiator, and

a pipe arrangement for fluidal communication among the cooling part, heat radiator and refrigerant driver,

wherein the system further comprises a heater arranged to heat the refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant driver to the cooling part,

wherein the heat generating component is an image projector of transmission type including an image display unit having a light source and at least one image display element for at least one of modulating, reflecting and absorbing a light with heat generation, and the image display unit is thermally connected to the cooling part to be cooled.

4. The cooling system according to claim 1 , wherein the heat generating component includes a computer having a CPU and a chip set mounted on a mother board, and the CPU is thermally connected to the cooling part to be cooled.

5. A cooling system for cooling at least two heat generating components, comprising,

at least two cooling parts thermally connected to the heat generating components respectively, and each of the cooling parts containing a refrigerant to be heated to its boiling by a heat energy generated by respective one of the heat generating components so that the heat energy is absorbed by the refrigerant,

a heat radiator for discharging the heat energy absorbed by the refrigerant so that the refrigerant is condensed,

a refrigerant driver for urging toward the cooling parts the refrigerant condensed by the heat radiator, and

a pipe arrangement for fluidal communication among the cooling parts, heat radiator and refrigerant driver,

wherein the system further comprises a heater arranged to heat the refrigerant flowing from the refrigerant driver to the cooling parts.

6. The cooling system according to claim 5 , wherein one of the heat generating components having a relatively lower permissible operating temperature in comparison with that of the other one of the heat generating components is thermally connected to one of the cooling parts arranged at a relatively downstream side with respect to the other one of the cooling parts in a flow direction of the refrigerant from the refrigerant driver.

7. The cooling system according to claim 5 , wherein the heat generating components form at least partially an image projector of transmission type including an electric power source unit and at least one image display element unit for at least one of modulating, reflecting and absorbing a light generated by a light source with heat generation, one of the cooling parts is thermally connected to the image display unit to be cooled, and the other one of the cooling parts is thermally connected to one of the light source and the electric power source unit to be cooled.

8. The cooling system according to claim 6 , wherein the heat generating component includes an image display element unit for at least one of modulating, reflecting and absorbing a light, and the one of the cooling parts is thermally connected to the image display element unit.

9. The cooling system according to claim 5 , wherein the heat generating components form at least partially a computer having an electric power source unit, and a combination of a CPU and a chip set mounted on a mother board, and the CPU is thermally connected to one of the cooling parts arranged at a relatively downstream side with respect to the other one of the cooling parts in a flow direction of the refrigerant from the refrigerant driver.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2018
From: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
To: MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 045142/0208 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2014
From: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.; HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO, LTD.
To: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.
Reel/Frame 033694/0745 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2013
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: HITACHI CONSUMER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 030648/0217 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2009
From: NISHIJIMA, NORIYO; OHASHI, SHIGEO; SHIGYO, NARIAKI; MORITA, TATSUO
To: HITACHI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 022606/0234 →