Electronic display with cooling
View Patent ↗Electronic display assemblies are disclosed which include a housing having an intake and an exhaust, an electronic display located within the housing, a first airflow pathway fluidly connected to an ambient environment and extending through the housing between the intake and the exhaust, a first portion of which extends proximate to a rear surface of the electronic display and a second portion of which extends rearward of, and is spaced apart from, the rear surface of the electronic display. A second airflow pathway is separated from the first airflow pathway and forms a closed, continuous pathway within the housing. At least a portion of the second airflow pathway is located rearward of the electronic display. One or more electronic assemblies for operating the electronic display assembly are located within the portion of the second airflow pathway located rearward of the electronic display.
1. An electronic display assembly comprising:
a housing having an intake and an exhaust;
an electronic display located within the housing, said electronic display comprising a liquid crystal display stack and a backlight assembly, said backlight assembly located rearward of the liquid crystal display stack such that the first portion of the first airflow pathway extends proximate a rear surface of the backlight assembly;
a first airflow pathway fluidly connected to an ambient environment and extending through the housing between the intake and the exhaust, where a first portion of the first airflow pathway extends proximate to a rear surface of the electronic display and a second portion of the first airflow pathway extends rearward of, and is spaced apart from, the rear surface of the electronic display;
a second airflow pathway, separated from the first airflow pathway, and forming a closed, continuous pathway within the housing, wherein at least a portion of said second airflow pathway is located rearward of the electronic display, wherein the second airflow pathway extends, at least in part, rearward of the first portion of the first airflow pathway; and
one or more electronic assemblies for operating the electronic display assembly located within the portion of the second airflow pathway located rearward of the electronic display.
2. The electronic display assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the rear surface of the backlight assembly comprises a thermally conductive material.
3. The electronic display assembly of claim 2 wherein:
the thermally conductive material comprises a metal.
4. The electronic display assembly of claim 3 wherein:
the thermally conductive material comprises aluminum.
5. The electronic display assembly of claim 2 wherein:
the first portion of the first airflow pathway extends directly along the rear surface of the backlight assembly with no intervening airflow pathways.
6. The electronic display assembly of claim 5 wherein:
the first portion of the first airflow pathway directly contacts the rear surface of the backlight assembly.
7. The electronic display assembly of claim 1 wherein:
the second portion of the first airflow pathway extends, at least in part, interior to the second airflow pathway.
8. The electronic display assembly of claim 7 wherein:
the first airflow pathway is separated at a first location adjacent to said intake into a first sub-pathway and a second sub-pathway;
the first sub-pathway includes the first portion of the first airflow pathway; and
the second sub-pathway includes the second portion of the first airflow pathway.
9. The electronic display assembly of claim 8 wherein:
the first sub-pathway and the second sub-pathway extend primarily in a same direction; and
the first sub-pathway and the second sub-pathway are rejoined at a second location adjacent to said exhaust.
10. The electronic display assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
one or more barriers, spaced apart from the electronic display, which provide, at least in part, a level of fluid separation between the second airflow pathway and the first airflow pathway.
11. The electronic display assembly of claim 10 wherein:
the level of fluid separation is sufficient to prevent particulate above a certain size from entering the second airflow pathway, but is less well sealed than a hermetic seal.
12. The electronic display assembly of claim 11 wherein:
the one or more barriers comprise a panel;
the first portion of the first airflow pathway extends between the panel and the rear surface of the electronic display, and wherein the panel defines, at least in part, the second airflow pathway; and
said one or more electronic assemblies are connected to the panel.
13. The electronic display assembly of claim 12 further comprising:
one or more ribs located along the panel to enhance heat transfer.
14. The electronic display assembly of claim 12 further comprising:
the panel comprises a solid, metal surface.
15. The electronic display assembly of claim 12 wherein:
said one or more electronic assemblies comprising:
a first group of electronic assemblies comprising relatively high-power assemblies comprising one or more of: power modules, inductors, and transformers; and
a second group of electronic assemblies comprising relatively low-power assemblies comprising one or more of: timing and control boards, hard drives and other storage devices, video cards, software drivers, and microprocessors.
16. The electronic display assembly of claim 15 further comprising:
a first fan located at the first airflow pathway for moving ambient air through some or all of the first airflow pathway when activated; and
a second fan located at the second airflow pathway for moving ambient air through some or all of the second airflow pathway when activated, wherein the first group of electronic assemblies supply power to at least the electronic display, the first fan, and the second fan.
17. The electronic display assembly of claim 16 wherein:
activation of the first fan is configured to move said ambient air, which is relatively cool, through the first airflow pathway to absorb heat generated by the image assembly during operation and absorb heat from relatively warm circulating as within the second airflow pathway; and
activation of the second fan is configured to move the relatively warm circulating gas through the second airflow pathway to absorb heat generated by the one or more electronic assemblies during operation and disburse said absorbed heat to the relatively cool ambient air.
18. The electronic display assembly of claim 15 wherein:
the first group of electronic assemblies are configured to supply at least a majority of available operational power for the electronic display assembly.
19. The electronic display assembly of claim 15 wherein:
a portion of the second airflow pathway located rearward of the electronic display is separated, in part, into a first subsection and a second subsection by an intermediary structure;
the first group of electronic assemblies are located in the first subsection; and
the second group of electronic assemblies are located in the second subsection.
20. The electronic display assembly of claim 19 wherein:
the intermediary structure comprises a heat exchanger located rearward of the electronic display and forming part of the first airflow pathway and the second airflow pathway, said heat exchanger comprising a plurality of ducted passageways, a first subset of multiple ones of which provide at least part of the first airflow pathway and a second subset of multiple ones of which provide at least part of the second airflow pathway.
21. The electronic display assembly of claim 12 :
wherein the second airflow pathway comprises a first portion located forward of the electronic display and a second portion located rearward of the electronic display and the panel, thereby forming a closed loop about the electronic display;
further comprising:
a cover layer located forward of the electronic display and forming part of the housing, wherein the first portion of the second airflow pathway extends between the cover layer and the electronic display; and
a heat exchanger located rearward of the electronic display and forming part of the first airflow pathway and the second airflow pathway, said heat exchanger comprising a plurality of ducted passageways, a first subset of multiple ones of which provide at least part of the second sub-pathway and a second subset of multiple ones of which provide at least part of the second airflow pathway.
22. An electronic display assembly comprising:
a housing;
an intake located at a first portion the housing;
an exhaust located at a second portion the housing;
an electronic display located within the housing and comprising a liquid crystal display (LCD) stack and a backlight assembly rearward of the LCD stack;
a first airflow pathway extending within the housing between the intake and the exhaust, wherein, within the housing, said first airflow pathway comprises a first sub-pathway extending proximate to a rear surface of the backlight assembly and a second, distinct sub-pathway located rearward of the electronic display and spaced apart from the rear surface of the backlight assembly;
a first fan located along the first airflow pathway;
a second airflow pathway forming a closed, continuous pathway within the housing, and extending, at least in part, rearward and spaced apart from, the electronic display and at least the first sub-pathway of the first airflow pathway, wherein said second airflow pathway is separated from the first airflow pathway;
a second fan located along the second airflow pathway;
a panel spaced apart from the backlight assembly and providing at least some of the separation between the first airflow pathway and the second airflow pathway, wherein the first sub-pathway of the first airflow pathway extends, at least in part, between a forward surface of the panel and a rear surface of the backlight assembly, and the second airflow pathway and the second sub-pathway of the first airflow pathway extends, at least in part, behind a rear surface of the panel; and
electronic assemblies for operating the electronic display assembly connected to the rear surface of the panel and within the second airflow pathway, said electronic assemblies comprising a timing and control board for the LCD stack and one or more power modules for the electronic display, the first fan, and the second fan.
23. An electronic display assembly comprising:
a housing;
an intake located at a first portion of the housing;
an exhaust located at a second portion of the housing;
an electronic display located within the housing and comprising a liquid crystal display stack and a backlight assembly;
a first airflow pathway extending between the intake and the exhaust, wherein said first airflow pathway, within said housing, comprises a first sub-pathway and a distinct, second sub-pathway, where said first sub-pathway extends proximate to a rear surface of the backlight assembly and said second sub-pathway located rearward of, and spaced apart from, the rear surface of the backlight assembly, said first and second sub-pathways being fluidly connected to one another;
fans located along the first airflow pathway, which when activated, move ambient air through the first airflow pathway, including through the first and second sub-pathways;
a second airflow pathway forming a closed, continuous pathway within the housing and comprising a rear chamber which is, at least in part, located behind and spaced apart from, the electronic display, behind the first sub-pathway of the first airflow pathway, and adjacent to the second sub-pathway of the first airflow pathway, where said second airflow pathway is separated from the ambient environment and the first airflow pathway at a level sufficient to keep particulate above a certain size from entering the second airflow pathway, but is less well sealed than a hermetic seal;
one or more additional fans located along the second airflow pathway, which when activated, circulate gas within the closed, continuous pathway;
a panel spaced apart from the backlight assembly and providing, at least in part, the separation between the first airflow pathway and the second airflow pathway, wherein the first sub-pathway of the first airflow pathway extends, at least in part, between a forward surface of the panel and a rear surface of the backlight assembly, and a rear surface of the panel defines, at least in part, the rear chamber;
electronic assemblies for operating the electronic display assembly, including at least the electronic display, the first fan, and the second fan, said electronic assemblies connected to the rear surface of panel such that said electronic assemblies are located within the rear chamber of the second airflow pathway, said electronic assemblies comprising:
a first group of electronic assemblies comprising relatively high-power assemblies comprising one or more of: power modules, inductors, and transformers electrically connected to at least the electronic display, the first fan, and the second fan to supply electrical power to the same; and
a second group of electronic assemblies comprising relatively low-power assemblies comprising one or more of: timing and control boards, hard drives and other storage devices, video cards, software drivers, and microprocessors electrically connected to at least the electronic display, the first fan, and the second fan to supply electronic commands to the same; and
a structure within the rear chamber at least partially separating the first group of electronic assemblies from the second group of electronic assemblies.