IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,638,758
Granted Patent B2
US 12,638,758 · App. 17/952,636 · Granted May 26, 2026

Phosphor wheel device including heat exchanger, and projection image display device

Inventors: Shigekazu Yamagishi (Osaka, JP); Yusaku Nishikawa (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC PROJECTOR & DISPLAY CORPORATION
G03B21/16G03B21/204
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,638,758
App. No.
17/952,636
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A phosphor wheel device includes a phosphor wheel, a housing that accommodates the phosphor wheel, and a heat exchanger. A circulating gas flows between the housing and the heat exchanger. The housing includes a circulation fan, a first space in which the circulation fan is disposed, a second space in which gas is sent from the first space by the circulation fan, a third space in which the phosphor wheel is disposed, a first opening giving communication between the heat exchanger and the first space, a second opening giving communication between the first space and the second space, a third opening giving communication between the second space and the third space, and a fourth opening giving communication between the third space and the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a circulation flow path through which circulating gas flows and an outside gas flow path through which outside gas flows.

Claims (57)

1 . A phosphor wheel device comprising:

a phosphor wheel;

a housing that accommodates the phosphor wheel; and

a heat exchanger,

wherein

a circulating gas flows between the housing and the heat exchanger,

the housing includes

a circulation fan,

a first space in which the circulation fan is disposed,

a second space to which a gas is sent from the first space by the circulation fan,

a third space in which the phosphor wheel is disposed,

a first opening that gives communication between the heat exchanger and the first space,

a second opening that gives communication between the first space and the second space,

a third opening that gives communication between the second space and the third space, and

a fourth opening that gives communication between the third space and the heat exchanger,

the heat exchanger includes

a circulation flow path through which the circulating gas flows, and

an outside gas flow path through which an outside gas blown from an outside flows,

the housing forms a circulation path through which the circulating gas sequentially passes through the first space, the second space, and the third space,

the circulation path and the circulation flow path form a closed flow path through which the circulating gas flows,

the circulation flow path and the outside gas flow path are configured to cause the circulating gas and the outside gas to flow in thermal contact with each other without being mixed with each other,

the heat exchanger further includes a corrugated plate disposed between the circulation flow path and the outside gas flow path,

the corrugated plate has a shape in which a thin plate is repeatedly bent with alternately changing orientation, and has a first end surface and a second end surface, each of the first end surface and the second end surface having a zigzag shape,

the first end surface and the second end surface are disposed at a first end and a second end of the heat exchanger, respectively, and

the corrugated plate has a first corrugated plate surface and a second corrugated plate surface opposing each other.

2 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein

the circulation flow path is configured to cause the circulating gas to flow from the first end toward the second end, and

the outside gas flow path is configured to cause the outside gas to flow from the second end toward the first end.

3 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger further includes

a first surface connecting the first end and the second end,

a first opening that is disposed on the first surface, and is adjacent to the first end of the heat exchanger, the first opening through which the circulating gas is sent in,

a second opening that is disposed on the first surface, and is adjacent to the second end of the heat exchanger, the second opening through which the circulating gas is sent out, and

a first lid that is disposed on the first surface, is disposed between the first opening and the second opening, and covers a part of the circulation flow path.

4 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 3 , wherein the heat exchanger further includes

a second surface connecting the first end and the second end, and opposing the first surface,

a third opening that is disposed on the second surface, and is adjacent to the first end of the heat exchanger, the third opening through which the outside gas is sent out,

a fourth opening that is disposed on the second surface, and is adjacent to the second end of the heat exchanger, the fourth opening through which the outside gas is sent in, and

a second lid that is disposed on the second surface, is disposed between the third opening and the fourth opening, and covers a part of the outside gas flow path.

5 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein the first end and the second end of the heat exchanger are adjacent to a first end and a second end of the housing, respectively, in a longitudinal direction of the housing.

6 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein the circulation fan is adjacent to the second opening.

7 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein the circulation fan is a sirocco fan.

8 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein the circulation flow path is adjacent to an upper surface or one side surface of the housing.

9 . A projection image display device comprising:

an illumination system including a light source and the phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 ;

a light modulation element that spatially modulates incident light from the illumination system and generates image light in accordance with image information; and

a projection optical system that projects and displays the generated image light.

10 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein

the circulation path is in contact with the first corrugated plate surface,

the outside gas flow path is in contact with the second corrugated plate surface,

the circulation flow path is configured to cause the circulating gas to flow between the first end and the second end of the heat exchanger, and

the outside gas flow path is configured to cause the outside gas to flow between the first end and the second end of the heat exchanger.

11 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein

the phosphor wheel includes a substrate that is configured to rotate, and

the third opening is smaller than the substrate and is disposed toward a center of the substrate.

12 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fan configured to blow the outside gas to the outside gas flow path.

13 . The phosphor wheel device according to claim 1 , wherein

the outside gas flow path is configured to cause the outside gas to flow between a first end of the heat exchanger and a second end of the heat exchanger.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2025
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC PROJECTOR & DISPLAY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 072510/0667 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2023
From: YAMAGISHI, SHIGEKAZU; NISHIKAWA, YUSAKU
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062333/0873 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-158345 · Sep 28, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230100903A1 · Mar 30, 2023
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