Self dust-off apparatus and method thereof

• US 20060097675A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Coretronic Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Nien-Hui
• Granted Patent: US 7,161,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/280
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/16 Cooling; Preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

A self dust-off apparatus includes a fan and a controller. The fan, which can be driven to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise, is installed in a projector. The controller is employed to direct the rotational direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) of the fan. In the normal operation, the fan rotates to guide the air from an inlet to an outlet. In the dust-off operation, the fan rotates along reverse direction to guide air inversely in relation to the normal operation so that dust is taken out of the projector easily.

Claims

1. A self dust-off apparatus comprising:

an axial fan installed inside a projector and including blades rotatable in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction;

a controller in electrical communications with the axial fan to drive the axial fan; and

a starter connected to the controller to provide a control signal to the controller;

wherein when the controller receives the control signal, the controller drives the axial fan to switch from the first rotational direction to the second rotational direction for changing the airflow field on the inlet side and the outlet side of the axial fan, thereby removing dust inside the projector out of the projector.

2. The self dust-off apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction are clockwise and counterclockwise.

3. The self dust-off apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a sensor, a first control loop and a second control loop connected to the sensor, the axial fan further including a working coil and a rotor, the sensor being used to detect the control signal, the control loops being used to drive the working coil to generate an electromagnetic field according to the control signal, rotating the rotor in either the first rotational direction or the second rotational direction.

4. The self dust-off apparatus of claim 1, wherein the starter includes a button.

5. The self dust-off apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated by an on-screen display (OSD) interface, a button or a remote control.

6. A self dust-off method for removing dust deposited in the vicinity of an inlet side of a fan of a projector, the method comprising the steps of:

stopping the normal operation of the projector;

triggering a starter to generate a control signal; and

switching the rotational direction of the fan to change the inlet and outlet directions of the fan, thereby removing dust in the vicinity of the inlet out of the projector.