IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20120327379A1
• Filed: 02/07/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: ENOMOTO, Hirofumi, TESHIMA, Yoshihiro, MUTOH, Junichi
• Application Number:
  US13/367,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20120327379A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 353/52
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/145 Housing details, e.g. position adjustments thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/16 Cooling; Preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2033 LED or laser light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/2086 Security or safety means in lamp houses
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 33/06 by additive-colour projection apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3144 Cooling systems cooling of liquid crystal cells in general G02F1/133382; cooling of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3161 using laser light sources using laser beams scanning the display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3173 wherein the projection device is specially adapted for enhanced portability

Abstract

An image display apparatus including a laser light source apparatus with a semiconductor laser as a light source increases the heat releasing ability of the laser light source apparatus in the image display apparatus. In order to accomplish this, a heat sink is provided to a green color laser light source apparatus, which generates green color light by wavelength conversion from infrared light and, therefore, produces a greater amount of heat than the other laser light source apparatuses. In addition, an air flow blocking cover is mounted on the surface of the holder, covering the temperature sensor, to prevent distribution to the temperature sensor of cooling air from the cooling fan disposed adjacent to the red color laser light source apparatus. It is thus possible to comply with laser safety standards.

Claims

1. An image display apparatus employing a semiconductor laser as a light source, comprising:

a red color laser light source apparatus emitting red color laser light;

a green color laser light source apparatus emitting green color laser light;

a blue color laser light source apparatus emitting blue color laser light;

a cooling fan delivering cooling air that cools each color laser light source apparatuses;

a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the red color laser light source apparatus; and

an air flow blocker preventing the distribution of cooling air to the temperature sensor.

2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drive control circuit controlling each emission of the semiconductor lasers,

wherein the drive control circuit estimates the temperature of the blue color laser light source apparatus using a detected temperature value from the temperature sensor for the red color laser light source apparatus, and then controls the emission of the blue color laser light source apparatus based on the estimated value.

3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a surface of the red color laser light source apparatus;

and

the air flow blocker is an air flow blocking cover mounted on the surface of the red color laser light source apparatus.

4. The image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the red color laser light source apparatus and a drive control circuit are connected via a flexible cable;

and

the portion of the flexible cable connected to the red color laser light source apparatus is fixed in place by being held between the surface of the red color laser light source apparatus and the air flow blocking cover.

5. The image display apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the air flow blocking cover has a recessed portion formed so as to accommodate the temperature sensor by surrounding at least roughly the entire outer periphery of the temperature sensor.

6. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a heat releasing member is provided to the green color laser light source apparatus;

the heat releasing member integrally including a tubular portion and a wall portion, the wall portion extending from the tubular portion to catch the cooling air distributed from the cooling fan and to guide the cooling air to the tubular portion, through which the cooling air passes.

7. The image display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the cooling air distributed from the cooling fan flows across the back in the optical axis direction of the green color laser light source apparatus to reach the wall portion, then the wall portion alters the flow toward the tubular portion positioned on a side in the optical axis direction of the green color laser light source apparatus.

8. The image display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tubular portion has an axial direction length of a roughly equal length to the green color laser light source apparatus;

and

the wall portion is formed with a length projecting out from the green color laser light source apparatus.

9. The image display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein either one of the blue color laser light source apparatus and the red color laser light source apparatus is disposed on a downstream side of the cooling air with respect to the heat releasing member.

10. An image display apparatus employing a semiconductor laser as a light source, comprising:

a first laser light source apparatus emitting one of a red color, a green color, and a blue color laser light;

a second laser light source apparatus emitting one of another of the colors of laser light;

a third laser light source apparatus emitting the remaining color of laser light; and

a cooling fan distributing cooling air that cools each of the laser light source apparatuses,

wherein the first laser light source apparatus is provided with the heat releasing member, and

the heat releasing member integrally includes a tubular portion and a wall portion, the wall portion extending from the tubular portion to catch the cooling air distributed from the cooling fan and to guide the cooling air to the tubular portion, through which the cooling air passes.

11. The image display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cooling air distributed from the cooling fan flows across the back in the optical axis direction of the first laser light source apparatus to reach the wall portion, and then the wall portion alters the flow toward the tubular portion positioned on a side in the optical axis direction of the first laser light source apparatus.

12. The image display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the tubular portion has an axial direction length of a roughly equal length to the first laser light source apparatus;

and

the wall portion is formed with a length projecting out from the first laser light source apparatus.

13. The image display apparatus according to claim 10, wherein either one of the second laser light source apparatus and the third laser light source apparatus is disposed on a downstream side of the cooling air with respect to the heat releasing member.

14. The image display apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the second laser light source apparatus; and

an air flow blocker preventing the distribution of cooling air to the temperature sensor.

15. The image display apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a drive control circuit controlling each emission of the semiconductor lasers,

wherein the drive control circuit estimates the temperature of the third laser light source apparatus using a detected temperature value from the temperature sensor for the second laser light source apparatus, and then controls the emission of the third laser light source apparatus based on the estimated value.

16. The image display apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the temperature sensor is mounted to a surface of the second laser light source apparatus;

and

the air flow blocker is an air flow blocking cover mounted on the surface of the second laser light source apparatus.

17. The image display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second laser light source apparatus and the drive control circuit are connected via a flexible cable;

and

the portion of the flexible cable connected to the second laser light source apparatus is fixed in place by being held between the surface of the second laser light source apparatus and the air flow blocking cover.

18. The image display apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the air flow blocking cover has a recessed portion formed so as to accommodate the temperature sensor by surrounding at least roughly the entire outer periphery of the temperature sensor.