Apparatus for cooling a light beam

• US 5,647,662 A
• Filed: 10/06/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: High End Systems Incorporated (Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated)
• Inventors: Belliveau, Richard S., Ziegler, Byron J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/550,251
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 362/293, 362/294, 362/373, 362/96, 362/101, 362/318, 362/267, 362/264, 362/310, 362/307, 362/311, 165/104.21, 165/104.22, 165/104.28, 165/104.31, 165/104.13, 165/900
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/56 using liquid coolants F21V29/51 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/04 for filtering out infrared radiation dichroic reflectors F21V7/22; using liquid-filled chambers F21V9/12
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/16 Cooling; Preventing overheating
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3141 Constructional details thereof details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

Apparatus for cooling a light beam used to project an image on a projection surface. The apparatus includes a light beam source and a gas cooling circuit. A cooling chamber is connected to conduct gas through the circuit. An image projection device is mounted in the chamber. The chamber has a thermally protected environment. A driving device is provided in the circuit. A heat conducting gas is moved by the driving device to circulate within the circuit. The thermally protected environment may include an atmosphere of atomized, heat conducting fluid. A heat extracting filter may be mounted in the light beam adjacent the cooling chamber.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cooling a light beam, comprising:

a) a light beam source that projects a light beam and heat;

b) a gas cooling circuit containing a heat conducting gas;

c) a cooling chamber which is integral to the gas cooling circuit and is placed in the light beam;

d) an image projection device mounted in the cooling chamber;

e) a cooling exchange tower integral to the gas cooling circuit;

f) a liquid cooling circuit, of which the cooling exchange tower is an integral part, containing a liquid coolant;

g) a driving device which moves the gas through the tower, whereby the gas, which absorbs heat in the cooling chamber, is cooled in response to being moved through the liquid coolant in the cooling exchange tower; and

h) a pump device urging the liquid coolant to move through the liquid cooling circuit.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a heat extracting dichroic filter mounted in the light beam adjacent the cooling chamber.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a) a heat extracting fluid filter mounted in the light beam, the fluid filter including a glass dome housing adjacent the light beam source, the dome having a conduit formed therein connected for conducting liquid from the tower through the dome; and

b) a pump for moving the liquid through the dome.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising:

a dichroic coating on a surface of the dome adjacent the light beam source.

5. Apparatus for cooling a light beam, comprising:

a) a light beam source that projects a light beam and radiates heat;

b) a gas cooling circuit containing a heat conducting gas and having a driving device for moving the gas therethrough;

c) a cooling chamber which is integral to the gas cooling circuit and is placed in the light beam;

d) an image projection device mounted in the cooling chamber;

e) the gas being a heat conducting gas, the driving device being operable to move the heat conducting gas to circulate within the circuit;

f) a fluid cooling circuit, containing heat conducting fluid, connected to the gas circuit, the fluid circuit having a pump for moving fluid therethrough;

g) a separation tower integral to the gas and fluid circuits, the separation tower having a reservoir of heat conducting fluid therein; and

h) an aerosol generator connected to the gas and fluid circuits, whereby the aerosol generator atomizes the heat conducting fluid, combines the atomized fluid with the heat conducting gas and moves the combined heat conducting gas and atomized fluid to the cooling chamber for extracting heat from the image projecting device.

6. Apparatus for cooling a light beam, comprising:

a) a light beam source that projects a light beam and radiates heat;

b) a gas cooling circuit filled with a heat conducting gas and having a driving device for moving the gas therethrough;

c) a cooling chamber which is integral to the gas cooling circuit and is placed in the light beam;

d) an image projection device mounted in the cooling chamber;

e) the gas being a heat conducting gas, the driving device being operable to move the heat conducting gas to circulate within the circuit;

f) a fluid circuit, containing a heat conducting fluid, connected to the gas circuit, the fluid circuit having a pump for moving fluid therethrough;

g) a secondary cooling circuit integral to the fluid circuit for cooling the fluid in the fluid circuit;

h) a separation tower connected to the gas and fluid circuits, the separation tower having a reservoir of heat conducting fluid therein; and

i) an aerosol generator connected to the gas and fluid circuits, whereby the aerosol generator atomizes the heat conducting fluid, combines the atomized fluid with the heat conducting gas and moves the combined heat conducting gas and atomized fluid to the cooling chamber for extracting heat from the image projecting device.