Air curtain for display

• US 8,004,648 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunn, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Dung
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, TAI V
• Application Number:
  US11/941,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 349/58, 349/161, 165/104.31, 36167946-67951, 361/679.5, 361/690, 361/694, 361/695, 361/699, 404/48, 622/55, 622/56
• US Class Current: 349/161
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133385 with cooling means, e.g. fans
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/36 Airflow channels, e.g. constructional arrangements facilitating the flow of air
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20972 Forced ventilation, e.g. on heat dissipaters coupled to components

Abstract

A system and method for providing an air curtain over the screen of an LCD display. Air intakes are located in the housing of the LCD display, and air is pulled into the cavity of the display by one or more fans located in the housing. Air flows through the cavity and exits through a series of air baffles located along the top of the LCD display screen. The air baffles direct the air along the surface of the LCD display, creating an air curtain that may cool the LCD display. The flow of air through the display cavity may also cool the internal components of the LCD display.

Claims

1. A system for cooling a display, comprising:

a housing;

a display within said housing, the display having an exterior viewable surface;

an air intake within said housing;

an air baffle extending out from the exterior viewable surface of the display which accepts air from said intake and directs it on to the exterior viewable surface of the display;

a fan located within said housing which pulls air through said intake and pushes air through said air baffle; and

a power source for powering said fan.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said fan is located adjacent to said air intake.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said display is a liquid crystal display.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said power source sends power to the fan in response to thermal data.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the air baffle is above the exterior viewable surface of the display.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the air baffle is located along the entire length of the top of the display.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a screen placed adjacent to the air intake.

8. A system for cooling a display, comprising:

a housing;

an air intake located on said housing;

a liquid crystal display (LCD) within said housing and having an exterior viewable surface;

a cavity behind the LCD;

an air baffle in gaseous communication with the cavity, said baffle directs air from said cavity over the exterior viewable surface of said display; and

a fan positioned to draw air through the air intake, push air through the cavity, and push air through the baffle.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said air intake is located on a bottom surface of said housing.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said fan is located adjacent to said air intake.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

an air director within the cavity which directs air into the air baffle.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a second fan placed within the cavity which draws air through the cavity and into the air baffle.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a means for filtering the air being drawn through the air intake.

14. A system for displaying information in an outdoor environment comprising:

a display housing mounted in an outdoor environment;

a liquid crystal display (LCD) within the display housing, the LCD having an exterior viewable surface;

an air intake located on the display housing;

an extended portion of the display housing located above the exterior viewable surface of the LCD which extends out from the LCD, the portion having a bottom surface;

an air baffle located on the bottom surface of the extended portion of the display housing;

a first fan positioned to draw air into the air intake; and

a second fan positioned to draw air through the display housing and push air through the air baffle.

15. The display system of claim 14 wherein:

the outdoor environment is a bus stop.

16. The display system of claim 14 wherein:

the outdoor environment is the side of a building.

17. The display system of claim 14 wherein:

the outdoor environment is a parking lot.

18. The display system of claim 14 wherein:

the outdoor environment is a car wash.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein:

the air baffle is located along the entire length of the LCD.

20. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a screen placed adjacent to the air intake.