Reflection type projector

• US 6,447,121 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Woo, Sung-je
• Primary Examiner(s): DOWLING, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US09/571,164
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 353/52, 353/56, 353/60, 353/61, 349/161
• US Class Current: 353/52
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/16 Cooling; Preventing overheating

Abstract

A reflection type projector includes a light source, a polarization beam splitter for polarizing light emitted from the light source, a display device disposed next to the polarization beam splitter for forming an image, a projection lens unit for projecting an image reflected by the display device, a thermoelectric element installed such that the front surface thereof is in contact with the rear surface of the display device, a heat sink installed at the rear surface of the thermoelectric element, a heat pipe of which one end is connected to the heat sink, and a heat radiating plate connected to the other end of the heat pipe. Thus, the heat accumulated in the display device can be dissipated rapidly and with no noise, so that the projector can be operated more silently. Also, the life span of the display device is increased.

Claims

1. In a reflection type projector system comprising:

a light source;

a polarization beam splitter for polarizing light emitted from the light source and for providing a split beam;

disposed to receive the split beam, a LCD reflection display device for forming an image; and

a projection lens unit for projecting the image formed by the display device;

the improvement comprising a cooling system comprising;

a thermoelectric element installed such that a front surface thereof is in contact with a rear surface of the LCD reflection display device;

a heat sink installed at a rear surface of the thermoelectric element;

a heat pipe of which one end is connected to the heat sink; and

a heat radiating plate connected to the other end of the heat pipe.

2. The reflection type projector system of claim 1, wherein the LCD reflection display device is installed in a closed space between the polarization beam splitter and the thermoelectric element.

3. The reflection type projector system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a blowing fan for forcibly cooling the heat sink.

4. In a reflection type projection process comprising the steps of:

(1) passing a light beam from a light source to a polarization beam splitter to polarize the light beam;

(2) passing the polarized light beam to an LCD reflection display device to form an image; and

(3) projecting the image through a projection lens unit;

the improvement comprising the further steps of;

(a) cooling the display device with a thermoelectric element installed such that a front surface thereof contacts a rear surface of the display device; and

(b) cooling the thermoelectric element by a heat sink installed in contact with a rear surface of the thermoelectric element.

5. In a reflection type projection process comprising the steps of:

(1) passing a light beam from a light source to a polarization beam splitter to polarize the light beam;

(2) passing the polarized light beam to an LCD reflection display device to form an image; and

(3) projecting the image through a projection lens unit;

the improvement comprising the further steps of

(a) cooling the display device with a thermoelectric element installed such that a front surface thereof contacts a rear surface of the display device; and

(b) cooling the thermoelectric element by a heat sink installed in contact with a rear surface of the thermoelectric element, said heat sink connected to a first end of a heat pipe for conducting heat away from the heat sink.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein said heat pipe is connected to a heat radiating plate at a second end of the heat pipe.

7. The process of claim 5, wherein said heat sink is forcibly cooled by a blowing fan.

8. In an LCD display device for a reflection type projector system, said LCD display device having a front side adapted to be disposed toward a beam splitter and a rear side adapted to be disposed away from the beam splitter, the improvement comprising:

in contact with the rear side of the LCD display device, a thermoelectric element, said thermoelectric element having a front side in contact with said rear side of the LCD display device, said thermoelectric element having a back side disposed away from said LCD display device; and

in contact with the back side of the thermoelectric element, a heat sink.

9. In an LCD display device for a reflection type projector system, said LCD display device having a front side adapted to be disposed toward a beam splitter and a rear side adapted to be disposed away from the beam splitter, the improvement comprising:

in contact with the rear side of the LCD display device, a thermoelectric element, said thermoelectric element having a front side in contact with said rear side of the LCD display device, said thermoelectric element having a back side disposed away from said LCD display device; and

in contact with the back side of the thermoelectric element, a heat sink, said heat sink having a front side in contact with the back side of the thermoelectric element and a rear side disposed away from said thermoelectric element, said rear side of said heat sink having a first end of a heat pipe attached thereto, said heat pipe having a second end attached to a heat radiating plate.