Heat convection cooling system for optical readout and display device

Claim 2

Apparatus for cooling a light source in an optical readout and display device, said apparatus comprising a downwardly opening channel having a heat collecting portion disposed over the light source and an upwardly inclined portion extending from said level portion, said heat collecting portion including a glass portion above the light source allowing passage of light from the light source upwardly through the channel, said channel being constructed of thermally conducting material for the absorption of heat generated by said light source, the channel including surfaces for the transfer of heat to air in the channel and a resulting convection movement of cooling air from adjacent the light source along the inclined portion to a point remote from the light source.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the glass portion is constructed of heat absorbing glass to inhibit heat transfer through said channel and enhance heat absorption by said channel.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 and additionally comprising a concave reflector located below said light source and adapted to direct light from said light source through the glass portion of said channel.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 and additionally comprising means for substantially thermally insulating said downwardly opening channel from the device.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the light source is fixed to the channel to substantially thermally insulate said light source from the device.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the surfaces of the channel are at least partially black to enhance absorption of heat from the light source and the transfer of heat to the air.

Claim 8

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the downwardly opening channel has an inverted U-shaped configuration.

Claim 9

In a microfiche viewer having a high energy light source, a condensing lens adapted to focus light from said light source through a microfiche film, and a concave mirror adapted to direct light from said light source at said lens, improved means for cooling the light source, which comprises: conduit means constructed of thermally conducting material, said conduit means having a level portion interposed between the light source and the lens, and an upwardly inclined portion extending from and thermally coupled to the level portion; the conduit including an opening for communicating light from the source to the lens; means for attaching the conduit means to the viewer, said attachment means thermally insulating said conduit means from said viewer; means for attaching the light source to the conduit means; and a heat absorbing glass plate covering the opening in the level portion of the conduit means; whereby cooling air within the conduit is heated by the conduit and drawn by convection along the inclined portion for discharge to the exterior of the viewer.

Claim 10

In a microfiche viewer having a high energy light source, a condensing lens adapted to focus light from said light source through a microfiche film, and a concave mirror adapted to direct light from said light source at said lens, improved means for cooling the light source, which comprises: conduit means constructed of thermally conducting material, said conduit means having a level portion interposed between the light source and the lens, and an upwardly inclined portion extending from and thermally coupled to the level portion; the conduit including an opening for communicating light from the source to the lens; means for attaching the conduit means to the viewer, said attachment means thermally insulating said conduit means from said viewer; means for attaching the light source to the conduit means; and a heat absorbing glass plate covering the opening in the level portion of the conduit means; whereby cooling air within the conduit is heated by the conduit and drawn by convection along the inclined portion for discharge to the exterior of the viewer.

Claim 11

A microfiche viewer according to claim 8 wherein the conduit means comprises an inverted U-shaped channel.

Claim 12

A microfiche viewer according to claim 8 wherein the means for attaching the light source to the conduit means comprises a horizontal plate spanning the channel and attached to the sidewalls of said channel, and a flange extending upwardly from the horizontal plate and terminating adjacent the top of the channel to provide a passage for cooling air between said flange and said channel.

Claim 13

A microfiche viewer according to claim 8 wherein the means for attaching the light source to the conduit means additionally comprises means for attaching the concave mirror to the conduit means.

Claim 14

A microfiche viewer comprising a housing, means for holding a microfiche, a light source disposed in the interior of the housing, means for directing a light beam from the source through the fiche, and means for continuously cooling the light source comprising an elongate downwardly opening channel disposed in the interior, mounted to and spaced from the housing, the channel being constructed of a thermally conducting material having a first, generally horizontally oriented portion disposed over the light source, the first portion including a cutout for communicating the light beam to the fiche, the channel further having a second portion that is contiguous with and thermally coupled to the first portion, the second portion being further upwardly inclined from the first portion and in communication with an exhaust opening in the housing, a heat absorbing, light transmitting member covering the cutout for absorbing heat energy in the light beam, means preventing any substantial heat transfer from the source in a downward direction past an open side of the channel, means on surfaces of the channels facing the light source for facilitating the absorption of heat by the channel, and means on exterior surfaces of the channel inhibiting a heat transfer from such exterior surfaces to the housing, whereby air in a space surrounded by the channel is heated and drawn towards the exhaust opening by convection for discharge to the exterior of the viewer while simultaneously drawing fresh cooling air into the space for a continued cooling action.

Claim 15

A microfiche viewer comprising a housing, means for holding a microfiche, a light source disposed in the interior of the housing, means for directing a light beam from the source through the fiche, and means for continuously cooling the light source comprising an elongate downwardly opening channel disposed in the interior, mounted to and spaced from the housing, the channel being constructed of a thermally conducting material having a first, generally horizontally oriented portion disposed over the light source, the first portion including a cutout for communicating the light beam to the fiche, the channel further having a second portion that is contiguous with and thermally coupled to the first portion, the second portion being further upwardly inclined from the first portion and in communication with an exhaust opening in the housing, a heat absorbing, light transmitting member covering the cutout for absorbing heat energy in the light beam, means preventing any substantial heat transfer from the source in a downward direction past an open side of the channel, means on surfaces of the channels facing the light source for facilitating the absorption of heat by the channel, and means on exterior surfaces of the channel inhibiting a heat transfer from such exterior surfaces to the housing, whereby air in a space surrounded by the channel is heated and drawn towards the exhaust opening by convection for discharge to the exterior of the viewer while simultaneously drawing fresh cooling air into the space for a continued cooling action.