Manufacturing Resources International, Inc.

American Panel Corporation

Ware Bedell

William R Dunn

Don Le

Tim Hubbard

David Williams

Michael LeCave

An electronic display where various electrical components may be removed from a housing of the display and serviced or replaced without having to demount the display. The electronic display may include an electronic image-producing assembly in electrical communication with a backplane. Various electrical components (e.g., electronic assemblies) may be removably connected to the backplane using self-guiding electrical connectors. An access opening through a wall of the housing may be provided to facilitate removal of an electrical assembly through the housing while the display remains mounted to a vertical surface.

Electronic display with mount-accessible components

Disclosed herein is an electronic display assembly having a thermally conductive housing and an image assembly. The image assembly is positioned within the thermally conductive housing and behind a transparent plate assembly. An inlet opening and outlet opening are formed by gaps located between opposing edges of the image assembly and the housing. A space between the image assembly and the plate assembly forms a channel. A thermally conductive plate extends from near the image assembly within each of the inlet opening and outlet opening to contact the housing. Heat from the image assembly is conductively transferred to the housing by the thermally conductive plates. A fan may be positioned to circulate cooling air through the channel via the inlet and outlet openings and apertures in the thermally conductive plates.

Electronic display assembly with combined conductive and convective cooling

Disclosed herein is an electronic display assembly including a backlight that is positioned to illuminate a liquid crystal display, and a novel cooling mechanism in the form of a thermal plate that is located and configured to transfer heat from the backlight to a thermally conductive housing of the electronic display assembly. The thermal plate is preferably placed in conductive thermal communication with the backlight and with the thermally conductive housing for this purpose. One or more air flow apertures may pass through the thermal plate. A convective cooling loop may also be provided, which cooling loop may include a fan that is located to move cooling air over the thermal plate and/or though one or more apertures in the thermal plate. Both a top and bottom thermal plate may be employed in some exemplary embodiments.

Electronic display assembly having thermal cooling plate and optional convective air cooling loop

Exemplary embodiments provide an electronic display assembly. One or more heat-generating components are preferably placed in thermal communication with a plate. One or more fans are placed to draw cooling air along the plate to remove the heat removed from the component. Some embodiments may place the plate behind the electronic image assembly, so that cooling air can remove heat from the plate as well as the electronic image assembly. Exemplary embodiments have power modules in thermal communication with optional conductive ribs. Conductive thermal communication is established between the optional ribs and the components in the exemplary embodiments.

Expanded heat sink for electronic displays

An electronic display assembly where the components can be removed and serviced or replaced without having to remove the display from its position. A backplane may be in electrical communication with the image producing assembly and may contain a plurality of blind mate connectors. Various electronic assemblies may be connected to the blind mate connectors. An access panel may provide access to the electronic assemblies so that they can be removed from the housing. N+1 power supplies may be used so that if one fails the unit would continue to operate until the failed power supply could be replaced. The electronic assemblies may be removed from the left side, right side, top, or bottom surfaces of the display housing. Any flat panel electronic display may be used.

A heat exchanger assembly for an electronic image assembly placed within a housing where ambient air surrounds the exterior of the housing and a rear plate may be placed behind a backlight to create a channel. An ambient air fan may be placed between two portions of a heat exchanger to force ambient air through the heat exchanger. The fan may also be positioned to also force ambient air through the channel. A circulating gas fan may also be placed within the housing to force circulating gas through at least one portion of the heat exchanger.

System for thermally controlling an electronic display with reduced noise emissions

An in-field replaceable glass assembly for an electronic display placed within a housing is disclosed. The housing preferably contains a hanger at the top of the housing, where the glass assembly contains a frame surrounding a pane of glass and having a top and bottom. A tab is preferably placed at the top of the frame and adapted to hold the glass assembly in place when slipped over the hanger on the housing. The glass assembly also contains a means for attaching the bottom of the frame to the housing. In some embodiments this means is a threaded post which extends from the frame and passing through a portion of the housing. A nut may be tightened against the post. In other embodiments a threaded fastener may pass through the housing and thread into a female threaded hole within the frame.

Field serviceable electronic display

Disclosed is a thermal plate assembly and method for cooling an electronic display. The thermal plate may contain a first portion which is in thermal communication with the electronic display. A second portion of the thermal plate may be in thermal communication with the housing. Apertures may be placed within the plate and a fan may be positioned to draw air through the apertures. A gap may be located between the electronic display and a transparent plate assembly, where the fan may be further positioned to force air through the gap as well.

Thermal plate with optional cooling loop in electronic display

A system for cooling various components of an electronic display. One or more heat-generating components are preferably placed in thermal communication with a plate and ribs. One or more fans are placed to draw cooling air along the ribs to remove the heat removed from the component. Some embodiments may place the electronic image assembly in thermal communication with the ribs to remove heat from the electronic image assembly. Exemplary embodiments have power modules and the electronic image assembly in thermal communication with the ribs. Conductive thermal communication is established between the ribs and the components in the exemplary embodiments.

An assembly for cooling an electronic image assembly having a rear channel placed behind the image assembly and a heat exchanger for accepting ambient air. The system contains a first fan placed within the heat exchanger to force ambient air through the heat exchanger and the rear channel. A second fan may be used to force circulating gas through an interior portion of the display housing and through the heat exchanger in order to transfer heat to the ingested ambient air.

System and method for thermally controlling an electronic display with reduced noise emissions

Exemplary embodiments provide a system for thermally controlling an electronic display. A glass substrate containing a pyrolytic electrically conductive layer is utilized. The electrically conductive layer may be used as a passive thermal insulator or may be electrically energized to further heat the glass substrate. The glass may be used with a closed loop plenum which may further heat/cool the display. Additional glass layers may be added in order to polarize light or provide anti-reflective properties.

System for thermally controlling displays

A system and method for cooling an electronic image assembly having a plurality of cooling gas pathways place behind the electronic image assembly. A first fan may be used to force cooling gas through a first grouping of cooling gas pathways while a second fan may be used to force cooling gas through a second grouping of cooling gas pathways. Temperature sensing devices may be positioned so as to measure the temperature of the first and second groupings of cooling gas pathways. The speeds of the first and second fans may be adjusted based on the temperature measurements of the cooling gas pathway groupings. Additional fans with additional temperature sensing devices may be used for further accuracy and control over the temperature gradients of the electronic image assembly. Manifolds may be used to distribute/collect cooling gas to/from the cooling gas pathways.

Growing community of inventors

Cummings, GA, United States of America

Ware Bedell