Abstract: A notebook computer is provided and has a base housing in which a heat-generating component is located, and a lid housing pivotally secured to the base housing for pivotal movement relative thereto between open and closed positions. A relatively thin, hollow, flexible heat exchanger has a first section positioned in the base housing in heat exchange contact with the heat-generating component, a second section disposed in the lid housing in heat exchange contact therewith, and a flexible third section through which the interiors of the first and second sections are communicated. During operation of the computer, a small motor-driven pump recirculates a cooling liquid through the heat exchanger in a manner causing heat from the heat-generating component to be transferred to liquid in the first heat exchanger section, be carried therewith through the third section into the second section, and be transferred via the second section to the lid housing portion for dissipation therefrom to ambient.

Abstract: A computer which includes modular structures incorporated therein provides enhanced serviceability. In a preferred embodiment, the computer has a chassis, a lid, a front bezel, an option card module, a system board module, a drive module, and a power supply module. The lid secures the option card module within the chassis. The option card module is removable from the chassis without disconnecting fasteners, option boards, or external cables therefrom. The system board module is received in the chassis and is secured therein by the option card module. The drive module has features which enable storage media devices to be conveniently installed therein and removed therefrom.

Abstract: A computer housing is provided with enhanced interior cooling, to dissipate operating heat from its heat generating internal electronic components, using a single cooling fan disposed inside the housing. During operation thereof the fan draws ambient cooling air into the housing through a hollow support foot attached to the underside of the housing, and the bottom end opening of a hollow front bezel structure, flows the cooling air through the housing and then discharges it therefrom. A pull-out option card carrier defines an interior housing baffle that routes a large portion of the interior housing air flow across the processor portion of the computer motherboard. Additionally, a smaller quantity of ambient cooling air is drawn through side wall openings in the housing into an interior plenum upon the inner side wall of which the motherboard is mounted.

Abstract: A notebook computer is provided with a collapsible keyboard structure in which, during operation of the computer, the keys are held in extended operating positions by the force of a pressurized fluid-filled flexible mat member having spaced apart orificed compartments against which bottom ends of vertically movable plunger portions of the keys downwardly bear. Position sensors monitor the stroke positions of the keys and, as the keys are depressed during computer use, responsively transmit corresponding position signals to a control system which utilizes the position signals to alter the fluid pressure within the mat member in a manner providing the keys with predetermined, selectively variable stroke force/distance characteristics. When the computer is turned off, fluid pressure within the mat member is relieved in a manner permitting the keys to collapse to retracted storage/transport orientations, thereby reducing the overall thickness of the keyboard until subsequent operation of the computer.

Abstract: A modulating, forced draft, fuel-fired air heating furnace is provided with a two-speed draft inducer fan, and a fuel valve which is fully modulatable between a maximum firing rate and a low firing rate of approximately forty percent thereof. Incorporated into the furnace control system are normally closed low and high fire pressure-electric switches which sense and are sequentially closed by increasingly negative pressure in the draft inducer fan. Upon a call for heat from a thermostat located in the conditioned space served by the furnace, the draft inducer fan is energized at its high speed setting, and a signal is sent to the fuel valve to set it at its full firing rate flow when opened by an ignition switch portion of the control system. The control system functions to open the fuel valve at this maximum flow setting, and permit light-off of the burner, only if (1) both of the low and high fire pressure-electric switches are closed, and (2) the draft inducer fan is operating at its high speed setting.

Abstract: An AC adapter for use with a portable computer has a primary transformer disposed within a plastic housing. A shielded heat sink assembly is positioned in the housing between the transformer and a facing interior side surface portion of the housing. The shielded heat sink assembly includes a resilient block of thermally conductive, high dielectric strength silicon material pressed into contact with a thermally conductive copper heat transfer band wrapped around the housing of the transformer. From its contact area with the copper band the silicon block extends through an opening in a black-colored plastic radiant shield sheet and is adhered to the inner side of a copper heat sink sheet with a thermally conductive adhesive material that also adheres the outer side of the plastic shield sheet to the inner side of the copper heat sink sheet. The outer side of the copper heat sink sheet is adhered to the facing interior side surface portion of the housing with thermally conductive adhesive material.

Abstract: The housing of a portable computer docking station has an exterior wall with an opening formed therein through which a PC card may be inwardly passed for operative insertion into a PC card ejection mechanism disposed within the housing in a facing, inwardly spaced relationship with the exterior wall opening. A molded plastic access door member has a pair of outwardly projecting pin portions which are releasably snap fitted into socket structures formed on interior housing mounting walls to thereby support the door for pivotal movement between closed and open positions in which the door respectively blocks and unblocks the exterior wall opening. Complementarily sloped surfaces on the pins and the sockets are engageable in a manner resiliently deforming the door as it approaches either of its closed and open positions and then permitting the door to return to its original shape.

Abstract: A wear resistant excavating apparatus provides reduced wear, resilient compensation for such wear, reduced time required for installation, maintenance, and repair, and reduced hazards of operation. In a preferred embodiment, a wear resistant excavating apparatus has a lip which penetrates the earth, a structure which overlaps the lip, a fastener which biases the overlapping structure to contact the lip, and a compression member which resiliently maintains the overlapping structure in contact with the lip.

Abstract: A computer having a heat sink structure incorporated therein provides efficient heat dissipation for heat generating components within the computer. In a preferred embodiment, a computer has a chassis, a circuit board with a heat generating device mounted thereon, and a structural member with a heat pipe disposed thereon. The heat pipe transfers heat from the heat generating device to a heat dissipating portion of the structural member. The structural member strengthens the chassis and provides convective transfer of the heat to the environment.

Abstract: A fuel-fired, forced draft, down-fired water heater is provided with an improved combustion product flow path that permits the heater to operate with improved fuel efficiency, lowered CO and NOx emissions, and an improved water heat input distribution along the vertical length of the heater. The water heater includes a vertically oriented tank with a vent plenum structure formed at the top end of the tank interior and having an outlet passage connectable to an external combustion product vent pipe. A centrally positioned submerged vertical burner tube extends downwardly from the vent plenum and has an open lower end extending into a submerged turn bowl disposed at the bottom end of the tank interior. Extending upwardly from the turn bowl within the tank interior, and symmetrically arranged about the centrally disposed burner tube, are a plurality of vertical flue tubes that communicate the interiors of the turn bowl and the vent plenum.

Abstract: A docking station has a removable guide and support shelf along which a portable computer may be slid into operatively coupled engagement with the docking station. By using a vertical side portion of the shelf as a horizontal computer guide, and appropriately positioning the computer docking connector relative to the corresponding guided computer surface, the shelf enables the same docking station to be used with portable computers having different geometric configurations. Alternatively, a differently configured portable computer may be operatively coupled to the docking station by replacing the shelf with a differently configured guide and support shelf. The removable shelf is provided with a mounting latch structure for removably retaining it on the docking station, and a security latch structure that automatically engages the computer during its docking movement. When docked, the computer rests atop three mutually spaced vertical projections formed on the top side of the base wall portion of the shelf.

Abstract: This contribution involves the generation, transmission, propagation and selective reception of electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic energy in the form of a halfwave sinusoidal pulse signal, from one location to another, whereby intelligence input for transmission is recovered from one sinusoidal pulse, or from a plurality of sinusoidal pulses. In a transmitter embodiment, one or more sinusoidal halfwave pulse generators are provided, where each pulse signal may be generated asynchronously, with varying polarity, duration and amplitude on a continuous serial sampled information basis. Complementary pulse signal filtering and recovering of transmitted intelligence is provided in a signal receiver embodiment. Another transmitter embodiment includes a software-driven signal synthesizing capability, wherein a plurality of timed sinusoidal halfways pulses are linearly summed as elementary signal components of an information-carrying propagable signal.

Abstract: An electric water heater has a body structure formed in a manner eliminating the need for a separate metal water storage tank therein. The body structure is formed from a coaxially and sealingly joined series of one-piece molded plastic body sections including opposite end sections having closed outer ends. Each one piece molded plastic body section has tubular inner and outer shell portions that are coaxial with one another and radially separated by a circumferentially spaced series of radially extending ribs molded integrally therewith and defining therebetween a circumferentially extending series of arcuate insulation spaces. In the assembled body structure the inner shell portions entirely define in the water heater an internal water storage vessel portion that is outwardly enveloped by the insulation spaces and structurally reinforced, via the integral ribs, by the outer shell sections.

Abstract: A computer accessory and associated method of manufacturing provides multiple functions for use with a portable computer. In a preferred embodiment, a computer accessory has a keyboard tilt mechanism, an external battery, and a carrying handle in a single unit detachable from the computer. The external battery is contained within the carrying handle, which is pivotably mounted with respect to the computer. Rotation of the handle is limited by external shoulders formed thereon.

Abstract: A suspension system including an integrally formed axle seat provides reduced suspension system maintenance, increased reliability, reduced number of parts, reduced stress on axles, reduced manufacturing cost, and more convenient assembly as compared to conventional suspension systems. In a preferred embodiment, a suspension system has a hanger attachable to a vehicle frame, a bushing received in the hanger and fastened thereto, a spring beam pivotably attached to the bushing, an integrally formed axle seat coupling the spring beam to an axle, and an air spring mounted between the axle seat and the vehicle frame.

Abstract: A portable notebook computer has a shock/vibration testing system incorporated therein and including first and second memory chips and a miniature accelerometer mounted on the computer motherboard and interconnected to the power supply board and storage battery portions of the computer by a power supply switchover circuit. During operational periods of the computer the switchover circuit connects the power supply board output to the accelerometer input, and the accelerometer output to the first memory chip, so that accelerometer output data indicative of the operational shock/vibration loads borne by the computer is received and stored in the first memory chip. During non-operational periods of the computer the switchover circuit connects the storage battery output to the accelerometer input, and the accelerometer output to the second memory chip, so that accelerometer output data indicative of the non-operational shock/vibration loads borne by the computer is received and stored in the second memory chip.

Abstract: Glue dots are deposited on a substrate side of a partially completed printed circuit board, between pairs of component mounting pads disposed on the substrate and having quantities of solder paste thereon, using a resilient stencil plate having a spaced series of glue discharge openings extending transversely therethrough, and a spaced series of side recesses. The recess side of stencil plate is positioned in a spaced, parallel and opposing relationship with the mounting pad side of the substrate with the plate recesses being aligned with the substrate mounting pads, and the glue discharge openings being aligned with glue leveling pads disposed on the substrate side between adjacent mounting pad pairs. Glue is deposited on the outer stencil plate side and a squeegee blade is moved along the outer stencil plate side to deflect it toward the substrate and force glue through the discharge openings to deposit glue dots thereon when the stencil plate is permitted to return to its undeflected position.