Abstract: Representatively using force sensing resistors as key switch elements, keys on a computer keyboard are each provided with pluralities of different keystroke output function signals which may be selectively varied in response to simply altering the user keystroke force imposed on the key. In addition to being provided with a default key force range/output signal correlation, the keyboard may be programmed by the user to customize the key depression force ranges associated with selected different keystroke output signals. Representatively illustrated additional uses of this key force/output signal correlation capability include a key force-based typing correction mode and a combination character and key force sequence-based user password access system. To further expand the individual key functionality of the keyboard, a combination of sensed key depression force and duration is used to generate an additional keystroke output function signal for a given key.

Abstract: An excavating tooth point is captively retained externally on an adapter nose with a specially designed lock structure removably received in a side wall opening of the tooth point and an underlying opening in the adapter nose. The rotary lock structure includes a cylindrical body having a side portion from which a resiliently biased force exerting member and a spring-loaded detent pin outwardly project. With the adapter nose received in the tooth pocket the lock structure body is axially inserted into the tooth and adapter openings in a first rotational orientation and then forcibly rotated to a second rotational orientation. The surfaces of the tooth and nose openings are configured to radially inwardly displace the radially outwardly biased force exerting member in response to such rotation, in a manner causing the force exerting member and the lock structure body to exert on the adapter nose and tooth point a continuous resilient force tending to tighten the tooth point onto the adapter nose.

Abstract: The cage-supported hard disk drives in a computer server system are coupled to connectors on the cage back plane circuit boards and are controlled by a pair of array controller cards which are hot-plug connected in a redundant manner on the system I/O board using a pair of connectors mounted on the I/O board, each connector having first and second sets of electrical contacts thereon. Connector edge portions of the array controller cards are plugged into the I/O board connectors and have first and second sets of electrical contacts that engage the corresponding first and second sets of electrical contacts on their associated I/O board connectors.

Abstract: A computer server unit has a closely spaced series of parallel, facing processor modules with inner edge portions thereof being operatively and removably received in socket connectors on a main system board within the server unit housing. Voltage regulation modules, in the form of power converter cards, are interdigitated with the series of processor modules, with each power converter card being operatively coupled to an associated one of the processor modules. To permit the efficient dissipation of operating heat from the closely spaced processor modules and voltage regulation modules, each removable processor module has a specially designed cooling module supported thereon for removal therewith from the system board.

Abstract: A self-contained liquid cooled heat sink system disposed in a computer has a plurality of socket portions through which a cooling liquid is pumped. Operating heat from a plurality of heat-generating computer components, representatively circuit board-mounted processor chips, is efficiently transferred to the heat sink system by heat pipe modules associated with the heat-generating components. Each module includes (1) an evaporator plate held in thermal contact with its associated component, (2) a condenser plate removably plugged into one of the sockets and in a heat transfer relationship therewith, and (3) a plurality of thermosyphoning type heat pipes interconnected between the evaporator and condenser plates. The use of the heat pipe modules permits rapid and easy pull-away electrical and cooling system disconnection for each processor board as well as providing for effective cooling of the processors without the necessity of forcing a flow of air across them.

Abstract: A deployment tool for communicating a well tool from a generally vertical wellbore to a lateral wellbore includes a hollow tube having a generally uniform inside diameter. The tube includes at least one flex portion disposed intermediate a first end and a second end of the tube to allow for angular deflection of the second end of the tube with respect to the first end of the tube. The flex portion also maintains the generally uniform inside diameter of the tube during the angular deflection. The deployment tool also includes a locking device attached to the first end of the tube for releasably securing the first end of the tube at a selected location in the vertical wellbore adjacent to the lateral wellbore. The tube of the deployment tool includes a length selected to allow the second end of the tube to extend into a portion of the lateral wellbore when the first end is releasably secured at the selected location in the vertical wellbore.

Abstract: A hand-held TV/computer remote infrared control device has an elongated rectangular housing with a front longitudinal portion and a considerably shorter rear end portion which is downwardly and rearwardly inclined relative to the front portion and has a generally bulbous underside section which may be grasped from below by a control hand of a user, with the elongated front portion extending forwardly beyond the control hand. The device is stabilized against forward tipping in the user's hand by positioning somewhat more than half of the operating weight of the device in its rear end portion. Various control buttons are disposed on the top side of the front portion, and the downward tilt of the grasped rear end portion causes the front end portion to tip upwardly to make the control buttons easier to see by the user.

Abstract: An injection device is operable to force a treatment fluid into a refrigerant circuit having an R-134a service fitting thereon and includes a tubular container in which the treatment fluid is disposed. The container has an outlet structure with a body section adapted to sealingly receive and open the service fitting, and a rotatable nut portion operative to deform the body section and releasably lock it onto the service fitting. A hollow plunger member is threaded into the container and may be (1) threadingly advanced into the container to force the treatment fluid outwardly therefrom into the refrigerant circuit, or (2) serve as a conduit through which a pressurized driving fluid may be forced into the container to drive the treatment fluid into the refrigerant circuit. Inlet and outlet check valve structures are incorporated into the device to prevent undesirable fluid backflow therethrough.

Abstract: A mobile portable computer docking/office station is adapted for use in an automotive vehicle or a hotel room and includes a portable housing which may be rested on a car or truck seat. The housing is shaped to resemble a child's car seat, and has exterior side surface indentations which receive portions of the vehicle's passenger side seat belt structure to hold the housing in place on the vehicle seat. A docking area is formed in the housing and is provided with an electrical connector that mates with a corresponding connector on a portable computer when the computer is operatively inserted into the docking area. A printer/scanner unit, a cellular modem, a pair of speakers, and a computer battery charger are carried by the housing and are operatively coupled to the docking area connector. DC electrical power may be transmitted to these components by a self-retracting power cord carried by the housing and having an outer end member that may be plugged into the vehicle's cigarette lighter.

Abstract: An elastomeric compressor mount has a hollow convex cylindrical head portion which is passed upwardly through a corresponding opening in a support foot portion of the compressor to place an annular portion of the foot in an annular mount groove which is disposed between its head portion and a larger cylindrical base portion of the mount. When a securement bolt is passed axially through a fastening opening in the mount and tightened into an underlying base pan opening, the convex mount head portion is downwardly and radially outwardly deformed to cause the annular foot portion to be resiliently squeezed between the head portion and the underlying base portion of the mount. In a second embodiment of the mount its convex cylindrical head portion is of a solid configuration, and is joined to the mount base portion by an annular flange section coaxially disposed therein.

Abstract: A desktop computer system is provided in which a motherboard is mounted within a computer chassis atop a tray which is rearwardly slidable out of a rear wall opening in the chassis to provide access to the motherboard. I/O cables are coupled to I/O connectors mounted on a rear end edge of the motherboard, and a connector socket extending along a side edge portion of the motherboard removably receives a bottom side edge connector portion of a riser card which transversely projects upwardly from the motherboard. All cable connections from internal computer devices are made directly to the riser card instead of to the motherboard. Accordingly, all that is necessary to provide access to the motherboard is to upwardly unseat the riser card from the motherboard and then slide the motherboard, with the I/O cables still connected thereto, rearwardly out of the chassis on the tray.

Abstract: The front side edge of the display lid portion of a notebook computer has a relatively shallow reverse draft angle of approximately five to fifteen degrees thereon and, with the display lid in its downwardly pivoted closed position on the computer's base housing, is rearwardly offset from the front side of the base housing in a manner exposing a relatively narrow front top side surface portion of the base housing. Because of the slight undercut in its front side edge resulting from the reverse draft thereon, the grasping of the front side edge, to upwardly pivot the display lid from its closed position to its open use orientation, is made appreciably easier.

Abstract: A fuel-fired water heater has a series of control and operating components which, with electrical power being supplied to the water heater circuitry via a power switch, are electrically actuatable in a predetermined sequence to supply combustion heat to water contained in a tank portion of the water heater to return the temperature of the water to a heated setpoint temperature in response to the water temperature falling below such setpoint temperature. LED diagnostic indicating lights are wired into the water heater circuitry in a manner such that each indicating light is associated with a different one of the electrically coupled components. As the components are sequentially actuated during a water heating cycle, the LED lights are successively illuminated.

Abstract: Multiple resistance type electric heating elements projecting into the interior of the storage tank portion of an electric water heater are protected against dry firing damage by using a water soluble member, representatively a sugar cube, positioned in the empty tank and blocking the spring-driven movement of a switch closure member that maintains an electrical circuit in an open state preventing electrical current flow through any of the heating elements. When the tank is initially filled with water the sugar cube dissolves, thereby unblocking the switch closure member and permitting it to be spring-driven into a circuit closing position to permit electrical current flow through the heating elements.

Abstract: A combination support and heat sink structure is mounted within a computer housing for pivotal movement between connected and disconnected positions and includes a pair of cooling plates, one air cooled and the other liquid cooled, carried in a spaced apart, parallel opposing relationship. The two cooling plates are movable toward and away from one another and a pair of manually operable spring clip members permit a processor card to be removably sandwiched and clamped between the cooling plates without the use of tools.

Abstract: A fuel-fired water heater has a combustion chamber disposed beneath the storage tank portion of the water heater. The bottom side wall of the combustion chamber is defined by an annular perforated wall structure with a perforated mounting plate structure being removably secured to the underside of the wall structure over the central opening therein. A burner and associated pilot/thermocouple assembly are secured to the upper side of the mounting plate and project upwardly into the combustion chamber, with the piping and wiring of the burner and pilot/thermocouple assembly extending externally beneath the combustion chamber, outwardly through a side wall access passage, and then turning upwardly along the outside of the water heater for connection to a thermostatic fuel valve. To remove the bottom plate-mounted burner and pilot/thermocouple assembly the fuel supply piping must first be decoupled from the thermostatic valve, thereby assuring that the access plate cannot be removed while the burner is firing.

Abstract: A computer docking station is provided which, in a disclosed embodiment thereof, includes multiple security features. The security features are operable to prevent access to interior portions of the docking station, prevent access to a card bay of the docking station, prevent ejection of a disk drive from a disk drive module of the docking station, and prevent operation of the disk drive module. Operation of the security features may be simultaneously and conveniently initiated by rotating a keyed lock mechanism to thereby rotate a cam mounted thereto.

Abstract: A portable computer docking station has incorporated therein a motorized docking/undocking module which is releasably latched to a housing wall portion of the docking station. The module includes a housing within which a small electric drive motor is operatively mounted, with wall portions of the module housing translationally and rotationally restraining the motor body without the use of screws or other separate fastening members. A docking control system, upon sensing the manual placement of a portable computer on a receiving area adjacent the module energizes the module motor which rotates a cammed worm gear portion of the module which is drivingly linked to latching and ejection portions of the module. The motor-driven latching portion of the module connects to the computer and docks it by forcibly drawing it toward the module in a manner mating facing connectors on the computer and docking station.

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: A water heater is provided with a specially designed molded bottom pad/foam dam member which is placed in its bottom pan prior to placing bottom annular portions of the water heater tank and its outwardly spaced jacket structure into the bottom pan. The pad/dam member functions to automatically center the tank relative to its jacket structure, and to prevent leakage past the bottom pan of liquid foam insulation injected into the tank/jacket annulus after bottom end portions of the tank and jacket are secured within the bottom pan. The top side of the pad/dam member has three concentric annular grooves formed therein. The outermost first groove receives an annular bottom end portion of the jacket, while a second groove receives an annular bottom end portion of the tank. The provision of the third groove permits the same pad/dam member to be alternatively used with a water heater having a different tank diameter to thereby improve the manufacturing efficiency of a line of differently sized water heaters.