Abstract: A method of protecting a disc or tape drive unit having ports for wiring connections to a power source and to a computer, that includes providing a flexible, protective case for the drive unit, and providing adjustable windows in the case; locating the drive unit in the case to locate the ports in juxtaposition to said windows; passing the wiring connections through the windows, and to the ports to establish wiring connections to the power source and to the computer.

Abstract: An integrated personal computer with a disk drive mounting structure which is easy to upgrade and maintain and which can minimize disk drive mounting space, the structure comprising a chassis including front and rear plates and first and second longitudinal brackets fixedly disposed between the front and rear plates, and guide rails formed on a front side of each of the first and second brackets to slidably carry a first disk drive on the guide rails. The structure further includes rotating mechanism for rotatably carrying a second disk drive on a rear side of each of the first and second brackets. With this rotating mechanism, when rotating the second disk drive toward an outer side in an upright position, it is easy to fix or upgrade a main board disposed under the second disk drive.

Abstract: A convertible computer includes a base portion having an operative side and a rear side. The computer further includes a display portion, pivotally attached to the base portion, having an operative side and a rear side, the rear side of the display portion being positionable substantially adjacent the rear side of the base portion. Moreover, the computer includes a cover positionable over the operative side of the base portion.

Abstract: A personal computer comprises a heat dissipation plate installed on a floor of its case, a motherboard disposed apart from the heat dissipation plate by a predetermined distance, and a daughter board disposed in such a manner that the motherboard is positioned between the heat dissipation plate and the daughter board. The daughter board is mounted with a central processing unit which generates heat. The motherboard is provided with a hole. A heat dissipation block extends from the heat dissipation plate through the hole in the motherboard, and is connected to the central processing unit through a heat conductive coupler. This forms a heat dissipation path which passes through the central processing unit, the heat dissipation block, the heat dissipation plate, and the case.

Abstract: A positioning device for computer read-write devices including a slightly bulging block with a central threaded hole at one of the side walls of a housing having a space for receiving a read-write device. Two ends of the slightly bulging block corresponding to positioning threaded holes at the sides of the read-write device are provided with respective through holes. A fastening plate with two bent ends is further provided. When the read-write device is slid along slide rails of the space into the space and positioned therein, two fastening ends of the fastening plate may pass through the through holes into the positioning threaded holes of the read-write device and be positioned. A screw is then passed through a central hole of the fastening plate into the central threaded hole of the slightly bulging block so that a disk drive may move to lie against the other side and hence position the read-write device. The invention provides easy, quick, and simple installation and removal of the read-write device.

Abstract: Multi-unit module of portable computer, including a computer housing and a module casing. At least two expansion units are inserted in the module casing as a module. At least one plug is disposed on one side of the module casing and connected to the expansion units. A module insertion slot is disposed on one side of the housing. An inner end of the insertion slot is disposed with at least one socket secured on the main circuit board corresponding to the plug of the module casing, whereby when the module casing is inserted into the insertion slot, the plug is connected with the socket so that the expansion units can be at the same located in the housing and drivingly connected with and controlled by the main circuit board.

Abstract: A ceramic case includes a plurality of stitches divided into a central sub-group shared between different kinds of semiconductor chips and side sub-groups selectively used for the different kinds of semiconductor chip, and the side sub-groups enhance the compatibility of the ceramic case.

Abstract: A wearable computing device includes at least one computing-device component module and flexible circuitry operably connected to the module. The module includes a top module portion, a bottom module portion, and at least one protrusion for holding the top module portion in substantially fixed relationship with the bottom module portion. The protrusion passes into and/or through the flexible circuitry. A plurality of such modules are also contemplated.

Abstract: An air-cooled information processing apparatus has a plurality of units and a casing accommodating the units. At least one cooling air supply section and at least one cooling air discharge section are provided in the casing, for supplying cooling air into the apparatus and for discharging the air therefrom. A partition member divides the space inside the casing so as to define at least two cooling air flow channels between the cooling air supply section and the cooling air discharge section. At least one main fan unit is disposed in each of the cooling air flow channels. The cooling air flow channels include at least one first cooling air flow channel in which at least two units from among the plurality of units are disposed in parallel with each other with respect to the direction of flow of cooling air, and at least one second cooling air flow channel in which at least two units from among the plurality of units are arranged in series to each other along the flow of cooling air.

Abstract: A grounding system for a portable computer system which provides the computer system with a desirable RF (radio frequency) grounding and heat distribution characteristics. The grounding system includes a top panel, a back panel, and a bottom panel, where the panels are constructed of electrically conductive material. The bottom panel is electrically and physically connected to the back panel. The top panel and back panel are connected physically and electrically via low impedance hinges. A computer display such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) is electrically and physically coupled to the top panel, and a system planar printed wiring board is electrically and mechanically coupled to the bottom panel. The grounding system includes side panels constructed of electrically conducted material that are electrically and physically connected to both the top panel and the bottom panel. The top panel and the back panel are also connected via a spring hinge.

Abstract: A portable computer has a base unit with a first expansion connector mounted on a rear wall. The expansion connector is covered by a connector unit. The connector unit includes pivotally mounted upper and lower covers having laterally extending guide portions. The upper and lower covers have a closed position which covers the connector. An external expansion unit has a second expansion connector mounted on a connector mounting surface. A cover opening member projects from the connector mounting surface. When the expansion unit is connected to the portable computer the cover opening member pushes the upper and lower to covers to an open position which uncovers the first expansion connector.

Abstract: A portable, hand-held data collection terminal unit is of modular structure including among other modules a display screen module, a keyboard module and a base module, each of which may be chosen from a plurality of modules available for assembly into the terminal unit. Consequently, a wide combination of terminal units may be assembled from a comparatively limited number of modular choices, such that the cost of assembly of a terminal unit with specific functions may be minimized A particular selected module is a scanning module including a pivotable scanning head to permit a user to adjust the scanning head to a convenient position for operating the scanning module without sacrifice of visual access to a display screen of the display screen module. The display screen module may be selected from modules of standard width equal to the width of the terminal unit, of extended width extending when assembled to a selected keyboard module beyond either or both lateral edges of the terminal unit.

Abstract: A thermal fuse device for over-current protection includes a fusing element comprising a conductive strip having a fulcrum point between first and second ends. The fuse strip is connected to first and second terminal pads on a substrate by a first solder joint between the first end and the first terminal pad, and a second solder joint between the fulcrum point and the second terminal pad. The second end of the strip is resiliently pressed against the interior surface of a housing that holds the substrate. The inwardly-directed pressure applied to the second end of the fuse strip by the housing is resisted by the first and second solder joints, whereby the fuse strip remains immobile. A resistive element on the substrate generates heat in response to the flow of current.

Abstract: A computer, or other similar type of electronic device including a chassis, and a power supply mounted in the chassis is disclosed. One or more hooks are provided on one of the walls of the chassis and one or more corresponding walls of the power supply so that the power supply can be placed in the chassis and moved relative to the chassis to engage the hooks and secure the power supply in the chassis against movement in a first plane. A single screw is provided for engaging the chassis and the power supply for securing the power supply against movement in a plane perpendicular to the first plane. A tab on a wall of the chassis guides the power supply.

Abstract: A computer cabinet and hot-pluggable disk drive module design including indicator light support for the disk drive module. The cabinet includes a disk drive module receiving bay into which the disk drive module is removably installed. The disk drive receiving bay includes a backplane having at least one connector for engagement with a corresponding connector, preferably a single connector architecture (SCA) connector, protruding from a leading surface of the disk drive module. A light source mounted to the backplane near the backplane connector is illuminated to provide status information concerning the disk drive module. A light conduit extends from the light source to a conspicuous viewing location on the computer cabinet. Multiple indicator lights and corresponding light conduits tinted to different colors may be employed to provide different status indications, e.g., power, activity and fault status information.

Abstract: A plug with security device, including a housing, several conductive insertion plates adapted to be inserted into a power socket, conductive wires connected to an electric appliance and a security device. The insertion plates are connected with the conductive wires in the housing. The security device is disposed between at least one insertion plate and one conductive wire and includes a casing, a disconnector seat disposed therein, a thermal bimetal blade disposed on the disconnector seat, a movable contact disposed on the bimetal blade, a fixed contact disposed in the casing and connected with the conductive wire to naturally contact with the movable contact, and an insulative separating structure. When an excessively large current passes through the electric appliance, the bimetal plate is bent to separate the movable contact from the fixed contact and open the circuit.

Abstract: An electronic processor unit comprises a base (13) for supporting mechanical and electronic components (61,24) and an auxiliary frame (14) fixed to the base in order to support other mechanical and electronic components (16,17). An interlocking mechanism (32) for the base and the auxiliary frame permits the frame to be pivoted between a rest position and a tilted position providing access to the said components, and a fixing mechanism (33) can be selectively actuated to lock the auxiliary frame to the base in the rest position.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus system comprises an electronic apparatus body such as a portable computer, and an extension station for use in extending the functions of the electronic apparatus body. The extension station has a mount portion on which the electronic apparatus body is detachably mounted, a device storage section in which an extension device for extending the functions of the electronic apparatus body is removably stored, and an ejector for discharging the extension device from the device storage section. The ejector has an eject lever manually operable at the time of discharging the extension device. The eject lever has an operation section exposed to the mount portion. The extension station includes a rotatable cover which is held in a closed position by an extension portion of the cover which extends toward the mount portion of the extension body. The extension portion of the cover is located under the portable computer when the portable computer is mounted on the mounting portion.

Abstract: A notebook computer display housing is pivotally connected to its associated CPU housing by a heat dissipating hinge structure having telescoped, relatively rotatable first and second sections respectively anchored to the CPU and display housings. The heat absorbing evaporation end of a first thermosyphoning heat pipe is conductively connected to a heat generating electronic component within the CPU housing, with the heat rejecting condensing end of the heat pipe defining the first hinge structure section. During computer operation, heat from the electronic component is sequentially transferred through the heat pipe and the second hinge structure section, in which the first hinge section is journaled, to the display housing for dissipation therefrom to ambient.

Abstract: An adjustably mounted infrared device for an electronic device is disclosed. One embodiment of the invention is a computer. The computer has a housing and an integral infrared device. The housing has a plurality of surfaces to protect at least a processor within the housing. The integral infrared device is mounted adjustably to the housing to permit positioning of the device in a desired direction independent of movement of the housing. Other embodiments of the invention include a computer keyboard, a computer printer, and a computer monitor, each having such an integral infrared device mounted adjustably thereto to permit position of the device in a desired direction without movement of the keyboard, the printer or the monitor, respectively. The infrared device is contained within a casing. The casing is rotatably mounted by a pair of pegs which fit into a pair of holes located within the housing.