Abstract: An arrangement and method for enhancing the cooling capacity of portable personal computers. More particularly, disclosed is the provision of an arrangement for increasing the cooling capacity of laptop computers which are constrained in size, weight and power consumption, through which transfers and dissipates heat from semiconductor chips located in the computer and which are to be cooled, to the rear side of a liquid-crystal display of the laptop computer.

Abstract: A docking station is provided with a floppy disk drive and a CD-ROM drive used to extend a function of a lap-top PC. A station body has a pocket formed so as to house and hold the lap-top PC therein. The docking station is of a vertical type and the lap-top PC is also held as a vertical position therein. Consequently, the docking station is effective in space-saving. In addition, because the lap-top PC can be docked to the docking station from the front side of the docking station, the docking can be done safely and easily.

Abstract: A heat pipe wherein a condensable liquid phase working fluid is encapsulated in a container sealed in air-tight condition; wherein the wick composed of the porous body for refluxing the liquid phase working fluid by a capillary pressure is provided in the container; wherein a part of the container functions as an evaporating part for evaporating the working fluid by means of inputting the heat from outside; and wherein another part of the container functions as a condensing part for condensing a vapor of the working fluid by means of radiating the heat to the outside; comprises a direct reflux flow passage for flowing the liquid phase working fluid to the evaporating part, which has a flow cross-sectional area greater than that of a cavity formed in the porous body.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a computer in which an optional unit such as a unit including a wireless LAN adapter is installable. The computer including at least a computer body, a display, and a keyboard. The invention is also directed to a note book computer 2, which includes a computer body with a keyboard, and a display workable as a lid being opened and closed free with the computer body. In these computers with an optional unit 14, the optional unit is detachably attached to the top of the display, or the optional unit is detachably attached to a portion of the display, the portion being at a side of the display when the lid is closed and being at a top of the display when the lid is opened.

Abstract: An arrangement and method for enhancing the cooling capacity of portable personal computers. More particularly, disclosed is the provision of an arrangement for increasing the cooling capacity of laptop computers which are constrained in size, weight and power consumption, through which transfers and dissipates heat from semiconductor chips located in the computer and which are to be cooled, to the rear side of a liquid-crystal display of the laptop computer.

Abstract: Apparatus having a cooling device capable of both power generation using heat from a heat-generating component and cooling of the heat-generating component is provided. The cooling device has a heat-receiving part which receives heat conducted from a CPU, which is an external heat-generating component, a thermoelectric conversion part arranged to absorb heat from the heat-receiving part and having operating modes including a mode of cooling the heat-receiving part by being supplied with a current and a power generation mode of converting heat received from the heat-receiving part into a current and outputting the current, and a selecting part which makes a selection according to a temperature condition of the CPU as to in which one of the modes the thermoelectric conversion part should be operated.

Abstract: To provide a portable computer in which a height and angle of a display can be adjusted even in a restricted installation space. In a notebook type personal computer, at an approximately middle portion in a high and low direction of an LCD unit, disposed in a lid, there is provided a hinge, which enables the LCD unit to pivot around a rotation axis crossing perpendicularly with the high and low direction of the LCD unit. This hinge is mounted so as to be movable in the high and low direction of the frame, and is disposed at a higher position than a top of the frame. Thereby, even when rear space where the notebook type PC is installed is restricted, it is possible to adjust the height and angle of the LCD unit, and to make such setting as to enable the display screen to be easily watched.

Abstract: A docking station is provided with a floppy disk drive and a CD-ROM drive used to extend a function of a lap-top PC. A station body has a pocket formed so as to house and hold the lap-top PC therein. The docking station is of a vertical type and the lap-top PC is also held as a vertical position therein. Consequently, the docking station is effective in space-saving. In addition, because the lap-top PC can be docked to the docking station from the front side of the docking station, the docking can be done safely and easily.

Abstract: To provide a portable computer in which a height and angle of a display can be adjusted even in a restricted installation space. In a notebook type personal computer, at an approximately middle portion in a high and low direction of an LCD unit, disposed in a lid, there is provided a hinge, which enables the LCD unit to pivot around a rotation axis crossing perpendicularly with the high and low direction of the LCD unit. This hinge is mounted so as to be movable in the high and low direction of the frame, and is disposed at a higher position than a top of the frame. Thereby, even when rear space where the notebook type PC is installed is restricted, it is possible to adjust the height and angle of the LCD unit, and to make such setting as to enable the display screen to be easily watched.

Abstract: An embedded keyboard pointing device is provided to a laptop computer having a TrackPoint device, with an additional input section corresponding to a third button. Keys are arranged in the “QWERTY” key configuration on a keyboard unit. A lever shaped TrackPoint is embedded at a position corresponding to the home position on the keyboard. A palm rest is provided forward of the space bar positioned at the center front of the keyboard, and the first and the second buttons are disposed in the center in front of the space bar. A third button is disposed in front of the first and second buttons, with substantially no intervening gap. The third button has a width equal to the sum of the widths of the first and the second buttons. The first to third buttons have protrusions, at the center of their front edges, that a user can engage with his or her fingers. The protrusion on the third button is so formed that it is lower than the protrusions on the first and second buttons.

Abstract: To provide a peripheral device and a computer system, each being arranged to allow both of external and internal attachments of the peripheral device to the computer system such that, in case of the external attachment, the peripheral device can be attached to the computer system in a manner compatible with the conventional attachment method and yet it does not require any dedicated attachment device as before. A computer system 100 comprises a container 140 for containing a peripheral device 130 as an internal device, a cable 410 for attaching the peripheral device 130 to the system 100 as an external device, and a connector 434 for connecting the cable 410. Also, the peripheral device 130 has a connector 132 for internal attachment and a connector 310 for external attachment. When the peripheral device 130 is contained in the container 140, it is electrically connected to the system 100 and operates as a part thereof.

Abstract: A portable PC is provided with a mechanism for elevating and lowering a pointing device in the keyboard of the PC. The elevating and lowering mechanism elevates and lowers the pointing device in response to the opening and closing of the cover of the computer to provide a proper operating height to the pointing device when the cover is open while reducing the thickness of the PC with the cover closed.

Abstract: A data processing system with a printing function having a system body, input means being disposed adjacently to said system body for inputting data, and printing means being disposed in the rear of said system body, in which a printing medium is supplied from between said system body and said input means to said printing means.