Nec Corporation

Packard Bell Nec

Bruce Wang

William C Hallowell

Peter A Ojeda

John P Wagner

Timothy A Bonardi

Eric D Fuhs

Elisa E Zappacosta

Wayne L Griffin

Robert R Turnbull

Upal Sengupta

Rodman S Brahman

Norman D Stobert

Russell S Uithoven

Larry L Jeffery

Larry D Bailey

An external flexible bay system includes an external flexible bay, a modular battery pack and a modular disk drive. The external flexible bay is adapted to receive either the modular battery pack or the modular disk drive to facilitate use of such devices with a portable PC. The external flexible bay includes a parallel port which enables an external I/O device, such as a printer, to be connected thereto. The external flexible bay contains circuitry to automatically sense whether a printer is connected and to determine whether a modular battery pack or modular disk drive has been inserted therein. In order to ensure proper configuration, the external flexible bay includes a mode switch for selecting between a floppy mode and a printer mode.

External modular bay for housing I/O devices

A modular portable personal computer includes one or more flexible bays accessible from the front surface of the computer. One or more of the flexible bays may be configured as a dual functional bay to enable the bay to interchangeably receive different modular devices, such as a modular floppy disk drive or a modular battery pack. With such a configuration, the modular floppy disk drive can be removed for portable operation and an additional battery pack installed to provide increased electrical power to the portable personal computer during portable operation. The portable personal computer is also provided with a plurality of cavities formed in a bottom surface. These cavities allow for various upgrades to be made without opening the computer housing. For example, a modular hard disk drive cavity is provided on the bottom side of the personal computer. The modular hard disk drive cavity is adapted to receive a modular hard disk drive which can be relatively easily removed and installed without opening the computer housing. In addition, a cavity may be provided which is closed by an access cover which includes one or more standard in-line memory module (SIMM) sockets to enable additional SIMMS to be added without opening the computer housing. The CPU in the modular portable personal computer can also be rather easily and quickly replaced. In particular, a cavity is formed in the bottom of the portable personal computer and carries an electrical connector that is electrically connected to the mother board. A CPU mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) is adapted to be received in the cavity. A mating connector is provided on the PCB to enable the CPU to be connected to the motherboard. An access panel provides access to the cavity to enable the CPU to be replaced without the need to open the computer housing.

Modular portable personal computer having bays to receive

A modular portable personal computer includes one or more flexible bays accessible from the front surface of the computer. One or more of the flexible bays may be configured as a dual functional bay to enable the bay to interchangeably receive different modular devices, such as a modular floppy disk drive or a modular battery pack. With such a configuration, the modular floppy disk drive can be removed for portable operation and an additional battery pack installed to provide increased electrical power to the portable personal computer during portable operation. The portable personal computer is also provided with a plurality of cavities formed in a bottom surface. These cavities allow for various upgrades to be made without opening the computer housing. For example, a modular hard disk drive cavity is provided on the bottom side of the personal computer. The modular hard disk drive cavity is adapted to receive a modular hard disk drive which can be relatively easily removed and installed without opening the computer housing. In addition, a cavity may be provided which is closed by an access cover which includes one or more standard in-line memory module (SIMM) sockets to enable additional SIMMs to be added without opening the computer housing. The CPU in the modular portable personal computer can also be rather easily and quickly replaced. In particular, a cavity is formed in the bottom of the portable personal computer and carries an electrical connector that is electrically connected to the mother board. A CPU mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) is adapted to be received in the cavity. A mating connector is provided on the PCB to enable the CPU to be connected to the motherboard. An access panel provides access to the cavity to enable the CPU to be replaced without the need to open the computer housing.

Modular portable personal computer

Growing community of inventors

Livonia, MI, United States of America

Bruce Wang