Compaq Computer Corporation, Inc.

Comaq Computer Corporation

George K Korinsky

James S Dinh

Kenneth B Frame

Kevin W Mundt

William R Dorr

The present invention supports computers or electronic devices that have a sleep, hibernation or low power mode. Because a device may appear to be off in low power mode, the present invention acts as an interlock to prevent or deter access to the device's electronics unless the power to the device has been disconnected or turned off.

Computer power switch interlock

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. The plenum air is passed into the main housing interior through a transfer opening in the inner side wall and then drawn along the balance of the motherboard through a gap between the motherboard and the installed option card carrier.

Ultra-quiet, thermally efficient cooling system for forced air cooled

A coupling is configured to hold detachably a speaker on a computer component by a gravitational force acting on the speaker. The coupling may be a pocket on the component and a flange on the speaker. The coupling may include vertically aligned projecting elements on the component and corresponding receptacles on the speaker. The coupling may be hidden after the speaker has been mounted. To attach the speaker it is held near the component and then lowered with respect to the coupling mechanism to reach a position where the speaker is fixed relative to the component by a gravitational force.

Attaching a speaker to a computer component

A computer system has control circuitry for detecting directly and independently of temperature the malfunctioning of a fan used for cooling the housing of the computer and for controlling the power supply voltage when malfunctions are detected so as to reduce the temperature within the housing of the computer system.

Temperature independent fan-error correction circuit

A personal computer has at least one heat producing element within its housing with a fan for cooling the inside of the housing. The fan is controlled by a temperature dependent fan control circuit. A heat sensing device within the fan control circuit adjusts the voltage applied to the fan in a substantially continuous relationship to the temperature inside the housing.

Temperature dependent fan control circuit for personal computer

An electronics chassis, preferably a personal computer ('PC') power supply chassis, having a construction free of secondary fabrication operations and a method of manufacture therefor. The chassis comprises: (1) a bendable chassis sheet having a central portion forming a chassis base wall and a plurality of peripheral portions bent with respect to the central portion to form chassis side walls, edges of the side walls having projections interlocking with corresponding projections on edges of the side wall to fix the side walls with respect to the side wall as against lateral displacement, the bendable chassis sheet thereby forming a chassis portion having an opening therein, (2) a second bendable chassis sheet mated to the first chassis sheet and covering the opening, the second chassis sheet having a portion forming a chassis cover wall and a second portion bent with respect to the portion to form a fourth chassis side wall, side edges of the cover wall and outer edges of the side walls having interlocking projections and recesses preventing the side walls from separating from the cover wall, (3) structures for removably attaching a cover wall to an outer edge of the second wall and a side wall to a base wall.

Electronics chassis and method of manufacture therefor

A computer system utilizes a heat sink which optimizes the benefits of both linear airflow and turbulent airflow within the computer housing. The heat sink has rows of metal fingers extending from a metal sheet. A fan generates linear airflow within the housing. The heat sink is attached to a heat producing element such that the rows of fingers are placed parallel to the direction of airflow in the housing. The fingers are spaced apart within a single row to generate turbulence in the airflow, and the rows are spaced apart to prevent the turbulence of one row from interfering with the turbulence of an adjacent row.

Heat sink for a personal computer

A natural convection cooled electronic device utilizing a box-like plastic enclosure surrounding the circuitry of the electronic device. The apparatus further includes aluminum heat sinks fastened in good thermal contact with heat dissipating components of the electronic device, wherein the heat sinks include heat fin members which run parallel to the inner walls of the enclosure and are separated from the walls by an air gap. The inner walls of the enclosure are lined with a layer of thermally conductive material, such as copper foil, which spreads the internal heat flux across the total surface area of the enclosure. The exposed surface of the heat flux spreader layer and the facing surface of the heat fin members are further made semi-rough and stained black to eliminate potential hot spots and to increase radiant heat transfer between the heat sinks and the enclosure. An alternative embodiment includes an electrical insulation layer between the electronic circuitry and the heat flux spreader layer. The insulation layer may include openings to allow contact of the heat flux spreader layer to the electronic circuitry at grounded locations.

Thermal packaging for natural convection cooled electronics

A natural convection cooled electronic device utilizing a box-like plastic enclosure surrounding the circuitry of the electronic device. The apparatus further includes aluminum heat sinks fastened in good thermal contact with heat dissipating components of the electronic device, wherein the heat sinks include heat fin members which run parallel to the inner walls of the enclosure and are separated from the walls by an air gap. The inner walls of the enclosure are lined with a layer of thermally conductive material, such as copper foil, which spreads the internal heat flux across the total surface area of the enclosure. The exposed surface of the heat flux spreader layer and the facing surface of the heat fin members are further made semi-rough and stained black to eliminate potential hot spots and to increase radiant heat transfer between the heat sinks and the enclosure.

Growing community of inventors

The Woodlands, TX, United States of America

George K Korinsky