Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Peter C Ta

Craig M Leverault

Ronald L Barnes

Robert J Lajara

Michael S Dann

Howard W Stolz

Howell Hsiao

Jay K Osborn

Michael F McCormick, Jr

Alan W Lam

A compact housing for a workstation-class computer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a structural heat sink with a horizontal base heat sink that includes an interchangeable power source housing and a hard disk drive receptacle. The horizontal base heat sink operates to conduct heat away from the functional elements positioned within the interchangeable power source housing and the hard disk drive receptacle. The structural heat sink also includes a vertical tower heat sink to support functional elements including a power converter. The vertical tower heat sink operates to conduct heat away from the functional elements. The vertical tower heat sink also includes support devices for receiving a detachable pivot display system. The structural heat sink is surrounded by a vented exterior skin that facilitates convective heat transfer from the structural heat sink.

Compact housing for a computer workstation

A computer construction particularly suited for desktop computers whereby the computer may be opened to provide access to substantially all of the functional components thereof for trouble shooting, maintenance and repair purposes without disconnection of any of the interconnects within the computer and without any interference with the connectability thereof with the outside world, whereby the computer and the input/output functions thereof may be fully functional and exercisable when the computer is so opneed. The computer housing is split into upper and lower housing assemblies with the mother board fastened into the lower portion of the lower housing assembly and the power supply, cooling fan and disk drives fastened into the upper housing assembly. The power supply is positioned adjacent one end of the respective housing assembly and extends out of the open face thereof, with the opposite end of the upper housing assembly and the adjacent end of the lower housing assembly having interfitting means for coupling the same together when the two housing assemblies are fitted together, thereby closing the computer housing. When so closed, the power supply spans between the upper and lower housing assembly, with the two being fastened together by way of a lock extending into the power supply case. Various other aspects of the invention, including the use of the power supply case as both a structural and alignment apparatus are disclosed.

Computer construction

Computer housing

Growing community of inventors

Newark, bothof, CA, United States of America

Peter C Ta