Ast Research, Inc.

Randall S Welch

Bao Gia Le

Barry Kennedy

Thomas Toedtman

A computer system chassis, including a base and a cover, implements an improved grounding system by integrally forming a plurality of flexible protruding contacts into predetermined contact regions throughout the base during the metal punching manufacturing phase of the chassis base blank. In this way, when the base and cover are attached to each other, the size of any gaps which may form in these contact regions, as a result of warpage or design tolerances, are reduced. This is due to the number of mechanical contacts being made by the plurality of flexible contacts which protrude and extend across these gaps and connect the base to the cover. In addition to reducing the size of these gaps, the flexible contacts provide an improved electrical grounding to the cover by increasing metal-to-metal contact between the cover and the base, both of which reduce EMI emissions from the computer system chassis.

Integrate flexible contacts grounding system for a computer system

A rotatable and slidable heat pipe apparatus for transferring heat away from a microprocessor chip more rapidly than by heat sink surface area dissipation to the surrounding air alone, comprising a heat sink with an integral cylindrical passageway adapted to receive a first end of a heat pipe shaped like a crankshaft, and a heat spreader formed from a metal plate with a first end rolled up to define a cylindrical opening adapted to receive a second end of the heat pipe. The heat spreader is attached to an underside of a keyboard. Since the heat pipe is able to rotate within the cylindrical passageway and the cylindrical opening, the keyboard can be raised to an open position and lowered to a closed position quickly and simply without the risk of breaking or bending the heat pipe, and manufacturing position tolerances between the heat pipe apparatus components are increased resulting in a simplified manufacturing process. The heat pipe can also be slid in to and out of the cylindrical passageway or the cylindrical opening, thereby enabling computer manufacturers to incorporate the heat pipe into portable battery powered notebook-type computer systems designed to allow a user to remove, replace, or swap internal components by simply flipping open or removing the keyboard, and further enabling a user to perform maintenance work or repairs on the computer system without concern for damage to the heat pipe.

Rotable and slideble heat pipe apparatus for reducing heat build up in

A small computer system interface (SCSI) disk array subsystem has removable disk drive units that can be removed while the subsystem has power applied to it and is operational. In order to prevent malfunctions of other disks in the disk array, and in order to prevent rapid fluctuations in the current in the power circuits of the subsystem, the power and the data and control signals are applied to the inserted disk drive unit in a phased sequence. Initially, the ground of the disk drive unit is connected to the ground of the subsystem along with precharge power which connects the power buses of the disk drive unit to the power buses of the subsystem through resistors so that capacitances connected to the power buses of the disk drive unit are charged gradually through the resistors rather than abruptly. Thereafter, power is applied directly from the power buses of the subsystem to the power buses of the disk drive unit. Finally, the control and data signal connections are made between the subsystem and the disk drive unit. This phased sequence of connections between the subsystem and the disk drive unit is accomplished by providing sets of contacts having differing lengths in a connector on the disk drive unit so that some connections are made before other connections.

Growing community of inventors

Lake Forest, CA, United States of America

Randall S Welch