Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-08
2001-03-27
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C206S576000, C206S320000, C206S305000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208507
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a carrying case that is adapted to safely transport a portable computer workstation. The carrying case has a plug-in switch module and a plug-in connector module that are removably attached to and readily available at the top of a shroud that lies along one side of the carrying case, whereby power distribution and control signals can be selectively routed between a power supply, the computer and computer peripherals of the workstation.
2. Background Art
Portable offices have been known for several years. In general, a personal computer, printer, power supply and other computer peripherals are packaged within a carrying case to facilitate transport and storage of a workstation. Many commercially available computer workstations are modular in nature such that different hardware components can be interconnected with one another and then added or replaced on an as-needed basis.
In some cases, the versatility of the computer workstation has been limited primarily due to the space limitations that are characteristic of the carrying case. That is to say, it is often desirable to package together many hardware components within the same carrying case. Consequently, the user is often subjected to inconvenience and a waste of time by having to remove the computer, printer and/or some of the other peripherals before he has sufficient room to be able to connect or disconnect the hardware components. What is even more, the cable runs which stretch between the computer, peripherals and power source in conventional carrying cases are known to be bulky and consume a relatively large volume of space so as to undesirably limit the usable volume of the case in which to package the hardware.
Therefore, it would be desirable to be able to efficiently arrange a modular, portable computer workstation within a carrying case where the cable runs and the connections between the computer, peripherals and power source are located at an out-of-the-way area within the case so as to advantageously conserve usable space and thereby allow an efficient packaging of the hardware and ready access to the connectors therebetween for the purpose of easily adding or removing the modular components, whereby to increase the life of the workstation and permit a wider range of computers and peripherals to be integrated within the carrying case.
Reference may be made to commonly owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,212,628 (issued May 18, 1993), 5,226,540 (issued Jul. 13, 1993) and 5,442,512 (issued Aug. 15, 1995) for examples of portable computer workstations within a carrying case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general terms, a carrying case for a modular, portable computer workstation having a plug-in switch module and a plug-in connector module is disclosed. The carrying case allows the workstation to be transported within an impact resistant, air and water tight body having a lid that is pivotally connected to and rotatable between opened and closed case positions relative to the body. Located within the body of the carrying case are a personal (e.g. notebook) computer, printer and other peripherals, such as, for example, a cellular phone, satellite phone, modem, scanner, digital camera and internal battery power supply.
Extending preferably along one side of the body of the carrying case is a shroud. The shroud has a top or cover plate which, in the assembled workstation relationship, is spaced above the body of the carrying case. Accordingly, electrical components and cables relating to power, temperature, voltage, and the like, can be efficiently located in the space below the cover plate so as to be surrounded by the shroud. By virtue of the foregoing, such electrical components do not interfere with the usable space in the body of the carrying case whereby the computer and computer peripherals may be efficiently packaged.
A first pocket is formed through one end of the cover plate at the top of the shroud, and a second pocket is formed through the opposite end of the cover plate. The plug-in switch module having a series of function switches is removably received within the first pocket of the shroud. With the lid of the carrying case rotated to the open case position, one or more of the function switches can be manually manipulated to control the distribution of power and control signals to the computer and computer peripherals. A multi-pin connector is mounted at the bottom of the switch module. When the switch module is received by the first pocket in the shroud, the multi-pin connector at the bottom of the connector module is automatically mated to a complementary connector that is affixed to the bottom of the pocket.
The plug-in connector module is removably received within the second pocket through the cover plate of the shroud. A series of connectors are mounted on the top of the connector module and positioned above the cover plate of the shroud so as to be easily interconnected with the computer and the computer peripherals. A multi-pin connector is mounted at the bottom of the connector module. When the connector module is received by the second pocket in the shroud, the multi-pin connector at the bottom of the connector module is automatically mated to a complementary connector that is affixed to the bottom of the pocket. By coupling together the connectors that are affixed at the bottoms of the first and second pockets of the shroud and by selectively operating the function switches of the switch module, power and control signals are routed to the computer and peripherals by way of the connectors of the connector module.
The plug-in switch and connector modules may be quickly and easily removed from the carrying case and replaced with a new or different module so that a variety of computer peripherals can be powered and controlled at the shroud depending upon the needs of the user without having to make mechanical changes to the workstation. What is more, the cable runs between the computer, peripherals and battery power source may be quickly disconnected from one another above the shroud without having to first empty the body of the carrying case or manipulate the workstation therewithin.
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Fischer Morland C.
Lea-Edmonds Lisa
Picard Leo P.
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