Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-25
2001-02-13
Picard, Leo P. (Department: 2835)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S688000, C361S690000, C361S695000, C165S080300, C454S186000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188573
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to information processing devices, and more particularly to an information processing device in which a peripheral device which is an optional unit is detachably loaded to a bay of the information processing device main body.
A notebook type personal computer, which is a portable information processing device, is designed to have expanded functions so that a peripheral device which is prepared as an optional unit can be connected to the computer. There are generally available three formations for making a connection between the notebook type personal computer and the peripheral device. The first connecting formation uses a connector cable which connects the notebook type personal computer to the peripheral device which is provided outside of the computer. The second connecting formation uses an expansion station on which the notebook type personal computer is overlaid. The third connecting formation uses an arrangement in which the peripheral device is detachably loaded to the bay of the notebook type personal computer.
The third connecting formation is preferable in terms of the operationability of the notebook type personal computer. However, the third connecting formation is required to improve generation of heat because the peripheral device is loaded within the bay of the notebook type personal computer. The notebook type personal computer is equipped with a battery as a power source, and is thus required to reduce power consumption. In this regard, only a limited number of fans is allowed to be equipped with the notebook type personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
shows a conventional notebook type personal computer
10
, which is made up of a notebook type personal computer main body
11
and a liquid crystal panel part
12
which can be opened. The computer main body
11
has a bay
13
, a keyboard part
14
, a cooling fan
15
, a communication use connector
16
, a CPU
17
, a modem module
18
, a hard disk drive
19
and a battery
20
. The computer
10
receives electricity from the battery
20
and operates.
When it is desired to expand the functions of the computer
10
, for example, a floppy disk drive
30
is detachably loaded to the bay
13
. The floppy disk drive
30
does not have a cooling fan.
The cooling fan
15
is attached to a side surface of the computer main body
11
and is located in a rear-side portion thereon. The communication connector
16
is connected to the side surface of the main body
11
. The CPU
17
is provided in the center portion within the computer main body
11
. The modem module
18
is separate from the communication connector
16
, and is provided in the center portion within the computer main body
11
. The cooling fan
15
is driven when the floppy disk drive
30
is loaded to the bay
13
in order to use an expanded function of the personal computer
10
.
However, the position of the cooling fan
15
attached to the computer main body
11
depends on the design of the notebook type personal computer
10
. Generally, the cooling fan
15
is attached to the side surface of the computer main body
11
. Hence, the cooling fan
15
cannot efficiently and effectively cool the floppy disk drive
30
loaded to the bay
13
as well as the CPU
17
and the modem module
18
.
A peripheral device or a battery can be detachably attached to the bay
13
of the personal computer
10
. Conventionally, cooling of the device attached to the bay
13
is carried out on the side of the main body of the personal computer
10
. That is, the cooling fan cools the computer main body
11
and radiates heat generated by the peripheral device or the battery attached to the bay
13
.
The cooling mechanism is installed in the computer main body
11
irrespective of the system structure thereof. Hence, even a system which is not required to be cooled is equipped with the cooling mechanism. This increases the production cost.
If a peripheral device which can be loaded to the bay
13
of the computer
10
has a small amount of generation of heat, the cooling fan
15
will not be required to operate. An example of such a peripheral device is a secondary or additional battery. Hence, the computer
10
is expensive to the users who generally use the secondary battery because the computer
10
is equipped with the cooling fan
15
, which is not used for the floppy disk drive
30
.
That is, the cooling mechanism of the notebook type personal computer
10
is required to be designed so that the peripheral device or the battery which is to be attached to the bay
13
and generates the largest amount of heat can sufficiently be cooled. However, the devices to be attached to the bay
13
have respective amounts of heat, which are not different from each other. Generally, the battery and the floppy disk drive
30
have a comparatively small amount of heat generation. A CD-ROM device, a hard disk drive or a digital volatile drive, which can be attached to the bay
13
, rotate built-in recording media at high speeds and comparatively large amounts of heat generations.
Hence, it is required to design the computer main body
11
so that it can sufficiently cool various devices having different amounts of generation of heat to be attached to the bay
13
. In other words, it is required that the computer main body
11
is capable of sufficiently cooling the peripheral device having the maximum amount of generation of heat.
However, selection of the peripheral devices to be attached to the bay
13
depends on the user. Hence, the notebook type personal computer
10
is expensive with respect to the user who uses peripheral devices having relatively small amounts of generation of heat. All the system structures are equipped with the cooling fans, and the production cost thereof is expensive.
The peripheral devices to be attached to the bay
13
function as respective heat generation sources. The cooling fan and the heat radiating part are located taking into account the design and layout of boards of the notebook type personal computer, independently of the locations of the heat generating sources. Hence, the cooling efficiency is low.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an information processing device, a peripheral device and a communications device in which the above disadvantage is eliminated.
The above object of the present invention is achieved by an information processing device comprising: a main body having a bay; and a peripheral device which can detachably be loaded to the bay, the peripheral device including a cooling unit, which is accommodated in the bay with the peripheral device loaded to the bay.
The information processing device may be configured so that the cooling unit is located in a deep portion of the bay in a state in which the peripheral device is loaded to the bay.
The information processing device may be configured so that the cooling unit cools the peripheral device itself in a state in which the peripheral device is loaded to the bay.
The information processing device may be configured so that the cooling unit cools the information processing device.
There is also provided a peripheral device which can be loaded to a bay of an information processing device, the peripheral device comprising: a cooling unit which is accommodated in the bay and is located in the information processing device when the peripheral device is loaded to the information processing device.
The peripheral device may be configured so that the cooling unit is located in a deep portion of the bay in a state in which the peripheral device is loaded to the bay.
The peripheral device may be configured so that the cooling unit cools the peripheral device itself in a state in which the peripheral device is loaded to the bay.
The peripheral device may be configured so that the cooling unit cools the information processing device.
There is also provided an information processing device comprising: a main body; and an attach
Fujitsu Limited
Picard Leo P.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
Vortman Anatoly
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