TW201324120A - Fuel cell for powering computer apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A computer peripheral device incorporates a fuel cell that may be used to supply power to a computer device coupled to the peripheral device. The peripheral device comprises a housing and circuitry within the housing to provide at least one computer peripheral function. A data interface provides for data transfer to and/or from a computer device. A fuel cell power source is incorporated into the peripheral device. A power interface provides power transfer to the computer device when connected thereto. A power controller is configured to supply power from the fuel cell power source to the power interface for supplying said power to said computer device when connected thereto.

Description

Fuel cell for powering computer equipment

The present invention relates to fuel cell power systems, and more particularly to the use of fuel cells to supply electrical power to computer hardware.

Portable personal computing, data processing, and/or telecommunications devices are well known for their significant limitations in battery life. In this patent specification, the terms "portable computer system" or "portable computer device" are used to cover all such data processing devices, including laptops, notebooks, palmtops, tablets ( Tablet computer), personal organiser, 'smart phone', and the like.

In recent years, considerable efforts have been made to extend the length of time that such battery-powered computer-based devices can operate independently of the plug-in mains. Basically, extending the length of time independent of the plug-in mains requires an increase in battery technology, an increase in battery size, or a replacement of the battery pack. Each of these solutions may increase the cost, weight and/or size of the equipment to be carried, thereby increasing user inconvenience. In addition, there is still a significant limit to the energy density achievable with battery power.

Recently, fuel cells have been identified as a potential alternative portable power supply for computing devices. However, integrating a fuel cell into a portable computer device itself is not always convenient, and does not address how to extend the battery life of a conventional hardware that cannot be easily integrated into or retrofitted with a fuel cell.

One object of the present invention is to provide an alternative way to power a portable computer device by means of a fuel cell.

According to a feature, the present invention provides a computer peripheral device comprising: a casing; a circuit system in the casing to provide at least one computer peripheral function; and a data interface for providing data transmission to and/or from a computer device a fuel cell power source incorporated in the peripheral device; a power interface for providing power transmission to the computer device when connected to the computer device; and a power controller configured to be supplied from the fuel cell power supply Power is supplied to the power interface to supply the power to the computer device when connected to the computer device.

According to another feature, the present invention provides a computer peripheral device for coupling to a computer system, the computer peripheral device having: a casing; the circuit system in the casing for performing at least one when connected to a computer system a computer peripheral function; and a fuel cell disposed within the outer casing; wherein at least one outer portion of the outer casing includes a detachable fuel cartridge to supply fuel to the fuel cell.

The above computer peripheral device may include a mouse, a printer, a scanner, a keyboard, a projector, and a docking station. Any of /stand). The data interface and power interface described above may include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. The peripheral device of the computer may comprise a controller, and the group is configured to receive instructions from the computer device through the data interface, and control The operation of the fuel cell power supply. The computer peripheral device can include a detachable fuel cartridge coupled to the housing. The detachable fuel cartridge can include a base of the device. In the case where the computer peripheral device is a mouse, the mouse may include: a position sensing device for sensing a change in the position of the mouse relative to a support surface on which the mouse is intended to be used, wherein the mouse The base of the mouse comprises the detachable fuel cartridge, the cassette comprising a lower surface for sliding engagement with the support surface, the cassette comprising at least one aperture in the cassette, the position The sensing device operates through it. The cassette may contain a low friction pad on its lower surface. Where the computer peripheral device includes a keyboard, the base of the keyboard may include a detachable fuel cartridge, the cassette including a lower surface for engaging a support surface on which the keyboard is intended to be used The cassette is grouped to form an adjustable support for the keyboard when in use.

According to another feature, the present invention provides a rack/expansion for a computer device having a housing that is configured to engage the computer device to present the computer device at one or more specific viewing angles. a fuel cell power supply disposed within the housing; a power interface for providing power to the computer device when connected to the computer device; and a power controller configured to supply power from the fuel cell power source To the power interface to supply the power to the computer device when connected to the computer device.

The foregoing description of the fuel cell system disposed in the peripheral device housing or disposed within the shelf/retainer housing indicates an embodiment in which at least a portion of the fuel cell can form at least a portion of the housing itself, for example, the fuel cell. It is integrated into the enclosure.

In one feature, the present invention recognizes that many users of portable computer devices also use the computer device with one or more peripheral devices, such as a mouse, a keyboard, a printer, a scanner, A projector, a docking station/rack, and similar perimeters. The peripheral devices themselves may also be portable and may be constructed to incorporate a fuel cell system therein, which not only supplies power to the peripheral device itself, but also connects to a portable computer device. Power is supplied to the peripheral device. The term 'peripheral device' is used to cover a device that performs a data input and/or output function on a computer device that is electronically attached thereto, and that is physically separated or separable from its electronic connection. A device attached to a computer device.

Figure 1 shows an exemplary computer mouse 1 incorporating a fuel cell system. The computer mouse 1 includes an upper housing portion 2 that houses conventional mechanical and electronic hardware for performing conventional mouse functions, the conventional mouse function including providing an electrical output representative of predetermined use relative thereto One of the mouse supports a surface, such as a mouse pad, table top, etc., the position of the mouse changes. The upper housing portion contains a set of conventional mouse buttons, such as left and right buttons 3 and 4. The mouse can also include a conventional scroll wheel 5, as well as any other control switches, buttons, or other control surfaces known in the art.

The upper outer casing portion 2 incorporates a fuel cell (not shown in Figure 1). The fuel cell can be of any suitable type capable of providing a power output at one of the appropriate voltages. A typical specification can be as high as several amps The 5 V power output of the flow, although higher or lower specifications can also be considered. The upper outer casing portion 2 also includes a plurality of venting aperture arrays 6, 7 and 8 to provide a venting function to the fuel cell, for example, to a source of air on the cathode side of a fuel cell. The preferred embodiment of the array of venting apertures is placed on the upper outer casing portion 2 at a position that is relatively unobstructed by the user's hand during normal operation of the mouse. As shown in Figure 1, the preferred locations of the array of venting apertures 6, 7, 8 include a front surface of the housing that is generally adjacent to the mouse connecting line (as indicated by the connecting wire aperture 9 in Figure 1a). The front position shown by the hole arrays 6 and 7 on 10. For the sake of clarity, the connecting line itself is not shown in Figure 1, but can be seen in Figure 3. These front positions of arrays 6 and 7 are generally located just before the end of the finger of the user of the mouse. Another preferred location is shown in the array of venting apertures 8 above the forwardly inclined upper surface 12 behind the mouse buttons 3, 4. The venting aperture array 8 is positioned such that the user's palms and fingers tend to arch on the array but do not block it.

The comfort of the computer mouse user is an important consideration in the design of the mouse, and the shape of the upper outer casing portion 2 can be grouped into any suitable shape to meet the optimal ergonomics. In a preferred configuration, the array of venting holes 6 and 7 at the front end of the mouse are grouped to form the exhaust vents of the fuel cell, and the array of venting holes 8 can be grouped to form the air inlet for the fuel cell. In this way, the warm air flow from the fuel cell during operation can be directed out of the user's hand.

The base 15 of the mouse 1 provides, in a preferred embodiment, a generally planar lower surface 16 that is configured to be predetermined thereon. Use a sliding joint of the support surface of the mouse, for example, a mouse pad, a table top, and the like. The lower surface 16 can have any suitable shape (the preferred embodiment is, for example, a concave upward facing surface, not necessarily planar), and can be provided with a low friction coating such as a Teflon mat (not shown) ) to optimize the sliding action. The susceptor 15 also serves as a removable fuel cartridge 20 to supply any suitable fluid fuel for the fuel cell. The fuel may be stored in a cassette in the form of a solid, liquid or gas, but the preferred embodiment is delivered to the fuel cell in the form of a fluid, such as a gas or liquid. An exemplary fluid fuel contains hydrogen.

The preferred embodiment of the fuel cartridge 20 is configured to be integrated into the overall shape of the mouse housing, although the preferred embodiment is detachable to facilitate refilling of the fuel supply and cassette. In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, since the fuel cartridge 20 defines the base 15 of the mouse, it is designed according to the optical mouse to form a perforation 17 through the cassette 20 to enable a conventional optical position. The tracking system is capable of interacting with a support surface (eg, a mouse pad) on which the mouse is configured. The perforations 17 can be grouped to form a solid perforation directly through one of the cassettes 20 such that the fuel containment volume of the cassette can be considered to be slightly toroidal, for example, in the shape of a 'ring ring' or 'doughnut'. Alternatively, the perforations may be an optical aperture such as a window aperture through the cassette 20. The perforations 17 can alternatively be assembled to receive a mechanical configuration, such as a tracking ball for conventional position sensing.

A schematic of one of the fuel cartridges 20 is shown in FIG. The cassette 20 includes a peripheral peripheral edge 21 that conforms approximately to the outer casing portion to define the shape of the mouse. The cassette 20 includes an upper surface 22, the upper table Face 22 includes a gas feed connection 23 and a service port 24. The upper surface 22 engages the upper outer casing portion 2 in any suitable manner, such as by push-fit or by a mechanical locking or latching configuration (not shown). The gas feedthrough connections 23 are assembled to closely fit one of the appropriate flaps on the bottom of the upper outer casing portion 2 to deliver fluid fuel to the fuel cell. The service port 24 can provide additional functionality, for example, for refilling/cleaning/cleaning the cassette.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a fuel cell cartridge 1 (Fig. 3b) and a separate (Fig. 3a) fuel cell mouse 1. It can be seen that the detachable fuel cartridge 20 itself actually comprises at least a portion of the outer portion of the outer casing, thereby acting as a functional base for the mouse, for example, providing a low friction sliding surface and an optical emitting portion of the mouse, Or capture at least a portion of any trackball mechanism. Removal of the fuel cartridge for replacement or replenishment can also enable it to perform maintenance of the internal components of the mouse or the cleaning of the low friction surface. In a generalized feature, an optical tracking system or a mechanical trackball is exemplified as a position sensing device that can be configured to sense a mouse relative to a support surface on which a mouse is intended to be used. The position changes and can be operated through the perforations in the fuel cartridge.

Computer mice are usually designed to a specific size so that they are ideally used by human hands. From this point of view, it typically has a significant amount of free space within the outer casing. This makes it particularly advantageous to use a portion of this space to provide an additional power source that would otherwise be wasted.

Another peripheral device that can be selected can be a keyboard. Figure 4 shows a keyboard 40 incorporating a fuel cell system. Computer keyboard 40 includes an upper The square housing portion 42, which houses the conventional mechanical and electronic hardware upper housing portion 42 for performing conventional keyboard functions, includes a set of conventional keyboard keys, as well as any other known control switches, buttons, or other control surfaces.

The upper outer casing portion 42 incorporates a fuel cell (not shown in Figure 4). The fuel cell can be of any suitable type as described in connection with the mouse of Figure 1. The upper outer casing portion 42 also includes a plurality of venting aperture arrays (not shown) to provide a venting function to the fuel cell, for example, to a source of air on the cathode side of a fuel cell. The preferred embodiment of the array of venting apertures is placed on the upper outer casing portion 42 where it is relatively unobstructed by the user's hand during normal operation of the keyboard.

The preferred embodiment of the base 41 of the keyboard 40 provides a generally planar lower surface to provide a stable keyboard support and may include a chassis or adjustable post to change the height and/or tilt of the upper surface of the keyboard. The base 41 acts as a removable fuel cartridge 45 for supplying a suitable fluid fuel to the fuel cell located within the upper housing portion 42 of the keyboard, as previously described with the mouse of FIG.

The preferred embodiment of the fuel cartridge 45 is constructed to be integrated into the overall shape of the keyboard housing, although the preferred embodiment is detachable to facilitate refilling of the fuel supply and cassette. The fuel cartridge 45 includes a peripheral peripheral edge 43 that conforms approximately to the outer casing portion 42 to define the shape of the keyboard. The cassette 45 includes an upper surface 44 that includes a gas feed connection 46 and a service port 47. The upper surface 44 engages the upper outer casing portion 42 in any suitable manner, such as It is configured by push-in fit or by a mechanical lock (not shown). The gas feedthrough connections 46 are configured to closely fit one of the appropriate flaps on the bottom of the upper outer casing portion 42 to deliver fluid fuel to the fuel cell. The service port 47 can provide additional functionality, for example, for refilling/cleaning/cleaning the cassette.

The keyboard is usually designed to a specific size so that it is ideal for use by human hands. From this point of view, it typically has a significant amount of free space within the outer casing. This makes it particularly advantageous to use a portion of this space to provide an additional power source that would otherwise be wasted.

Other forms of peripheral devices such as scanners, printers, projectors, docking stations/racks can also be grouped to have one of the fuel cells and cassettes incorporated in a similar manner.

A particular benefit of providing a fuel cell power source to a peripheral device such as a computer mouse is that the fuel cell can be used not only to power the peripheral device itself, but also to power the computer device when connected to the computer device. A mouse, keyboard, printer, or similar peripheral device is conventionally connected to a portable computer device by a USB or other similar electrical connector. This USB or other connector conventionally provides a busbar for data transfer between the computer device and the periphery, and also provides a power connection for transmitting power from the computer to the peripheral device to power the peripheral device. Among one feature, the present invention recognizes that having a reverse power transmission exists has considerable benefits. In other words, a peripheral device having a fuel cell attached to the board can be used to provide power to the computer device. Therefore, when connecting such peripheral devices, by eliminating or reducing the power consumption of the computer battery The battery life of the computer device is prolonged. In addition, when connecting such peripheral devices, the peripheral device can also be used to recharge the portable computer. The peripheral device can recharge the portable computer device when it is turned on or off. The peripheral device can be powered when the portable computer device is turned on, or powered and recharged.

A preferred configuration is shown schematically in Figure 6. A peripheral device 60 is coupled to a computer device 65 via a USB or similar multi-function (ie, power and data) cable 61. The computer device 65 includes an interface 66 for connecting connectors of both data and power. This can be incorporated into a USB type connector or can be a separate data and power connector. A similar interface 62 is provided over the peripheral device 60. The fuel cell 63 is connected to a fuel cartridge 67 by a fuel line 64. A data interface 68 provides for data transfer to and/or from computer device 65. Computer peripheral functions (e.g., mouse function, printer function, keyboard function, etc.) of the peripheral device are provided by the circuitry depicted by functional block 69. A power controller 63a can supply power from the fuel cell 63 to the interface 62 for supply to the computer device 65 via a power connection 61b.

The power transmission from the peripheral device 60 to the computer device 65 can be intelligent under the control of the data interface 68 by utilizing the two-way data transmission between the computer device 65 and the peripheral device 60 over a data connection 61a. Ground control. Thus, peripheral device 60 can be configured to indicate to computer device 65 that its presence of fuel cell power is available. Under this circumstance, the computer device 65 can be configured to detect whether it has a plug-in main power source or is operated by a battery. If the computer device has a plug-in main power supply available, it can choose not to Power is required from the peripheral device, and power can be supplied to the peripheral device such that the fuel cell 63 therein can remain in an inactive or inactive state. If the computer device does not have a plug-in mains power available, it may choose to request power from the peripheral device, for example, power sufficient for full operation, or power sufficient to assist battery operation (to extend battery life), or for batteries Charging, or a combination of the aforementioned actions.

The preferred embodiment of the power is transmitted from the peripheral device 60 to the computer device 65 using a shared data communication/power connection 61, such as a USB or USB-OTG. However, in order to have backward compatibility with existing hardware or standards, it is preferable to have different electrical connectors for data (eg, USB) and power (eg, a conventional or dedicated power plug). Different electrical connector plugs can be provided on the end of a common multi-core cable to the peripheral device for the convenience of the user. For example, the computer mouse 1 can be equipped with a cable 30 (Fig. 3) that terminates in a pair of engaging and disconnecting cables that terminate in a USB plug and a power plug, respectively.

Data communication between the computer device and the peripheral device may alternatively be provided by a wireless communication channel such as infrared or Bluetooth. Power delivery between the peripheral device and the computer device may alternatively be provided by a wireless technology such as power inductive transmission. This latter feature is particularly advantageous when the peripheral device and the computer device are placed in close proximity to each other.

In another configuration shown in FIG. 5, it is shown for one of the docking stations/racks 50 of a tablet computer 51. A fuel cell (not shown) is incorporated into the docking station/rack. The socket 50 also includes a socket for the fuel cassette 53 52. The shoe 50 can have a triangular design to provide at least two different orientations of use, as shown at 54a and 54b, respectively. The two orientations allow the seat to act as a reading and typing base. The shoe can include a hinged configuration to change the viewing angle of the tablet 51. The socket 52 for receiving a fuel cartridge 53 may be a recess or hole that can be inserted into the cassette as shown in FIG. Alternatively, the fuel cartridge can be accessed and form part of the base of the docking station/rack, similar to that described in the aforementioned mouse and keyboard embodiments.

The size of a docking station/frame is traditionally at least partially determined by the size of the tablet to which it is attached, and therefore typically has a significant amount of free space within its housing. This makes it particularly advantageous to use a portion of this space to provide an additional power source that would otherwise be wasted.

The docking station/rack can be connected to a computer device (flat type) via a USB or similar multi-function (ie, power and data) cable as previously described. More preferably, the cable can be replaced by a set of connectors located on the side or base of the tablet, automatically connected to the mating connection when the tablet is placed on the dock/rack Device. The extreme proximity of the tablet device to the docking station/rack also makes the possibility of wireless power and data transmission easier and more advantageous. Power transfer between the tablet and the dock/rack can be intelligently controlled by utilizing the two-way data transfer previously described in conjunction with the mouse and keyboard configuration.

In another configuration, as shown in FIG. 7, the docking station/rack 70 can include a photovoltaic panel 71 as a supplemental power source for charging the tablet device 51 thereon. Photovoltaic panel 71 can be organized The series of folded panels 72a, 72b, 72c can be deployed over a tablet device 51 when not in use. The charged power can be routed through the docking station/rack 70 to the tablet device 51 and from there to the tablet device 51 using the same power delivery mechanism as used by the fuel cells incorporated into the docking station/rack 70. In a broader feature, the docking station/rack 70 can incorporate a plurality of photovoltaic cells disposed over any suitable surface of the docking station/rack 70, which can be used as an alternative or additional power source for the fuel cell to Use it as an idle state when the tablet is not in use, or as an auxiliary power source when the tablet is in use. A switching mechanism (not shown) can be incorporated into the docking station/rack 70 that is triggered by folding back the photovoltaic panel 72 for use by the tablet device 51. This switching mechanism can turn on the fuel cell to be ready to power the tablet device 51. The tablet device 51 can also be automatically turned on when the photovoltaic panel 72 is folded back. For example, the switching mechanism can be a magnetic switch, a microswitch, a proximity switch, an optical sensor, and the like.

A significant advantage of all of the above embodiments is that by virtue of the advantageous position of one of the fuel cell power systems of a peripheral device such as a mouse or docking station/frame that is often used by a portable device, The battery life of a portable computer device can be extended without the need to increase the size and/or performance of the battery. This perimeter can intelligently supplement the available power to the portable device without any action by the user to provide full or partial operational power and/or charging power.

Other embodiments are considered to fall within the scope of the patent application.

1‧‧‧ mouse

2‧‧‧Upper casing part

3‧‧‧Left button

4‧‧‧right button

5‧‧‧Roller

6‧‧‧Ventilated hole array

7‧‧‧Ventilated hole array

8‧‧‧Ventilated hole array

9‧‧‧Connecting wire hole

10‧‧‧ front surface

12‧‧‧ upper surface

15‧‧‧Mouse base

16‧‧‧Lower surface

17‧‧‧Perforation

20‧‧‧fuel box

21‧‧‧ peripheral perimeter

22‧‧‧ upper surface

23‧‧‧ gas feed connection

24‧‧‧Service Connection埠

30‧‧‧Connecting line

40‧‧‧ keyboard

41‧‧‧ Keyboard base

42‧‧‧Upper casing part

43‧‧‧ peripheral peripheral edge

44‧‧‧ upper surface

45‧‧‧fuel box

46‧‧‧ gas feed connection

47‧‧‧Service Connection埠

50‧‧‧Expansion stand/rack

51‧‧‧ Tablet PC

52‧‧‧ socket

53‧‧‧fuel box

54a‧‧‧Use orientation

54b‧‧‧Use orientation

60‧‧‧ peripheral devices

61‧‧‧Multifunctional cable

61a‧‧‧Information connection

61b‧‧‧Power connection

62‧‧‧ interface

63‧‧‧ fuel cell

63a‧‧‧Power Controller

64‧‧‧fuel line

65‧‧‧Computer equipment

66‧‧‧Connector interface

67‧‧‧fuel box

68‧‧‧Information interface

69‧‧‧ functional blocks

70‧‧‧Expansion stand/rack

71‧‧‧Photovoltaic panels

72a‧‧‧Folding panel

72b‧‧‧Folding panel

72c‧‧‧Folding panel

The description of the embodiments of the present invention is made by referring to the drawings of the appendix, wherein: FIG. 1 shows a computer mouse containing a fuel cell, wherein FIG. 1a shows a front end view, FIG. 1b shows a left side view, and FIG. 1c. A top view is shown, FIG. 1d shows a lower side perspective view, and FIG. 1e shows an upper side perspective view; FIG. 2 shows one of the mouse used in the mouse of FIG. 1, wherein FIG. 2a shows a front end view, FIG. 2b Figure 1a shows a top view, and Figure 2d shows an upper side perspective view; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the mouse of Figure 1, showing the fuel cartridge separation and connection two configurations; A perspective view of a computer keyboard having a fuel cell attached to a fuel cartridge, and FIG. 4b shows a perspective view of a separate fuel cartridge; FIG. 5 shows a tablet support socket from a plurality of stereoscopic viewing positions, which has a Integrated fuel cell and detachable fuel cartridge; Figure 6 shows a schematic functional block diagram illustrating the functionality of a computer device and peripheral device with a fuel cell; and Figure 7 shows a photovoltaic surface One of the docking station / stand.

1‧‧‧ mouse

2‧‧‧Upper casing part

3‧‧‧Left button

4‧‧‧right button

5‧‧‧Roller

6‧‧‧Ventilated hole array

7‧‧‧Ventilated hole array

8‧‧‧Ventilated hole array

9‧‧‧Connecting wire hole

10‧‧‧ front surface

12‧‧‧ upper surface

15‧‧‧Mouse base

16‧‧‧Lower surface

17‧‧‧Perforation

20‧‧‧fuel box

Claims (12)

A computer peripheral device comprising: an outer casing; a circuit system in the outer casing to provide at least one computer peripheral function; a data interface for providing data transmission to and/or from a computer device; and a fuel cell power supply In the peripheral device; a power interface for providing power transmission to the computer device when connected to the computer device; and a power controller configured to supply power from the fuel cell power source to the power interface to The power is supplied to the computer device when connected to the computer device. The computer peripheral device of claim 1 includes a mouse, a printer, a scanner, a keyboard, a projector, and a docking station/rack. For example, in the computer peripheral device of claim 1, wherein the data interface and the power interface comprise a USB interface. The computer peripheral device of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the operation of the fuel cell power source according to an instruction received from the computer device through the data interface. The computer peripheral device of claim 1, further comprising a detachable fuel cartridge coupled to the outer casing. A computer peripheral device for coupling to a computer system, the computer peripheral device having: An outer casing; circuitry in the outer casing for performing at least one computer peripheral function when connected to a computer system; and a fuel cell disposed within the outer casing; wherein at least one outer portion of the outer casing includes a detachable A fuel cartridge is provided to supply fuel to the fuel cell. The computer peripheral device of claim 6, wherein the detachable fuel cartridge comprises a base of the peripheral device. The computer peripheral device of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a mouse, the mouse comprising: a position sensing device for sensing the sliding relative to a support surface on which the mouse is intended to be used The position of the mouse varies, wherein the base of the mouse comprises the detachable fuel cartridge, the cassette comprising a lower surface for sliding engagement with the support surface, the cassette comprising at least one aperture Within the cassette, the position sensing device operates through it. The computer peripheral device of claim 8, wherein the cassette comprises a low friction pad on the lower surface thereof. The computer peripheral device of claim 7, wherein the device comprises a keyboard and wherein the base of the keyboard comprises the detachable fuel cartridge, the cartridge comprising a lower surface for engaging the upper surface It is intended to use one of the keyboard support surfaces which, when in use, is grouped to form an adjustable support for the keyboard. A rack/expansion base for a computer device, the rack/expansion mount having a housing configured to engage the computer device to present the computer device at one or more specific display angles; a fuel cell power source disposed thereon Inside the housing; a power interface for providing power to the computer device when connected to the computer device; and a power controller configured to supply power from the fuel cell power source to the power interface for connection to The computer device supplies the power to the computer device. The rack/expansion of claim 11 further includes a photovoltaic panel that is configured to provide a second power source in addition to the fuel cell power source.