WO1991007717A1

WO1991007717A1 - Structural member for portable computer

Info

Publication number: WO1991007717A1
Application number: PCT/GB1990/001736
Authority: WO
Inventors: Farad Azima
Original assignee: Abs Technology Ltd.
Priority date: 1989-11-10
Filing date: 1990-11-12
Publication date: 1991-05-30
Also published as: GB8925463D0; AU6646390A

Abstract

A computer comprising a case enclosing internal components comprising at least one circuit board characterised by a structural member adapted so that the internal computer components can be directly mounted thereon, the structural member having attachment means whereby it can be mounted within the case.

Description

TITLE: Estructural member for portable computer

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to electronic computers and more particularly to electronic micro computers such as lap-top computers.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally in the construction of such computers most of the internal mechanical and electronic components of the computer are assembled onto a base or chassis which then serves as the bottom component of the computer case or cabinet. Since it is usually desirable that the so-called "foot print" of the computer is as small as possible the space available within the base or chassis is normally severely limited. This is made worse by the fact that the base or chassis is usually formed as a tray so that access to the internal components is further hindered. It is therefore often time consuming and expensive not only to assemble the computer but also the subsequent test and "burn in" phases of manufacture of the computer are rendered more difficult as are subsequent trouble shooting, repair and maintenance procedures. Frequently the internal components of the computer are fixed to other internal components one on top of the other by reason of the space limitations. The fact that components are assembled in this way rather than being directly connected to the base can also adversely affect the structural integrity of the computer.

It is an object of the invention to mitigate difficulties of access to the internal computer components. It is another object of the invention to provide a computer of improved structural integrity.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a computer comprising a case enclosing internal components such as circuit boards, e.g. mother board and distribution board, disc drives, power supply etc. and a structural member adapted so that the internal computer components, can be directly mounted thereon, the structural member having attachment means whereby it can be mounted within the case. If desired the structural member is made of a material such as metal. Preferably the structural member is die cast from an alloy such as aluminium alloy. Preferably the structural member is a unitary component. Preferably the structural member is generally rectangular and is frame-like. Preferably the structural member is configured to fit snugly within the case.

Normally expansion cards for PC based computers are connected to the main processor or mother board either into connector slots provided in the mother board so that the expansion card sits vertically on the mother board or the expansion card is inserted into a connector mounted on a back plane which is in turn connected vertically to the mother board. In this case the expansion card is arranged parallel with the mother board. A problem with both of these methods of connecting expansion cards to mother boards is that they do not always offer optimum space utilisation of the internal volume of the computer.

From another aspect the invention provides a computer mother board, particularly intended for a PC computer, comprising a back plane arranged to support a pair of expansion cards in an arrangement in which the pair of expansion cards are disposed in mutually parallel and closely adjacent planes and extend in opposite directions from their respective connections on the back plane. It will be appreciated that in this arrangement, the expansion cards are disposed generally parallel to the plane of the mother board so as to occupy the minimum of space and vertical height. Preferably the back plane is arranged to interface between at least one hard disc drive, and preferably a pair of hard disc drives, and a floppy disc drive via a one-piece ribbon connector formed with electrical connections along a pair of opposite sides and along one end. In this manner a single ribbon connector is sufficient and it is not necessary to fold the ribbon, which assists in minimising its space requiremen .

Known lap-top computers have been designed to work with batteries incorporated in the case of the computer. Usually an external battery charger is supplied. The main reason for this has been, primarily, to maintain a small foot print and minimal weight of such computers. As far as the user is concerned, however, he has to carry the charging unit with him as an extra item in order to enable him to recharge the internal batteries as they run out.

From another aspect the invention is a lap-top computer comprising a battery power source, mains power supply facility and a charger for the battery power source housed within the case of the computer.

A benefit of this arrangement is that the user has a smaller number of individual parts to carry. In addition when A.C. power is used, the batteries can be made to work as an uninterruptable power supply. This means that if there is a power failure the user can continue with his work without losing the information he is currently working on or his files.

To date an uninterruptable power supply facility has only been available in servers and more sophisticated computer systems. Users of desktop and portable computers often come up against a general power failure or accidental interruption of the A.C. mains, which will generally result in the loss of all the user's work at hand.

From another aspect the invention provides a desktop or portable computer provided wi th a bui l t- in rechargeable battery power supply adapted to take over power supply to the computer in the event of mains power failure.

This enables the user, in the event of a mains power failure, to wrap up the work at hand and save all the new files without any loss of information.

Known lap-top and portable computers have at best been equipped with a single hard disc drive.

From a further aspect the invention is a lap-top or other portable computer comprising a pair of hard disc drives arranged either to duplicate information to be stored thereon, i.e. so-called "Mirroring" or to act in tandem.

In mirror configuration the information written to or read from the disc drives is identical, and hence allows the system to have a full copy of the data always available in case one of the drives crashes or gets damaged. In tandem configuration the system has twice the storage capacity and the information written on the hard disc is multiplexed, that is, written partially to each drive. This allows the system disc access to be twice as fast as a single drive system. The information read from the drive, by the same token, is read from both drives and hence also twice as fast as the single drive systems.

In both above cases the twin hard disc arrangement gives a significant advantage over the conventional single drive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a structural member onto which the components of a lap-top computer can be assembled and tested;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the structural member of Figure 1 with internal computer components mounted thereon;

Figure 3 is a perspective view taken from the same perspective as Figures 1 and 2 and showing the arrangement of the computer components but with the structural member removed in the interests of clarity;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a lap-top computer housing the structural member of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the computer of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of the lap-top computer of Figure 4 but with the screen raised into its working or viewing position;

Figure 7 is a cross-section on the line A-A of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a cross-section on the line B-B of Figure 5, and

Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the computer mother board and back plane particularly intended for a lap top computer. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT INVENTION

Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings illustrate the internal components of a lap-top computer which is shown in Figures 4 to 8 of the drawings. As can best be seen from Figures 4 to 8 of the drawings, the case 52 of the lap-top computer comprises a main body portion 53 in which are mounted the internal computer components and which carries the keyboard 51 and a lid portion 54 which carries a display screen 55 and which is pivoted on the body 53 by a hinge mechanism 56.

The internal components comprise a unitary structural member 21 made from die cast alloy and which is adapted to support the internal computer components and which is adapted to be housed snugly within the case of the computer illustrated in Figures 4 to 8. The member 21 is generally rectangular in form and comprises a front member 22, a rear member 23 and an opposed pair of side members 24 and 25 respectively, the four said members 22, 23, 24 and 25 being united at their corners to form a framework. The side members 24 and 25 are connected near the front member 22 by a bar 26 extending parallel with the front member and intended to support the computer keyboard 51. Other interconnecting flanges 27, 28 and 29 extend across and from front to back to support the various internal computer components. The structural member is also formed in its interior with a generally rectangular box-like portion 30 adapted to house a power supply. One side 31 of the box 30 is formed as a heat sink intended to project through the computer case so as to be exposed to ambient atmosphere for cooling purposes. The side 31 is also formed with a port 32 through which an electrical power connection can be made.

The member 21 is also formed with a variety of flanges and lugs to which the various computer components can be directly attached e.g. by bolts or screws. The front 22 and rear 23 members of the structural member 21^* are formed with outstanding lugs 33, 34 respectively by means of which the structural member can be attached to, and mounted within, a case 52 preferably with the aid of suitable rubber grommets so that the internal components and the structural member are mechanically decoupled from the case of the computer. The rear member 23 is formed with various apertures (such as those indicated at 35) for external connections, and the rear member also forms an RF shield.

As can best be seen with the aid of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings the structural member 21 mounts a floppy disc drive 36, and a side-by-side pair of hard disc drives 37, 38 respectively, which may if desired be connected together in parallel to increase the memory capacity of the computer or alternatively can be connected together so that information is simultaneously written on both discs to provide automatic back up. In addition the structural member supports a combined power supply unit and distribution board 39 and a mother board 40 which is described in greater detail hereafter in relation to Figure 9 of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 9 there is shown a mother board

40 supporting a back plane 41 to which can be attached a pair of expansion cards 42 and 43 respectively, the latter one of which is indicated in dotted lines, and which are arranged to extend in generally parallel and closely adjacent planes and in opposite directions from one another so that they occupy the smallest amount of vertical height in the computer. The back plane 41 also accommodates an interface between the two hard disc drives 37, 38 and the floppy disc drive 36. As can be seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, the rear face 44 of the floppy disc drive 36, from which emerge its electrical connections, is disposed adjacent to one side of one of the hard disc drives 37. In order to ensure that the ribbon connector 45 joining the floppy and hard disc drives to the mother board is as compact as can be achieved, the ribbon connector is arranged to have disc drive connections 47, 48 for the two hard disc drives along one edge, connections 49 to the floppy disc drive at right angles to the connections 47, 48 for the hard disc drive and the connections 50 to the mother board disposed generally opposite to those of the hard disc drives. In this way the ribbon has connections along two opposite sides and at one end and it is not necessary to provide a plurality of ribbon connectors or to fold the ribbons through right angles as is normally the case. Space within the computer case is thus saved.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The invention thus provides an arrangement which facilitates the manufacture of the computer since the computer components can be fixed to the structural member from all sides so that open access is provided. Such an arrangement provides ease of testing, trouble shooting and repair. The electronic components such as the mother board and power supply are exposed on both sides of the printed circuit boards for ease of access.

In addition the cabinet or case and other aesthetic parts can be assembled on the structural member after all of the other assembly and handling activities have taken place. Thus these external parts are less subject to damage during the assembly process and therefore cosmetic rejects at the end of production can be reduced. In addition the overall mechanical integrity of the computer is improved, because all of the internal computer components are individually fixed to a rigid structural member instead of being fixed to one another within the computer case.

Claims

1. A computer comprising a case enclosing internal components comprising at least one circuit board characterised by a structural member adapted so that the internal computer components can be directly mounted thereon, the structural member having attachment means whereby it can be mounted within the case.

2. A computer according to claim 1, characterised in that the structural member is die cast from an alloy.

3. A computer according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the structural member is a unitary component.

4. A computer according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the structural member is generally rectangular and is frame-like.

5. A computer according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the structural member is configured to fit snugly within the case.

6. A portable computer having a generally rectangular case enclosing internal computer components, a keyboard on the case, a display screen, and hinge means connecting the display screen to the case whereby the display screen can be moved from a position in which it overlies the keyboard to a viewing position, characterised by a generally r -ctangular, frame-like structural member adapted so that the internal computer components can be directly mounted thereon, the structural member being configured to fit snugly within the case and having attachment means whereby it can be mounted within the case.

7. A portable computer according to claim 6, having a mother board provided with a back plane arranged to support a pair of expansion cards, characterised in that the pair of expansion cards are disposed in mutually parallel and closely adjacent planes and extend in opposite directions from respective connections on the back plane.

8. A portable computer according to claim 7, characterised by a one-piece ribbon connector formed with electrical connections along a pair of opposite sides and along one end and by means which the back plane is arranged to interface between at least one hard disc drive and a floppy disc drive