US 5,305,183 AGranted

Portable personal computer with passive backplane having a doublesided staggered connector array

AssigneeEdison Welding Institute, Inc.

InventorRichard R. Teynor

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Abstract

A portable personal computer that utilizes a combination of an open ended card cage and a passive backplane with a double-sided staggered array of connectors that allows for the horizontal placement of a large number of computer circuit boards in a low profile design as well as allowing easy access to the circuit boards for repair and replacement The open ended cage design also affords adequate cooling of the circuit components in the confines of a portable case. By hinging the card cage to the portable case, increased accessibility to the circuit boards is afforded. A welding data acquisition and control system embodiment is described that utilizes the portable computer for the acquisition of welding data for use in either operator or automated welding control. The system is capable of utilizing a wide range of welding programs for a wide rang of welding processes. The system is capable of utilizing analog and digital data inputs and can produce both analog and digital outputs for operator and automated welding process control.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A portable, personal computer system comprising:

a. a portable, carry-on luggage case comprising;
1) a base section;
2) a lid section;
3) means for joining said base section and said lid section to form said portable case and to allow easy access to computer components mounted therein;
4) means attached to said portable case for carrying said case;
b. operator input means mounted in said portable case;
c. operator output means mounted in said portable case;
d. a passive backplane mounted in said case and having a first side and a second side;
e. a plurality of backplane connectors alternatingly mounted on said first side and said second side of said backplane in a staggered array one to the next;
f. circuit means for connecting said backplane connectors to each other;
g. a plurality of circuit boards each having connection means at one edge thereof adapted to and engaged in said backplane connectors so that said circuit boards are perpendicular to said backplane and parallel to each other.
h. means for mounting said backplane in said portable case and means for supporting said circuit boards;
i. a programmable, digital computer contained in said portable case, said computer comprising:
1) a central processing unit mounted on at least one of said circuit boards;
2) connection means for linking said operator input means to said central processing unit;
3) connection means for sensor input means connected to said central processing unit;
4) connection means for linking said operator output means to said central processing unit;
5) media storage means including random access memory connected to said central processing unit;
and
6) program means for programming said central processing unit;
j. means for connecting said computer to a power source;
and
k. means for cooling said computer contained in said portable case.

20 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.