Protective dust cover for computer components

• US 5,163,870 A
• Filed: 09/18/1991
• Issued: 11/17/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dean C. Cooper
• Original Assignee: Systems Alternatives, Inc.
• Inventors: Cooper, Dean C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joyce, Harold
• Application Number:
  US07/762,243
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 98/1, 98/115.3, 55/385.6, 55/467, 312/31.1, 312/31.2, 312/138.1, 361/384
• US Class Current: 454/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613

Abstract

A dust cover for protecting a computer component includes an open bottom enclosure which completely covers the computer component and includes a lower edge having a compressible seal member which engages the resting surface on which the component is situated. The cover can be constructed from a clear acrylic material and can be provided with a notched opening in a rear wall for running electrical power supply cords and related wires therethrough. To provide for sufficient cooling of the enclosed component, an exhaust fan is located in an opening formed in the rear wall of the cover and draws cooling air through a separate replaceable filter element located in an inlet opening provided in the cover. If it is necessary to have access to the component such as the disk drive unit, a sliding access door can be provided at the appropriate location. In the preferred embodiment, two covers are used to form an assembly, with the lower cover provided to enclose a central processing unit housing (CPU), and an upper cover provided for enclosing a computer monitor.

Claims

1. A protective cover for an electronic component positioned on a resting surface comprising:

a housing defining an open bottom enclosure, said housing adapted to be positioned over the electronic component to completely cover the component, said housing constructed of air impermeable top and side panels, said side panels including a lower edge surrounding the entire periphery of said housing for supporting said housing on the resting surface;

at least one inlet opening provided in one of said panels of said housing, said inlet opening providing substantially the only means through which cooling air is able to enter said housing;

filter means located in said inlet opening for filtering substantially all of the cooling air entering said housing through said inlet opening;

an outlet opening provided in one of said panels of said housing;

fan means carried by said housing for drawing the cooling air into said housing through said inlet opening and exhausting the cooling air from said housing through said outlet opening to provide flow through ventilation and cooling of the electronic component covered by said housing; and

means for sealing between said housing and the resting surface to define a protected operating environment for the associated electronic component which requires substantially all of the cooling air which enters said housing to pass through said inlet opening and be filtered by said filter means during operation of said fan means.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a clear front wall, said clear front wall allowing the electronic component to be viewed when covered by said housing.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said housing further, includes an access opening, said access opening provided with a door member, said door member being movable between a first position, wherein said access opening is closed, and a second position, wherein said access opening is opened, thereby allowing access to a portion of the electronic component when the component is covered by said housing.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 and further including a temperature warning means, said temperature warning means adapted to indicate a condition that the temperature of the air within said housing has exceeded a predetermined value.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a notched opening along said lower edge to allow electrical power lines to pass therethrough.

6. The invention in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a pair of spaced side walls, a front wall spaced from a rear wall, and a top member interconnecting the top edges of said side, front and rear walls together to form said open bottom enclosure.

7. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said fan means is located in said outlet opening.

8. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said means for sealing is a separate seal member provided on said lower edge of said housing for engaging and supporting said housing on the resting surface.

9. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said seal member is generally U-shaped.

10. The invention defined in claim 8 wherein said seal member substantially surrounds the entire periphery of said lower edge.

11. The invention defined in claim 10 wherein said seal member is rubber and forms a substantially air-tight seal between said housing and the resting surface.

12. The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said notched opening is provided with a means for forming a substantially air-tight seal between said housing and the electrical power lines passing therethrough.

13. A protective cover assembly for first and second electronic components wherein the first electronic component is positioned on a resting surface and the second electronic component is to be positioned above the first electronic component, the cover assembly comprising:

a first housing defining a first open bottom enclosure, said first open bottom enclosure including a top wall member for supporting the second electronic component, said first housing adapted to be placed over the first electronic component to completely cover the first component, said first housing including a lower edge surrounding the entire periphery of said first housing for supporting said first housing on the resting surface;

a second housing defining a second open bottom enclosure which is smaller than said first open bottom enclosure, said second housing adapted to be placed over the second electronic component to completely cover the second component, said second housing including a lower edge surrounding the entire periphery of said second housing for supporting said second housing on said top wall member of said first housing;

a first opening provided in one of said first and second housings;

filter means located in said first opening for filtering cooling air entering said one of said first and second housings through said first opening;

a second opening provided in said top wall member of said first housing, said second opening located within the periphery defined by said lower edge of said second housing;

a third opening provided in said other of said first and second housings; and

exhaust means provided adjacent said third opening for exhausting the cooling air from said one of said first and second housings, said exhaust means adapted to pull in cooling air through said first and second openings and exhaust the air out through said third opening to provide flow-through ventilation and cooling of the first and second electronic components.

14. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said first opening is formed in said first housing and said third opening is formed in said second housing.

15. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said first opening is formed in said second housing and said third opening is formed in said first housing.

16. The invention defined in claim 14 and further including a fourth opening provided in said first housing, a fifth opening provided in said second housing, an exhaust means provided adjacent said fourth opening for exhausting the cooling air from said first housing, and a filter means provided adjacent said fifth opening for filtering the cooling air entering said second housing through said fifth opening.

17. The invention defined in claim 13 and further including a notched opening along said lower edges of both said first and second housings, said notched opening adapted to allow electrical power wires to pass through said first and second housings.

18. The invention defined in claim 13 wherein said first housing includes an access opening, said access opening provided with a door member, said door member movable between a first position, wherein said access opening is closed, and a second position, wherein said access opening is opened, thereby allowing access to a portion of the first electronic component when said component is covered by said first housing.

19. The invention defined in claim 13 and further including a temperature warning means, said temperature warning means adapted to indicate a condition that the temperature of the air within said first and second housings has exceeded a predetermined value.