Method of convertibly upgrading a personal computer
First Claim
1. A method of increasing the drive installation capacity of an existing personal computer having:
- an existing bottom housing portion having a base wall with a back wall projecting upwardly from a rear edge portion thereof,existing operating components, including an existing drive bay structure, disposed atop the base wall,the existing drive bay structure being adapted to operatively receive a first maximum number of disk drives, andan existing top housing portion comprising an upper side wall having opposite side walls depending from opposite side edge portions thereof, and a front end wall depending from a front end edge portion thereof and extending between the opposite side walls,the existing top housing portion being removably connected to the existing bottom housing portion and cooperating therewith to substantially enclose the existing operating components, the upper side wall of the existing top housing portion closely overlying the top of the existing drive bay structure, said method comprising the steps of;
removing the existing top housing portion from the existing bottom housing portion to expose the existing operating components;
removing the existing drive bay structure;
replacing the removed existing drive bay structure with a vertically enlarged replacement drive bay structure adapted to operatively receive a second maximum number of disk drives, said second maximum number of disk drives being larger than said first maximum number of disk drives; and
operatively connecting a replacement top housing portion to the existing bottom housing portion in place of the removed existing top housing portion, the connected replacement top housing portion cooperating with the existing bottom housing portion to substantially enclose the existing and replacement operating components;
said replacement top housing portion being vertically enlarged to accommodate the vertically enlarged replacement drive bay structure,whereby, in the resulting upgraded computer, the existing bottom housing portion and at least a substantial number of the existing operating components are reused.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Using a relatively simple four piece conversion kit consisting of a replacement control bracket, and vertically enlarged top housing portion, drive bay and expansion card cage replacement structures, a relatively small frame personal desktop computer is converted to a larger frame computer having upgraded expansion card and drive installation capacities. The upgrading process is effected simply by removing the existing top housing portion, drive bay, expansion card cage and control panel bracket, installing the replacement drive bay, expansion card cage and control panel bracket on the existing bottom side portion of the computer, and then operatively connecting the vertically enlarged top housing portion to the existing housing base wall. Other than the four components of the conversion kit, all of the components in the original computer are reused in the resulting upgraded computer.
30 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of increasing the drive installation capacity of an existing personal computer having:
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an existing bottom housing portion having a base wall with a back wall projecting upwardly from a rear edge portion thereof, existing operating components, including an existing drive bay structure, disposed atop the base wall, the existing drive bay structure being adapted to operatively receive a first maximum number of disk drives, and an existing top housing portion comprising an upper side wall having opposite side walls depending from opposite side edge portions thereof, and a front end wall depending from a front end edge portion thereof and extending between the opposite side walls, the existing top housing portion being removably connected to the existing bottom housing portion and cooperating therewith to substantially enclose the existing operating components, the upper side wall of the existing top housing portion closely overlying the top of the existing drive bay structure, said method comprising the steps of; removing the existing top housing portion from the existing bottom housing portion to expose the existing operating components; removing the existing drive bay structure; replacing the removed existing drive bay structure with a vertically enlarged replacement drive bay structure adapted to operatively receive a second maximum number of disk drives, said second maximum number of disk drives being larger than said first maximum number of disk drives; and operatively connecting a replacement top housing portion to the existing bottom housing portion in place of the removed existing top housing portion, the connected replacement top housing portion cooperating with the existing bottom housing portion to substantially enclose the existing and replacement operating components;
said replacement top housing portion being vertically enlarged to accommodate the vertically enlarged replacement drive bay structure,whereby, in the resulting upgraded computer, the existing bottom housing portion and at least a substantial number of the existing operating components are reused. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of increasing the expansion card installation capacity of an existing personal computer having:
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an existing bottom housing portion having a base wall with a back wall projecting upwardly from a rear edge portion thereof, existing operating components, including an existing expansion card cage structure, disposed atop the base wall, the existing expansion card cage structure being adapted to operatively receive a first maximum number of expansion cards, and an existing top housing portion comprising an upper side wall having opposite side walls depending from opposite side edge portions thereof, and a front end wall depending from a front end edge portion thereof and extending between the opposite side walls, the existing top housing portion being removably connected to the existing bottom housing portion and cooperating therewith to substantially enclose the existing operating components, the upper side wall of the existing top housing portion closely overlying the top of the existing expansion card cage structure, said method comprising the steps of; removing the existing top housing portion from the existing bottom housing portion to expose the existing operating components; removing the existing expansion card cage structure; replacing the removed existing expansion card cage structure with a vertically enlarged replacement expansion card cage structure adapted to operatively receive a second maximum number of expansion cards, said second maximum number of expansion cards being larger than said first maximum number of expansion cards; and operatively connecting a replacement top housing portion to the existing bottom housing portion in place of the removed existing top housing portion, the connected replacement top housing portion cooperating with the existing bottom housing portion to substantially enclose the existing and replacement operating components and being vertically enlarged to accommodate the vertically enlarged replacement expansion card cage structure, whereby, in the resulting upgraded computer, the existing bottom housing portion and at least a substantial number of the existing operating components are reused. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of upgrading an existing personal computer having:
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an existing bottom housing portion having a base wall with a back wall projecting upwardly from a rear edge portion thereof, existing operating components, including an existing drive bay structure and an existing expansion card cage structure, disposed atop the base wall, the existing drive bay structure being adapted to operatively receive a first maximum number of disk drives, and the expansion card cage structure being adapted to operatively receive a first maximum number of expansion cards, and an existing top housing portion comprising an upper side wall having opposite side walls depending from opposite side edge portions thereof, and a front end wall depending from a front end edge portion thereof and extending between the opposite side walls, the existing top housing portion being removably connected to the existing bottom housing portion and cooperating therewith to substantially enclose the existing operating components, the upper side wall of the existing top housing portion closely overlying the tops of the existing drive bay structure and the existing expansion card cage structure, said method comprising the steps of; removing the existing top housing portion from the existing bottom housing portion to expose the existing operating components; removing the existing drive bay structure; replacing the removed existing drive bay structure with a vertically enlarged replacement drive bay structure adapted to operatively receive a second maximum number of disk drives, said second maximum number of disk drives being larger than said first maximum number of disk drives; removing the existing expansion card cage structure; replacing the removed existing expansion card cage structure with a vertically enlarged replacement expansion card cage structure adapted to operatively receive a second maximum number of expansion cards, said second maximum number of expansion cards being larger than said first maximum number of expansion cards; and operatively connecting a replacement top housing portion to the existing bottom housing portion in place of the removed existing top housing portion, the connected replacement top housing portion cooperating with the existing bottom housing portion to substantially enclose the existing and replacement operating components and being vertically enlarged to accommodate the vertically enlarged replacement drive bay and expansion card cage structures, whereby, in the resulting upgraded computer, the existing bottom housing portion and at least a substantial number of the existing operating components are reused.
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10. A method of upgrading an existing personal computer having:
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an existing bottom housing portion having a base wall with a back wall projecting upwardly from a rear edge portion thereof, existing internal operating components disposed atop the base wall, the existing internal operating components partially including; an existing drive bay structure adapted to operatively receive a first maximum number of disk drives, an existing expansion card cage structure adapted to operatively receive a first maximum number of expansion cards, an existing control panel bracket removably supporting a control panel, a battery and a speaker, and an existing top housing portion comprising an upper side wall having opposite vertical side walls depending from opposite side edge portions thereof, and a front end wall depending from a front end edge portion thereof and extending between the opposite vertical side walls, the existing top housing portion being removably connected to the existing bottom housing portion and cooperating therewith to substantially enclose the existing internal operating components, the upper side wall of the existing top housing portion closely overlying the tops of the existing drive bay and expansion card cage structures, said method comprising the steps of; providing an upgrade kit including; a replacement drive bay structure having an installation height substantially larger than that of the existing drive bay structure, said replacement drive bay structure being adapted to operatively receive a second maximum number of disk drives, said second maximum number of disk drives being larger than said first maximum number of disk drives, a replacement expansion card cage structure having an installation height substantially larger than that of the existing expansion card cage structure, said replacement expansion card cage structure being adapted to operatively receive a second maximum number of expansion cards larger than said first maximum number of expansion cards, a replacement control panel bracket, and a replacement top housing portion having a height greater than that of the existing top housing portion, and further having a back wall portion depending from a rear edge portion of its top side wall and having a vertical height substantially equal to the height difference between the existing and replacement top housing portions; removing the existing top housing portion from the existing bottom housing portion to expose the existing internal operating components; removing the existing control panel bracket, drive bay structure and expansion card cage structures; detaching the control panel, battery and speaker from the existing control panel bracket; installing the detached control panel, battery and speaker on said replacement control panel bracket; respectively installing the replacement drive bay structure, expansion card cage structure and control panel bracket in place of the removed existing drive bay structure, expansion card cage structure and control panel bracket; and operatively connecting said replacement top housing portion to the existing bottom housing portion in place of the removed existing top housing, the connected replacement top housing portion cooperating with the existing bottom housing portion to substantially enclose the remaining existing internal operating components and the replacement drive bay structure, expansion card cage structure and control panel bracket, with a lower side edge portion of the replacement top housing portion back wall being contiguous with a top side edge portion of the back wall of the existing bottom housing portion, whereby, in the resulting upgraded computer, the existing bottom housing portion and the remaining existing internal operating components are economically reused. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification