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US006307746B1
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: us 6,307,746 Bi
Beckman (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 23,2001
(54) POWER ADAPTER HAVING A THERMAL COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR A DIGITAL INFORMATION APPLIANCE
(75) Inventor: Jerry L. Beckman, Elk Point, SD (US)
(73) Assignee: Gateway, Inc., N. Sioux City, SD (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 09/455,891
(22) Filed: Dec. 6, 1999
(51) Int. CI. H05K 7/20
(52) U.S. CI 361/687; 361/695; 361/700;
363/141
(58) Field of Search 361/687, 690,
361/695, 700; 363/125, 141, 146
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
4,383,286 * 5/1983 Hicks 361/687
4,928,220 5/1990 White 363/56
5,270,902 12/1993 Bellar et al 361/718
5,283,715 2/1994 Carlsten et al 361/702
5,285,108 2/1994 Hastings et al 257/712
5,285,347 2/1994 Fox et al 361/385
5,323,847 6/1994 Koizumi et al 165/104.33
5,349,823 9/1994 Solomon 62/6
5,365,749 11/1994 Porter 62/259.2
A power adapter for a digital information appliance includes an integral thermal cooling assembly for providing supplemental cooling to electronic components within the digital information appliance. The power adapter is comprised of a power supply suitable for conditioning electrical power supplied to the digital information appliance from an external source, a thermal cooling assembly and a coupling assembly capable of operably coupling power adapter to the digital information appliance. The thermal cooling assembly is suitable for providing cooling to the digital information appliance while the power adapter is operably coupled thereto by the coupling assembly.
41 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
