Attachable hard-disk drive and housing therefor

Claim 1

An attachable hard-disk drive for a personal computer having a display screen, a cabinet with a rear wall having a power supply switch, a power connector, a main power cord, and a battery compartment, the hard-disk drive comprising: (a) a housing having a plurality of walls, one of which is contoured to fit generally flush in vertical orientation against the rear wall of a personal computer, said contoured wall being structurally complementary in configuration to the rear wall of such a personal computer, said contoured wall having projections and detents that substantially mate with the surface contours of such a rear wall, the remainder of the walls of the housing forming an extension of the cabinet of such a personal computer; (b) a hard-disk drive unit mounted within the housing, said hard-disk drive unit having a storage disk, the plane of the storage disk oriented generally parallel to said one wall; (c) vent means formed through at least one other wall of said housing to permit air to circulate past the disk drive unit; (d) means to connect the housing to the rear wall of a personal computer; (e) connector means attached to said housing to receive the main power cord for a personal computer and to conduct power through the housing to the power connector of such a personal computer to which the hard-disk drive may be attached, said connector means electrically interconnected to the disk drive unit within the housing; (f) a power switch mounted on the outside of said housing and electrically connected to said connector means to control power to such a personal computer; and (g) a connector to communicate data and control signals to a personal computer, said connector attached to said housing and said disk-drive unit within the housing.