Lock for notebook computer or other personal electronic device

• US 20060291158A1
• Filed: 06/15/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Think Products Inc.
• Original Assignee: Peter Allen
• Inventors: Allen, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,443,665 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.55
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0005 using chains, cables or the like chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

A notebook/laptop computer or other personal electronic device locking assembly includes a locking base frame. The locking base frame locks the notebook computer or other personal electronic device securely in place to a work surface such as a desk top or table top. The lock is adapted to engage the notebook computer or other personal electronic device screen in the open position, leaving a front surface of the screen viewable. The lock prevents removal of the notebook computer or other personal electronic device from the work surface. A security table top/work surface clamp includes a cable clamp having a fixed or adjustably sized generally C-shaped clamp body insertable over a table top or other flat work surface. The lower operating knob has a transverse hole or slot preventing loosening of the threaded bolt once the flexible cable is installed through the transverse hole or slot.

Claims

1. A notebook/laptop computer locking assembly comprising:

a locking base secured to a working surface by a bottom wall;

said locking base having a rear wall extending upward from said bottom wall to receive a keyboard portion of the notebook computer against said rear wall, wherein a screen portion of the notebook computer is in the open position resting against said upwardly extending rear wall;

a locking bar being adapted to pivot from a proximal end thereof laterally across over the notebook computer screen in the open position, said pivotable locking bar extending across a front surface of the screen portion,

said locking bar having a rearwardly extending locking plug at an opposite distal end thereof, said locking plug extending through a plug-receiving hole in said rear wall;

said locking plug of said locking bar being insertable within a locking receptacle of a lock behind said rear wall;

said locking receptacle being in positional register with said plug receiving hole in said rear wall;

wherein when said locking bar is deployed laterally across the notebook computer screen, removal of the notebook computer from the locking base is prevented.

2. A laptop computer locking assembly comprising:

a locking base having a bottom wall secured to a working surface and an upwardly extending rear wall;

said laptop computer in an open configuration with a keyboard portion on said bottom wall covering fasteners attaching said locking base to said working surface and a screen portion of said computer deployed against a surface of said rear wall of said locking base;

a locking bar pivotally attached at one end to a side end of said rear wall of said locking base;

an opposite end of said locking bar penetrating an opening in an opposite side end of said rear wall, said locking bar resting against and securing said screen portion against said upwardly extending rear wall; and

means for locking said opposite end of said locking bar against withdrawal of said locking bar from said opening in the opposite side end of said rear wall thereby securing said portable computer against unauthorized removal.

3. The locking assembly of claim 2 in which said locking means comprises the opposite end of said locking bar being engaged with a pin lock on a rear side of said rear wall of said base, said pin lock requiring a key to disengage said locking bar from said pin lock thereby allowing retraction of said locking bar from a front surface of said screen and removal of said laptop computer from said locking base.

4. The locking assembly of claim 3 in which said locking bar has cushioning grommets in contact with said screen portion.

5. A portable locking assembly for a laptop computer comprising:

a locking base having a bottom wall resting unsecured on and to a working surface and an upwardly extending rear wall;

said laptop computer in an open configuration with a keyboard portion on said bottom wall covering fasteners attaching said locking base to said working surface and a screen portion of said computer deployed against a surface of said rear wall of said locking base;

a locking bar pivotally attached at one end to a side end of said rear wall of said locking base;

an opposite end of said locking bar penetrating an opening in an opposite side end of said rear wall, said locking bar resting against and securing said screen portion against said upwardly extending rear wall;

means for locking said opposite end of said locking bar against withdrawal of said locking bar from said opening in the opposite side end of said rear wall thereby securing said portable computer against removal from said locking base; and

means for preventing said locking base with laptop computer attached from being removed from said working surface.

6. The portable locking assembly of claim 5 having a ferrule mounted on the opposite end of said locking bar in front of said rear wall, a cable having one end attached to said ferrule, and an opposite end of said cable being attached to a clamp assembly mounted on said working surface, said clamp assembly having means to lock said clamp assembly in place so that said portable locking assembly can be conveniently moved from one working surface to another.

7. A notebook/laptop computer locking assembly comprising:

a locking base secured to a working surface by a bottom wall;

said locking base having a rear wall extending upward from said bottom wall to receive a keyboard portion of the notebook computer against said rear wall, wherein a screen portion of the notebook computer is in the open position resting against said upwardly extending rear wall;

a locking bar being adapted to pivot from a proximal end thereof laterally across over the notebook computer screen in the open position, said pivotable locking bar extending across a front surface of the screen portion,

said locking bar having a rearwardly extending locking plug at an opposite distal end thereof, said locking plug extending through a plug-receiving hole in said rear wall;

said locking plug of said locking bar being insertable within a locking receptacle of a lock behind said rear wall;

said locking receptacle being in positional register with said plug receiving hole in said rear wall;

wherein when said locking bar is deployed laterally across the notebook computer screen, removal of the notebook computer from the locking base is prevented.

8. A notebook computer lock comprising:

a low profile locking base, said locking base having a receptacle for receiving a distal end of a pivotable locking member pivotably attached at a proximal end thereof to said locking base;

said locking base being fastenable to a notebook computer work surface in the vicinity of said notebook computer;

a pin lock to secure said locking bar across a display portion of a notebook computer and into said locking base, thereby securing the notebook computer in a locked position within said lock.

9. A notebook computer locking base comprising:

a low profile locking base having a narrow base and low rise back, said base being fastened to a notebook computer work surface;

a locking bar locking the computer display screen of a notebook or laptop computer to said locking base;

an end of said locking bar being passed through a hole in said base and locked with a pin lock.

10. A notebook/laptop computer locking assembly comprising:

a locking base secured to a working surface by a bottom wall;

said locking base having a rear wall extending upward from said bottom wall to receive a keyboard portion of the notebook computer against said rear wall, wherein a screen portion of the notebook computer is in the open position resting against said upwardly extending rear wall;

a locking bar being movable between alternate locked and unlocked positions;

said bar in said locked position providing theft-proof restraint of said computer so that said computer is not removable from said locking base when said bar is in said locked position; and

wherein,

said locking bar has opposite proximal and distal ends;

said bar being pivotably movable from said proximal end thereof laterally across over the notebook computer screen when said locking bar moves from said unlocked position to said locked position, and wherein

said pivotable locking bar extends across a front surface of said computer screen portion,

said locking bar having a rearwardly extending locking plug at said distal end thereof, said locking plug extending through a plug-receiving aperture in said rear wall of said locking base;

said locking plug of said locking bar being insertable within a locking receptacle of a lock behind said rear wall;

said locking receptacle being in positional register with said plug receiving aperture in said rear wall;

wherein when said locking bar in said locked position is deployed laterally across the notebook computer screen, removal of the notebook computer from the locking base is prevented.

11. A notebook/laptop computer locking assembly comprising:

a locking base secured to a working surface by a bottom wall;

said locking base having a rear wall extending upward from said bottom wall to receive a keyboard portion of the notebook computer against said rear wall, wherein a screen portion of the notebook computer is in the open position resting against said upwardly extending rear wall;

a locking bar being adapted to pivot from a proximal end thereof laterally across over the notebook computer screen in the open position, said pivotable locking bar extending across a front surface of the screen portion,

said locking bar having a rearwardly extending locking plug at an opposite distal end thereof, said locking plug extending through a plug-receiving hole in said rear wall;

said locking plug of said locking bar being insertable within a locking receptacle of a lock behind said rear wall;

said locking receptacle being in positional register with said plug receiving hole in said rear wall;

a cable having a ferrule at one end having an opening for engaging said padlock.

a clamp for attachment to a table top;

said clamp having means for being engaged with an opposite end of said cable preventing removal of said clamp from said table top while said ferrule of said cable is engaged with said lock, thereby providing security against theft of said electronic device;

wherein when said locking bar is deployed laterally across the notebook computer screen, removal of the notebook computer from the locking base is prevented.

12. The security frame system of claim 11 in which said clamp comprises:

a C-shaped frame for straddling an edge of said table top having a lower jaw under said table top and an upper jaw above said table top;

a threaded opening in said lower jaw to accommodate a fastener to press a distal end of said fastener against an underside of said table to force said upper jaw against a surface of said table top;

a proximate end of said fastener having a smooth rounded head and a square under-head shank;

a knob on said fastener under said lower jaw, said knob having a blind hole to receive said proximate end of said fastener, said blind hole having an opening allowing said fastener to exit said knob and pass through said threaded opening of said lower jaw; and

said knob having a locking hole extending through said blind hole below said rounded head of said fastener when said fastener is completely threaded through said lower jaw;

said cable passing through said locking hole to prevent said fastener from being removed from said table top, the opposite end of said cable having a cable stop whose diameter is too large to pass through said locking hole, said ferrule having a smaller diameter able to pass through said locking hole after removal from said padlock, thereby preventing unauthorized removal of said housing and/or electronic device when said padlock is in place.

13. The security frame system of claim 11 in which the blind hole fastener opening is square to accommodate the square shank of said fastener.

14. The security frame system of claim 12 in which said knob is spherical.

15. The security frame system of claim 12 in which said upper jaw has a resilient pad to prevent marring a finish on said table top.

16. The security frame system of claim 12 having a security box on said fastener between said knob and said lower jaw to block exposure to bolt cutters.

17. The security frame system of claim 16 in which said security box is four sided with a clearance hole for said fastener.