Computer physical security device

• US 5,381,685 A
• Filed: 04/05/1993
• Issued: 01/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ACCO Brands Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kensington Microware Limited
• Inventors: Myers, Gary L., Zarnowitz, Arthur H., Carl, Stewart R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JAYNE, DARNELL M
• Application Number:
  US08/042,851
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 70/57, 70/58, 70/14, 70/18, 70/30, 70/49, 70/232, 70/491, 248/551, 248/553, 248/505
• US Class Current: 70/58
• 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: Y10T 70/40 Portable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/50 Special application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7593 Sliding tumblers

Abstract

An apparatus which inhibits the theft of equipment such as personal computers is disclosed. The equipment must have an external wall provided with a specially designed, approximately rectangular slot having preselected dimensions. An attachment mechanism includes a housing for a spindle having a first portion rotatable within the housing, a shaft extending outwardly from the housing, and a crossmember at the end of the shaft having peripheral dimensions closely conforming to the internal dimensions of the slot. An abutment mechanism also emanates from the housing, and is located on opposite sides of the shaft intermediate the housing and the crossmember. The peripheral cross-sectional dimensions of the abutment mechanism and the shaft in combination closely conform to the dimensions of the slot. The length of the shaft from the housing to the crossmember is approximately equal to the thickness of the external wall of equipment. The crossmember is aligned with the abutment mechanism so that the crossmember can be inserted through the slot with the shaft and the abutment mechanism occupying the slot. The spindle is then rotated 90° to misalign the crossmember with the slot, thereby attaching the attachment mechanism rigidly to the external wall. A cable is secured to the housing and to an immovable object so that the equipment cannot be stolen.

Claims

1. Apparatus for inhibiting theft of equipment having an external wall with a thickness,, the wall provided with a specially designed generally rectangular slot having preselected internal dimensions, comprising:

an attachment mechanism including a housing, a spindle including a first portion rotatably mounted within the housing, a shaft fixed to the first portion and extending outwardly from the housing, and a crossmember at the distal end of the shaft, the peripheral dimensions of the crossmember conforming closely to the preselected internal dimensions of the slot and the length of the shaft external to the housing being approximately equal to the thickness of the external wall, and abutment means emanating from the housing and located on opposite sides of the shaft intermediate the housing and the crossmember wherein the abutment means includes a pin late circumscribing the shaft and attached to the housing, and pin members integral to and projecting from the pin plate on opposite sides of the shaft and the crossmember and having cross-sectional dimensions, the cross-sectional dimensions of the abutment means and the shaft in combination closely conforming to the dimensions of the slot so that the crossmember, the shaft and the abutment means are insertable into the slot with the crossmember aligned with the abutment means to a position in which the crossmember is inside the external wall and the abutment means and the shaft occupy the slot, and the spindle is then rotatable 90 degrees to misalign the crossmember with the slot to attach the attachment mechanism rigidly to the external wall; and

a cable including means for connecting to an immovable object and adapted to be secured to the housing to inhibit theft of the equipment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pin members each have a partially circular cross-section.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pin plate includes an aperture conforming to the peripheral dimensions of the crossmember.

4. Apparatus for securing a plurality of pieces of equipment together to inhibit theft, each said piece having a specially designed generally rectangular slot formed in the external wall Thereof, comprising:

a plurality of attachment mechanisms each including a housing having a generally cylindrical interior chamber and a transverse aperture, the spindle having a first portion with a generally cylindrical periphery rotatable in said chamber, a shaft extending axially outwardly from the housing, and a crossmember at the distal end of the shaft having a periphery generally conformed to the shape of the slot, and abutment means extending from the housing on opposite sides of the shah so that the shaft and abutment means have a cross-section generally conformed to the shape of the slot, the first portion of the spindle having a transverse aperture aligned with the aperture in the housing when the crossmember is rotated approximately 90 degrees with respect to the abutment means; and

a cable adapted to be inserted through the aligned apertures of the housings and the spindles of the attachment mechanisms after the crossmembers of said mechanisms have been inserted through the slots of respective items of equipment while aligned with the abutment means and then rotated approximately 90 degrees to align the apertures.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the housing includes a pair of mating shells defining an inner cavity containing the first portion of the spindle.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the housing additionally includes a spring for biasing the mating shells apart to press one Of the shells against the external wall of the item of equipment.

16. The attaching method of claim 5 wherein said object is a cable and said attaching method further comprises the step of attaching said cable to a second object other than the portable device.

7. A system for securing a portable object to another object through use of a securing device including a housing securing a spindle rotatably mounted within the housing with the spindle having a shah extending beyond the housing a particular distance, a crossmember coupled to a distal end of the shah, and a pin plate intermediate the crossmember and the housing, the system comprising:

a wall for the portable object having a thickness less an the particular distance, said wall including a portion defining a slot adapted for receipt of said crossmember and a pin of the pin plate when the crossmember and the pin have a first relative relationship, said portion positioned so that the crossmember may be rotated on a side of the wall opposite from the housing of the securing device to define a second relative relationship between the crossmember and the pin of the pin plate, and wherein the pin engages said slot to inhibit rotation of the crossmember relative to said slot to inhibit extraction of the crossmember from said slot until the crossmember and the pin are returned to said first relative relationship.

8. Apparatus for attaching a security cable to a piece of equipment having an external wall provided with a specially designed rectangular slot having preselected internal dimensions, comprising:

a housing having an aperture through which the security cable is adapted to pass to secure the housing to the cable;

a spindle including a first portion rotatably mounted within the housing, a rotatable shaft fixed to the first portion and extending outwardly from the housing, and a crossmember at the distal end of the shaft having peripheral dimensions, the peripheral dimensions of the crossmember conforming closely to the preselected internal dimensions of the slot and the length of the shaft external to the housing being approximately equal to a thickness of the external wall; and

abutment means emanating from the housing and located on opposite sides of the shaft intermediate the housing and the crossmember wherein the abutment means includes a pin plate attached to the housing, and pin members projecting from the pin plate on opposite sides of the shah, the abutment means having cross-sectional dimensions that in combination with the shaft closely conform to the preselected internal dimensions of the slot so that the crossmember, the shaft and the abutment means are insertable into the slot with the crossmember aligned with the abutment means to a position in which the crossmember is inside the external wall and the abutment means and the shaft occupy the slot, and the spindle is then rotatable 90 degrees to misalign the crossmember with the slot to attach the locking mechanism rigidly to the external wall.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pin members each have a partially circular cross-section.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pin plate includes an aperture conforming to the peripheral dimensions of the crossmember.

11. Apparatus for inhibiting theft of equipment having an external wall with a thickness, the wall provided with a specially-designed, generally rectangular slot having preselected internal dimensions, comprising:

an attachment mechanism including a housing having a first transverse aperture, a spindle including a first portion rotatably mounted within the housing and including a second transverse aperture in said first portion, a shaft fixed to the first portion and extending outwardly from the housing, and a crossmember at the distal end of the shaft, the peripheral dimensions of the crossmember conforming closely to the preselected internal dimensions of the slot and the length of the shaft external to the housing being approximately equal to the thickness of the external wall, and abutment means emanating from the housing and located on opposite sides of the shaft intermediate the housing and the crossmember and having cross-sectional dimensions, the cross-sectional dimensions of the abutment means and the shaft in combination closely conforming to the dimensions of the slot so that the crossmember, the shaft and the abutment means are insertable into the slot with the crossmember aligned with the abutment means to a position in which the crossmember is inside the external wall and the abutment means and the shaft occupy the slot, and the spindle is then rotatable 90 degrees to misalign the crossmember with the slot to attach the attachment mechanism rigidly to the external wall and to align said first aperture and said second aperture; and

a cable including means for connecting to an immovable object and adapted to be secured to the housing to inhibit theft of the equipment, said cable adapted to extend through said aperture to prevent rotation of said spindle.

12. Apparatus for attaching a security cable to a piece of equipment having an external wall provided with a specially designed generally rectangular slot having preselected internal dimensions, comprising;

a housing having an aperture through which the security cable is adapted to pass to secure the housing to the cable;

a spindle including a first portion rotatably mounted within the housing, a rotatable shaft fixed to the first portion and extending outwardly from the housing, and a crossmember at the distal end of the shaft having peripheral dimensions, the peripheral dimensions of the crossmember conforming closely to the preselected internal dimensions of the slot and the length of the shaft external to the housing being approximately equal to a thickness of the external wall and

abutment means emanating from the housing and located on opposite sides of the shaft intermediate the housing and the crossmember, the abutment means having cross-sectional dimensions that in combination with the shaft closely conform to the preselected internal dimensions of the slot so that the crossmember, the shaft and the abutment means are insertable into the slot with the crossmember aligned with the abutment means to a position in which the crossmember is inside the external wall and the abutment means and the shaft occupy the slot, and the spindle is then rotatable 90 degrees to misalign the crossmember with the slot to attach the locking mechanism rigidly to the external wall,

wherein the aperture in the housing is transverse to the axis of the spindle, and the first portion of the spindle includes an aperture aligned with the aperture in the housing when the crossmember is misaligned 90 degrees from the slot, the cable extending through both the aperture in the housing and the aperture in the spindle to prevent rotation of the spindle.

13. Apparatus for inhibiting the theft of equipment having an external wall provided with a specially designed generally rectangular slot having preselected dimensions, comprising:

an attachment mechanism including a pair of mating shells forming a housing having a peripheral groove and a spring biasing the shells apart, a collar member having a cylindrical portion rotatably circumscribing the groove and a tab portion including an aperture, a spindle having a first portion rotatable in the housing, a shah extending outwardly from the housing, and a crossmember at the distal end of the shaft having peripheral dimensions generally conformed to the dimensions of the slot, a locking mechanism intermediate the housing and the spindle and actuatable by a key to prevent relative rotation of the spindle and housing, and abutment means extending outwardly from the housing on opposite sides of the shah so that the abutment means and shaft in combination have a cross-section generally conformed to the dimensions of the slot; and

a cable having a loop formed in one end and having the other end dead ended into and permanently fixed to the aperture in the collar member so that the attachment mechanism can be fixed to the external wall by aligning the crossmember with the abutment means and inserting the crossmember through the slot, and the spindle rotated to misalign the crossmember and the slot and the locking mechanism actuated to lock the spindle in position to secure the cable to the equipment,

wherein the mating shells are joined by a pin, said pin having a limited shear strength so that torque applied to one of the shells in an attempt to dislodge it will shear the pin and allow said shell to rotate,

14. A locking device for attaching to a security slot in a portable device, comprising:

a housing having a first transverse aperture;

a spindle rotationally mounted within said housing and including;

a first portion provided with a second transverse aperture;

a shaft fixed to said first portion and extending outwardly from said housing; and

a crossmember at a distal end of said shah outside of said housing, said crossmember having a perimeter shape conforming to the security slot; and

an abutment member emanating from said housing and located on opposite sides of said shaft intermediate said housing and said crossmember for maintaining a fixed rotational relationship between said housing and the security slot when said abutment member is inserted within the portable device, wherein said crossmember and said abutment member are insertable within the security slot when said crossmember is aligned with the security slot and said first aperture and said second aperture are misaligned, with said crossmember retained within the security slot when said crossmember is misaligned with the security slot and said first aperture and said second aperture are aligned to permit an object to extend through both said first aperture and said second aperture to inhibit alignment of said crossmember and the security slot while said object extents through said apertures.

15. A method for attaching a locking device to a security slot in a wall of a portable device, comprising the steps of:

inserting a spindle including a shaft having a slot-conforming crossmember fixed to a distal end of said shaft into the security slot when said spindle is in an unlocked position with said crossmember being aligned with the slot;

inserting an abutment member, emanating from a housing holding a first portion of said spindle, into the slot to thereby fix a relative rotational orientation between said housing and the security slot;

misaligning said crossmember and the security slot by rotating said spindle to a locked position wherein said spindle is retained within the portable device,

wherein a first transverse aperture in said first portion of said spindle is aligned with a second transverse aperture in said housing; and

holding said spindle in said locked position relative to said housing by passing an object through said first aperture and said second aperture while they are aligned to maintain alignment of said transverse apertures.

17. In combination with a portable electronic device having a portion of an external wall defining a generally rectangular security slot, the security slot having a width and a length different from the width, an apparatus comprising:

an attachment mechanism, including;

a housing;

a spindle having;

a first portion contained within said housing;

a shaft fixed to said first portion and extending outwardly from said housing; and

crossmember at a distal end of said shaft outside of said housing, said crossmember having a perimeter shape conforming to the rectangular security slot;

a locking mechanism for maintaining rotation of said shah of said spindle fixed relative to said housing; and

an abutment mechanism emanating from said housing and located on opposite sides of said shaft intermediate said housing and said crossmember, said abutment mechanism including;

a pin plate circumscribing said shaft and coupled to said housing, said pin plate including a pair of pin members projecting from said pin plate on opposite sides of said shaft towards said crossmember, with said pair of pin members and said shaft together having a cross-sectional perimeter conforming to the rectangular security slot,

wherein said crossmember is insertable within the security slot when aligned with the security slot and wherein said crossmember resists removal from the security slot when misaligned with the security slot, and wherein said pin members and shah fill the security slot when said crossmember is misaligned and maintain a rotational orientation of said pin plate fixed relative to the security slot.

18. A method for inhibiting theft of a portable device provided with a specially designed generally rectangular slot in an external wall of the portable device, the slot having preselected peripheral dimensions, the method employing an attachment mechanism having a housing with a first transverse aperture, a rotatable shaft extending outwardly from the housing and having a crossmember at a distal end of the rotatable shaft wherein a portion of the shah inside the housing includes a second transverse aperture, the crossmember having peripheral dimensions generally conformed to the shape of the slot, the attachment mechanism including an abutment mechanism circumscribing the shah, comprising the steps of:

inserting the crossmember through the slot into the interior of the equipment;

filling the slot with the abutment mechanism and the shaft while the crossmember is inserted through the slot to inhibit rotation of the attachment mechanism;

rotating the shaft while the crossmember is inserted through the slot to misalign the crossmember and the slot to thereby prevent withdrawal of the crossmember through the slot wherein said rotating step also aligns the first transverse aperture with the second transverse aperture;

maintaining the rotary position of the shaft fixed relative to the slot by use of the abutment mechanism with the crossmember misaligned with the slot and by passing a cable through both the first transverse aperture and the second transverse aperture while they are aligned; and

securing the locking device to an object other than the portable device by use of the cable to inhibit the theft of the portable device.

19. In combination with a portable electronic device having a portion of an external wall defining a generally rectangular security slot, the security slot having a width and a length different from the width, an apparatus comprising:

an attachment mechanism, including;

a housing;

a spindle having;

a first portion contained within said housing;

a shaft fixed to said first portion and extending outwardly from said housing; and

a crossmember at a distal end of said shaft outside of said housing, said crossmember having a perimeter shape conforming to the rectangular security slot; and

an abutment mechanism emanating from said housing and located on opposite sides of said shaft intermediate said housing and said crossmember, said abutment mechanism including;

a pin plate circumscribing said shaft and coupled to said housing, said pin plate including a pair of pin members projecting from said pin plate on opposite sides of said shaft towards said crossmember, with said pair of pin members and said shaft together having a cross-sectional perimeter conforming to the rectangular security slot,

wherein said attachment mechanism further includes a locking mechanism for maintaining rotation of said shaft of said spindle fixed relative to said pin plate, and wherein said crossmember is insertable within the security slot when aligned with the security slot and wherein said crossmember resists removal from the security slot when misaligned with the security slot, and wherein said pin members and shaft fill the security slot when said crossmember is misaligned and maintain a rotational orientation of said pin plate fixed relative to the security slot.