LOCKING ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRONIC TABLET AND OTHER DEVICES

• US 20120272693A1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Think Products Inc.
• Original Assignee: Think Products Inc.
• Inventors: Allen, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,717,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4995 Nonthreaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/402 Fetters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/485 With seal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles

Abstract

A method for securing a portable electronic device having a housing to a substantially immovable object utilizing a locking assembly having a security rod or spike formed with an anchoring end separated axially by a protruding end, a locking device with an internal locking mechanism and a cable permanently attached to the locking device at one end, includes the steps of securedly fixing the anchoring end of the security rod or spike to the portable electronic device upon or through the housing, attaching an other end of the cable to the substantially immovable object and inserting the protruding end of the security rod into an opening in the locking device to actuate the internal locking mechanism and lock the locking device to the captive security rod. Locking the security rod to the locking device concurrently locks the portable electronic device to which it is anchored to the substantially immovable object.

Claims

1. A locking assembly for securing a portable electronic device having at least one housing to a substantially immovable object, the locking assembly comprising:

a captive security rod having a locking end and an anchoring end, wherein the anchoring end is passed through the at least one housing to anchor the captive security rod thereto; and

a locking device with a locking mechanism, wherein the locking device is configured to receive the locking end of the captive security rod to activate the locking mechanism and thereby lock the security rod and portable electronic device to the locking device.

2. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, further comprising means for securing the locking device and, therefore, the captive security rod and portable electronic device to which the captive security rod is anchored, to a substantially non-movable object.

3. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for securing is a cable or lanyard.

4. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein the cable or lanyard is permanently attached to the locking device.

5. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking end of the captive security rod comprises a knob that extends from the at least one housing after the anchoring end anchors the captive security rod thereto.

6. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein the small knob that is captured and held by the locking mechanism at locking actuation.

7. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the captive security rod, upon anchoring to the at least one housing of the portable electronic device is stored in a recess and grasped to deploy in an extended position.

8. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking end of the captive security rod operates to collapse into the at least one housing during non-use.

9. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device comprises any of the group consisting of a laptop computer, a notebook computer, and tablet computer, a cell phone, a camera, a Smartphone, a music storage and a playback device.

10. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said portable electronic device comprises a first housing, a second housing and a hinge, wherein said hinge separates and allows said first housing to be closed upon said second housing and wherein said captive security rod is deployed to extend and protrude from any surface of said first housing or said second housing.

11. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 10, wherein said second housing is a keyboard part and said captive security rod is inserted through and anchored, and operates to extend in a deployed position out of a surface of said second housing.

12. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the substantially immovable object is a base plate.

13. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 2, wherein the cable or lanyard has a loop opposite its end permanently attached to the locking device through which the locking device is passed after the cable is wrapped around the substantially immovable object whereinafter the locking device is lockingly attached to the captive security rod and, therefore, the portable electronic device to which the captive security rod is anchored.

14. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking device is a pin lock.

15. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking device is a plunger-type security lock.

16. A locking assembly for securing a portable electronic device having a housing to a substantially immovable object, the locking assembly comprising:

a security rod or spike having a protruding end, an anchoring end opposite the protruding end and a transverse hole positioned between the protruding end the anchoring end, wherein the anchoring end is configured for passing through an opening in the housing to anchor the security rod to the portable electronic device while leaving the transverse hole exposed;

a cable with a first end and a second end, wherein the second end is configured for secure fastening to the substantially immovable object; and

a locking device configured with an opening for receiving the first end of the cable after it is passed through the transverse hole of the security rod or spike, wherein an actuating mechanism in the locking device captures the first end of the cable to lock security rod and spike and, therefore, the portable electronic device to the which the security rod is anchored, to the substantially immovable object.

17. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein the first end of the cable is formed as a ferrule configured with a locking groove, and wherein the actuating mechanism captures the ferrule groove upon insertion of the first end of the cable into the lock device to actuate the locking mechanism.

18. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein after anchoring to the housing, the portion of the security rod or spike including the transverse hole and protruding end is always exposed.

19. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein said portable electronic device comprises a first housing, a second housing and a hinge, wherein said hinge separates and allows said first housing to be closed upon said second housing after the security rod is anchored to either the first or the second housing.

20. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 19, wherein said second housing is a keyboard part and said captive security rod is fixedly inserted through a surface of said second housing.

21. The locking assembly as set forth in claim 16, wherein the locking device is a pin lock.

22. A method for securing a portable electronic device having a housing to a substantially immovable object utilizing a locking assembly, the locking assembly comprising a security rod or spike formed with an anchoring end separated axially by a protruding end, a locking device with an internal locking mechanism and a cable permanently attached to the locking device at one end, the method comprising acts of:

securedly fixing the anchoring end of the security rod or spike to the portable electronic device upon or through the housing;

attaching an other end of the cable to the substantially immovable object; and

inserting the protruding end of the security rod into an opening in the locking device to actuate the internal locking mechanism and lock the locking device to the captive security rod and, therefore, the portable electronic device to which it is anchored, to the substantially immovable object.