Patent ID: 6517129
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: E05B,E05C,G06F,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A lock device for an electronic appliance which includes a lower housing with a horizontal top side wall and front and rear edge portions, and an upper housing that has a lower edge portion hinged to the rear edge portion of the lower housing, an upper edge, and opposite first and second side walls disposed on opposite first and second sides of the upper housing, the upper housing being turnable relative to the lower housing with either of the first and second side walls facing the lower housing, said lock device comprising:a mounting unit adapted to be mounted on the upper housing and to be disposed at the upper edge of the upper housing, said mounting unit including an elongated mounting wall transverse to the first and second side walls of the upper housing and having two opposite longitudinal edges, and parallel first and second flanges extending respectively along said longitudinal edges of said mounting wall and transverse to said mounting wall, said first and second flanges being adapted to be disposed respectively on the first and second sides of the upper housing, said first flange being formed with a first latch hole, said second flange being formed with a second latch hole; an actuating unit mounted on said mounting wall and disposed between said first and second flanges, said actuating unit having a first actuating portion disposed adjacent to said first flange, and a second actuating portion disposed adjacent to said second flange, said actuating unit including a magnet that is disposed between said first and second actuating portions, said actuating unit being normally disposed in a non-actuating position, in which said first actuating portion is displaced from said first latch hole, and in which said second actuating portion is displaced from said second latch hole; and a latch unit adapted to be mounted on the lower housing adjacent to the front edge portion and the top side wall, said latch unit including a latch member made of a magnetic material, said latch member being normally disposed in an unlocking position, in which said latch member is retracted into the top side wall of the lower housing, said latch member being movable to a locking position by virtue of magnetic attraction applied by said magnet when the upper housing covers the top side wall of the lower housing, said latch member projecting upwardly relative to the top side wall of the lower housing and engaging an adjacent one of said first and second latch holes when moved to the locking position; said actuating unit being operable for moving relative to said mounting wall to an actuating position, in which said first actuating portion is moved proximate to said first latch hole and in which said second actuating portion is moved proximate to said second latch hole, said first actuating portion being moved toward said latch member and pushing said latch member for disengaging said latch member from said first latch hole when said actuating unit is moved to said actuating position while the upper housing covers the top side wall of the lower housing with the first side wall facing the lower housing, said second actuating portion being moved toward said latch member and pushing said latch member for disengaging said latch member from said second latch hole when said actuating unit is moved to said actuating position while the upper housing covers the top side wall of the lower housing with the second side wall facing the lower housing.