Abstract:
A removable electronic storage crushing device having a housing, a cylinder, a rod, a crushing head, and a receiving plate. The cylinder is threadedly received in the house and the rod an end of the rod is threadedly received by the crushing head. A source of power is operatively connected to the cylinder, which is operatively connected to the rod. Applying power or force to the cylinder biases the rod and the crushing head in a direction generally parallel to the housing&#39;s central axis toward a receiving plate, which defines a bore configured to receive at least part of the crushing head. When the crushing head comes into contact with a removable electronic storage device situated on top of the receiving plate, the force applied by the crushing head crushes the removable electronic storage device and any platters therein.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/666,403, filed on Mar. 29, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to devices used to destroy or render unreadable electronic storage devices and/or other electronic components storing information.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Information stored on hard drives or other removable electronic storage devices of a computer often contain confidential or private information. Companies have employed software and other digital means in an attempt to destroy or remove this information when the hard drive, removable electronic storage device, or entire computer is no longer needed. These methods have proven ineffective as they often leave traces or remnants of the data which contain the data itself or can be used to reconstruct the data. Other methods have been used in an attempt to physically destroy the hard drives, but these methods also fail to render the hard drive completely inoperable, allowing data to be reconstructed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention recognizes and addresses the foregoing considerations, and others, of prior art construction and methods. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved removable electronic storage crushing device. This and other objects are achieved by a device comprising a housing having a central axis, a crushing head moveably positioned within the housing that has a width generally equal to its length. The device includes an elongated rod operatively coupled to the crushing head, which biases the crushing head in a first direction generally parallel to the housing&#39;s central axis. A receiving plate is configured to receive a removable electronic storage device and defines a bore configured to receive at least a portion of the crushing head.  
         [0005]     The device may also include a cylinder operatively coupled to the elongated rod that biases the crushing head in the first direction generally parallel to the housing&#39;s central axis. Examples of the cylinder include a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder operatively connected to a hand pump. The cylinders may also be coupled to an electric pump that supplies fluid or air pressure to the cylinder. In other embodiments, the housing may include a plurality of gears connected to the elongated rod and to a hand crank so that when the hand crank is rotated, the crushing head is biased in the first direction. Alternatively, an electric motor may be coupled to the plurality of gears and drive the rod downward along the housing central axis.  
         [0006]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which:  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a removable electronic storage crushing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a crushing head for use in the removable electronic storage crushing device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3   a  is an exploded perspective view of the removable electronic storage crushing device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3   b  is a perspective view of a receiving plate for use in the removable electronic storage crushing device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3   c  is a perspective view of a receiving bin for use in the removable electronic storage crushing device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the removable electronic storage crushing device of  FIG. 1  with a hard drive being inserted;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a removable electronic storage crushing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a removable electronic storage crushing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a removable electronic storage crushing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0017]     Repeat use of reference characters in the present specification and drawings is intended to represent same or analogous features or elements of the invention.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     Reference will now be made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit thereof. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a removable electronic storage crushing device  10  is shown having a chamber  12  and an electric pump  14 . Chamber  12  is generally rectangular having a front wall  20 , a back wall  22 , two side walls  24  and  26 , a top wall  28 , a bottom wall  30 , and a door  40 . Chamber  12  is generally divided into an upper portion  32  and a lower portion  38 . Front wall  20  adjacent to upper portion  32  is generally planar with a slope. A cover  34  removably attaches to front wall  20  by screws (collectively denoted at  36 ). It should be understood that cover  34  may be attached by any suitable fastener such as bolts, rivets, etc.  
         [0020]     Door  40  covers lower portion  38  and is generally rectangular in shape having a top wall  42 , a bottom wall  44 , two side walls  46  and  48 , and a front wall  50 . Door front wall  50  is composed of a clear material, such as Plexiglas, to allow the user to see into lower portion  38  during operation of device  10 . It should be understood that, while door front wall  50  is composed of clear material in one embodiment, any material suitable to allow the user to view inside lower portion  38  during operation of device  10  may be used, such as glass, mineral, etc. Moreover, in the alternative, door front wall  50  may be opaque.  
         [0021]     Still referring to  FIG. 1 , the side opposite door front wall  50  (denoted by arrow  60 ) is generally open except for a small rectangular metal piece  62  attached to door top wall  42 , bottom wall  44 , and side wall  46 . A plurality of hinges (collectively denoted at  52 ) connect lower portion side wall  26  to door side wall  48 , such that door  40  is able to open 180 degrees with respect to chamber  12 . It should be understood that other methods of attaching door section  40  to lower portion  38  may be employed. A handle  54 , attached to door front wall  50 , allows the operator to easily open the door to insert or remove an item to be crushed. Chamber bottom wall  30  is comprised of a base plate  56  that includes a plurality of rubber feet (collectively denoted at  58 ) to provide a non-slip connection between chamber  12  and the surface that it sits on.  
         [0022]     A middle plate  70  separates chamber upper portion  32  from chamber lower portion  38 . A plurality of support columns (collectively denoted at  72 ) are affixed between middle plate  70  through a plurality of holes (collectively denoted at  74 ) and base plate  56  through a plurality of holes (collectively denoted at  75 ). Middle plate  70  defines a large threaded through-hole  76  generally located in the center of the middle plate. Two handles  84  are secured on the outside of respective sidewalls  24  and  26  to middle plate  70  by bolts (not shown). It should be understood that any suitable means of attaching the handles to middle plate  70  is contemplated.  
         [0023]     A hydraulic power cylinder  80  is threadedly received in hole  76  such that a rod  86  ( FIG. 2 ) of cylinder  80  may be biased into chamber lower portion  38  when hydraulic power cylinder  80  is actuated. Hydraulic power cylinder  80  is operatively connected to electric pump  14  via a hose  86  ( FIGS. 1 and 3   a ). Hydraulic power cylinders should be understood in this art and are therefore not discussed in further detail. One example of a hydraulic power cylinder is the RC-106 available from Enerpac Corporation in Milwaukee, Wis. Referring to  FIG. 2 , cylinder rod  86  is threadedly received in a frustoconical shaped crushing head  82 . It should be understood to one of skill in the art that crushing head  82  may employ different shapes, such as pyramidal, triangle, conical, wedge, etc.  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , a removable receiving plate  90 , situated in chamber lower portion  38 , defines an area on which a removable electronic storage device, such as a hard drive for a computer, may be placed. Receiving plate  90  defines a through-hole  92  having a generally conical first portion  94  and a generally circular second portion  96 . It should be understood that receiving plate  90  may be joined to, or integrally formed with, base plate  56 . Base plate  56  defines a hole  98  ( FIG. 3   a ) that receives a removable receiving bin  100  ( FIGS. 3   a  and  3   c ). Receiving bin  100  fits within base plate hole  98  and extends below bottom wall  44  onto a support surface on which chamber  12  sits. A stop formed from a plurality of vertical posts  102  abuts receiving plate  90  when the plate is positioned correctly within chamber lower portion  38 , such that holes  92  and  98  and crushing head  82  are generally aligned along the central axis of chamber  12 . In other embodiments, stop  102  may be formed from any suitable material and shape that allows for the alignment of the receiving plate  90 , holes  92  and  98 , and crushing head  82 .  
         [0025]     Still referring to  FIG. 3   a , an electronic safety switch  110 , affixed to the inside of sidewall  24 , is positioned to contact door metal piece  62  when the door is closed. Safety switch  110  connects to electric pump  14  via electric cord  112 . A magnet  122 , located below safety switch  110 , also comes into contact with door metal piece  62  when the door is closed to retain the door in the closed position.  
         [0026]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , an operating handle  114 , on which a button  116  is located, connects to electric pump  14  via a second electric cord  118  and is used to actuate the electric pump. It should be understood to one skilled in the art that button  116  can be relocated anywhere on device  10 , such as upper portion side wall  26  (see  FIG. 7 ). A fluid storage tank  115  is located at the bottom of electric pump  114  and supplies fluid to hydraulic power cylinder  80  via hose  86 . A carrying handle  120 , located on the top portion of electric pump  14 , allows the operator to lift and carry the pump from location to location. Electric pumps should be understood in this art and are therefore not discussed in further detail. An example of such an electric pump is the PUD-1101B available from Enerpac Corporation in Milwaukee, Wis. A user may lift and carry device  10  to a desired location using handles  84  and  120 . Once set down, rubber feet  50  support chamber  12 , supply enough friction so that chamber  12  does not move while in operation, and protects the support surface on which chamber  12  is placed from damage.  
         [0027]     In operation, and referring to  FIG. 4 , door  40  is opened using handle  54 , and receiving plate  90  is removed from chamber lower portion  38 . A removable electronic storage device, such as a computer&#39;s hard drive, is placed in a generally lengthwise manner on receiving plate  90 , which is then returned to chamber lower portion  38 . Receiving plate  90  is guided into place by support columns  72  and stop  102 . An oversized removable electronic storage device may extend beyond the area defined by chamber lower portion  38  into the open area  60  defined by door section  40  if needed. A smaller removable electronic storage device, such as a hard drive for use in a laptop computer, may be placed widthwise on receiving plate  90 . It should be understood that in an embodiment where receiving plate  90  is non-removable or is integral with base plate  56 , the removable electronic storage device is inserted directly onto receiving plate  90 .  
         [0028]     Using handle  54 , the user closes door  40 , and magnet  122  retains the door in the closed position. In this position, rectangular piece  62  comes in contact with safety switch  110 , causing the electric path created by safety switch  110 , cord  112 , and electric pump  14  ( FIG. 1 ) to be closed thereby allowing the pump to be actuated.  
         [0029]     Once door  40  is closed, the user depresses button  116  ( FIG. 1 ) to activate electric pump  14  forcing fluid from storage tank  115  through hose  86  into hydraulic power cylinder  80 . The hydraulic pressure created by electric pump  14  in hydraulic power cylinder  80  causes cylinder rod  86  to extend generally along the central axis of chamber  12  causing crushing head  82  to come into contact with the removable electronic storage device situated on receiving plate  90 . Continued depression of button  116  causes crushing head  82  to push through the removable electronic storage device and into receiving plate through-hole  92 . The removable electronic storage device and any memory platters contained therein are crushed and deformed between crushing head  82  and receiving plate  90 . That is, as crushing head  82  applies downward force on the storage device, the storage platters within the storage device deform, causing the platters to shatter into multiple pieces.  
         [0030]     Previously, the mere piercing of a removable electronic storage device has been used as an attempt to prohibit data from being retrieved from the storage device. When the removable electronic storage device is a hard drive for a computer, or any other similar storage device that uses platters to store information, piercing the platters leaves a possibility that they may remain operable and/or that data can be reconstructed from the platters. The action of crushing head  82  on the storage device causes the platters to shatter prohibiting their operation and rendering the hard drive and platters unusable.  
         [0031]     Once the crushing action is completed, button  116  is released allowing cylinder rod  86  to retract into cylinder  80  as the hydraulic fluid empties from cylinder  80  back into a fluid storage tank  115 . Once the rod is fully retracted, the user opens door  40  and removes the crushed removable electronic storage device. The majority of any debris from the crushed storage device that breaks lose during the crushing process should fall through hole  98  ( FIG. 3   a ) into receiving bin  100  ( FIGS. 3   a  and  3   c ), which can then be removed and cleaned. Although receiving bin  100  is shown as being in contact with base plate  56 , it should be understood that the function of receiving bin  100  can be accomplished by other devices, such as a shallower receiving plate (not shown) that sits below base plate hole  98  and is capable of collecting debris falling through hole  98 . In other embodiments, receiving bin  100  may be eliminated altogether allowing debris to fall through base plate hole  98  onto and/or through the surface supporting chamber  12 . This configuration allows for the scenario wherein chamber  12  is placed over a larger receptacle for receiving debris, such as at an industrial waste bin.  
         [0032]     It should be understood by one skilled in the art that other means of biasing rod  138  and crushing head  82  may be employed, such as an electric motor, pneumatic pump, etc., as long as those means are able to supply a sufficient force to crush a hard drive. Forces in the range of approximately 1500 to 2,300 pounds per square inch are sufficient to crush the hard drive and shatter the platters. The force, when applied to the platters of a removable electronic storage device, such as a computer&#39;s hard drive, will generally render the platters unusable.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , in another embodiment of crushing device  10 , the components employed to bias cylinder rod  86 , including electric pump  14 , power cylinder  80 , and their corresponding parts as shown in  FIG. 1 , are replaced by a hand crank  130 , a plurality of gears (collectively denoted by  132 ), and a manual cylinder  134 . Hand crank  130  is affixed on the outside of chamber side wall  26  to a gear  132   a  by a suitable fastener such that gear  132   a  is rotationally fixed to handle  130 . Manual cylinder  134  has an outer support shell  136  and a moveable internal rod (not shown), which replaces cylinder rod  86 . Threaded through-hole  76  threadedly receives hand cylinder outer shell  136  in a manner identical to that of power cylinder  80 , as described above with reference to  FIG. 1 .  
         [0034]     The moveable internal rod (not shown) has two linear sets of teeth  132   b  formed on opposite sides and that extend through slots (not shown) formed through support shell  136 . Teeth  132   b  are interengaged with, and retain moveable internal rod (not shown) between two gears  132   d  and  132   e . That is, gears  132   d  and  132   e  interengage with rod teeth  132   b  and prevent the rod from pivoting side to side. Crushing head  82  threadedly receives the internal rod (not shown).  
         [0035]     Hand crank  130  is operatively connected to the moveable internal rod (not shown) by gears  132   a ,  132   c ,  132   d , and  132   e . Gears  132   c ,  132   d  and  132   e  are rotatably coupled to chamber upper portion back wall  22  by two spindles  133 , and gears  132   c  and  132   e  are rotationally fixed to one another and rotate in unison about spindle  133 . Thus, rotating hand crank  130  clockwise (looking at  FIG. 5  from the right) rotates gear  132   a  clockwise, which in turn drives gears  132   c  and  132   e  clockwise about spindle  133 . The clockwise rotation of gears  132   c  and  132   e  biases the moveable internal rod (not shown) upward in a linear motion on an axis generally central to chamber  12 , which also causes gear  132   d  to rotate counterclockwise. Likewise, rotating hand crank  130  counterclockwise biases the moveable internal rod (not shown) downward so that crushing head  82  comes into contact with an electronic storage device loaded on receiving plate  90 . The other parts of chamber  12  generally function in the same manner as described above with respect to  FIG. 1  and thus an explanation of their operation will not be repeated. The use of varying sizes and shapes of gears to produce the required amount of crushing force should be understood in the art. Moreover, it should be evident that placement and length of hand crank  130  can be altered to more suitable positions to increase or decrease the desired force.  
         [0036]     An example of another method of biasing moveable internal rod (not shown) and crushing head  82  is a pneumatic hand pump. Referring to  FIG. 6 , a hand pump  150  if affixed to chamber wall  26  in a manner similar to that of hand crank  130  as described above with reference to  FIG. 5 . A pneumatic cylinder  152 , which includes a moveable internal rod (not shown) generally identical to rod  86  ( FIG. 2 ), is threadedly received by threaded through-hole  76  in a manner identical to the embodiments described above. Likewise, crushing head  82  threadedly receives the internal rod (not shown). Cylinder  152  is attached to pneumatic hand pump  150  by a hose  156 . Pneumatic hand pumps should be understood in this art and are therefore not discussed in further detail. An example of such a hand pump is the P-392 PUMP-CYLINDER SET available from Enerpac Corporation in Milwaukee, Wis.  
         [0037]     In operation, a user pumps hand pump  150  by a handle  151 , which supplies air pressure through pump hose  156  to pneumatic cylinder  152 . The air pressure in cylinder  152  biases the internal rod (not shown) downward from cylinder  152  moving crushing head  82  into contact with a removable electronic storage device. As the user continues to pump hand pump  150 , the pneumatic force is sufficient to cause crushing head  82  to crush the removable electronic storage device placed on receiving plate  90  in a manner similar to that described above.  
         [0038]     In yet another embodiment as shown in  FIG. 7 , button  116  is relocated from operating handle  114  ( FIG. 1 ) onto chamber side wall  48 . Power cord  118  is relocated to inside chamber upper portion  32  and connects button  116  to an electric motor  160 . Electric motor  160  includes a large rotating gear  162  operatively connected to a moveable internal rod (not shown) of a cylinder  163 . Cylinder  163  has an outer support shell  164  threadedly received into through-hole  76  and operates in a manner generally identical to cylinder  134 , support shell  136 , and the associated internal rod (not shown) as described above with respect to  FIG. 5 .  
         [0039]     Thus, pressing button  116  activates motor  160 . Gear  162  is rotationally driven by motor  160  and biases the internal rod (not shown) in a downward direction generally parallel to the central axis of chamber  12 . Likewise, crushing head  82  is biases by the internal rod (not shown) in a manner generally similar to that described above with reference to  FIG. 5 . Releasing button  116  deactivates motor  160  causing gear  162  to rotate in an opposite direction returning crushing head  82  to its home position. Alternatively, a control switch (not shown) can be included that reverses the direction of motor  160  when a sufficient crushing force has been achieved thereby preventing overdriving of the motor in the downward crushing direction. Additionally, a proximity switch may be included that senses when the crushing head has reached a predetermined downward extension.  
         [0040]     While one or more preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it should be understood that any and all equivalent realizations of the present invention are included within the scope and spirit thereof. The embodiments depicted are presented by way of example only and are not intended as limitations upon the present invention. Thus, it should be understood by those of ordinary skill in this art that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments since modifications can be made. Therefore, it is contemplated that any and all such embodiments are included in the present invention as may fall within the scope and spirit thereof.