Abstract:
A secure housing for a portable computer, which has a screen, operating keys and at least one connector, can be transferred from an open state to a closed state. In order to protect the computer and the data stored thereon, the secure housing can be locked in the closed state and conceals at least one operating key of the computer while the screen is exposed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the United States national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2012/064500 filed Jul. 24, 2012, and claims priority to German Patent Application No. 20 2011 103 813.4 filed Jul. 29, 2011, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a secure housing for a portable computer, e.g. a tablet computer with a touchscreen. 
     Description of Related Art 
     When lodging or transporting persons, e.g. on a flight, it is desirable to lend these persons a portable computer, preferably in the form of a tablet computer with a touchscreen, such as an iPad, for example. In the context of air travel, the flight passengers are thus enabled to access an on-board entertainment network via this lent computer so that they can watch movies stored on a central network server. The lent computers can maintain a radio link with the network server, for example via WLAN. As an alternative, it is also conceivable that movies or music to be played back are stored on the lent computer and are intended to be retrievable from the same. 
     Access to basic settings of the lent computer and to the movie and music data stored thereon shall be prevented. Further, the risk of damage to the computer shall be avoided. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The secure housing is adapted to be moved from an open state into a closed state and is adapted to be locked in the closed state. In the closed state the housing covers at least one operating key of the computer and exposes the screen of the same. The operating key covered may be a main operating key by means of which basic settings of the computer are made. Owing to the fact that this operating key is covered in the closed state, access to the operating key, and thus access to basic settings of the computer, is prevented. Nevertheless, movies and other data can be displayed visually on the exposed screen. The user can use the portable computer to watch information on the screen, such as movies or texts, while the operability of the computer and in particular the modifiability of basic settings is restricted. 
     Preferably, the secure housing comprises an electric plug contact accessible from outside the housing and comprising an electric wire adapted to be connected with the socket of the computer. In the closed state of the secure housing the socket of the computer is protected, while it is still accessible from outside via the electric plug contact and the electric wire. Here, in the closed state of the housing, the wire and the plug contact are preferably completely contained within the housing so that the risk of a mechanical damage to the wire and/or the plug contact is avoided. 
     It is particularly advantageous, if the wire is configured exclusively for the voltage supply to the computer and does not allow data transmission. At a portable tablet computer, such as an iPad, for example, electrical sockets are typically configured for the voltage supply to the computer and for the transmission of data as a data interface. With the housing closed, the user can supply electrical voltage to the computer without being able to download data from the computer or to transfer data onto the computer. Preferably, all data interfaces of the computer, such as USB ports, for example, are not accessible in the closed state of the secure housing or are at least not available for data transmission. In this way, data can be stored on the lent computer and can be made available to the user, without the risk of the data being stolen or manipulated by the user. 
     Further, it is conceivable that the secure housing covers an on/off switch of the computer in the closed state. Preferably, a headphone connector, speakers and possibly also volume controls should not be covered in the closed state, but should be freely accessible to the user. 
     The secure housing can provide mechanical protection, heat protection and/or moisture protection for the computer. 
     Preferably, the secure housing is of a three-part structure with a lower shell and two upper covers. The lower shell has a holder for the computer and another holder for the electric wire. The first upper cover forms a cover for the lower shell and can be connected with the same to cover the computer. The second upper cover also forms a cover for the lower shell and can be connected with the same to close the cable holder. Preferably, the first upper cover is removable only when the second upper cover has been removed, said second upper cover being adapted to be latched to the bottom shell and to be locked in the latched state. For opening the secure housing, the second upper cover is removed first and access to the electric wire is made possible before the first upper cover can be removed to allow access to the computer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following is a detailed description of two embodiments of the invention with reference to the Figures. In the Figures: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the secure housing according to the present invention and of a portable computer, 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective top plan view on the secure housing of  FIG. 1  in the closed state, 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective bottom view of the housing of  FIG. 1  in the closed state, 
         FIG. 4  is a first side elevational view of the secure housing of  FIG. 2 , 
         FIG. 5  is a second side elevational view of the secure housing of  FIG. 2 , 
         FIG. 6  is a third side elevational view of the secure housing, 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view on the lower shell of a second embodiment and 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view on the top cover of the second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The secure housing  10  serves to accommodate the portable computer  12  in the form of an iPad or another tablet computer illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The computer  12  comprises a screen  14  in the form of a touch-sensitive touchscreen, and a housing  16 . The computer housing  16  is provided with operating keys  18 ,  20 ,  22  for operating the computer. Here, the operating key  18  is a main operating button which allows access to menus with which computer settings can be made or modified. The operating key  20  is an on/off switch. The operating key  22  is a volume control. The computer housing further comprises a socket  24  configured according to the USB standard for voltage supply and data transmission. Further, a headphone connector  26  is provided. 
     The secure housing  10  is formed by a lower shell  28 , a first upper cover  30  and a second upper cover  32 . The lower shell  28  is provided with a holder  34  for the computer and a holder  36  for an electric wire  38 . 
     In the region of the holder  34 , the lower shell  28  is formed to accurately fit the shape of the rear housing  16  of the computer  12 . When placed into the holder  34 , the computer  12  is fully and snugly received in the lower shell  28 . The computer  12  can be screwed to the lower shell  28  by means of screw connections. When the computer  12  is in a state in which it is accommodated in the holder  34 , the first upper cover  30  can be set on the lower shell  28  and be fastened to the lower shell  28  such that the holder  34  for the computer is covered completely by the first upper cover except for the area of the screen  14 . The holder  36  for the wire  38  is still freely accessible at that time. For closing the wire holder  36 , the second upper cover  32  is set on the lower shell  28  and is connected with the first upper cover  30  and the lower shell  28  through plug-in connectors  99 . The wire cover  32  can be locked and cannot be removed when in the locked state so that it does not release the first upper cover  30  either. For instance after the computer has been lent to a passenger, the key  98  for opening the locked state of the wire cover  32  and the lower shell  28  can be kept by the cabin crew. 
     The electric wire  38  is provided with an electric plug contact  40  releasably fastened at the lower shell  28 . When fastened to the lower shell  28 , the plug contact  40  is exposed in a recess  42  of the secure housing  10  and is thereby freely accessible from outside the secure housing  10 . The end of the electric wire  38  opposite the plug contact  40  is provided with a contact socket  56  for connection with the plug socket  24  of the computer  12 . The electric wire  38  exclusively allows for the voltage supply to the computer  12 , while data transmission is prevented. Thus, it is merely possible to establish a voltage supply to the computer  12  via the electric wire  38  and the plug contact  40 , and electronic data can neither be downloaded from the computer  12  nor can they be transmitted onto the computer  12  from outside. The data stored on the computer  12  cannot be accessed via the electric plug contact  40 . 
     Similarly, in the closed state of the secure housing  10 , illustrated in  FIGS. 2 to 6 , the on/off switch  20 , the volume control  22  and the headphone connector  26  are each exposed via a recess in the secure housing  10  and are therefore freely accessible from outside. For operation, the screen is freely accessible through the recess  48  in the computer cover  30 . 
     The secure housing  10  is provided with a foldable support not illustrated in the Figures, which allows for a safe positioning of the computer  12 . For example, a passenger may thus place the computer on a foldaway tray often mounted to the backrest of the respective frontward seat. 
     The second embodiment, illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , differs from the first embodiment in  FIGS. 1 to 6  in that the secure housing  10  is not formed by three parts but merely by two parts, with the second upper cover  32  for the wire  38  and for the plug contact  40  being an integral part of the lower shell  28  and being integrally and rigidly connected with the same. For the rest, as in the first embodiment, the lower shell  28  comprises a holder  34  for the computer  12 , the first upper cover  30  being adapted to be set on the lower shell  28  and to be fastened to the lower shell  28  such that the holder for the computer is covered by the first upper cover. For this purpose, the upper cover  30  is provided with fixing lugs  44  engaging with fixing lugs  46  on the lower shell  28  in order to keep an fix the cover  30  on the lower shell  28 . The lower shell  28  is provided with a lock  49  for locking the upper cover  30  in the closed state so that the cover  30  cannot be removed from the lower shell  28  in the closed state. 
     The computer cover  30  of the second embodiment is also provided with a cutout  48  for the computer screen so as to allow the operation of the screen as a touchscreen in the closed state of the secure housing  10 . Further, the lower shell  28  and the computer cover  30  are each provided with a recess  50  for a volume control of the computer, a recess  52  for the on/off switch of the computer and with a recess  54  for the headphone connector of the computer. These elements correspond to those of the first embodiment in their arrangement and function. 
     Likewise, as in the first embodiment, the lower shell is provided with a plug contact  40  and an electric wire  38 . The only difference to the first embodiment is merely that the wire  38  is shorter and, together with an electric contact socket  56  for the computer socket  24 , is fixedly connected with the lower shell  28 , while the wire  38  and the contact socket  56  in  FIG. 1  are removable and are illustrated in a wound state. 
     As in the first embodiment, the computer cover  30  is provided with an opening  58  for a light sensor  60  of a computer  12 . In the closed state of the secure housing  10 , the computer  12  can receive sufficient light via its light sensor  60  even through the opening  58  to adjust the illumination of the screen  14  to the ambient light conditions, for example.