Abstract:
A retractable cable combination lock assembly according to the present invention can protect the newly designed Macbook pro with retina display and Macbook Air series and traditional computer with or without Kensington lock slot from theft by securing the laptop via the thunderbolt slot to an immovable object such as a piece of furniture. The lock assembly of the present invention can also be designed to plug into the USB port or HDMI port of Macbook Pro with Retina display, Macbook Air laptop series, and traditional computers with or without Kensington lock slot to lock the computer rather than using thunderbolt port.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to a lock assembly for laptop computers and, relates more particularly to a retractable combination cable lock that can plug into a built-in hole (such as a thunderbolt slot, USB port, or HDMI port) on the frame of laptop computers (especially those that do not have a specifically drilled Kensington lock slot) with the other end securely attached to an immovable object such as a desk or chair. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Traditional laptops have a specially drilled Kensington lock slot. They can be protected by attaching a Kensington laptop lock to the Kensington lock slot of the computer and with the other end attached to an immovable object such as a desk or chair. 
         [0005]    However, Macbook Air and Macbook Pro with retina display series do not come with Kensington lock slot. Therefore, they cannot be protected by any laptop locks currently available in the marketplace. With the exception of the Maclock designed lock case bundle which screws a case at the bottom of the laptop and attach Kensington lock to the case; this makes the thin laptop look less aesthetically pleasing and heavier. Furthermore, the plastic case is easy to break. 
         [0006]    Therefore, it is desirable to have a lock assembly that can protect Macbook Air and Macbook Pro with retina display series from theft. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, there is disclosed a lock assembly that can protect the newly designed Macbook pro with retina display and Macbook Air series from being stolen (theft) by securing the laptop via a built-in slot on the frame of a computer to an immovable item such as a desk or chair. 
         [0008]    The lock assembly of the present invention is a slim combination lock that can be attached and locked into a thunderbolt slot or USB port or HDMI port on the frame of a computer. 
         [0009]    A combination laptop lock according to the present invention is slim, pretty, intuitive and easy to use. 
         [0010]    Furthermore, compared to other laptop locks that are long and inconvenient to carry, the specially designed retractable mechanism and case can store the lock and cable in a way so that the whole lock can be carried like a wallet. 
         [0011]    A retractable cable combination lock assembly for laptop computers according to the present invention comprises a combination lock having a hook that can be hooked up to the frame of a computer via a built-in hole in the frame of the computer; a retractable cable having one end securely connected to said lock and being used to secure the laptop to an immovable object such as a piece of furniture; and a case with retractable mechanism for retracting, storing and carrying said retractable cable and lock, said cable having the other end attached to said case; wherein the built-in hole is a thunderbolt slot, USB port, or HDMI port. 
         [0012]    The lock assembly can be used to lock both the laptop with Kensington Lock slot and the laptop without Kensington lock slot via a thunderbolt slot, USB port, or HDMI port rather than the Kensington lock slot. 
         [0013]    The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow. 
         [0014]    Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0015]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0016]    The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lock assembly for a laptop computer in accordance with the present invention showing a condition when the lock  10  and cable  20  are pulled out of the case  30 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the lock assembly for the laptop computer showing a condition when the lock  10  and cable  20  are retracted and stored inside the case  30  for easy storing and carrying. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a perspective isometric view of the lock head  10  for the laptop computer. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a perspective isometric view of the lock head  10  wherein the hook  17  is projected outside the lock&#39;s plug head  12  to hook up with the thunderbolt slot of a laptop (not shown). 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a close-up view of the lock&#39;s plug head  12  wherein the hook  17  is withdrawn into the plug head to release the thunderbolt slot of a laptop (not shown). 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the lock assembly  100 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the lock head  10 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the lock head  10  at an unlocked position. 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the lock head  10  at a locked position. 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the lock head  10  at a locked position wherein the hook  17  is projected out of the plug head  12  and locked into the frame of the laptop. 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a half-assembled lock head  10 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of the case  30  for stowing and carrying the lock head  10 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is disclosed a cable combination lock assembly for a laptop computer according to the present invention. The combination lock assembly (“lock assembly” hereinafter) is generally designated as  100  comprising a lock  10 , a cable  20  which is connected to the lock head  10 , and a specially designed retractable mechanism and case  30  which can store the lock  10  and cable  20  in a way that the whole lock can be carried like a wallet.  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the lock assembly at a condition when the lock  10  is pulled out of the case  30  for use and  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of when the lock  10  and cable  20  is stored inside the case  30  for easy stowing and carrying. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is disclosed an isometric view of the lock  10  of the present invention.  FIG. 3  shows the exterior appearance of the lock  10  which has 3 code disks  13 , each has 12 letters code. The number of code on each disk shown in the figure is for example only and can be varied. The lock  10  has a lock housing  11  which is rectangle in general for enclosing a locking mechanism inside and a thunderbolt plug head  12  for plugging into the thunderbolt slot of a computer to secure the computer to an immovable object such as a desk or chair. The retractable case  30  is in a ring shape with a hole  31  in the center which is larger than the width of the lock head  10 . In use, the user can pull the cable and lock head out of the lock retractable case and use them to surround an immovable object and then insert the lock head  10  and the cable  20  through the central hole  31  in the retractable case  30  to form a loop. On two sides of the lock&#39;s housing  11  there are two buttons  112  for releasing the lock&#39;s plug head  12  from the computer&#39;s thunderbolt slot.  FIG. 4  is another isometric view of the lock  10  of the present invention wherein a hook  17  is shown projected out of the plug head  12  to hook up with the thunderbolt slot of a laptop (not shown). When the hook  17  is projected out of the plug head  12 , the hook locks the thunderbolt slot of a computer. When the hook  17  is withdrawn into the plug head  12  as shown in  FIG. 5 , the thunderbolt slot (not shown) is released and unlocked. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 6-7 , there is disclosed an exploded view of the lock head  10  of the lock assembly  100  according to the present invention. Within the lock housing  11 , the locking mechanism of the lock  10  has three code disks  13 ; each one has 12 letters as its code. The number on the code disk  13  can vary and won&#39;t affect the principle of the present invention. There are two gears (upper gear  14  and lower gear  15 ) inside the lock housing  11  corresponding to each code disk  13 . The code disk  13  and two gears  14 ,  15  share the same axle  16 ; there are totally three axles  16 , one for each set of code disk  13  and two gears  14 ,  15 . As shown in the figures, each upper gear  14  is located beneath and connected to its corresponding code disk  13  and each lower gear  15  lies beneath its corresponding upper gear  14  but is not connected to the upper gear  14 . Between each upper gear  14  and lower gear  15 , there exists a spring  19 . When the lock  10  is at an unlocked position, the springs  19  will be compressed and when the lock  10  is at a locked position, the springs  19  will be uncompressed. 
         [0033]    The axle  16  attaches firmly to the upper gear  14  therefore code disk  13  and upper gear  14  will turn at the same pace with axle  16 . In one embodiment, the upper gear  14  has 12 teeth, on the inner side of the outer case  115 . There is a clipper that can clip one of the 12 teeth of the upper gear  14 . This enables the upper gear  14 , the axle  16 , and the code disk  13  to turn to one of the 12 position at the same pace. This mechanism (teeth and clipper) is used to lock the code disk  13  and upper gear  14  to make them turn with the axle  16 . However, the lower gear  15  will not turn with the axle  16  without additional mechanism. 
         [0034]    The upper gear  14  has a protrusion  142  that can be turned to one of twelve positions; the lower gear  15  has a corresponding indentation  152  which can be set to one of twelve positions too. The upper gear  14  is connected to the code disk  13  but the lower gear  15  is not connected to the upper gear  14 . As a result, while one code disk  13  turns and drives its axle  16 , the upper gear  14  turns accordingly but the lower gear  15  will not turn accordingly. Only when the protrusion  142  of the upper gear  14  turns to the same position with the indentation  152  on the lower gear  15 , the protrusion  142  can insert into the indentation  152  and the lower gear  15  can be moved upward. Once the protrusion  142  is inserted into the indentation  152 , the lower gear  15  can then move together with the upper gear  14  and the code disk  13 . This mechanism enables custom code combination which will be discussed later. 
         [0035]    The hook  17  that can be hooked up to the frame of a laptop is connected to a lifting plate  18 . The plate  18  is located inside the inner case and beneath the lower gears  15  and has holes for the three axles  16  to pass through. If a user wants to unlock the lock from the laptop, the plate  18  needs to be moved up first in order to lift up the hook  17  to unhook the computer frame. The lifting plate  18  can be moved up by pushing the lock&#39;s side button  112 . The contact surface of the side buttons  112  with the lifting plate are slanted in respect with one another. So when the correct cipher is inputted and the side buttons  112  are pushed, a force is exerted, causing the lifting plate  18  to slide upward against the slant contact surface of the side buttons  112 . However, when the protrusions  142  are not lined up with the holes  152 , the lifting plate  18  cannot be lifted. Only when the input codes are correct on all three code disks, the combination of all three protrusions  142  on the upper gears  14  and holes  152  on the lower gears  15  are lined up; the lifting plate  18  can be moved up by pushing the lock&#39;s side button  112 , and then the hook  17  can be lifted up to unlock the laptop. 
         [0036]    The locking mechanism is also designed to enable custom code combination. As mentioned in the foregoing, when the user inputs the correct combination, the protrusions  142  are lined up with the indentations  152 ; all 3 lower gears  15  can be moved up. The user can push the side button  112  to lift up the lifting plate  18  and all three lower gears  15 . In this case the three lower gears  15  can be moved up, with the protrusions  142  inserted into the indentations  152 , and locked up with all upper gears  14 . In this case, when the user turns the code disk  13 , the lower gear  15  turns with the code disk  13  and upper gear  14  and thus, the location of the indentation  152  is changed which means the combination is changed and set to new position. The side button  112  can then be released and the lock  10  now has a brand new cipher. 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  shows the lock  10  of the present invention at an unlocked position where the protrusions  142  on the upper gears  14  is inserted into the indentations  152  on the lower gears  15 , the lock&#39;s side button  112  is pushed in to lift up the lifting plate  18 , the springs  19  (not observable) are pressed, and the hook  17  is lifted up to unlock the computer (not shown). Refer back to  FIG. 5  for a close-up view of the hook  17  which is withdrawn into the plug head  12 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 9  shows the lock  10  of the present invention at a locked position where the protrusions on the upper gears  14  are not inserted into the indentations on the lower gears  15 , the lock&#39;s side button  112  is released, the springs  19  are relaxed, the lifting plate  18  cannot be lifted and the hook  17  is pressed down to lock the laptop (not shown). Referring to  FIG. 4  for a plug head with the hook projected out of the plug head  12  and  FIG. 10  for the hook  17  projected out of the plug head  12  and locked into the frame of the laptop  200 . 
         [0039]    The thunderbolt plug head  12  of the present invention is designed specifically for locking the laptop. A hook  17  coming from the body of the lock head  10  can be hooked up to the frame of laptop. When the user inputs the correct cipher, the side button  112  can be pushed to lift up the hook  17  and draw it back into the plug head  12 . The plug head  12  therefore can be released from the laptop. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 11  for a half-assembled lock head  10  according to one embodiment wherein the outer case  115  is made of polished plastics for decoration and secure the code disk on the top surface of the outer case. The inner case  117  is made of steel and will be bundled permanently with the lower case  119  after assembly to prevent thief from breaking apart the lock. 
         [0041]    The specially designed case  30  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  12  can retract back all the cable  20  and can provide storage for the lock head  10 . The retracted lock  100  is slim and beautiful. The principle of the case  30  is similar to a roll up measuring tape, but with new design for beauty and convenience. When the cable is pulled out, the retractable coil spring  32  stores the energy while the stopper  33  makes sure the cable won&#39;t retract back ( FIG. 12 ). If the user presses the stopper button  34  ( FIG. 2 ), the stopper  33  is released and the cable  20  is free and retracts back into the case  30 . 
         [0042]    In another embodiment, the lock assembly  100  of the present invention is designed to plug into a USB port or HDMI port of Macbook Pro with Retina display&#39;s and Macbook Air laptop series to lock the computer rather than using thunderbolt port. 
         [0043]    In the preferred embodiment disclosed in the figures, the three code disks are lined up to make up the combination lock. However, other numbers of code disk may also be used and placed in different way in other embodiments. In the preferred embodiment disclosed in the figures, 12 codes are put on each code disk but the number of codes on each disk can also vary. 
         [0044]    This locking mechanism can also be used to design a better laptop lock for normal laptop with Kensington Lock slot. The lock assembly  100  including the lock head  10 , retractable cable  20  and case with retractable mechanism  30  according to the present invention can also be used to lock a regular laptop with Kensington lock slot. 
         [0045]    The lock parts are made with either stainless steel or plastic. Detailed materials used are shown in attached images. 
         [0046]    While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention and not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments discussed were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are entitled.