Abstract:
A security device is provided wherein spindle is engaged with a lock pin and the spindle is engaged with an abutment plate such that a locking/unlocking of the security device is effected by simply using one hand to rotate the spindle to cause the lock pin to rotate together. This device can inhibit the theft of small but expensive pieces such as a computer or the like.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to devices for inhibiting the theft of small but expensive pieces such as a computer or the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional computer security device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,685 entitled “Computer Physical Security Device” as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The device comprises a nose-piece  1 , a hollow shell  2 , a spindle  3 , and a cylindrical collar  4 . 
     Collar  4  is put on shell  2  which is in turn inserted into nose-piece  1 . As such, collar  4  is secured between nose-piece  1  and plate  201 . There is an aperture (not shown) provided through the aperture plate  201 . Spindle  3  is permitted to rotate a limited range with respect to shell  2 . Spindle has an aperture (not shown) on the aft surface for key (not shown) to insert through for rotating spindle  3 . A shaft  301  is projected on front end of spindle  3 . A crossmember  302  is provided at the free end of shaft  301 . An abutment mechanism  303  is put on shaft  301 . Abutment mechanism  303  comprises a pair of pins  304  with shaft  301  inserted therebetween. Ends of pins  304  are extended outwardly through nose-piece  1 . A cable  401  is dead-ended into a tab of collar  4 . Thus forms the computer security device. 
     In an unlocked position, pins  304  and crossmember  302  are aligned in engagement, while in a locked position, pins  304  and crossmember  302  are misaligned in engagement as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In use, cable  401  is wrapped around a relatively immovable object (not shown) such as the cross bar spanning two legs of a desk. Then insert a key engaging lock mechanism into keyhole to rotate spindle  3  to make the security device in an unlocked position. Next, insert the aligned shaft  301  and pins  304  into slot  901  of an exterior wall  9  of the piece of equipment (e.g., computer keyboard) to be protected until the crossmember  302  fully passes over the slot  901  to be located inside the exterior wall  9  of the piece of equipment. Then rotate key  5  to cause spindle  3  together with shaft  301  and crossmember  302  to rotate 90° for engaging crossmember  302  with the exterior wall  9 . By utilizing this, the security device is extremely difficult to disengage by anyone not having the appropriate key  5 . As a result, the purpose of inhibiting the theft of the piece of equipment is achieved. 
     However, the previous design suffered from disadvantages. That is, it is required for an operator to use one hand to hold the nose-piece  1  and the other hand to insert a key into keyhole to rotate spindle  3  for locking/unlocking the security device. This is quite inconvenient. Also, the special key can be lost of misplaced. As a result, a recognized need still exists for an improved computer security device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a security device wherein a spindle is engaged with a lock pin and the spindle is engaged with an abutment plate such that a locking/unlocking of the security device is effected by simply using one hand to rotate the spindle to cause the lock pin to rotate together. This device can inhibit the theft of small but expensive pieces such as a computer or the like. 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the attachment mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,685; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the FIG. 1 attachment mechanism; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the FIG. 1 attachment mechanism attached to a computer keyboard; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the installation of the FIG. 3 attachment mechanism; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of computer security device according to the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the FIG. 5 security device; 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of the aft end of the FIG. 5 security device; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A—A of FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 depicting the operation of the FIG. 5 security device; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the FIG. 5 security device attached to a computer keyboard; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second preferred embodiment of computer security device according to the invention; 
     FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the FIG. 11 security device; and 
     FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the FIG. 11 security device attached to a computer keyboard. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 to  10 , there is shown a computer security device constructed in accordance with the invention comprising a hollow shell, a spindle  20 , a housing  30 , and a cylindrical collar  40 . Spindle  20  is prior art comprising a plurality of axially disposed elastic risers  21  on the surface, a raised plate  22  on the aft end, and a stopper  23  in the front of elastic riser  21  so as to bias elastic risers  21  to retract into spindle  20  by the guiding of the raised edges of a key (not shown) when the key is inserted into the keyhole. The detailed description of spindle  20  is omitted herein since spindle  20  is prior art. Hollow shell  10  comprises a raised plate  11  having a plurality of raised portions around the circumference in the art end. A blunt pin (or set screw)  31  is inserted through the aperture of housing  30  and the aperture of hollow shell  10  to secure housing  30  to hollow shell  10 . Collar  40  is put on and pivotable with respect to hollow shell  10 . Collar  40  is disposed between and defined by housing  30  and raised plate  11 . Spindle  20  is pivotably disposed in hollow shell  10 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 specifically, the interior features of hollow shell  10  will now be described. Hollow shell  10  further comprises an interior cylindrical cavity  12  adjacent housing  30  on one end, a cylindrical portion  13  on the other end, and a shoulder  14  attached between interior cylindrical cavity  12  and cylindrical portion  13 . Three first projections  131  and a second projection  132  are provided around the inside surface of cylindrical portion  13 . Accordingly, a first groove  133  and three second grooves  134  are equally formed between second projection  132  and first projections  131 , that is, one groove is perpendicular to the adjacent groove in orientation. A slope  1321  is formed on one side of second projection  132  extended from the tip of second projection  132  to first groove  133 . Spindle  20  is pivotably provided in cylindrical portion  13  with elastic riser  21  engaged with first groove  133 . Stopper  23  is engaged with shoulder  14  in interior cylindrical cavity  12 . Raised plate  22  is engaged with first projections  131  and second projection  132  such that spindle  20  is pivotably provided in hollow shell  10 . 
     An abutment plate  50  is provided in interior cylindrical cavity  12  comprising a rectangular opening  51 . Spindle  20  is inserted into interior cylindrical cavity  12 . Two pins  24  are formed on the front end of spindle  20 . The aft end of abutment plate  50  is provided between pins  24 , while the front end formed as two straight parallel members  52  are extended through the front aperture of housing  30 . A channel  522  is formed between straight parallel members  52  in communication with opening  51 . A lock pin  60  is pivotably provided in channel  522 . Lock pin  60  comprises two wing members  61  on both sides of opening  51  and a projected crossmember  62  on the free end thereof extended beyond channel  522 . Two sides of wing member  61  are perpendicular to each other. Two wing members  61  are engaged with two front opposite recesses  15  for securing lock pin  60  to hollow shell  10 . Two studs  32  are axially projected on the front inner surface of housing  30  to engage with wing members  61 . 
     Also, two opposite slots (not shown) are formed on the inside of interior cylindrical cavity  12 . A protuberance  25  is formed on the surface of spindle  20  opposite to elastic risers  21 . Protuberance  25  is inserted in recesses  1312  for defining the rotational angle of hollow shell  10 . A lug  42  is provided on the surface of collar  40 , thus forming a hole  44  for allowing cable to pass through. 
     As shown in FIG. 9, in an unlocked position, elastic risers  21  are inserted into first groove  133  and straight parallel members  52  are aligned with crossmember  62 . As such, it is possible to insert the aligned straight members  52  and lock pin  60  into a generally rectangular slot of an exterior wall (not shown) of the piece of equipment (e.g., computer keyboard) to be protected until the crossmember  62  fully passes over the slot to be located inside the exterior wall of the piece of equipment. Then rotate hollow shell  10  by turning raised plate  11  to pivot hollow shell  10  with respect to spindle  20 . And in turn slopes  1321  bias against elastic risers  21  to cause elastic risers  21  to move away from first groove  133  to retract into spindle  20  such that second projection  132  passes over elastic risers  21 . Second projection  132  is moved to the other sides of elastic risers  21  when hollow shell  10  is rotated 90°. At this time, elastic risers  21  return to the original uncompressed form to insert into second groove  134  adjacent second projection  132 . Lock pin  60  is rotated together with hollow shell  10 . Crossmember  62  is also rotated 90° to become misaligned with straight members  52  to engage with the exterior wall of keyboard. At this position, the security device is locked. Note that cable  70  has previous passed through a plurality of pieces of equipment and wrapped around a relatively immovable object (not shown) such as the cross bar spanning two legs of a desk. Thus, the purpose of inhibiting the theft of the piece of equipment is achieved. 
     In unlocking the device, insert a key into the aperture of spindle  20  to disengage elastic risers  21  from second grooves  134  for retracting into spindle  20  by the guiding of the raised edges of key, thus disengaging protuberance  25  from recess  1312 . Also, hollow shell  10  is defined to rotate in a given single direction such that first groove  133  together with hollow shell  10  rotate 90° to move to a position opposite to elastic risers  21 . That is, crossmember  62  is turned 90° to align with straight members  52  for returning to unlocked position. Then pull lock pin  60  and straight members  52  out of the exterior wall of keyboard. At this time, elastic risers  121  are inserted into first groove  133  again. 
     Referring to FIGS. 11 to  13 , a second preferred embodiment of computer security device according to the invention will now be described. The device comprises a hollow shell  10 ′, a cylindrical collar  80 ′ pivotably provided in hollow shell  10 ′, and a housing  30 ′ put on hollow shell  10 ′ having a pin  31 ′ inserted through the aperture of housing  30 ′ and the aperture of hollow shell  10 ′ to lock housing  30 ′ to hollow shell  10 ′. 
     Similar to that of the first embodiment, an abutment plate  50 ′ comprises a rectangular opening  51 ′. The front end of abutment plate  50 ′ formed as two straight parallel members  52 ′ are extended through the front aperture of housing  30 ′. A channel  522 ′ is formed between straight members  52 ′ in communication with opening  51 ′. A lock pin  60 ′ is pivotably provided in channel  522 ′. Lock pin  60 ′ comprises two wing members  61 ′ on both sides of opening  51 ′ and a crossmember  62 ′ on the free end thereof extended beyond channel  522 ′. Two sides of wing member  61 ′ are perpendicular to each other. Two wing members  61 ′ are engaged with recesses  15 ′ for securing lock pin  60 ′ to hollow shell  10 ′. Two studs  32 ′ are axially projected on the front inner surface of housing  30 ′ to engage with wing members  61 ′. 
     A first through aperture  16 ′ is formed on hollow shell  10 ′. Correspondingly, a second through aperture  86 ′ is formed on collar  80 ′. In an unlocked position, straight members  52 ′ are aligned with crossmember  62 ′ and thus first and second through apertures  16 ′,  86 ′ are in communication. Then insert the aligned straight members  52 ′ and lock pin  60 ′ into slot of an exterior wall of the piece of equipment (e.g., computer keyboard) to be protected until the crossmember  62 ′ fully passes over the slot to be located inside the exterior wall of the piece of equipment. Then rotate hollow shell  10 ′ with respect to collar  80 ′ together with crossmember  62 ′ rotated 90° to become misaligned with straight members  52 ′ to engage with the exterior wall of keyboard. At this position, the security device has been locked. Operator may easily pass cable through the passageway formed by the aligned through apertures  16 ′,  86 ′. The presence of cable prevents hollow shell  10 ′ from being rotated back to unlock the device. Similarly, operator may pass cable through a plurality of pieces of equipment and wrapped around a relatively immovable object (not shown) such as the cross bar spanning two legs of a desk. Thus, the purpose of inhibiting the theft of the piece of equipment is achieved. Operator may rotate hollow shell  10 ′ by manipulating crossmember  62 ′ until crossmember  62 ′ is 90° misaligned with respect to straight members  52 . At this position, the device is unlocked. 
     While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention set forth in the claims.