Patent Publication Number: US-8113020-B2

Title: Lock and electronic device using the same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to locks and electronic devices and, particularly, to a lock and an electronic device using the lock. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     During travelling, users may leave an electronic device, for example a portable computer, unattended to take care of other matters, making it vulnerable to be stolen. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of a lock and an electronic devices using the same. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a lock in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded, perspective view of the lock of  FIG. 1 , showing some elements of the lock. 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another viewpoint. 
         FIG. 4  is another partially exploded, perspective view of the lock of  FIG. 1 , showing some elements of the lock. 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 4  but viewed from another viewpoint. 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a lock cylinder of the lock of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a cut-away view of the lock cylinder of the lock of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the lock of  FIG. 1 , showing some elements of the lock in broken lines. 
         FIG. 9  is an isometric view of an electronic device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, showing the electronic device using the lock of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 10  is a partially enlarged, cut-away view of the electronic device of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , an embodiment of a lock  10  is illustrated. In the embodiment, the lock  10  is substantially cylindrical. The lock  10  includes a housing  11  and a cover  12 . The housing  11  cooperates with the cover  12  to receive a lock cylinder  20 , a lock cylinder holder  30 , a cam  40 , a resisting shaft  50 , and at least one latching block  60 . The lock  10  further includes a cable  14 . One end of the cable  14  is secured to one end of the housing  11 , and an opposite end is secured to an external apparatus such as a desk. 
     The housing  11  is substantially cylindrical. The housing  11  defines a first receiving space  15  and a second receiving space  16 . One end of the first receiving space  15  is defined in a lateral surface of the housing  11 . One end of the second receiving space  16  is defined in one end of the housing  11  facing the cover  12 . The first receiving space  15  is perpendicular to and communicates with the second receiving space  16 . The first receiving space  15  is configured to receive the cam  40 , the lock cylinder holder  30 , and the lock cylinder  20 . The second receiving space  16  is configured to receive the resisting shaft  50 . 
     The cover  12  is a ring-shaped. The cover  12  is secured to the end of the housing  11  defining the second receiving space  16 , and a gap  13  is formed between the cover  12  and the housing  11 . The at least one latching block  60  is received in the gap  13 . A plurality of first latching protrusions  17  protrudes from one end of the cover  12  facing the housing  11 . Each of the first latching protrusions  17  defines a slot (not labeled) for latching a portion of a first elastic member  62 . In the embodiment, two latching protrusions  17  are employed to latch one of the first elastic members  62 . In an alternative embodiment, the first latching protrusions  17  may protrude from the end of the housing  11  facing the cover  12 . 
     The lock cylinder  20  is generally cylindrical. One end of the lock cylinder  20  defines a key hole  21  to receive a key (not shown). At least one slot  22  is formed in the cylinder  20  extending around a lateral surface thereof. In the embodiment, the number of the slots  22  is two. The slots  22  are parallel to each other. Each of the slots  22  communicates with the key hole  21 . Each of the slots  22  receives a second elastic member  26  and a hook member  24 . A shaft  25  passes through the lock cylinder  20  to connect the second elastic members  26  and the hook members  24  to the lock cylinder  20 . In the embodiment, each of the second elastic members  26  is a coil spring. Each of the hook members  24  includes two hooks. One of the hooks faces one direction, and the other hook faces an opposite direction. A T-shaped projection  23  protrudes from an opposite end of the lock cylinder  20 . 
     The lock cylinder holder  30  defines a through hole  31  to receive the lock cylinder  20 . At least two columns of recessed portions  33  are formed in the inner lateral surface of the through hole  31 . In the embodiment, each of the columns of the recessed portions  33  includes two recessed portions  33  corresponding to the slots  22 . 
     One end of the cam  40  defines a T-shaped opening  41  adapted to receive the T-shaped projection  23 , which secures the lock cylinder  20  to the cam  40 . 
     The resisting shaft  50  is generally cylindrical. The resisting shaft  50  includes a frustum shaped end  51  for resisting the at least one latching block  60 . 
     In the embodiment, the number of the latching blocks  60  is three. Each of the latching blocks  60  is substantially sector-shaped. The radius of each of the latching blocks  60  is equal to or less than that of the housing  11 . Each of the latching blocks  60  includes an inclined surface  63 . Each of the inclined surfaces  63  is inclined opposite to the frustum shaped end  51 , so that they can match up with and resist each other. A second latching protrusion  61  protrudes from one end of each of the latching blocks  60  facing the cover  12 . In an alternative embodiment, if the first latching protrusions  17  protrude from the housing  11 , the second latching protrusion  61  protrudes from an opposite end of each of the latching blocks  60 . Each of the second latching protrusions  61  defines a slot (not labeled) for latching a portion of one of the first elastic members  62 . Each of the second latching protrusions  61  cooperates with two corresponding first latching protrusions  17  to secure one of the first elastic members  62 . After the latching blocks  60  are connected to the cover  12  via the first elastic members  62 , and the cover  12  is secured to the housing  11 , the latching blocks  60  is retained within the gap  13 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 6-8 , The following description is employed for illustrating the process of assembling the lock  10 . A first step is to place the cam  40  in the first receiving space  15 . A second step is to secure the lock cylinder holder  30  to the sidewall of the first receiving space  15 . A third step is to place each of the hook members  24  and the second elastic members  26  into one of the slots  22  and pass the shaft  25  through the lock cylinder  20  to connect the hook members  24  and the second elastic members  26  to the lock cylinder  20 . The hook members  24  are arranged between the second elastic members  26 . The hooks of the hook members  24  facing the key hole  21  are coplanar with each other. A fourth step is to pass the lock cylinder  20  through the through hole  31  and place the T-shaped projection  23  into the T-shaped opening  41  to secure the lock cylinder  20  to the cam  40 . After the lock cylinder  20  is secured to the cam  40 , the hook of each of the hook members  24  facing the key hole  21  is caused to be received in the key hole  21 , the other hooks are caused to be received in one column of the recessed portions  33  due to the spring force of the second elastic members  26 , thus the lock cylinder  20  cannot be rotated with respect to the lock cylinder holder  30 . A fifth step is to place the resisting shaft  50  in the second receiving space  16 . A sixth step is to latch the first elastic members  62  via the first latching protrusions  17  and the second latching protrusions  61 . The last step is to secure the cover  12  to the housing  11 . 
     After assembling, the latching blocks  60  are retained within the gap  13  until a key is applied. 
     When a key is inserted into the key hole  21 , the key engages the hook members  24  to cause the hook members  24  to rotate around the shaft  25  until the hooks received in one of the columns of the recessed portions  33  move out of the one of the columns of the recessed portions  33 . At this point, the lock cylinder  20  can rotate with respect to the lock cylinder holder  30 . The key is rotated clockwise to cause the lock cylinder  20  and the cam  40  to rotate clockwise. As the cam  40  rotates clockwise, the cam  40  resists the resisting shaft  50  to cause the resisting shaft  50  to move towards the latching blocks  60 . As the resisting shaft  50  moves towards the latching blocks  60 , the frustum shaped end  51  of the resisting shaft  50  resists the inclined surfaces  63  of the latching blocks  60 , causing each of the latching blocks  60  to move away from the axis of the lock  10 . As the lock cylinder  20  and the cam  40  rotate to an ultimate position, one hook of each of the hook members  24  faces to each of the other column of the recessed portions  33 , and the latching blocks  60  extend out of the gap  13 . After that, the key can be pulled out of the key hole  21 , the hooks facing to the other column of the recessed portions  33  are caused to be received in the other column of the recessed portions  33 , and the other hooks are caused to be received in the key hole  21  due to the spring force of the second elastic members  26 . At this point, further rotation of the lock cylinder  20  and the cam  40  is thus prevented, and each of the latching blocks  60  stays in an extended state. Therefore, the latching blocks  60  can resist some portion of an external device, and the lock  10  can lock the external device. 
     To open the lock  10 , the key is inserted into the key hole  21  and is rotated counterclockwise. The cam  40  does not resist the resisting shaft  50 . The resisting shaft  50  moves towards the cam  40  until the spring force of the first elastic members  62  is relieved and the frustum shaped end  51  no longer resists the latching blocks  60 . Once the resisting shaft  50  no longer resists the latching blocks  60 , the latching blocks  60  return to their original positions due to the spring force of the first elastic members  62 . 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 9-10 , an embodiment of an electronic device  100  is illustrated. The electronic device  100  includes a main body  80  and the lock  10 . One sidewall of the main body  80  defines a lock hole  81 . The lock hole  81  extends from the sidewall of the main body  80  to a depth to accommodate the cover  12  and the latching blocks  60 . A cavity  82  is formed in the main body  80 . The cavity  82  communicates with the lock hole  81  to cause the latching blocks  60  to expose to the lock hole  81 . 
     When using the lock  10  to lock the electronic device  100 , one end of the cable  14  is fixed to an external apparatus  90 , the lock  10  is inserted into the lock hole  81 . The key is inserted into the key hole  21  to cause the latching blocks  60  to resist one sidewall  820  of the cavity  82 , thus the lock  10  locks the electronic device  100 . 
     Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.