Patent Publication Number: US-7581417-B1

Title: Locking device with changeable combination of numerals for locking a connecting port on a computer

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a locking device with changeable combination of numerals for locking a connecting port on a computer, and more particularly to a locking device that can be locked to a connecting port on a computer to hinder any unauthorized external storage device from connecting to the connecting port. Therefore, data stored on the computer are protected against unauthorized access. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With the rapidly developed information technologies, computer has become one of many prerequisite electronic products in people&#39;s daily life. Computers are used in word processing, storage and processing of video files, audio files, multimedia files, and other important digital data, etc. In general, a computer is equipped with a hard disk drive, a compact disk drive, a floppy disk drive, etc. for reading and storing data. A computer can also be connected to various portable storage devices, such as portable hard disks, USB flash disks, etc., so that data in the computer can be stored on the portable storage device for use at different places. 
     A portable storage device generally has a universal serial bus (USB) plug as a transmission interface. In use, the USB plug can be directly plugged in a USB connector on a computer case to achieve the effect of Plug and Play for data transmission. Accordingly, with the USB interface, a user can conveniently use the portable storage device. However, due to the Plug and Play effect of the USB interface, even an unauthorized user can freely download all data stored in the computer with any portable storage device. Therefore, personal or private data stored in the computer are dangerously subject to stealing and illegally disclosure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a locking device with changeable combination of numerals for locking a connecting port on a computer. The locking device can be locked to a connecting port on a computer to hinder any unauthorized external storage device from connecting to the connecting port. Moreover, the locking device is configured to allow a user to change the combination of numerals set for the locking device according to actual need. Therefore, data stored on the computer can be more effectively protected against unauthorized access. 
     To achieve the above and other objects, the locking device with changeable combination of numerals for locking a connecting port on a computer according to the present invention includes an enclosure, a locking unit, and at least one push button. 
     The enclosure has an insertion section formed at a first end thereof, the insertion section being provided with two corresponding holes corresponding to two retaining holes in the connecting port, and having a fixing seat received therein; a plurality of windows formed on at least one of an upper and a lower side of the enclosure; and a supporting plate located in the enclosure at a second end thereof opposite to the first end. 
     The locking unit is arranged in the enclosure and includes a rod, a push member, a hooking member, an elastic member, a plurality of sleeves, a plurality of rotating discs, and a push disc. 
     The rod has a line of teeth axially spaced on an outer circumferential surface thereof, and is movably connected at one of two ends to the supporting plate and fixedly connected at the other end to an end of the push member. 
     The push member is provided at another end opposite to the rod with an engaging portion. 
     The hooking member is movably connected to the push member by engaging with the engaging portion. The hooking member has a first end in the form of a cross plate confined in the enclosure, and an opposite second end in the form of two hooking arms detachably extended into the holes on the insertion section of the enclosure and the retaining holes in the connecting port. 
     The elastic member is located between the push member and the fixing seat. 
     The sleeves are mounted on and around the rod between the supporting plate and the push member, and each are provided with an axially extended slot corresponding to the teeth, two diametrically opposite and externally projected wing portions located at two sides of the slot, and an annular groove formed in and around an end of each sleeve to communicate with the axial slot. 
     The rotating discs are fitted on and around the sleeves, and each are provided along an outer circumferential surface with a plurality of sequentially arranged numeral areas, such that the numeral areas on the same one rotating disc can be selectively exposed from one of the windows on the enclosure corresponding to that rotating disc by turning the rotating disc; and the rotating discs each are provided on an inner circumferential surface with a toothed portion for detachably engaging with the wing portions on a corresponding sleeve. 
     The push disc is mounted on the rod at the end connected to the supporting plate. 
     The at least one push button is movably arranged on at least one of two lateral sides of the enclosure to interfere with at least one side of the push member. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and the technical means adopted by the present invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understood by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a locking device with changeable combination of numerals for locking a connecting port on a computer according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a partially assembled perspective view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a fully assembled perspective view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the use of the locking device of the present invention to lock a connecting port provided on a computer; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view showing the locking device of the present invention having been locked to the connecting port; and 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view showing the locking device of the present invention being separated from the connecting port to unlock the latter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Please refer to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  that are fully exploded, partially assembled, and fully assembled perspective views, respectively, of a locking device with changeable combination of numerals for locking a connecting port on a computer according to the present invention, and to  FIG. 4  that is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 3 . As shown, the locking device with changeable combination of numerals according to the present invention includes an enclosure  1 , a locking unit  2 , and at least one push button  3 . 
     The enclosure  1  is composed of an upper cover  11  and a lower cover  12 . A first end of the enclosure  1  forms an insertion section  13  having two corresponding holes  131  provided thereon. The insertion section  13  can be configured as a USB plug. A fixing seat  14  is located in the insertion section  13  of the enclosure  1 . A plurality of windows  15  are formed on at least one of an upper and a lower side of the enclosure  1 . And, a supporting plate  16  is located at and in a second end of the enclosure  1  opposite to the first end. 
     The locking unit  2  is arranged in the enclosure  1 , and includes a rod  21  movably connected at one of two ends to the supporting plate  16  and having a line of teeth  211  axially spaced on and along an outer circumferential surface thereof; a push member  22  located at the other end of the rod  21  and having an engaging portion  221 ; a hooking member  23  movably connected to the engaging portion  221 ; an elastic member  24  located between the push member  22  and the fixing seat  14 ; a plurality of sleeves  25  mounted on and around the rod  21  between the supporting plate  16  and the push member  22 , a plurality of rotating discs  26  sequentially fitted on and around the sleeves  25 , and a push disc  27  mounted on the rod  21  at the end connected to the supporting plate  16 . An inclined shoulder portion  222  is formed on at least one lateral side of the push member  22 . The hooking member  23  has a first end in the form of a cross plate  231  confined in the enclosure  1 , and an opposite second end in the form of two hooking arms  232  detachably extended into the holes  131  on the insertion section  13 . The sleeves  25  each are provided with an axially extended slot  251  corresponding to the teeth  211 , two diametrically opposite and externally projected wing portions  252  located at two sides of the slot  251 , and an annular groove  253  formed in and around an end of each sleeve  25  to communicate with the axial slot  251 . The rotating discs  26  each are provided along an outer circumferential surface with a plurality of sequentially arranged numeral areas  261 , such that the numeral areas  261  on the same one rotating disc  26  can be selectively exposed from one of the windows  15  corresponding to that rotating disc  26  by turning the rotating disc  26 . The rotating discs  26  each are also provided on an inner circumferential surface with a toothed portion  262 , which is able to detachably engage with the wing portions  252  on one corresponding sleeve  25 . 
     The push button  3  is movably arranged on at least one lateral side of the enclosure  1 . A first end of the push button  3  is a push section  31  outward protruded from the enclosure  1 , and an opposite second end of the push button  3  is a driving head  32  interfering with the inclined shoulder portion  222  of the push member  22 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the use of the locking device of the present invention to lock a connecting port  41  on a computer case of a computer  4 , and  FIGS. 6 and 7  are sectional views showing the locking device of the present invention locked to and detached from the connecting port  41 , respectively. To use the locking device of the present invention to lock the connecting port  41 , which can be a USB connecting port, the insertion section  13  of the enclosure  1  is directly inserted into the USB connecting port  41  on the computer case of the computer  4 . At this point, the hooking arms  232  on the hooking member  23  of the locking unit  2  are elastically compressed downward by an inner wall surface of the USB connecting port  41 . When the insertion section  13  has been moved further into the USB connecting port  41  with the hooking arms  232  aligned with two retaining holes  411  formed on the inner wall surface of the USB connecting port  41 , the hooking arms  232  are no longer compressed by the inner wall surface of the USB connecting port  41  and automatically spring out of the holes  131  into the retaining holes  411 . When the locking device is in a locked state, the teeth  211  on the rod  21  are separately located in the annular grooves  253  in the sleeves  25  to dislocate from the axial slots  251  on the sleeves  25 , and the driving head  32  of the push button  3  pushed against the inclined shoulder portion  222  of the push member  22  could not drive the rod  21  forward. Accordingly, with the hooking arms  232  of the locking unit  2  extended into and held to the retaining holes  411 , the insertion section  13  of the enclosure  1  is locked to the USB connecting port  41  on the computer  4 , preventing any other external storage device from being plugged in the USB connecting port  41  to access data stored in the computer  4  without authorization. 
     When an authorized user of the computer  4  desires to use the USB connecting port  41 , the user can turn the rotating discs  26  of the locking unit  2  via the windows  15 , so that the toothed portions  262  in the rotating discs  26  cooperate with the wing portions  252  to rotate the sleeves  25 , bringing the annular grooves  253  in an end of the sleeves  25  to rotate outside the teeth  211  of the rod  21  for a correct combination of numerals to show on the numeral areas  261  in the windows  262 . Since the numeral areas  261  on each of the rotating discs  26  are initially set for a predetermined one of the numerals thereon to correspond to one tooth on the toothed portion  262  as well as to the axial slot  251  and the wing portions  252  on the corresponding sleeve  25 , when the rotating discs  26  are rotated for the predetermined numerals on the numeral areas  261  to show at the windows  15  in a correct combination, the axial slots  251  on the sleeves  25  would align with the teeth  211  on the rod  21 , allowing the line of teeth  211  on the rod  21  to move through the axial slots  251 . At this point, the user can easily push the push section  31  of the push button  3  inward. When doing this, the driving head  32  of the push button  3  interferes with and slides along the inclined shoulder portion  222  to drive the push member  22  forward. At this point, the push member  22  is moved toward the fixing seat  14  to compress the elastic member  24  and bring the rod  21  to move forward, so that the engaging portion  221  urges and biases the hooking arms  232  of the hooking member  23  downward, bringing the hooking arms  232  to retract from the retaining holes  411  of the USB connecting port  41  into the holes  131  of the insertion section  13  to unlock the locking device from the USB connecting port  41 , permitting the user to remove the insertion section  13  of the enclosure  1  from the USB connection port  41 . 
     When it is desired to change the combination of numerals set for the rotating discs  26  of the locking unit  2 , first set the locking device to the unlocked state, and then by moving the locking unit  2  toward the locking position, the push disc  27  at an end of the rod  21  pushes against the sleeve  25  that is immediately adjacent to the push disc  27 , so that all other sleeves  25  are sequentially moved forward for the wing portions  252  on each of the sleeves  25  to separate from the toothed portion  262  of a corresponding rotating disc  26 . At this point, the user needs only to rotate the rotating discs  26  for a desired set of numerals on the numeral areas  261  to show at the windows  15 , and then releases the push button  3 , so that the elastic member  24  is elastically restored and pushes the rod  21  backward, bringing the wing portions  252  on the sleeves  25  to engage with the toothed portions  262  in the rotating discs  26  again. In this manner, a new combination of numerals is set for the locking unit  2 . 
     In conclusion, in the locking device with changeable combination of numerals according to the present invention, by means of the locking unit, the insertion section of the enclosure can be locked to a connecting port on a computer to hinder any unauthorized external storage device from linking with the connecting port. Moreover, the locking device of the present invention allows a user to change the combination of numerals for the locking unit according to actual need. Therefore, the data stored in the computer are protected from unauthorized access. With the above arrangements, the locking device of the present invention effectively overcomes the safety problems in the conventional connecting port on the computer, and is therefore improved and practical for use to meet general users&#39; requirements. 
     The present invention has been described with a preferred embodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiment can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.