Patent Publication Number: US-6212922-B1

Title: Lock for electronic equipment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THF INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a lock, which is detachably connected with a standard port of an electronic equipment such as computers and their peripheral devices, and locked with the port by a lock assembly provided therein to prevent the equipment from being removed by unauthorized persons. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Some office machines such as portable computers are very light and small, so that they are very convenient to be removed by owners, however they are also easy to be removed by an unauthorized person when an owner leaves his/her equipment temporarily. 
     There are some types of locks used to lock equipment, such as a portable computer if an owner leaves his/her computer temporarily. However, these types of locks normally comprise a lock assembly provided therein corresponding to a lock hole, which is defined in covers of the equipment. As different manufacturers produce different types of locks, the computer manufacturers have difficulties to standardize the lock hole that is defined in the cover of equipment they produce. 
     Therefore, it is an objective of the invention to provide an improved lock therein to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a lock comprising a lock assembly and a cable connected with the lock assembly, wherein the lock assembly is detachably connected with a standard port of equipment and locked with the port, the cable has a first end thereof securely connected with the lock assembly and a second end thereof connected with a fixed part of office furniture, whereby the equipment is easily locked to prevent the equipment from being removed by unauthorized person when an owner of the equipment leaves his/her equipment. Because the lock assembly of the invention is connected and locked with a standard port of equipment, the lock is practicable for different equipment, which has at least one vacant standard port, whereby no lock hole is needed to be prefabricated on the equipment. 
     Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     The detailed features of the present invention will be apparent in the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock in accordance of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lock shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the lock shown in FIG. 1, wherein the lock is in an unlocked position; 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the lock shown in FIG. 1, wherein the lock is in a locked position; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the lock in accordance of the present invention taken along a line  5 — 5  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the lock in accordance of the present invention along a line  6 — 6  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the lock in accordance of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the lock used to lock a portable computer with an office desk. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 , the present invention relates to a lock, which is composed of a lock assembly ( 10 ) and a cable ( 60 ) connected with the lock assembly ( 10 ). 
     The lock assembly ( 10 ) comprises a body ( 20 ), a lock core ( 30 ) received in a back cover ( 40 ) which is securely combined with the body ( 20 ). The body ( 20 ) defines two through-holes ( 21 ) at opposite sides thereof corresponding to two screw-holes defined at opposite sides of a standard port of equipment such as a computer. A protrusion ( 22 ) is optionally formed on a front surface of the body ( 20 ) to mate with the port. A back surface of the body ( 20 ) defines a cavity ( 23 ) therein communicating with the two through-holes ( 21 ). Two stubs ( 24 ) are symmetrically formed in the cavity ( 23 ) near the through-holes ( 21 ). Two retaining members ( 25 ) are received in the cavity ( 23 ) and are movable laterally. Each retaining member ( 25 ) forms an extension ( 251 ) extending towards the through-holes ( 21 ) of the body ( 20 ) and defines a slot ( 252 ) therein to movably receive one corresponding stub ( 24 ) extended therein. Two springs ( 26 ) are respectively provided between the stubs ( 24 ) and the corresponding slots ( 252 ) to press the retaining members ( 25 ) to be closest to the lateral center of the cavity ( 23 ) as an initial unlocking position. 
     The lock core ( 30 ) has a key block ( 31 ) with a turning block ( 32 ) fitted thereon. When a user turns a key inserted into the lock core ( 30 ), the turning block ( 32 ) is turned over via the key block ( 31 ). The turning block ( 32 ) has a pressing block ( 321 ) formed on a front surface thereof extending into a space between the two retaining members ( 25 ). As shown in FIG. 2, the pressing block ( 321 ) is alternatively formed as two posts. 
     The back cover ( 40 ) includes an opening ( 41 ) defined in the center of a front surface thereof and extended towards the body ( 20 ) to receive the lock core ( 30 ) therein, and two through-holes ( 42 ) at the opposite sides thereof corresponding to the through-holes ( 21 ) of the body ( 20 ). The front surface of the back cover ( 40 ) is abutted against the back surface of the body ( 20 ). The back cover ( 40 ) further integrally forms a connecting portion ( 43 ) on a back surface thereof with an annular recess ( 431 ) defined therearound. 
     Two fastening rods ( 44 ) are respectively extended through the through holes ( 42 ) of the back cover ( 40 ) and corresponding through holes ( 21 ) of the body ( 20 ). Each fastening rod ( 44 ) forms a recess ( 441 ) thereon. When the fastening rods ( 44 ) are respectively engaged in the screw holes of the port, the recesses ( 441 ) thereof are substantially aligned with the cavity ( 23 ), thereby when the lock core ( 30 ) is locked with a key, the retaining members ( 25 ) are pressed by the turning block ( 321 ) to remove outwards with the extensions ( 251 ) thereof abutted against the recesses ( 441 ) of the fastening rods ( 44 ). 
     A connecting sleeve ( 50 ) defines an opening ( 51 ) to receive the connecting portion ( 43 ) of the back cover ( 40 ) therein. The connecting sleeve ( 50 ) further defines two pin holes ( 52 ) at opposite sides thereof and integrally forms a fixed seat ( 53 ) to securely connect with the cable ( 60 ). 
     As best seen in FIG. 3, when the lock assembly ( 10 ) is unlocked, the turning block ( 32 ) remains at an unlocked position such that the retaining members ( 25 ) are initially forced to be closest to the lateral center of the cavity ( 23 ) by the springs ( 26 ). 
     As seen in FIG. 4, when a user turns a key not shown inserted into the lock core ( 30 ) of the lock assembly ( 10 ), the turning block ( 32 ) is turned over via the key block ( 31 ) to a locking position whereby the pressing block ( 321 ) is turned over to remove the retaining members ( 25 ) outwards, and the extensions ( 251 ) are abutted against the recesses ( 441 ) of the fastening rods ( 44 ), thereby the fastening rods ( 44 ) are respectively retained by the retaining members ( 25 ) and the lock assembly ( 10 ) is thus locked. 
     FIG. 5 shows that the connecting sleeve ( 50 ) is fixed around the connecting portion ( 43 ) of the back cover ( 40 ). Two pins ( 54 ) are respectively inserted through the pin holes ( 52 ) of the connecting sleeve ( 50 ) and abutted against the annular recess ( 431 ) of the connecting portion ( 43 ), therefore the cable ( 60 ) is securely connected with the lock assembly ( 10 ). 
     Referring to FIG. 6, the fastening rods ( 44 ) are respectively extended through the through-holes ( 42 ) of the back cover ( 40 ) and the corresponding through-holes ( 21 ) of the body ( 20 ). The recesses ( 441 ) of the fastening rods ( 44 ) are respectively aligned with the cavity ( 23 ). If a user locks the lock assembly ( 10 ) with a key, the retaining members ( 25 ) are respectively removed outwards and the extensions ( 251 ) are respectively abutted against the recesses ( 441 ) of the fastening rods ( 44 ), whereby the fastening rods ( 44 ) are fixedly retained by the retaining members ( 25 ). 
     In a first embodiment, the back cover ( 40 ) is made of a plastics material and the body ( 20 ) and the back cover ( 40 ) are securely combined together by high frequency welding. 
     Another preferred combination embodiment of the invention is as shown in FIG.7. A plurality of pins ( 46 ) are formed on one joint surface of two opposite joint surfaces of the body ( 20 ) and the back seat ( 40 ). In FIG. 7, the pins ( 46 ) are formed on the front surface of the back cover ( 40 ). A plurality of pin holes are defined in a counter joint surface corresponding to the pins ( 46 ). When the body ( 20 ) is abutted against the back seat ( 40 ) with the pins ( 46 ) respectively inserted through the corresponding pin holes, the pins ( 46 ) are deformed to be secured in the pin holes. 
     FIG. 8 shows one use embodiment of the invention. The cable ( 60 ) has one end thereof connected with a fixed leg of an office desk and another end thereof securely connected with the lock assembly ( 10 ), which is firmly locked with a port of a portable computer. 
     The advantage of the present invention is that the lock is easily connected and locked with a standard port of equipment such as computers, and the manufacturers of the computers or similar equipment do not need to design a lock hole in their products corresponding to a lock assembly. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.