WO2011161669A1

WO2011161669A1 - Anti-theft device for portable objects such as laptops

Info

Publication number: WO2011161669A1
Application number: PCT/IL2011/000437
Authority: WO
Inventors: Meir Avganim
Original assignee: Meir Avganim
Priority date: 2010-06-22
Filing date: 2011-06-05
Publication date: 2011-12-29
Also published as: TW201202534A; TWI417449B

Abstract

An anti-theft lock for securing a portable object to an immovable object by a cable fastened at one end thereof to the immovable object and at its other end to a key-operated locking device (14; 114; 214) adapted to become selectively locked against, and unlocked from, a side-wall (10; 110; 210) of said portable object. The locking device is provided with a rotatable T-shaped tip (24; 124; 224) adapted to become inserted into and passed through an elongated opening (12; 112b; 212b) formed in the side-wall of the portable body, rotated by about 90 and locked. The locking device comprises another, fixed T-shaped tip (22;122;222) configured to be inserted into and passed through the elongated opening. The rotatable T-shaped tip is insertable into and passed through the elongated opening after the insertion of the fixed T-shaped tip.

Description

ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR PORTABLE

OBJECTS SUCH AS LAPTOPS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to securit devices, and specifically to lockable devices of the type comprising a lock-body arrestable against a dedicated slot formed in a side-wall of the protected object, such as a portable computer, and a cable connect at one end to the lock-body whereas the other end is adapted to be tied to an immovable object such as a table leg.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Locks of the type above referred to are widely used. The most popular models are known in commerce as "KENSINGTON" locks (see for example U.S. Patents Nos. 7100403, 7111479 and many others.)

These locks suffer, however, some inherent deficiencies: First, since the operation is based on a T-shaped tip, which is adapted to be inserted into an elongated slot formed (by the manufacturers) in a side-wall of the portable computer and then turned by 90° to prevent the extraction thereof, an auxiliary, immobilizing mechanism must be installed to prevent the rotation of the lock-body proper when the tip is in the inserted, locking position. This mechanism is necessarily quite complicated, which accordingly reflects on the manufacturing costs as well as their durability.

Secondly, since the sheet-metal side-wall thickness of typical portable computers usually range between 0.5 m.m to 1.0 m.m, the inserted tip can easily be forced-out through simply bending the lips of the slot (the strength of the tip being over 300 LB while the strength of sheet-metal side-wall is much less).

It is therefore the prime object of the invention to overcome these ant other drawbacks of the conventional locking devices.

It is a further object of the invention to altogether dispense with the auxiliary mechanism.

It is a still further object of the invention to radically strengthen the grip of the T-shaped tip onto the side-wall slot.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide more than a single tip.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Provided according to the invention is an anti-theft lock for securing a portable object to an immovable object by a cable fastened at one end thereof to the immovable object and at its other end to a key- operated locking device adapted to become selectively locked against, and unlocked from, a side-wall of said portable object. The locking device is provided with a rotatable T-shaped tip adapted to become inserted into and passed through an elongated opening formed in the side-wall of the portable body, rotated by about 90° and locked. The locking device comprises another, fixed, T-shaped tip configured to be inserted into and passed through the elongated opening. The rotatable T-shaped tip is insertable into and passed through the elongated opening after the insertion of the fixed T-shaped tip.

According to some embodiments of the invention the side- wall may be formed with a second elongated opening for the insertion of the fixed T-shaped tip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and additional constructional features and advantages of the invention will become more clearly understood in the light of the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein -

Fig. 1 is a general, perspective view of an anti-theft device according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention in its preparatory position; and

Figs. 2-7 illustrate a succession of locking operation of the device of Fig.l;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an anti-theft device according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 9-11 illustrate a succession of locking operations of the device of Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of an anti-theft device according to a third embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 13-15 illustrate a succession of locking operations of the device of Fig. 12; and

Figs. 16 and 17 pertain to a variation of the embodiment of Fig. 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENT

In Fig. 1, 10 denotes a portion of laptop or other portable object which needs securement, with dedicated slot 12. As will be appreciated in the light of the description below, the length of slot 12 is greater than customary in conventional devices.

Lock body 14 is of the type that allows, by inserting Key 16, to apply a pushing linear movement to a slave member (see below) and then, by rotating the key, to secure the slave member in its pushed as-well-as rotated position. Such locks are commercially available and need not to be described in greater detail.

The lock body 14 is adapted to be tied by steel cable 18 to an immovable object such a table leg 20 in the conventional manner (for the sake of clarity, the cable and its accessories are omitted in the remaining drawings).

The lock body 14 has a flat front surface 14a and an insertable/retractable slave body member portion 14b.

An off-centered, first, fixed T-shaped tip 22 projects from the surface 14a. The tip 22 comprises an elongated head-portion 22a sized to become freely insertable through the slot 12, and a stem 22b of a circular cross-section extending to a length (height) exceeding the thickness of the wall 10.

A second, off-centered, extendible as well-as rotatable T-shaped tip 24 is provided, with stem 24b (see Figs. 4 and 5a) coupled to the cylinder rotor (not shown) of the lock 14.

The heads 22a and 24a of the respective tips 22 and 24, typically extend in crossing directions.

The procedure of locking the lock-body 14 to the side-wall 10 intermediate the slot 12 is as follows. The first step is shown Fig. 2. The fixed tip 22 is inserted into and through the slot 12, and than moved transversely along with the lock body 14 to one side thereof (Fig. 3). Turning the lock body 14 by 90° will bring the first tip 22 into an upright position relative to the slot 12 and the tip head 24 into alignment with the slot (Fig. 4), leaving enough room to enter the slot 12 by pushing the slave member 14b with the Key 16. The former gap between the lock body 14 and the insertible/retractible body portion 14b becomes closed. It will be thus clear that the length of the slot 12 must at-least exceed the diameter of the stem 22b plus the length of second tip head 24a, as readily derived from Fig. 5.

It would be advisable to provide a pair of side blocks 24c and 24d at both sides of the stem 24b which move along with the tip 24 as it is pushed/ retraced by the slave-member 14b - see Fig. 5a.

Completion of the locking operation includes rotation of the Key 16 (Fig. 6) and retrieving same from the lock body whereby it becomes locked against the side-wall 10 (Fig. 7).

The embodiment of Figs. 8-11 exemplify the use of a pair of openings (designated slots) 112a, 112b (rather than a single, longer, slot 12 of Fig. 1) that are formed in the portable body wall 110. The first, fixed tip 122 is mounted to front, flat face 114a of the body 114.

The second, projectable as well as rotatable, tip 124 is accommodated within a double-opening, namely 124a and 124b forming together a cross-shape. This will enable to use the same lock in either cases: Where the opening 112a and 112b extend in crossing directions (as in the illustrated example); and where the openings are aligned (or parallel) with respect to each other (not shown).

This feature will be readily understood following the locking (and unlocking) stages depicted in Figs. 9-11: First, the fixed tip 122 is inserted through the opening 112a, and the whole body turned until the tip 124 becomes aligned with the second opening 122b (Fig. 9), namely ready to be inserted into and through the opening 112b (Fig. 10) and turned by 90° into the locked position (Fig. 11).

Note that if, at the designer option, the slot 112b be formed to extend parallel to the slot 112a, (not shown), it will be necessary to initially displace the second tip 124 into the second one 124b of the crossing openings.

Referring now to the embodiment of Figs. 12-15 (wherein similar reference numerals are used), it will be seen that the tips (22 and 24 of Fig. 1) need not be in juctaposed position, but rather distanced from each other to any desired extent.

Hence, the "fixed" tip 222 is mounted to the lock body 214 at the end of an extention arm 222b, and is configured to pass through the slot 212a formed in side wall 210 of the protected object.

The other, "operable" tip 224 is part of the lock body 214 as in the previous embodiment, and fits a second designated slot 212b. The distance between the slots 212a and 212b, as well as their orientation (crossing or parallel) is calculated so that both tips can fit into their respective slots simultaneously following the locking stages as in the previous embodiments.

The locking procedure is clearly seen in Figs. 13-15, namely: (1) insertion of the tip 222 into the slot 122a; (2) rotation of the body 214 until the tip 224 become aligned with the slot 222b and (3) inserted thereinto; and (4) locking by pushing the slave member 214b and turning the key 216- all in an analogous manner to the preceding embodiments. The embodiment of Fig.16 and 17 only differs from the previous one in that the slots 312a and 312b extend parallel to each other, and therefore need not to be described in greater detail.

The learnt reader will understand that the invention offers a neat and simple solution to both problems mentioned in the preamble above: Should it be attempted to tear off the lock body (14; 114; 214) from the laptop side-wall (10; 110; 210), a force at-least double the amount relative to the conventional, single tip, structure will have to be applied; and there is no need for extra means for anchoring the lock-body to the designated slot against the rotation thereof. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate that numerous changes, variations and modifications can be effectuated without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined in and by the appendent claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. An anti-theft lock for securing a portable object to an immovable object by a cable fastened at one end thereof to the immovable object and at its other end to a key-operated locking device (14; 114; 214) adapted to become selectively locked against, and unlocked from, a side-wall (10; 110; 210) of said portable object, the locking device being provided with a rotatable T- shaped tip (24; 124; 224) adapted to become inserted into and passed through an elongated opening (12; 112b; 212b) formed in a side-wall of the portable body, rotated by about 90° and locked, cha racterized in that-

-the locking device comprises another, fixed T-shaped tip (22; 122; 222) configured to be inserted into and passed through the elongated opening; and

-the rotatable T-shaped tip being insertable into and passed through the elongated opening after the insertion of the fixed T- shaped tip.

2. The lock as claimed in Claim 1 further characterized in that the side-wall is formed with a second elongated opening (112a; 212a) for the insertion of the fixed T-shaped tip (122;222).

3. The lock as claimed in Claim 1 and 2 further characterized in that the rotatable T-shaped tip is extractable/retractable from a wall of the locking device.

4. The lock as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the rotatable and the fixed T-shaped tips extend side-by-side.

5. The lock as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the rotatable and the fixed T-shaped tips extend at a distance from each other.

6. The lock as claimed in Claim 4 and 5 wherein the rotatable and fixed T-shaped tips initially extend in crossing directions.

7. The lock as claimed in Claim 4 and 5 wherein the rotable and the fixed T-shaped tips initially extend parallel to each other.

8. The lock as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the fixed tip is mounted to an arm externally extending from a wall of the locking device.