DE20115950U1 - Device for receiving at least one component of a computer workstation, in particular a computer workstation piece of furniture - Google Patents

Description

PATENT AND LAWYERS MEINKE ₁ DABRINGHAUS UND PARTNER GbR

PATENT ATTORNEYS*

JULIUS MEINKE, dipl-ing. WALTER DABBINGHAUS, dipl-ing. JOCHEN MEINKE, dipl-ing.

LAWYER
THOMAS MEINKE

ROSA-LUXEMBURG-STRASSE 44141 DORTMUND

TELEPHONE (0231)58 41 90 FAX (0231) 14 76 70 infoOpatent-recht.cte

PO BOX 10 46 45

44046 Dortmund, 26 September 2

DRESDNER BANK AG DTMD, Account No. 1 148 047 (bank code 440 800 50) POSTBANK DORTMUND, Account No. 542 02-463 (bank code 440 100 46)

FILE NO. 1/16636 D/Dr

Applicant: 1. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bernd Künne

Eberhardt-Viegener-Weg 1, 59494 Soest

2. Markus Hahne

Oemberg 44a, 5982 3 Arnsbera-Oeventop

"Device for receiving at least one component of a computer workstation, in particular a computer workstation piece of furniture"

"Device for receiving at least one component of a computer workstation, in particular a computer workstation— piece of furniture"

The invention relates to a device for receiving at least one component of a computer workstation of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1.

Pieces of furniture that are equipped with a desk and an area for the computer, printer, monitor, etc., and that can be locked when work is done because they are designed like a cupboard, are well known, see for example SCHÄFER-SHOP main catalog 1999/2000, pages 665,667. DE-U-84 23 231 shows a computer workstation where the monitor in particular can be lowered below the desk level.

Such facilities have a number of advantages over the free positioning of electronic devices in a workstation, as they make it difficult or impossible to access the components, at least at the end of the working day. However, there are a number of applications in which it is desirable to allow access to the individual workstation components, but to prevent them from being manipulated or removed, for example when a large number of such workstations are located in large

Computer offices, universities, schools, etc. The aim here is to ensure that students can work at their workstations, for example, but at the same time prevent the risk of the device configuration being changed, the hard disks being accessed, drives being removed, etc., or even completely preventing the theft of individual components at the workstation in question.

Systems that protect against unwanted data access are already known. These include, for example, key switches that are built into the computer casing. There is also the option of protection using appropriate passwords or similar. However, all of these systems do not protect against (physical) access to the individual components of the computer. With these solutions, it is still possible to steal or damage individual components such as the keyboard, mouse or similar, or to steal the entire computer. This problem is particularly aggravated when using so-called flat screens, which are very handy on the one hand, but have relatively high acquisition costs on the other, making them worthwhile objects for theft or similar. In order to be able to create reliable protection against theft or damage, it is necessary to protect the computer components in

a piece of furniture that protects them from unauthorized access. There are already proposed solutions for this, which represent the state of the art in this field.

According to patent specification DE-41 00 675-Al, a table-like piece of furniture is known in which the monitor is arranged on the work surface. For this purpose, a recess is provided in the work surface in which the monitor is housed on an adjustable holding device. This holding device enables the monitor to be positioned differently for the operating state by means of a swivel device and a vertical adjustment device that can be locked to a guide element by means of a clamping device. The design of the holding device enables different monitor sizes and types to be accommodated. When not in operation, the monitor can be lowered to a level below the work surface and the recess in the work surface can be closed without an additional cover plate. The peripheral devices are housed below the work surface. However, this solution has the disadvantage that the swivel device with which the monitor can be adjusted requires a relatively large depth of the piece of furniture and the remaining work and storage area becomes relatively small.

According to patent specification DE-197 27 897-Al, a security furniture for personal computers is known which consists of at least two separate pieces of furniture, namely one for accommodating the monitor and at least one other for accommodating other hardware components. In this solution, the individual hardware components are housed in a cupboard-like piece of furniture which can be closed using pivoting front doors. When not in use, the monitor is stored in a receiving shaft inside the furniture. When in use, this shaft serves as legroom, so that the piece of furniture can then be used as a desk, for example. The operating state is reached after the monitor has been moved vertically out of the piece of furniture, which can be done manually, electrically, hydraulically or pneumatically, possibly using transmission mechanisms. The piece of furniture is suitable for accommodating monitors of different weights, whereby the required height adjustment forces are kept low by means of balancing weights which are connected to the support plate of the monitor via a cable system. Due to its standardized height, the security furniture for personal computers can be used as a side table or storage table together with other office furniture when not in use. However, this solution has several disadvantages: When not in use, the piece of furniture cannot be used as a complete workstation, but only as storage. When in use,

On the other hand, there is not enough work or storage space in front of the monitor. In addition, not all hardware components are housed in one piece of furniture. In addition, the security devices are limited to the entire hardware, i.e. if this is unlocked, all hardware components are fully accessible.

This is where the invention comes in, the task of which is to * maintain the functionality of such workstations, while at the same time preventing unauthorized or unwanted access to the devices themselves.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that the intended locking system consists of two independent units, wherein one locking unit enables or blocks access to the respective component for its operation and the second locking unit independently enables or prevents the removal of the component from the device and/or access to parts of the component that are not immediately necessary for use.

The two independent locking systems with which the respective components are equipped make it possible, for example, to unlock or lock the front of a computer for its operation, but

but the second locking system protects the computer itself from theft and also prevents access to the back of the computer and thus access to the internal components of the computer. The use of the monitor can also be permitted, but physical removal from the system can be prevented.

Embodiments of the invention emerge from the subclaims. According to the invention, it can advantageously be provided that the locking system is assigned a device for moving the respective component from a locking position to a working position. This can be designed in such a way that, for example, a flat screen support frame is provided which can be moved from a position above the desk level to a position below the desk level, in particular can be raised and lowered, as is already known per se from the above-mentioned DE-U-84 23 231. It can be provided that the flat screen support frame is guided in roller-bearing linear guides and is optionally provided with a working memory, such as a gas spring or the like, in order to enable smooth and simple movement into the desired position.

If necessary, drives can also be provided, such as electric or pneumatic or other appropriate devices.

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drives.

In order to allow access to the individual locking systems to authorized persons, it is intended that the release devices for operating the first and second locking units are designed independently of one another. It can also be provided that the first locking unit is provided with an individual and/or central control device, so that, for example, the lecturer is given the option of centrally releasing all workstations or blocking them for access by students or pupils. Depending on the design of the workstation, it can be useful to monitor who is using a particular workstation, to what extent and, in particular, for how long. To this end, the invention provides that the first locking unit is equipped with a device for recording the time of access, the duration of use and, if necessary, the identification of the user. This can be done using chip cards or corresponding devices.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawing. This shows in

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Fig. 1 a device as a piece of furniture in closed state,

Fig. 2 the piece of furniture in the open state, with the keyboard and a mouse arranged on a pulled-out drawer,

Fig. 3 the piece of furniture in the open state with the keyboard and mouse arranged on the work or storage surface, with the drawer pushed in and not closed,

Fig. 4 the back of the furniture with doors for maintenance, repair and conversion work in the open position,

Fig. 5 shows a modified embodiment of the invention, wherein the components are housed in individual furniture modules in the use state in a partially closed state and in

Fig. 6 the furniture modules separated from each other.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the device generally designated 1 consists of a

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a desk-like piece of furniture 2. This piece of furniture has a vertically adjustable element 3 in the area of its rear side for accommodating a flat screen monitor 4 within a frame 5, whereby the lowered, shown in Fig. 1
Position of the frame 5 with the table surface 6
flees.

To slide the monitor 4 in and out from a locked position,
shown in Fig. 1, into the working position shown in Fig. 2, a linear guide 7 can be provided as a sliding or rolling guide, and a gas spring 8 can also be installed to facilitate this process, which is only shown symbolically in Fig. 2.
This also applies to an implied drive
9, such as an electric motor or similar.

If the device is in the closed position for the potential user shown in Fig. 1, the locking system consisting of two systems for the
User can be activated, for example, by operating a locking device 10, which causes
the monitor 4 moves into the working position, a locking plate 11 in front of the data storage drive 12 is lowered and a drawer-like element 13 with keyboard 14 and mouse 15 is opened to enable the operation of all necessary elements.

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A second locking system essential to the invention is shown in Fig. 4 with a view of the rear of the device 1. Here it can be seen that a second separate locking system
16 is provided, for example, installation and removal openings on the back of the device
1 released.

In addition to the protective devices 10,16 shown to prevent damage and theft of the computer components from the furniture, it is also
advantageous to anchor the entire piece of furniture using floor anchors
or bulky items that require transport by
Prevent doors and windows from being stolen
or at least to make theft more difficult.

In Fig. 5 and 6 a modified embodiment is shown
shown here, all components are housed in individual pieces of furniture, which together form the workplace
can be assembled, whereby the elements shown in Fig. 1
to 4 have been retained here as long as functionally identical parts are meant.

A simplified version of the device shown in Fig. 5 and 6 with 1'
A module 17 with the raising and lowering monitor 4 is assigned to the desk shown; the partially lowered position is indicated in Fig. 5.

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A further module 18 with the keyboard 14 and the mouse 15 can be pushed under the worktop 6 of the desk 1', a printer 19 is accommodated in a module 20 to be positioned on the side of the desk, the computer 21 in a further module 22 to be positioned on the other side of the desk 1', these systems being electrically and/or mechanically coupled to one another, as is only indicated in Fig. 6, with Fig. 5 at least partially showing the locking situation of the system, for example by a protruding locking flap 11 in front of the removable data storage devices on the computer 21 or a roller shutter-like security device 23 in front of the printer 19 in the module 20.

The system can be put into the working position by the user via a locking device operated from the front, generally designated 10' in Fig. 5, for example by inserting a chip card, designated 24 in Fig. 6. The transmitter 25 also indicated there symbolizes the possibility of central locking of all elements, for example by a lecturer.

Of course, the described embodiments of the invention can be modified in many ways without abandoning the basic idea. For example, the monitor support frame can be equipped with its own active drive.

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The individual furniture modules 17,20,22 can be combined in pairs, for example, they can be directly
be mechanically coupled to each other, whereby the
functional electrical connection to the other modules can be established, etc.

Claims (10)

1. Device for accommodating at least one component of a computer workstation, such as a computer, drives, monitor or the like, with a locking system for preventing access to the respective component, characterized in that the locking system consists of two mutually independent units ( 10 , 16 ), wherein one locking unit ( 10 ) enables or blocks access to the respective component ( 4 , 12 , 14 , 15 , 19 ) for its operation and the second locking unit ( 16 ) independently thereof enables or prevents the removal of the component from the device and/or access to parts of the component which are not immediately necessary for use. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first closure unit ( 10 ) essentially exposes the front side and the second closure unit ( 16 ) essentially exposes the rear side of the respective component. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the closure system ( 10 ) is assigned a device ( 3 ) for moving the respective component from a closure position into a working position. 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device ( 1 ') is formed from sub-elements ( 17 , 18 , 20 , 22 ) assigned to a workstation desk ( 6 ), which are designed as individual elements and can be coupled to one another mechanically and/or electrically. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a flat screen receiving frame ( 5 ) is provided which, as is known per se, is movable, in particular can be raised and lowered, from a position above the desk level ( 6 ) to a position below the desk level ( 6 ). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the flat screen support frame is guided in roller-bearing linear guides ( 7 ) and is equipped with a working memory, such as a gas spring ( 8 ) or the like, for smooth movement. 7. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the flat screen support frame is equipped with an electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical drive ( 9 ). 8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the triggering devices for actuating the first ( 10 ) and the second locking unit ( 16 ) are designed independently of one another to prevent unauthorized access. 9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first closure unit is provided with an individual ( 24 ) and/or central control device ( 25 ). 10. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first locking unit is equipped with a device for detecting the time of access and the duration of use and, if necessary, the identification of the user.