TWI874086B - Security lock assembly for electronic mobile devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A lock assembly for preventing theft of an electronic mobile device (EMD) is configured to engage a slot formed in the 2 mm thick outer wall of the EMD. The slot has top and bottom outwardly-flaring side walls extending away from the opening. The lock body supports first and second locking elements, each of which is configured to be insertable into the slot and has a top wall and a bottom wall that are complementary in shape to the top wall and the bottom wall the of the slot. The first and second locking elements cooperate structurally to become wedged inside the slot in manner that prevents separation of the lock body from the EMD while the first and second locking elements are positioned inside the slot.

Description

Lock assembly for electronic mobile device anti-theft

This non-provisional patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/436,311 filed on December 30, 2022 by Meir Avganim, entitled "SLOT LOCKS AND SECURITY SLOTS THEREFOR" and U.S. Patent Application No. 18/397,156 filed on December 27, 2023 by Meir Avganim, entitled "SLOT LOCKS AND SECURITY SLOTS THEREFOR". The entire contents of the foregoing patent applications are incorporated herein by reference. The present disclosure relates to anti-theft locks and corresponding security slots for electronic mobile devices (EMDs). More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a security lock slot formed at the opening of the USB-C electronic interface of an EMD and a lock slot type lock. The lock can be locked in such a security lock slot and enable the EMD to be fixed to an immovable object through the included cable to prevent it from being stolen.

The present disclosure is based on similar technologies previously disclosed by the inventors of the present disclosure, including those disclosed in their U.S. Patent No. 9,549,476 B2 and the pending U.S. Patent Application No. 18/085,139 (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0203849 A1, filed on December 20, 2022), all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In short, U.S. Patent No. 9,549,476 B2 discloses an electronic mobile device, such as a computer and a tablet computer, provided with an anti-theft lock cavity. The lock cavity is formed on the outer wall of the electronic mobile device, and may have a rectangular opening and a trapezoidal plane cross section, and is defined by an upper wall, a lower wall, and two side walls, and the distance between the two side walls increases along the direction of entering the interior of the lock cavity, so that the corresponding lock can be locked therein. However, as the thickness of the new generation of electronic mobile devices gradually becomes thinner, the space available for setting the aforementioned lock cavity is increasingly limited. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a lock cavity and a corresponding lock suitable for the new generation of electronic mobile devices.

The object of the present invention is to provide a security lock slot defined by an internal space in a USB slot that is accessible from an opening in an EMD.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a lock for use with the security lock slot of the EMD described in the present disclosure, and the like of such lock slots.

This disclosure document mentions and describes various embodiments of the present invention, including a lock assembly for preventing an electronic mobile device (EMD) from being stolen, the EMD having a lock groove formed on an outer wall, wherein the thickness measured from the front surface of the outer wall to the rear surface of the outer wall is less than 2.5 mm, and the lock groove has an opening on the front surface, and the lock groove has arc-shaped left and right side walls, and upper and lower outward expansion side walls extend between the arc-shaped left and right side walls and expand outward from the opening on the front surface of the outer wall to the opening on the rear surface of the outer wall, the lock assembly comprising: The lock body includes a user-controllable lock mechanism; The first locking element protrudes from the front wall of the lock body, and the first locking element is used to pass through the opening of the front surface and insert into the lock groove, and the first locking element has an upper wall that matches the shape of the upper wall of the lock groove, and the first locking element is configured to slide laterally inside the lock groove to closely abut against the upper wall of the lock groove, and the first locking element is used to prevent insertion beyond the inner surface of the lock groove; The second locking element is inserted into the lock groove through the opening of the front surface, and the second locking element has a lower wall matching the shape of the lower wall of the lock groove, and a configuration to prevent the first locking element from being inserted beyond the outer surface of the lock groove. When the first and second locking elements are both positioned in the lock groove, the first and second locking elements can cooperate with each other in structure to form a wedge in the lock groove to prevent the lock body from separating from the EMD; and A cable assembly is connected to the lock body and is used to enable the lock body to be fixed to an immovable object, so that when the lock body is engaged with the lock groove and fixed to the EMD by the first and second locking elements, the EMD can be prevented from being stolen.

The locking mechanism is connected to the second locking element and is used to lock the second locking element in the locking groove.

The first and second locking elements extend from the lock body to a length ranging from 1.9 to 2.25 mm.

The second locking element can slide into and out of the lock body.

The first and second locking elements have substantially the same height dimension, and the width dimension of the first locking element is at least three times greater than the width dimension of the second locking element.

The lock body has a bottom surface, and the first and second locking elements are arranged on the front surface of the lock body, and the distance between the positions where the first and second locking elements are arranged and the bottom surface of the lock body does not exceed 2.5 mm.

The locking mechanism is operated by a key.

The EMD is a laptop computer.

The opening on the front surface of the lock slot is aligned with the USB slot located in the EMD and can be inserted through the opening.

The lock groove has left and right arc-shaped outward-expanding side walls extending from an opening on the front surface of the lock body to an opening on the rear surface of the outer wall, wherein the first lock element has an arc-shaped edge that complements the shape of the arc-shaped left outward-expanding side wall and is used to tightly fit with the left outward-expanding side wall of the lock groove, wherein the second lock element has an arc-shaped edge that complements the shape of the arc-shaped right outward-expanding side wall and is configured to prevent the first lock element from being inserted beyond the outer surface of the lock groove.

The arc angle range covered by the arc-shaped side wall is 120 to 180 degrees, and the arc angle of at least one arc-shaped edge in the first and second locking elements is between 120 and 180 degrees, for example, 180 degrees.

The inclination angle of the upper wall of the first locking element and the lower wall of the second locking element and/or the right side wall and the left side wall relative to the plane of the opening entering the lock groove ranges from 25 to 75 degrees, for example 35 degrees.

The arcuate edge of the first locking element is arranged at the other side relative to the arcuate edge of the second locking element, and the first and second locking elements can be inserted into the locking groove together.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly described in the following description of the invention, and please refer to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the left side view shows an outer wall 1 of an EMD (not shown), in which a conventional USB-C slot opening 11a is formed, and a USB-C electronic slot (not shown) is usually provided behind the opening. The opening 11a disclosed in this figure has a size of 2.86 mm by 8.46 mm, which is a conventional size. The side wall of the opening 11a is arc-shaped as shown in the figure. In a conventional USB-C opening, the inner wall of the opening is perpendicular to the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface of the outer wall 1.

Unlike the prior art, as shown in the two sub-figures on the right side of FIG. 1 , the inner wall defining the inner shape of the safety lock slot 10a is oblique and non-parallel to the outer surface of the outer wall 1, extending outward from the opening of the front surface of the outer wall 1 to the opening of the rear surface of the outer wall 1. FIG. 1 shows that the angle between the two oblique/slanted walls is 35 degrees, but this is only one example, because the angle can be in the range of 25 to 75 degrees. In the specific embodiment of FIG. 1 , the curved inner wall surrounds and extends along the edge of the lock slot 10a. The thickness of the outer wall 1 is very thin, about 2 mm.

The specific embodiment of the lock groove in FIG. 2 is substantially similar to that disclosed in FIG. 1 , with the only difference being that the inner wall of the lock groove 10b is only inclined toward the front surface of the outer wall 1 along the upper and lower edges of the lock groove 10b, and the upper and lower walls extend outward from the opening 11b on the front surface of the outer wall 1 to the opening on the rear surface of the outer wall 1. The left and right inner walls of the lock groove 10b are still consistent with the prior art. The three-dimensional (perspective) diagrams of the above lock groove are respectively disclosed in FIG. 5 (for the lock groove 10a of FIG. 1 ) and FIG. 6 (for the lock groove 10b of FIG. 2 ).

Referring to FIG. 3 , the top sub-figure (#3) refers to the aforementioned lock slot 10a, and the arrows in the lock slot 10a indicate that the locking element for the lock slot can grasp or tightly abut against the inclined inner wall of the lock slot at its top and bottom, or both sides. As described in the inventor's patent application No. 18/085,139, which is incorporated herein by reference, the middle sub-figure (#1) is a lock slot 10c with inclined inner walls only on the left and right edges. The bottom sub-figure (#2) refers to the aforementioned lock slot 10b, which is the same as shown in FIG. 4 .

Figures 7 to 11 disclose a safety lock 20 designed specifically for the lock slot 10b. Thus, the safety lock 20 comprises a lock body, and the lock body supports two locking elements 22a and 22b protruding from the front surface of the lock body. Each locking element 22a, 22b has a top surface and two side surfaces, an inner surface and an outer surface that are generally "petal-shaped". The inner surfaces are flat and abut against each other, so that the two locking elements 22a, 22b can slide relative to each other, for example, from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure 10, and then slide back.

In the position shown in FIG8 , the combined extension width of the locking elements 22a and 22b is just less than 2.8 mm, so that both can be inserted into the locking groove 10b (the width dimension of the opening insertion of the locking groove 10b is preferably this dimension). The outer surface of each locking element 22a and 22b is inclined inward at the same angle as the upper and lower surfaces of the locking groove 10b. Therefore, when the mechanism inside the lock body moves/slides the locking elements 22a, 22b to make them overlap in an interlaced manner (as shown in FIG. 10 ), the combined extension width of the locking elements 22a, 22b increases to 3.5 mm, so that the locking elements 22a, 22b are tightly engaged with the inclined upper and lower surfaces inside the lock groove 10b, thereby allowing the safety lock 20 to be firmly locked to the outer wall 1 through the lock groove 10b.

The various tilt angles disclosed in FIG. 11 are preferred angles, and the actual length of the locking element may vary from 2.0 mm, for example from 1.75 to 2.3 mm (plus or minus 0.2 mm). The same is true for the angle measurements. They can range from a minimum value to a maximum value, as described above.

In other specific embodiments (not disclosed), the safety lock 20 can have a different structure so that the safety lock can grasp the inclined surface completely or almost completely around the inside of the lock groove 10a.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, many other variations, modifications and uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is preferred that the present invention is not limited by the disclosure herein, but only by the claims.

1: Outer wall 10a, 10b, 10c: Lock groove 11a, 11b: Opening 20: Safety lock 22a, 22b: Locking element A, B: Cross section

Figure 1 discloses a schematic diagram of the outline and shape of the USB type security lock slot in the first embodiment.

Figure 2 discloses a schematic diagram of the outline and shape of the USB type security lock slot in the second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the above-mentioned safety lock slot.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of one of the lock slots in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one of the lock slots in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another lock slot in FIG. 3 .

7 to 11 disclose a safety lock for locking in the safety lock slot in FIG. 2 .

without

1: Outer wall 10a: Lock groove 11a: Opening A: Cross section

Claims (15)

A lock assembly for preventing an electronic mobile device (EMD) from being stolen, having a lock groove formed on an outer wall of the EMD, wherein a thickness measured from a front surface of the outer wall to a rear surface of the outer wall is less than 2.5 mm, and the lock groove has an opening on the front surface, and the lock groove has an arc-shaped left and right side walls, and an upper and lower outward expansion side wall extending between the arc-shaped left and right side walls and expanding outward from the opening on the front surface of the outer wall to the opening on the rear surface of the outer wall, the lock assembly comprising: A lock body, including a lock mechanism controllable by a user; A first locking element protrudes from a front wall of the lock body, and the first locking element is used to pass through the opening of the front surface and insert into the lock groove, and the first locking element has an upper wall that matches the shape of the upper wall of the lock groove, and the first locking element is configured to slide laterally inside the lock groove to closely abut against the upper wall of the lock groove, and the first locking element is used to prevent insertion beyond the inner surface of the lock groove; A second locking element, which passes through the opening of the front surface and is inserted into the lock groove, and the second locking element has a lower wall that matches the shape of the lower wall of the lock groove, and a configuration to prevent the first locking element from being inserted beyond the outer surface of the lock groove. When the first and second locking elements are both positioned in the lock groove, the first and second locking elements can cooperate with each other in structure to form a wedge in the lock groove to prevent the lock body from separating from the EMD; and A cable assembly, which is connected to the lock body and is used to enable the lock body to be fixed to an immovable object, so that when the lock body is engaged with the lock groove and fixed to the EMD by the first and second locking elements, the EMD can be prevented from being stolen. A locking assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism is connected to the second locking element and is used to lock the second locking element in the locking groove. A lock assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the first and second locking elements extend from the lock body to a length ranging from 1.9 to 2.25 mm. A lock assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the second locking element can slide into and out of the lock body. A locking assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the first and second locking elements have approximately the same height dimension, and a width dimension of the first locking element is at least three times larger than a width dimension of the second locking element. A lock assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the lock body has a bottom surface, and the first and second locking elements are arranged on a front surface of the lock body, and the distance between the positions where the first and second locking elements are arranged and the bottom surface of the lock body does not exceed 2.5 mm. A lock assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the lock mechanism is operated by a key. A lock assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the EMD is a laptop. A lock assembly as described in claim 1, wherein an opening on the front surface of the electronic mobile device is aligned with a USB slot located in the EMD, and the USB slot can be used through the opening. A lock assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the lock slot has an arcuate left outward expansion side wall and an arcuate right outward expansion side wall extending from an opening on the front surface of the lock slot to an opening on the rear surface of the outer wall, wherein the first lock element has an arcuate edge that complements the shape of the arcuate left outward expansion side wall and is used to tightly fit with the left outward expansion side wall of the lock slot, wherein the second lock element has an arcuate edge that complements the shape of the arcuate right outward expansion side wall, and a configuration for preventing the first lock element from being inserted beyond the outer surface of the lock slot. A locking assembly as described in claim 10, wherein at least one of the arcuate left outward expansion side wall and the arcuate right outward expansion side wall extends and covers an arc angle range of 120 to 180 degrees, and an arc angle of at least one arcuate edge in the first and second locking elements is between 120 and 180 degrees. A lock assembly as described in claim 10, wherein the upper wall of the first lock element and the lower wall of the second lock element have an inclination angle range of 25 to 75 degrees relative to a plane of the opening entering the lock groove, and/or the arcuate right outward expansion side wall and the arcuate left outward expansion side wall have an inclination angle range of 25 to 75 degrees relative to a plane of the opening entering the lock groove. A lock assembly as described in claim 12, wherein the tilt angle is 35 degrees. A locking assembly as described in claim 10, wherein the arcuate edge of the first locking element is disposed on the other side of the arcuate edge of the second locking element, and the first and second locking elements can be inserted into the locking groove together. A locking assembly as described in claim 10, wherein at least one of the arcuate edges in the first and second locking elements has an arc angle of approximately 180 degrees.