U.S. patent application number 11/366358 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-04 for computer housing-and-lock assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to Universal Scientific Industrial Co., Ltd. Invention is credited to Chien-Ming Hu, Kuo-Kuang Liu.
Application Number | 20070228060 11/366358 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38557301 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070228060 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hu; Chien-Ming ; et
al. |
October 4, 2007 |
Computer housing-and-lock assembly
Abstract
A computer housing-and-lock assembly includes: a housing having
a base and a top cover; a lock unit having a first interlocking
member provided on the base, a slide mounted slidably on the top
cover, and a second interlocking member provided on the slide, the
slide being slidable between a locked position, where the second
interlocking member engages the first interlocking member, and an
unlocked position, where the second interlocking member disengages
the first interlocking member; a latch member mounted slidably on
the top cover, and movable relative to the top cover between a
stopped position, where the slide is immobilized in the locked
position, and a non-stopped position, where the slide is free to
move between the locked and unlocked positions; and a driving
member mounted movably on the top cover for driving movement of the
latch member.
Inventors: |
Hu; Chien-Ming; (Tainan
Hsien, TW) ; Liu; Kuo-Kuang; (Nan-Tou Hsien,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSTROLENK FABER GERB & SOFFEN
1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
100368403
US
|
Assignee: |
Universal Scientific Industrial
Co., Ltd
|
Family ID: |
38557301 |
Appl. No.: |
11/366358 |
Filed: |
March 2, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/825 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/182 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/825 |
International
Class: |
B65D 43/14 20060101
B65D043/14 |
Claims
1. A computer housing-and-lock assembly comprising: a housing
having a base that has a rear wall and a lateral wall and that
defines a top opening, and a top cover that has a rear wall pivoted
to said rear wall of said base, and a lateral wall, said top cover
being rotatable relative to said base between opened and closed
positions for opening and closing said top opening; a lock unit
having a first interlocking member that is provided on said lateral
wall of said base, a slide that is mounted slidably on said lateral
wall of said top cover, and a second interlocking member that is
provided on said slide, said slide being slidable on said lateral
wall of said top cover along a first axis between locked and
unlocked positions, said second interlocking member engaging said
first interlocking member when said top cover is disposed at said
closed position and when said slide is disposed at said locked
position, and disengaging said first interlocking member when said
slide is disposed at said unlocked position; a controlling unit
including a latch member having a stopper, mounted slidably on said
top cover, and movable relative to said top cover between stopped
and non-stopped positions, said stopper being aligned with said
slide along said first axis and abutting against said slide when
said latch member is disposed at said stopped position, thereby
preventing movement of said slide from said locked position to said
unlocked position, said stopper being misaligned with said slide
along said first axis when said latch member is disposed at said
non-stopped position, thereby permitting movement of said slide
from said locked position to said unlocked position; and a driving
member mounted movably on said top cover for driving movement of
said latch member from said stopped position to said non-stopped
position.
2. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said latch member is movable along a second axis transverse
to said first axis.
3. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 2,
wherein said latch member is in the form of a rod and further has a
driven end and a stopping end that is opposite to said driven end
and that defines said stopper, said driven end of said latch member
having a slanted end face, said driving member including a driving
plate that has a driving end having a slanted end face and disposed
adjacent to said slanted end face of said driven end of said latch
member, and being operable to move along said first axis between
first and second lateral positions, said slanted end face of said
driving end of said driving plate sliding on said slanted end face
of said driven end of said latch member and pushing said latch
member to move from said non-stopped position to said stopped
position when said driving member is moved from said first lateral
position to said second lateral position.
4. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 1,
wherein said slide is in the form of a plate, and has an end
protrusion that defines said second interlocking member, said
lateral wall of said base being formed with a retaining plate
having an end groove that opens toward said end protrusion of said
slide and that defines said first interlocking member, said end
protrusion extending into said end groove when said slide is
disposed at said locked position and when said top cover is
disposed at said closed position, and being disposed outwardly of
said end groove when said slide is disposed at said unlocked
position.
5. A computer housing-and-lock assembly comprising: a housing
having a base that has a rear wall and two opposite lateral walls
interconnecting said rear wall, and that defines a top opening, and
a top cover that has a rear wall pivoted to said rear wall of said
base, and two opposite lateral walls interconnecting said rear wall
of said top cover, said top cover being rotatable relative to said
base between opened and closed positions for opening and closing
said top opening; a lock unit having a pair of first interlocking
members that are respectively provided on said lateral walls of
said base, a pair of slides that are respectively and slidably
mounted on said lateral walls of said top cover, and a pair of
second interlocking members that are respectively provided on said
slides, each of said slides being slidable on the respective one of
said lateral walls of said top cover along a first axis between
locked and unlocked positions, each of said second interlocking
members engaging a respective one of said first interlocking
members when said top cover is disposed at said closed position and
when a respective one of said slides is disposed at said locked
position, and disengaging the respective one of said first
interlocking members when the respective one of said slides is
disposed at said unlocked position; a controlling unit including a
pair of latch members, each of which has a stopper, each of which
is mounted slidably on said top cover, and each of which is movable
relative to said top cover between stopped and non-stopped
positions, said stopper of each of said latch members being aligned
with a respective one of said slides along said first axis and
abutting against the respective one of said slides when the
respective one of said latch members is disposed at said stopped
position, thereby preventing movement of the respective one of said
slides from said locked position to said unlocked position, said
stopper of each of said latch members being misaligned with the
respective one of said slides along said first axis when the
respective one of said latch members is disposed at said
non-stopped position, thereby permitting movement of the respective
one of said slides from said locked position to said unlocked
position; and a driving member mounted movably on said top cover
for driving movement of said latch members toward said lateral
walls of said top cover, respectively, from said stopped position
to said non-stopped position.
6. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 5,
wherein each of said latch members is movable along a second axis
transverse to said first axis.
7. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 6,
wherein each of said latch members is in the form of a rod and
further has a driven end and a stopping end that is opposite to
said driven end and that defines said stopper of the respective one
of said latch members, said driven end of each of said latch
members having a slanted end face, said driving member including a
driving plate that has a driving end having two opposing slanted
end face and disposed adjacent to said slanted end faces of said
driven ends of said latch members, and being operable to move along
said first axis between first and second lateral positions, said
slanted end faces of said driving end of said driving plate sliding
respectively on said'slanted end faces of said driven ends of said
latch members and pushing said latch members to move in opposite
directions from said non-stopped position to said stopped position
when said driving member is moved from said first lateral position
to said second lateral position.
8. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 5,
wherein each of said slides is in the form of a plate, and has an
end protrusion that defines a respective one of said second
interlocking members, said lateral walls of said base being formed
with a retaining plate having an end groove that opens toward said
end protrusion of a respective one of said slides and that defines
a respective one of said first interlocking members, said end
protrusion of each of said slides extending into said end groove in
said retaining plate of the respective one of said lateral walls of
said base when the respective one of said slides is disposed at
said locked position and when said top cover is disposed at said
closed position, and being disposed outwardly of said end groove in
said retaining plate of the respective one of said lateral walls of
said base when the respective one of said slides is disposed at
said unlocked position.
9. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 7,
further comprising an urging member that has two opposite ends
secured to said latch members for restoring said latch members from
said stopped position to said non-stopped position when said
driving member is moved from said second lateral position to said
first lateral position.
10. The computer housing-and-lock assembly as claimed in claim 7,
further comprising a pair of urging members, each of which has one
end secured to said top cover, and an opposite end secured to a
respective one of said latch members for restoring said latch
members from said stopped position to said non-stopped position
when said driving member is moved from said second lateral position
to said first lateral position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a computer housing-and-lock
assembly, more particularly to a computer housing-and-lock assembly
having a lock unit and a controlling unit for controlling operation
of the lock unit.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] For convenience in transport and saving room for storage,
manufacture of electronic products has a trend toward
miniaturization. Currently, there has been proposed a small-type
computer having a computer housing that has a base defining a top
opening, and a top cover that is pivotably connected to the base
and that is rotatable relative to the base between opened and
closed positions for opening and closing the top opening. Computer
components are mounted on the base and the top cover,
respectively.
[0005] Although the aforesaid small-type computer can be made to be
relatively small, it is disadvantageous in that the top cover
thereof is likely to be undesirably opened, which facilitates theft
of the computer components inside the computer housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a computer housing-and-lock assembly that can overcome the above
drawback associated with the prior art.
[0007] Accordingly, a computer housing-and-lock assembly of this
invention includes: a housing having a base that has a rear wall
and a lateral wall and that defines a top opening, and a top cover
that has a rear wall pivoted to the rear wall of the base, and a
lateral wall, the top cover being rotatable relative to the base
between opened and closed positions for opening and closing the top
opening; a lock unit having a first interlocking member that is
provided on the lateral wall of the base, a slide that is mounted
slidably on the lateral wall of the top cover, and a second
interlocking member that is provided on the slide, the slide being
slidable on the lateral wall of the top cover along a first axis
between locked and unlocked positions, the second interlocking
member engaging the first interlocking member when the top cover is
disposed at the closed position and when the slide is disposed at
the locked position, and disengaging the first interlocking member
when the slide is disposed at the unlocked position; a controlling
unit including a latch member having a stopper, mounted slidably on
the top cover, and movable relative to the top cover between
stopped and non-stopped positions, the stopper being aligned with
the slide along the first axis and abutting against the slide when
the latch member is disposed at the stopped position, thereby
preventing movement of the slide from the locked position to the
unlocked position, the stopper being misaligned with the slide
along the first axis when the latch member is disposed at the
non-stopped position, thereby permitting movement of the slide from
the locked position to the unlocked position; and a driving member
mounted movably on the top cover for driving movement of the latch
member from the stopped position to the non-stopped position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of the first preferred
embodiment of a computer housing-and-lock assembly according to the
present invention, illustrating a state where a top cover of the
first preferred embodiment is disposed at a closed position;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the first preferred
embodiment for illustrating another state where the top cover is
disposed at an opened position;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a front view of the first preferred embodiment
with the top cover disposed at the opened position;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view to illustrate the
structure of a lock unit of the first preferred embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view to illustrate the structure of
a controlling unit of the first preferred embodiment;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a schematic front view to illustrate a state where
a stopper of a latch member of the controlling unit of the first
preferred embodiment is disposed at a non-stopped position;
[0015] FIG. 7 is a schematic front view to illustrate another state
where the stopper of the latch member of the controlling unit of
the first preferred embodiment is disposed at a stopped
position;
[0016] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view to illustrate a state where
the lock unit of the first preferred embodiment is disposed at the
locked position; and
[0017] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary schematic view of the second
preferred embodiment of the computer-and-lock assembly according to
this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Before the present invention is described in greater detail
with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should
be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same
reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, the preferred embodiment of a
computer housing-and-lock assembly according to the present
invention is shown to include: a housing. 10 having a base 11 that
has a rear wall 110 and two opposite lateral walls 111, 112
interconnecting the rear wall 110, and that defines a top opening
119, and a top cover 13 that has a rear wall 130 pivoted to the
rear wall 110 of the base 11, and two opposite lateral walls 14, 15
interconnecting the rear wall 130 of the top cover 13, the top
cover 13 being rotatable relative to the base 11 between opened and
closed positions (see FIGS. 2 and 1) for opening and closing the
top opening 119; a lock unit 80 having a pair of first interlocking
members 863 that are respectively provided on the lateral walls
111, 112 of the base 11, a pair of slides 81 that are respectively
and slidably mounted on the lateral walls 14, 15 of the top cover
13, and a pair of second interlocking members 84 that are
respectively provided on the slides 81, each of the slides 81 being
slidable on the respective one of the lateral walls 14, 15 of the
top cover 13 along a first axis between locked (see FIG. 8) and
unlocked positions, each of the second interlocking members 84
engaging a respective one of the first interlocking members 863
when the top cover 13 is disposed at the closed position and when a
respective one of the slides 81 is disposed at the locked position,
and disengaging the respective one of the first interlocking
members 863 when the respective one of the slides 81 is disposed at
the unlocked position; a controlling unit including a pair of latch
members 50, 60, each of which has a stopper 52, 62, each of which
is mounted slidably on the top cover 13, and each of which is
movable relative to the top cover 13 between stopped and
non-stopped positions (see FIGS. 7 and 6), the stopper 52, 62 of
each of the latch members 50, 60 being aligned with a respective
one of the slides 81 along the first axis (X) and abutting against
the respective one of the slides 81 when the respective one of the
latch members 50, 60 is disposed at the stopped position, thereby
preventing movement of the respective one of the slides 81 from the
locked position to the unlocked position, the stopper 52, 62 of
each of the latch members 50, 60 being misaligned with the
respective one of the slides 81 when the respective one of the
latch members 50, 60 is disposed at the non-stopped position,
thereby permitting movement of the respective one of the slides 81
from the locked position to the unlocked position; and a driving
member 30 mounted movably on the top cover 13 for driving movement
of the latch members 50, 60 from the stopped position to the
non-stopped position.
[0020] The computer housing 10 further comprises a pair of pivot
connecting members 12 for connecting pivotally the top cover 13 to
the base 10.
[0021] With further reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, each of the latch
members 50, 60 is movable along a second axis (Y) transverse to the
first axis (X), is in the form of a rod, and has a driven end 51,
61 and a stopping end that is opposite to the driven end 51, 61 and
that defines the stopper 52, 62 of the respective one of the latch
members 50, 60. The driven end 51, 61 of each of the latch members
50, 60 has a slanted end face 511, 611. The driving member 30
includes a driving plate 32 that has a driving end having two
opposing slanted end faces 321, 322 and disposed adjacent to the
slanted end faces 511, 611 of the driven ends 51, 61 of the latch
members 50, 60. The driving member 30 is operable to move from a
first lateral position (see FIG. 6) to a second lateral position
(see FIG. 7) such that the slanted end faces 321, 322 of the
driving end of the driving plate 32 slide respectively on the
slanted end faces 511, 611 of the driven ends 51, 61 of the latch
members 50, 60 and push the latch members 50, 60 to move in
opposite directions from the non-stopped position to the stopped
position. Referring to FIG. 4, each of the slides 81 is in the form
of a plate, and has an end protrusion that defines a respective one
of the second interlocking members 84. Each of the lateral walls
111, 112 of the base 11 has a top end that is formed with a
retaining plate 86 (see FIG. 2) having an end groove that opens
toward the end protrusion of a respective one of the slides 81 and
that defines a respective one of the first interlocking members
863. The end protrusion of each of the slides 81 extends into the
end groove in the retaining plate 86 of the respective one of the
lateral walls 111, 112 of the base 11 (see FIG. 8) when the
respective one of the slides 81 is disposed at the locked position
and when the top cover 13 is disposed at the closed position, and
is disposed outwardly of the end groove in the retaining plate 86
of the respective one of the lateral walls 111, 112 of the base 11
when the respective one of the slides 81 is disposed at the
unlocked position. Referring again to FIG. 5, the computer
housing-and-lock assembly 10 further includes an urging member 71
that has two opposite ends secured to the latch members 50, 60 for
restoring the latch members 50, 60 from the stopped position to the
non-stopped position when the driving member 30 is moved from the
second lateral position to the first lateral position. It should be
noted herein that, in the second preferred embodiment as shown in
FIG. 9, the computer housing-and-lock assembly 10 may include a
pair of urging members 72, 73, each of which has one end secured to
the top cover 13, and an opposite end secured to a respective one
of the latch members 50, 60 for urging the latch members 50, 60 to
restore from the stopped position to the non-stopped position when
the driving member 30 is moved from the second lateral position to
the first lateral position.
[0022] Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 6, each of the slides 81 is
provided with an operating protrusion 82 protruding therefrom. Each
of the lateral walls 14, 15 is further formed with an elongated
slot 18 for extension of the operating protrusion 82 of a
respective one of the slides 81 therethrough so that movement of
the slides 81 can be manually operated through the respective
operating protrusion 82.
[0023] With further reference to FIGS. 4 and 6, a pair of U-shaped
guide members 24 are respectively mounted on inner sides 141, 151
of the lateral walls 14, 15 of the top cover 13 and are aligned
with the elongated slots 18. Each of the guide members 24 includes
a guide plate 241 that is spaced apart from the corresponding inner
side 141, 151 of the lateral walls 14, 15, that is formed with a
U-shaped opening 242, and that has a hook piece 243 spaced apart
from the opening 242. Each of the slides 81 is movably retained in
a clearance between the guide plate 241 and the corresponding inner
side 141, 151 of the lateral walls 14, 15, and is provided with a
screw 83 projecting therefrom, and a spring 85 having one end
secured to the hook piece 243, and an opposite end secured to the
screw 83 for urging the slide 81 to move from the unlocked position
to the locked position. Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 4, in order
to guide movement of the second interlocking members 84 to engage
the first interlocking members 863 during movement of the top cover
13 from the opened position to the closed position, each of the
second interlocking members 84 is designed to have a round shape,
and each of the retaining plates 86 is designed to have an arcuate
edge 865 extending from an upper edge of a groove-defining wall
defining the end groove of the respective first interlocking member
863.
[0024] Referring again to FIG. 6, the top cover 13 is provided with
a pair of spaced apart limiting blocks 21 disposed adjacent to the
rear wall 130 of the top cover 13. The driving member 30 further
includes an actuating piece 31 that has a portion disposed movably
between and in sliding contact with the limiting blocks 21, and
that is connected to the driving plate 32, and a hook stud 33
protruding from the driving plate 32. It is noted that operation of
the actuating piece 31 is conducted using a key (not shown) so that
the movement of the stoppers 52, 62 from the stopped position to
the non-stopped position can be achieved solely by the key. A
biasing member 40, which is a compression spring in this
embodiment, has opposite ends secured respectively to the hook stud
33 and a hook member 19 protruding from the top cover 13 for
providing a biasing force to urge the driving member 30 to move
from the second lateral position (see FIG. 7) to the first lateral
position (see FIG. 6).
[0025] Referring again to FIGS. 5 and 6, the top cover 13 further
has a front wall 17 (see FIG. 6) that is formed with a pair of
limiting posts 22. The latch member 50 is formed with a pair of
elongated guiding slots 53 for extension of the limiting posts 22
respectively therethrough so as to guide movement of the latch
member 50 along the second axis (Y).
[0026] The top cover 13 is further formed with three spaced apart
limiting blocks 23 disposed alternately at opposite sides of the
latch member 60 and abutting against the latch member 60 for
guiding movement of the latch member 60 along the second axis
(Y).
[0027] Each of the driven ends 51, 61 of the latch members 50, 60
is provided with a hook element 54, 63 for mounting the urging
member 71.
[0028] At the normal condition, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the
latch members 50, 60 are disposed at the non-stopped position,
i.e., the stoppers 52, 62 are respectively misaligned with the
slides 81.along the first axis (X). Hence, opening and closing of
the top cover 13 can be conducted through operation of the slides
81. As shown in FIG. 8, when it is desired to close the top cover
13, the top cover 13 is pivoted relative to the base 11 toward the
closed position such that the second interlocking members 84 engage
respectively the first interlocking members 863 through guidance of
the arcuate edges 865 of the retaining plates 86 so as to retain
the top cover 13 at the closed position. When it is desired to open
the top cover 13, the slides 81 are moved frontwardly so as to
disengage the second interlocking members 84 from the first
interlocking members 863 such that the top cover 13 can be pivoted
upward to the opened position.
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the top cover 13 can be locked
using the key (not shown) such that the stoppers 52, 62 are
retained at the stopped position to prevent movement of the slides
81 from the locked position to the unlocked position. Hence, when
it is desired to open the top cover 13, the actuating piece 31 is
actuated using the key so as to drive the driving member 30 to move
from the second lateral position to the first lateral position,
thereby permitting movement of the latch members 50, 60 from the
stopped position to the non-stopped position by the urging action
of the urging member 71, and movement of the slides 81 from the
locked position to the unlocked position.
[0030] With the inclusion of the controlling unit in the
computer-housing-and lock assembly of this invention, the aforesaid
drawback associated with the prior art can be eliminated.
[0031] While the present invention has been described in connection
with what is considered the most practical and preferred
embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to
the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various
arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest
interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and
equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *