Locking mechanism for securing communication port on electronic apparatus

[0001] The present invention relates to a locking mechanism, and more particularly to a locking mechanism for securing communication port on electronic apparatus.

[0002] Currently, there are many storing devices using a communication port on an electronic apparatus, such as a universal serial bus (USB), as a transmission interface. Such communication ports are constantly improved to have upgraded functions and capacity. However, valuable data stored in the storing devices are also frequently stolen via the conveniently available communication ports on the electronic apparatus.

[0003] It is therefore tried by the inventor to develop a locking mechanism for securing communication port on electronic apparatus.

[0004] A primary object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism for locking a port on an electronic apparatus.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism for preventing stealing of data from a storing device via a communication port on an electronic apparatus.

[0006] A further object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism including a lock piece that could be separately fitted in a communication port of an electronic apparatus.

[0007] A still further object of the present invention is to provide a locking mechanism that includes controlled arms with protrusions and notches to achieve the locking function.

[0008] To achieve the above and other objects, the locking mechanism for securing communication port on electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes a lock carrier 11; a control element 111 mounted on the lock carrier 11; more than one controlled arm 112 movably connected to the control element 111; and a lock piece 114 detachably connected to front ends of the controlled arms 112. The lock piece 114 alone is inserted into a communication port 115 on an electronic apparatus through operating the control element 111 to release the controlled arms 112 from the lock piece 114 while allowing a rear end of the lock piece 114 to flush with or locate a small distance inside an open end 115a of the communication port 115.

[0017] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 that are two exploded perspective views of a locking mechanism for securing communication port on electronic apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the locking mechanism mainly includes a lock carrier 11, on which a control element 111 is provided to associate with two controlled arms 112. The control element 111 is provided at a lower side with two downward projected rods 111a corresponding to and engaged with two slide slots 112a separately formed on the two controlled arms 112, so that the controlled arms 112 are held to the lock carrier 11. Each of the controlled arms 112 includes one or more protrusions 112b and accordingly one or more notches 112c. An intermediate connector 113 is assembled to the two controlled arms 112 for detachably holding a lock piece 114 to a front end of the lock carrier 11 (see FIG. 3). The intermediate connector 113 is provided at two opposite sides with two first engaging openings 113a, and the lock piece 114 is provided at two opposite sides with two second engaging openings 114d, such that the protrusions 112b on the two controlled arms 112 may extend into the first engaging openings 113a and the second engaging openings 114d to firmly hold the lock piece 114 to the intermediate connector 113. The lock carrier 11 includes an upper case 11a, a lower case 11b, and a cover 11c. When the lock piece 114 is not in use, it may be temporarily received in the cover 11c. As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 6, the lock piece 114 includes an insert body 114a and a faceplate 114b.

[0018] Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 3 at the same time. To assemble the lock mechanism of the present invention, first cause a switch key 111b provided on an upper side of the control element 111 to locate in a through hole 11d provided on the upper case 11a, and the two downward rods 111a to extend through the two slide slots 112a on the two controlled arms 112; and then pivotally connect two holes 112d separately provided on the two controlled arms 112 to two bars 11e upward projected from the lower case 11b, such that front ends of the controlled arms 112 forward project from a front opening 11f on the upper case 11a to extend into a receiving space 113b of the intermediate connector 113, with the protrusions 112b on the controlled arms 112 engaged with the first engaging openings 113a on the intermediate connector 113. In this position, a hooking portion 113c of the intermediate connector 113 is adapted to engage with a recess 11g formed on the lower case 11b. Finally, the cover 11c is connected to the lower case 11b by engaging female connectors 11h on the cover 11c with male connectors 11i on the lower case 11b.

[0019] Please now refer to FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 at the same time. When it is desired to lock a communication port 115 on an electronic apparatus using the lock piece 114, first push the switch key 111b of the control element 111 forward, so that the two rods 111a below the control element 111 engaged with the two slide slots 112a of the controlled arms 112 move along the slide slots 112a to bring the front ends of the two controlled arms 112 to shift inward toward each other. Then, extend the inward shifted controlled arms 112 into the lock piece 114. Thereafter, push the switch key 111b of the control element 111 backward, and the two rods 111a below the control element 111 move along the slide slots 112a to bring the two controlled arms 112 to shift outward and space from each other. At this point, the lock piece 114 is held to the controlled arms 112. Then, insert the lock piece 114 into the communication port 115 of the electronic apparatus with a rear end 114c of the lock piece 114 flushing with an open end 115a of the communication port 115. At this point, push the control element 111 forward again to bring the two controlled arms 112 to shift toward each other and release from the lock piece 114.

[0020] FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is generally structurally similar to the above-described preferred embodiment, except that the rear end 114c of the lock piece 114 is located a small distance inside the open end 115a of the communication port 115 when the lock piece 114 is fully inserted into the communication port 115.

[0021] The present invention has been described with some preferred embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limited only by the appended claims.