DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to security enclosures and more particularly to devices for enclosing and securing articles in the nature of electronic equipment such as personal computers, workstations, servers, routers, printers and modems.

BACKGROUND ART Computer theft is well known and it has now become common for thieves to steal components such as random access memory chips, processor chips, single in-line memory modules and the like from such electronic equipment since such components are of small size and thus easily carried and concealed and since they are of high intrinsic value and, unlike the equipment of which they form part, are

usually untraceable. Equally the theft of consumables from printers, e.g. paper and toner is reaching unacceptable levels.

Known cable clamps for preventing theft of the whole computers or printers or the like articles do not protect against the theft of components and consumables since they do not prevent access to the interior of the articles but simply fix the article to a suitable large object, e.g. a work station. It is an object of the invention to provide a device for preventing such theft and tampering.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, a security enclosure for an article, e.g. a computer or computer-related product, comprises a secure structure adapted to enclose the article to an extent to prevent access to its interior, the structure being formed with at least one aperture allowing access to controls on the article, and means for locking the secure structure to a worksurface or the like. The secure structure may be box-like so as to encase the article and is preferably made from a material such as steel. The under-face of the secure structure may be formed with a downwardly pro ecting member, e.g. in the form of a peg, which can be passed through a suitable aperture drilled through a desk or other worksurface, the end of the member projecting from the lower side of the desk or other worksurface being engaged by a padlock or the like to prevent removal of the secure enclosure from the

desk or other worksurface. The downwardly projecting member may be secured to a flange at its upper end, the flange in turn being fixed to the secure enclosure.

Thus the article to be protected may be placed in the security enclosure, and the enclosure fixed to a desk or the like to prevent access to the interior of the article. It will be appreciated that the projecting member could extend from the rear of the enclosure and be secured through a vertical partition or the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in whic :-

Figure 1 is a front view of a security enclosure according to the invention; Figure 2 is a rear view of the security enclosure of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an underside view of the security enclosure of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a side view of the security enclosure of Figures 1 to 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line A-A of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a partly sectioned front view of the security enclosure of Figures 1 to 4 and showing the enclosure in its working condition, and

Figure 7 is an exploded view of the security enclosure of Figures 1 to 6 and showing the enclosure in its open condition.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The drawings show a security enclosure 1 for a personal computer or the like electronic device 2, e.g. a computer peripheral, and which is intended to restrict access to the electronic device to allow the device to be operated normally but to prevent access to the interior of the device, e.g. to prevent the theft of electronic components.

The security enclosure 1 comprises a generally box- like secure structure 3 intended snugly to enclose the electronic device 2 to be secured, and the box-like structure 3 is formed with one or more means by which the device can be securely fixed to a suitable stout, non¬ portable or bulky device, e.g. a work surface 28 or the like, see Figure 6. Where necessary to operate the electronic device 1, the enclosure, which may be of a strong material such as sheet steel, is formed with apertures 4 through which the controls of the device 2 can be operated and connections made and, for example, through which floppy disks and the like can be inserted in, and removed from, the device. The apertures 4 are preferably dimensioned to be large enough to allow operation of the device 2 but not large enough to facilitate entry into the interior of the device. In the interests of ease of manufacture, and/or upgradability of the electronic device 2 to be secured, the apertures 4 may be made relatively large and then closed by blanking plates (not shown) fixed in any suitable way to the secure structure such that they

cannot be removed without gaining entry to the interior of the structure 3.

In the drawings the box-like secure structure 3 is generally rectangular and comprises a top 9, a bottom 13 and two opposed pairs of downwardly depending generally vertical members joining the top 9 and the bottom 13 and which comprise sides 10 and a front and back, 11 and 12 respectively. The sides 10 and the front and back 11 and 12 will be formed with apertures necessary for the control, operation or connection of the electronic component housed in the enclosure and with any necessary cooling vents. In the example shown in the drawings, the sides 10 are plain while the front and back are formed with relatively large apertures 4 defined between inwardly projecting flanges 31 extending from the respective edges of the top 9, the bottom 13 and the opposed sides 10. As previously indicated the apertures 4 may be further masked by removable blanking plates (not shown) fixed in the enclosure 3 in any suitable fashion, e.g. by being retained behind the said flanges.

The bottom 13 of the enclosure comprises a pair of generally similar members 14 pivotally secured to the bottom edges of the sides 10 by means of hinges 15 whereby the members 14 can be moved from an open position as shown in Figure 7 of the drawings, in which an electronic device can be placed into the interior 17 of the enclosure 3 to the closed position shown in Figures 1 to 6 in which the members 14, the distal ends 16 of which overlap when

closed, are secured together. One of the members 14 carries at its distal end 16 a threaded plate 21 which is secured to the member 14 e.g. by welding, and the other one of the members 14 carries at its distal end 16 apertures (not shown) which align with threaded holes in the threaded plate 21 whereby the members 14 can be secured together by means of set screws 20 passed through apertures in a flange 19 at one end of a peg 7 as indicated best in Figures 3 and 5. The enclosure 1 can then be fixed to any suitable article e.g. a worksurface 28 as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings to shroud the set screws 20 fixing the peg 7 to the enclosure to prevent entry into the enclosure. For this purpose the peg 7 is formed with through apertures 18 arranged to accept a padlock 8 so that the enclosure can be fixed to the worksurface.

Preferably the fixing to the worksurface comprises a sleeve 22 e.g. of plastics formed with a flange 23 at one end and which is a snug fit both in a suitable hole through the worksurface 28 and on the peg 7. Preferably the undersurface of the worksurface 28 is reinforced by a metal plate 24 fixed to the undersurface of the worksurface by means of suitable screws 25. Desirably a washer 26 is interposed between the undersurface of the plate 24 and the padlock 28 on the peg 7.

The bottom of the enclosure 1 preferably carries feet 27 at its corners and may also carry a loop-like fastener 29 on its rear 12 which may be used, for example, to fix

the enclosure to a suitable surface e.g. by means of a chain or cable, not shown.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The invention thus provides a simple device for preventing or discouraging computer-related theft.