Patent Application, which was filed on even date herewith by Wayne Korlin Harvey, U. S. Serial No. 09/048,500 entitled "LOCKING PLATE FOR PORTABLE COMPUTER". The disclosure of this application is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Technical Field This invention relates to portable computers, more specifically to devices for securing portable computers against theft.

Description of the Prior Art As portable computers such as laptop and notebook computers have become more popular and more powerful, they have become increasingly attractive targets for theft, including in the workplace of the computer's user. As such thefts have become more common and more costly, an assortment of devices and systems have been proposed for securing portable computers from theft.

Perry, US Patent No. 5,632,165, discloses a security anchor for a laptop computer which is adhesively attached to a surface of a laptop computer. A shaft at the end of a flexible security cable is inserted and locked inside the security anchor, and cannot be removed until sliders within the security anchor are selectively arranged into a predetermined one of a combination of positions. A disadvantage of the Perry device is that the bulk of the security anchor remains permanently attached to the computer, interfering with storage and positioning of the computer, and detracting from its external appearance.

An alternative security feature is found in certain laptop computers manufactured by International Business

Machines Corporation, including the ThinkPad (tm) models 560, 760 and 770. An elongated slot in an exterior side surface of the base of the laptop computer accepts a suitably shaped locking pin attached to a security cable. The locking pin is inserted into the slot, rotated, and locked in place so as to prevent its removal from the laptop, thereby attaching the security cable to the computer. Because the components of portable computers are extremely small, the locking pin and security lock are necessarily small as well, and therefore provide only limited protection against theft.

Blunk et al., German published patent application number DE 297 20 285 U1, discloses a theft prevention device, having a block attached to a thin carrier which is inserted in the gap between the keyboard and the screen of a laptop computer. The device has a hole for a padlock, securing the carrier to a security chain or steel cable. The carrier is a thin rectangular element, and the block is a rectangular solid extending upwardly from the carrier to prevent the carrier from being pulled from the rear of the computer through the gap between the keyboard and screen. The Blunk et al. device can be used only when the laptop computer is in the open and operating position, because the block attached to the carrier prevents the cover from being closed. Thus, this device affords no theft protection when the computer is closed.

There is thus a need for a device for securing a portably computer which does not permanently attach to the external surface of the computer, which is substantial enough to resist determined efforts at theft, and which can be used both when the computer is open and operational and when the cover is closed.

Summary of the Invention This invention resides in an article of manufacture for physically securing an electronic device such as a portable computer, where the device has a first portion, such as a base, and a second portion such as a cover. The second portion is hinged to the first portion through at least one riser which

extends perpendicularly from a surface of the first portion.

The first and second portions of the device form a slot between the risers, where the slot is substantially parallel to the surface of the first portion. The article includes at least one substantially flat flange having a thin dimension sized to fit between the first and second portions of the device when the device is closed. The article further comprises at least one substantially flat stem, which is coplanar with the flange and extends perpendicularly to the flange. The stem has a thin dimension sized to fit through the slot formed between the first and second portions of the device. The stem encloses at least one aperture which is spaced beyond the flange a distance greater than the depth of the slot.

The article of this invention thus can be inserted through the gap between the base and cover of a laptop computer such that the aperture in the stem extends beyond the rear surface of the computer. The article and associated computer are secured by attaching a security cable using the aperture in the stem. The flange of the article, engaging the risers, prevents removal of the article until the security cable is removed. The thin flat flangestet do not interfere with normal closure of the cover of the computer.

Preferably, the article includes two flanges extending coplanarly in opposite directions to form a T-shape.

The flange may be cut away in places to avoid interference with upwardly or downwardly extending elements of the first or second portions of the computer, respectively. A second stem and a third flange may be provided to secure devices having only a single riser, in which case the coplanar stems are spaced apart to accept the riser between them.

Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1. is a perspective view of a locking plate according to the present invention positioned for insertion between the cover and base of a portable computer.

Fig. 2. is a rear perspective view of the locking plate and computer of Fig. 1 with the cover in the open position.

Fig. 3. is a rear perspective view of the locking plate and computer of Fig. 2 with the cover closed.

Fig. 4. is an isometric view of the locking plate of Fig. 1, showing the stem and flanges.

Fig. 5. is a top plan view of the locking plate of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the locking plate of Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of a first alternate embodiment of the locking plate of this invention having a single flange.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the first alternate embodiment locking plate of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation view of the first alternate embodiment locking plate of Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 10 is an isometric view of a second alternate embodiment of the locking plate of this invention having two stems and three flanges.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the second alternate embodiment locking plate of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation view of the second alternate embodiment locking plate of Figs. 10 and 11.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Overview As shown in Fig. 1, the locking plate 100 of this invention secures a conventional portable electronic device such as a laptop or notebook computer 102 through a gap between the base 104 and cover 106 of the computer. The base 104 and cover 106 are rotatably connected by a hinge 108. The locking

plate 100 fits in the gap between the hinge knuckle 110 of the cover 106, and the base 104. The locking plate 100 normally lies flat on the substantially horizontal surface formed by the key caps of the keyboard 112.

Fig. 2 shows the locking plate 100 inserted through the gap 200 between the base 104 and the opened cover 106. The locking plate 100 fits between risers 202 and 204 which extend upwardly from the base 104. Selected of the rises 202,204, 206 form one or more knuckles 110 of the hinge 108 between the base 104 and cover 106.

A conventional security cable 208 is attached to the locking plate 100 by a conventional padlock 210. The padlock 210 and security cable 208 prevent the locking plate 100 from being withdrawn back through the gap between the base 104 and cover 106, and anchor the computer 102 to a fixed object (not shown).

Fig. 3 shows the computer 102 with the cover 106 in the closed position. The flat locking plate 100 continues to extend through the gap 200 between the base 104 and cover 106 between the risers 202 and 204, and continues to remain secured to the security cable 208 by the lock 210 when the cover 106 is closed.

Details of the Preferred Locking Plate Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the preferred locking plate 100 according to the present invention. The locking plate 100 comprises a stem 400 pierced by a hole 402, and two flanges 404,406 producing a substantially T- shaped locking plate. Stem 400 extends a sufficient distance from the flanges 404,406 to place the hole 402 outside the rear or back edge surface of the computer when the locking plate 100 is in place, thus leaving the hole 402 accessible to be locked to the security cable 208. Since the front-to-rear depth of the gap 200 between the base 104 and cover 106 is typically approximately equal to the thickness of the cover 106, the distance between the flanges 404,406 and the hole 402 and stem 400 is approximately

equal to the thickness of the cover plus the extra distance that the aperture 402 is spaced away from the rear edge surface of the computer 102.

The flanges 404,406 are coplanar with the stem 400, and extend perpendicularly to the stem in opposite directions. The length of each flange is determined by the geometry of the gap between the base 104 and cover 106 of the computer 102. The flanges 404,406 must be long enough to prevent the locking plate 100 from being pulled through the gap 200 from the rear, but not so long as to overlap beyond either side edge surface of the computer. Each flange 404,406 need be no longer than the difference between the width of the stem 400 in the direction parallel to the extension of the flanges and the width of the gap 200 measured between the risers 202,204, plus a suitable additional factor for added security. Thus, a relatively narrow stem 400 will be combined with relatively long flanges 404,406. A relatively wide stem 400 can be accompanied by relatively short flanges 404,406.

The stem 400 and flanges 404,406 of the locking plate 100 are preferably formed from a single sheet of material such as stainless steel. Stainless steel provided a locking plate 100 strong enough to resist cutting or shearing while remaining thin enough to comfortably fit through the gap 200 between the base 104 and cover 106. A sufficiently strong locking plate formed from materials having lower tensile strength than stainless steel would have to be correspondingly thicker, and therefore might not fit through the gap 200 of a conventional notebook computer.

It will be understood, however, that other materials besides stainless steel might be used for the locking plate 100, including very high tensile strength metals such as titanium, and high tensile strength plastics.

As shown in Fig. 5, the ends of the flanges 404, 406 are preferably beveled to eliminate sharp corners and to accommodate projections extending upwardly from the base 104 or downwardly from the cover 106 when the cover is closed.

Fig. 6 shows the aperture 402 extending though the stem 400 of the locking plate 100. The hole 402 is sized to accept a conventional padlock 210 for attaching the security cable 208 to the locking plate 100. It will be understood, however, that other configurations and mechanisms for attaching the locking plate to a securing device are possible. In particular, the distal end of the stem 400 could be shaped to be inserted and locked into a receiver attached to an immovable object.

First Alternate Embodiment Fig. 7 shows a first alternate locking plate 700 according to this invention. The first alternate locking plate 700 includes a stem 702 pierced by hole 704, but only a single flange 706. A single flange 700 is sufficient to secure the computer 102 if the width of the stem is sized such that the stem fits snugly between the risers 202,204 without being capable of significant rotation about the axis perpendicular to the plane of the stem 702 and flange 706.

If such rotation is not possible, then the first alternate locking plate 700 cannot be rotated such that flange 706 can be pulled from the rear of the computer through the gap 200 between the base 104 and cover 106. Again, the flange 706 need only be long enough to prevent the stem 702 from being rotated and withdrawn through the gap 200.

As in the preferred embodiment, the first alternate locking plate 700 is preferably formed from a single sheet of stainless steel with the hole 704 spaced away from the flange 706 a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the cover 106 plus an additional factor to provide easy access for locking and unlocking. Also as in the preferred embodiment, the end of the flange 706 is beveled.

Second Alternate Embodiment Figs. 10-12 show a second alternate locking plate 1000 according to the present invention. The second

alternate locking plate 1000 has two stems 1002,1004 each pierced by a hole 1006,1008, and three flanges 1010,1012, 1014. Flange 1012 extends perpendicularly between the stems 1002,1004 while flanges 1010 and 1014 extend parallel to flange 1012 in opposite directions outwardly from the stems 1002,1004 respectively.

The second alternate locking plate 1000 is suitable for securing a computer having only a single riser extending upwardly from the base. The stems 1002,1004 are separated by a distance sufficient to accept the riser between them. The security cable (not shown) is attached to both of the stems 1002,1004 of the second alternate locking plate 1000, thereby preventing removal of the security cable from the computer without unlocking. As in the preferred and first alternative embodiments, the hole 1006,1008 are spaced outwardly from the flanges 1010,1012,1014 by a distance equal to the thickness of the cover plus an amount suitable to provide convenient access for locking through the holes 1006,1008.

Also as in the preferred and first alternate embodiments, the second alternate locking plate 1000 is preferably formed from a single sheet of stainless steel.

Avantages over the Prior Art The reader will appreciate that the locking plate of this invention conveniently and securely attaches a security cable or other anchoring device to a portable computer both when the cover of the computer is open and when it is closed. The locking plate of this invention does not permanently attach to any part of the computer, thereby preserving the computer's appearance and ability to be stored compactly.

It will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of protection of this invention is limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.