Clamp lock for portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11746568-B2
Application number	US-202117233684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2021
Priority date	Jun 6, 2017
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A clamp lock includes a body, a lock mechanism coupled to the body, and a clamping member supported by the body and operatively coupled to the lock mechanism. The clamping member and body cooperatively define a slot. The clamping member is movable relative to the body by actuating the lock mechanism from a first position, in which the clamping member is configured to engage the part of the portable electronic device, to a second position, in which the clamping member is configured to disengage the portable electronic device. The clamp lock includes a spring configured to bias the clamping member toward the second position. The slot includes an opening at an outer periphery of the body and an inner channel located inward of the opening. The opening has a first height and the inner channel has a second height that is larger than the first height.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp lock for securing a portable electronic device, the clamp lock comprising:
a body;
a lock mechanism coupled to the body;
a clamping member supported by the body and operatively coupled to the lock mechanism, the clamping member and the body cooperatively defining a slot, the clamping member being movable relative to the body by actuating the lock mechanism from a first position, in which the clamping member is configured to engage the portable electronic device, to a second position, in which the clamping member is configured to disengage the portable electronic device;
a security member coupled to the body and configured to be coupled to an immovable object; and
a spring coupled to the body and configured to bias the clamping member toward the second position,
wherein the slot includes an opening at an outer periphery of the body and an inner channel located inward of the opening, wherein the opening has a first height, and wherein the inner channel has a second height that is larger than the first height.

2. The clamp lock of claim 1 , wherein a height of the slot between the body and the clamping member is a first distance when the lock mechanism is in the first position and is a second distance when the lock mechanism in the second position, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.

3. The clamp lock of claim 1 , wherein the lock mechanism includes a lock cylinder configured to be actuated by a key, and an actuation cam coupled to the lock cylinder for rotation with the lock cylinder.

4. The clamp lock of claim 3 , wherein the actuation cam is operatively coupled to the clamping member, the clamping member being movable relative to the body by actuating the actuation cam.

5. The clamp lock of claim 1 , wherein the clamping member includes a generally planar surface, wherein the generally planar surface is configured to engage the portable electronic device.

6. The clamp lock of claim 1 , wherein the clamping member moves linearly between the first position and the second position.

7. The clamp lock of claim 1 , wherein the security member includes a ferrule secured to the body, and a flexible cable secured to the ferrule.

8. A clamp lock for securing a portable electronic device, the clamp lock comprising:
a generally C-shaped body having a slot formed between a lower leg of the generally C-shaped body and a surface of a portion of the generally C-shaped body facing the lower leg, the slot configured to receive a part of the portable electronic device;
a lock mechanism positioned within the generally C-shaped body, the lock mechanism configured to adjust the clamp lock from a disengaged position, in which the slot has a first height, to an engaged position, in which the slot has a second height that is less than the first height and the part of the portable electronic device is inhibited from being removed from the slot;
a spring positioned within the generally C-shaped body configured to compress relative to a resting position of the spring when in the engaged position and to bias the clamp lock toward the disengaged position; and
a flexible cable coupled to the body and configured to be coupled to an immovable object.

9. The clamp lock of claim 8 , wherein the lock mechanism moves a component of the clamp lock linearly between the disengaged position and the engaged position.

10. The clamp lock of claim 8 , wherein the surface of the portion of the generally C-shaped body that faces the lower leg is a generally planar surface and is configured to engage the part of the portable electronic device in the engaged position.

11. The clamp lock of claim 8 , wherein the slot includes an opening at an outer periphery of the generally C-shaped body and an inner channel located inward of the opening, wherein, in the disengaged position, a height of the slot at the inner channel is greater than a height of the slot at the opening.

12. The clamp lock of claim 11 , wherein, in the engaged position, the height of the slot at the inner channel is greater than the height of the slot at the opening.

13. The clamp lock of claim 8 , wherein the lock mechanism is positioned within the generally C-shaped body opposite the lower leg such that the slot is located between the lock mechanism and the lower leg.

14. A clamp lock for securing a portable electronic device, the clamp lock comprising:
a body having a first body portion and a second body portion, the first body portion having a first surface, the second body portion having a second surface generally parallel to the first surface, the first surface and the second surface defining a slot therebetween, the slot configured to receive part of the portable electronic device, the slot having an opening at an outer periphery of the body and an inner channel located inward of the opening, the opening having a first height, and the inner channel having a second height that is larger than the first height; and
a spring positioned within the body,
wherein the first surface is a generally planar first surface, and the second surface is a generally planar, stepped surface
wherein the clamp lock is configurable between a first position, in which the clamp lock is configured to engage the part of the portable electronic device within the slot, and a second position, in which the clamp lock is configured to disengage the portable electronic device, and
wherein the spring is configured to bias the clamp lock toward the second position.

15. The clamp lock of claim 14 , further comprising a security member coupled to the body and configured to be coupled to an immovable object.

16. The clamp lock of claim 14 , further comprising a lock mechanism supported by the body and configured to secure the clamp lock in the first position.

17. The clamp lock of claim 16 , further comprising an actuation cam coupled to the lock mechanism, wherein the actuation cam is operable to hold the clamp lock in the first position against a bias of the spring.

18. The clamp lock of claim 16 , wherein the lock mechanism moves a component of the clamp lock linearly between the first and second positions.

19. The clamp lock of claim 14 , wherein the second surface is a generally planar surface, wherein the generally planar surface is configured to engage the part of the portable electronic device.

20. The clamp lock of claim 14 , wherein a height of the slot within the inner channel is less in the first position than the height of the slot within the inner channel in the second position.

Assignees

• Acco Brands Corp

Inventors

• Tse Wilson S
• Kao James
• Otsuka Mike D
• Klinkman Alex J
• De Meulenaere William

Classifications

• E05B73/0082 Primary

  for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators · CPC title

• E05B73/0005

  using chains, cables or the like (chain- or cable-locks of the padlock type E05B67/003; lockable clothing hangers or hanger racks E05B69/006) · CPC title