Patent Application
20060138915
The present invention generally relates to a field of theft prevention of office equipment. Specifically, the present invention relates to a mobile computer security cabinet that is designed to prevent theft of computers or components of computers.
In today's world, computers are an essential part of almost every business. Computers control, manage, operate, and assist individuals in many different tasks. For example, computers assist in generating a marketing analysis, monitoring readout signals, displaying results of analysis, allowing individuals to modify operations of other machines. A lot of times, computers are left unattended by their operators and are subject to theft. Theft may happen anywhere, including, offices, factories, homes, and other facilities. For example, a computer, controlling or monitoring operation of a conveyer belt on a factory floor, may be subject to being stolen by an unauthorized intruder. Theft results in additional expenditures in connection with replacement of the computer equipment. More importantly, computer theft often results in a loss of valuable data that may be difficult or impossible to replace.
Current computer security systems are designed to tie computer components to a wall, a floor, or other immovable object. However, such systems can be easily circumvented. Further, computer equipment can be vandalized. Other security systems provide safe-like systems, where the entire computer equipment is locked away. Even though this prevents theft it also denies any access to the equipment until locked.
Therefore, there is a need for a mobile computer security system capable of providing mobility yet substantially total security for the computer equipment, allowing partial view of the equipment and partial access to the equipment when necessary. The present invention provides a solution to the above problem.
The present invention relates to a mobile computer security cabinet designed to prevent full access to computer equipment contained in its interior portion. At the same time, the cabinet allows authorized partial and/or total access from its front and/or back. The cabinet also allows monitoring of the computer equipment without accessing it. Further, the computer cabinet provides mobility for the computer equipment.
In an embodiment, the mobile computer security cabinet includes a monitor enclosure configured to contain monitor computer equipment and having doors in the front and back of the cabinet. The cabinet also includes a central processing unit (“CPU”) or a computer equipment enclosure configured to contain a CPU, a printer and other computer related equipment. The enclosure also includes doors in the front and back of the cabinet. The cabinet also includes a keyboard and/or mouse enclosure spaced between the monitor enclosure and the CPU enclosure. The keyboard enclosure further includes a drawer, which slides out of the keyboard enclosure and exposes its interior portion without providing access to the monitor and the CPU enclosures. The monitor enclosure further includes a see-through window placed in its front door to allow a user to view the monitor without opening the door. The three enclosures communicate with each other through a channel. The channel is composed of a plurality of openings made in the enclosures. Wires connecting the computer equipment can pass through the channel. The cabinet also includes at least one wheel assembly coupled to the CPU enclosure, hence, providing mobility to the cabinet.
Further features and advantages of the invention, as well as structure and operation of various embodiments of the invention, are disclosed in detail below will reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. Additionally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.
The present invention is a mobile computer security cabinet. The computer cabinet includes three enclosures. The enclosures accommodate a computer or other computer related equipment and paraphernalia. A first enclosure accommodates a monitor. A second enclosure accommodates keyboard and a mouse. A third enclosure accommodates a central processing unit, printer, computer manuals, and other things. The second enclosure is spaced between the first and the third enclosures. The three enclosures communicate with each other using a channel composed of a plurality of openings made in interior portions of the three enclosures. Wires connecting the computer equipment can be placed in the channel. Such arrangement provides greater security to the computer equipment placed in the cabinet. In an alternate embodiment, the enclosures can be designed so that one enclosure can be accessed through another. This arrangement provides lesser security and may be suitable for locations where maximum security of computer equipment is not absolutely necessary.
The first and third enclosures include doors in the front and back of the cabinet. The doors are attached to the cabinet using hinges, clips, or other methods. Locks are placed on the doors to further secured them to the cabinet. The locks can be placed anywhere on the doors and the cabinet. When the doors are locked, the access to the interior portion of the cabinet is restricted.
The front door of the first enclosures includes a see-through window. The see-through window allows a user to view the monitor's screen.
The second enclosure includes a drawer that slides out. The drawer accommodates the keyboard and mouse. The drawer can be locked to the cabinet using a lock.
The computer cabinet can be manufactured from steel, metal, plastic, or any other material that can provide enough security to substantially prevent theft of computer components contained inside. In an embodiment, the computer cabinet can be manufactured from heavy steel or other metal to prevent it from being easily rolled away by unauthorized persons. The front's see-through window can be manufactured from thick plastic, glass, or other material. It allows a user to observe the monitor's screen and prevents breaking the glass to steal or damage the monitor.
The cabinet 100 further includes a top 111, a bottom 113, a first side 115, a second side 117, and a front 119. The top 111, a portion of the first side 115, a portion of the second side 117 and a portion of the front 119 enclose the top enclosure 102. The bottom 113, a further portion of the first side 115, further portion of the second side 117, and further portion of the front 119 enclose the bottom enclosure 106. The middle enclosure 104 is enclosed by a yet further portion of the front 119, yet further portion of the first side 115, yet further portion of the second side 117, the top enclosure 102 and the bottom enclosure 106.
The wheels assembly 108 is attached to the bottom 113 of the cabinet 100, as shown in
The top enclosure 102 further includes a top door 110. The top door 110 further includes a window 122 and a locking mechanism 116. As shown in
The window 122 is placed in a center portion of the top door 110. It is sized so that when a computer monitor is placed in an interior cavity of the top enclosure 102, the monitor's screen is visible through the window 122. The window 122 may be manufactured from a break-resistant glass, bullet proof glass or any other material capable of providing any level of security.
The bottom enclosure 106 includes a bottom door 114 and a locking mechanism 118. The bottom door 114 is coupled to the second side 117 and has the locking mechanism 118 interacting with a locking mechanism attached to the first side 115 (not shown in
The middle enclosure 104 includes a middle door 112 and a locking mechanism 120. The middle door 112 is sized to fit between the top door 110 and the bottom door 114. In an embodiment, the middle door 112 can be attached to a drawer that fits inside the middle enclosure 104. In an alternate embodiment, the middle door 112 is hinged to the one of the first or second sides 115, 117, respectively. As shown in
The back top door 225 further includes a locking mechanism 227. In an embodiment, the back top door 225 hinges to the first side 115 of the cabinet 100. Then, the locking mechanism 227 interacts with a corresponding locking mechanism located in the interior portion of the top 102 and attached to the second side 117.
In an embodiment, the middle portion 104 is sealed off in the back 221, as shown in
Similar to the back top door 225, the back bottom door 231 is hinged to the first side 115 of the cabinet 100. The back bottom door 231 further includes a locking mechanism 229. In an embodiment, the locking mechanism 229 interacts with a corresponding locking mechanism attached to the second side 117 in the interior of the bottom 106.
The back 221 of the cabinet 100 further includes wheel assemblies 108(c, d). In an embodiment, the wheel assemblies 108 can be stationary support structures, thus, preventing roll of the cabinet.
The middle enclosure 104 includes a drawer 302. The drawer 302 slides out of an interior portion 310 of the middle enclosure 104. The drawer 302 can use conventional sliding mechanisms used for drawers of this type. The interior portion 310 is shown in dashed lines in
In an embodiment, the drawer 302 can be partial length of the middle enclosure 104 (as shown in
The door 110 is coupled to the first side 115 using two hinges 503 and 505. As can be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art at least one hinge can be used to attach the door 110 to the first side 115. The door 110 also includes a locking mechanism 516, which interacts with a locking mechanism 507 coupled to the second side 117. In an embodiment, the locking mechanisms 507 and 516 can be a male and a female part of a single lock. A key would be used to secure the two locking mechanisms together to lock the top enclosure 102. As can be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art, the locking mechanisms 507 and 516 can be oppositely charged magnets, electronic locks, combination safe locks, or any other locking structures capable of preventing unauthorized access to the interior portion 510 of the top enclosure 102 when locked.
Further, the locking mechanisms 507 and 516 can be attached to the first side 115 or the top 111 or the section where the middle enclosure 104 contacts the top enclosure 102. The hinges 503 and 505 can be attached in a similar fashion.
To open the door 110 and expose the interior of the top enclosure 102, a user pulls the bottom of the door 110 in an upward direction (or downward, or rightward, or leftward, depending on the arrangement of the sliding mechanism 1010), as shown in the upper portion of
To remove the door from, the user repeats the above steps in reverse. In other words, the user pulls on the door 110 to slide it out of the interior of the top enclosure 102 and lower it to close the interior. As can be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art, the door 110 can be a single piece panel, as shown in
The door 114 is coupled to the first side 115 using hinges 623 and 625. As can be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art at least one hinge can be used to attach the door 114 to the first side 115. The door 114 also includes a locking mechanism 618, which interacts with a locking mechanism 620 coupled to the second side 117. In an embodiment, the locking mechanisms 618 and 620 can be a male and a female part of a single lock. A key would be used to secure the two locking mechanisms together to lock the bottom enclosure 106. As can be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art, the locking mechanisms 618 and 620 can be oppositely charged magnets, electronic locks, combination safe locks, or any other locking mechanisms capable of preventing unauthorized access to the interior portion 610 of the bottom enclosure 106, when locked.
Further, the locking mechanisms 618 and 620 can be attached to the first side 115 or the bottom 113 or the section where the middle enclosure 104 contacts the bottom enclosure 106. The hinges 623 and 625 can be attached in a similar fashion.
Similarly to the top and bottom enclosures 102, 106, in an embodiment, the locking mechanisms 740 and 750 can be a male and a female part of a single lock. A key would be used to secure the two locking mechanisms together to lock the middle enclosure 104. As can be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art, the locking mechanisms 740 and 750 can be oppositely charged magnets, electronic locks, combination safe locks, or any other locking structures capable of preventing unauthorized access to the interior portion 310 of the middle enclosure 104 when locked.
The top enclosure 802 includes two interior portions subdivided by a top plate 831. Similarly, the bottom enclosure 806 includes two interior portions subdivided by a bottom plate 832. In an embodiment, the middle enclosure 804 also can be subdivided by a plate. However,
The front portion of the top enclosure 802 includes two top front doors 810a and 810b covering the two sections of the top enclosure 802. Each top front door 810(a, b) includes a corresponding locking mechanism 816(a, b) and a corresponding window 822(a, b).
Similar to the embodiments shown in
The front portion of the bottom enclosure 806 includes two bottom front doors 814a and 814b covering the two sections of the bottom enclosure 806. Each bottom front door 814(a, b) includes a corresponding locking mechanism 818(a, b).
The cabinet 800 can also include a channel or channels similar to the channel 361, shown in
As can be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art, other arrangements of doors 951 and 952 are possible. Further any number of doors can be used in the top, bottom and/or middle enclosures whether in the front or the back of the mobile computer security cabinet. Further, the computer cabinet is not limited to the size and shape shown in
In order to place computer equipment into the cabinet, the user would access the cabinet from the front. A front door in the top enclosure would be opened (and unlocked, if previously locked) and a monitor and/or CPU would be placed. Wires from the monitor and/or CPU would be running in the back of the monitor and/or CPU. The drawer in the middle enclosure can be slid out to expose the interior cavity and a keyboard/mouse would be placed in it. The wires from the keyboard/mouse would run in the back. A front door of the bottom enclosure would be opened and various computer equipment would be placed inside.
A user would then access the interior cavities of the enclosures from the back by opening the back doors of the cabinet and connecting the computer equipment. Then, the cabinet doors would be locked. The middle enclosure's drawer can also be locked, thus, preventing access to the keyboard. However, the drawer can remain open if entry of date is desired.
The above computer equipment can be placed into the cabinet at a first location. Then, the cabinet can be rolled to a second location and connected to other equipment. A user can observe the monitor of the computer equipment through the see-through window placed in the top enclosure.
Example embodiments of the methods, and components of the present invention have been described herein. As noted elsewhere, these example embodiments have been described for illustrative purposes only, and are not limiting. Other embodiments are possible and are covered by the invention. Such embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art(s) based on the teachings contained herein. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
