Housing for electronic device such as a postage meter

Claim 2

An electronic calculating device characterized by: a secure housing (10) which provides protection from tampering and electromagnetic interference for the contents of the housing, which contents include a non-volatile memory (24) for containing accounting information; an access door (13) in the housing providing access to the non-volatile memory (24), the access door being constructed such that opening the door once prevents its use as a door again; and means (15-19; 21, 27) operatively associated with the door (13) for disabling the device from further operation upon opening of the door while permitting electrical communication with the non-volatile memory.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said disabling means comprises a switch (56) which is operated by opening of the door.

Claim 4

An electronic calculating device characterized by: memory means (24) for having accounting information registered therein; a control means (30) for calculating said accounting information and entering the information into the memory means; a power supply (40) for providing power to the control means; a switch means (56) having a first position in which an electrical connection is provided between the power supply (40) and the control means (30) and a second position in which the power supply is disconnected from the control means, the switch means being in the first position during normal operation of the calculating device; a secured housing (16) enclosing the memory means (24), the control means (30) and the switch means (56) and preventing access thereto during normal operation of the calculating device; an aperture (20) in the housing permitting access to the memory means to read out accounting information registered therein; and a removable door covering the aperture, wherein removal of the door from the aperture moves the switch means (56) from the first position to the second position to disconnect the control means from the power supply and thereby to disable the calculating device from further normal operation while permitting readout of the accounting information through the aperture.

Claim 5

An electronic calculating device characterized by: memory means (24) for having accounting information registered therein; a control means (30) for calculating said accounting information and entering the information into the memory means; a power supply (40) for providing power to the control means; a switch means (56) having a first position in which an electrical connection is provided between the power supply (40) and the control means (30) and a second position in which the power supply is disconnected from the control means, the switch means being in the first position during normal operation of the calculating device; a secured housing (16) enclosing the memory means (24), the control means (30) and the switch means (56) and preventing access thereto during normal operation of the calculating device; an aperture (20) in the housing permitting access to the memory means to read out accounting information registered therein; and a removable door covering the aperture, wherein removal of the door from the aperture moves the switch means (56) from the first position to the second position to disconnect the control means from the power supply and thereby to disable the calculating device from further normal operation while permitting readout of the accounting information through the aperture.

Claim 6

An electronic calculating device charaterized by: nonvolatile memory means (24) for having accounting information registered therein; a control means (30) for calculating the accounting information and entering the information into the nonvolatile memory means (24); a power supply (40) for providing power to the control means; a two position electrical switch means (56) having a first switch position which provides a completed circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) and a second switch position in which the circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) is disconnected, the switch means being in the first position during normal operation of the calculating device; a secured housing (10) enclosing the non-volatile memory means (24), the control means (30) and the switch means (56) and preventing access thereto during normal operation of the calculating device; an access aperture (20) in the housing permitting access to the nonvolatile memory (24) to read out accounting information registered therein; and a removable door (13) covering the aperture, wherein removal of the door (13) from the access aperture (28) causes the switch means (56) to move from the first position to the second position to disconnect the control means (30) from the power supply (40) thereby disabling the calculating device from further normal operation.

Claim 7

An electronic calculating device charaterized by: nonvolatile memory means (24) for having accounting information registered therein; a control means (30) for calculating the accounting information and entering the information into the nonvolatile memory means (24); a power supply (40) for providing power to the control means; a two position electrical switch means (56) having a first switch position which provides a completed circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) and a second switch position in which the circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) is disconnected, the switch means being in the first position during normal operation of the calculating device; a secured housing (10) enclosing the non-volatile memory means (24), the control means (30) and the switch means (56) and preventing access thereto during normal operation of the calculating device; an access aperture (20) in the housing permitting access to the nonvolatile memory (24) to read out accounting information registered therein; and a removable door (13) covering the aperture, wherein removal of the door (13) from the access aperture (28) causes the switch means (56) to move from the first position to the second position to disconnect the control means (30) from the power supply (40) thereby disabling the calculating device from further normal operation.

Claim 8

An electronic calculating device characterized by: nonvolatile memory means (24) for having postage funds accounting information registered therein; a control means (30) for calculating the accounting information and entering the information into the nonvolatile memory means (24); a power supply (40) for providing power to the control means (30); a two position electrical switch means (56) having a first switch position which provides a completed circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) and a second switch position in which the circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) is disconnected, the switch means being in the first position during normal operation of the device; a secured housing (10) enclosing the nonvolatile memory means (24), the control means (30) and the switch means (56) and preventing access thereto during normal operation of the device; a door (13) formed in the housing and interconnected with the switch means; and an access aperture (20) formed when the door is removed permitting access to the nonvolatile memory means (24) to read out postage funds accounting information registered therein, wherein removal of the door moves the switch means (56) from the first position to the second position to disconnect the control means from the power supply thereby disabling the device from further normal operation while permitting read out of the postage funds accounting information from the memory means through the aperture.

Claim 9

An electronic calculating device characterized by: nonvolatile memory means (24) for having postage funds accounting information registered therein; a control means (30) for calculating the accounting information and entering the information into the nonvolatile memory means (24); a power supply (40) for providing power to the control means (30); a two position electrical switch means (56) having a first switch position which provides a completed circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) and a second switch position in which the circuit from the power supply (40) to the control means (30) is disconnected, the switch means being in the first position during normal operation of the device; a secured housing (10) enclosing the nonvolatile memory means (24), the control means (30) and the switch means (56) and preventing access thereto during normal operation of the device; a door (13) formed in the housing and interconnected with the switch means; and an access aperture (20) formed when the door is removed permitting access to the nonvolatile memory means (24) to read out postage funds accounting information registered therein, wherein removal of the door moves the switch means (56) from the first position to the second position to disconnect the control means from the power supply thereby disabling the device from further normal operation while permitting read out of the postage funds accounting information from the memory means through the aperture.

Claim 11

A device according to claim 6 characterized in that said door (13) forms a break-away member.

Claim 12

A device according to claim 7, characterized in that the break-away member (13) has a lever arm (21) mounted thereon and in operative engagement with the switch means (56) for moving the switch to the second position.

Claim 13

A device according to claim 3 or 4 characterized in that said door forms the access aperture when the door is removed.