Apparatus for locking a closed notebook computer on a computer support

Claim 1

An apparatus for locking a closed notebook computer on a computer support, the computer having a computer housing which has a threaded hole formed in an outer surface of the computer housing, a display unit pivoted on the computer housing, and a bolt member engaged threadably within the threaded hole of the computer housing and having a head and a threaded stem, the head of the bolt member having a recess portion which can be rotated by a screwdriver, said apparatus including: a lock support having a counterbore and a shackle hole which are formed therethrough and which intersect each other, said counterbore having a small-diameter portion and a large-diameter portion which has a diameter larger than that of said small-diameter portion, the threaded stem of the bolt member extending through said small-diameter portion of said counterbore of said lock support, the head of the bolt member being located within said large-diameter portion of said lock support and having a diameter greater than that of said small-diameter portion of said counterbore so as to fasten said lock support to the computer housing; a padlock having a lock body and a shackle having two end portions which are locked within said lock body, said shackle extending through said shackle hole of said lock support and covering the recess portion of the bolt member so as to prevent the bolt member from being driven by the screwdriver; and an elongated flexible fixing member fastened to said padlock at one end portion thereof and to the computer support at the other end portion thereof; wherein the improvement comprises: an L-shaped locking plate having a horizontal portion located intermediately over said display unit, and a vertical portion which is secured to said horizontal portion at an upper end thereof and which has an aperture aligned with the threaded hole of the computer, said vertical portion of said locking plate being located between the threaded hole of the computer housing and the lock support so that the bolt member extends through said aperture of said locking plate, thereby preventing the display unit from rotating relative to the computer housing; whereby, when said padlock is opened by an associated key, said padlock can be removed from said lock support so as to permit the screwdriver to access the recess portion of the bolt member, thereby removing said lock support from the computer housing, removal of the lock support from the computer housing permitting the display unit to rotate relative to the computer housing so as to open the computer.

Claim 2

An apparatus for locking a closed notebook computer on a computer support, the computer having a computer housing which has a threaded hole formed in an outer surface of the computer housing, a display unit pivoted on the computer housing, and a bolt member engaged threadably within the threaded hole of the computer housing and having a head and a threaded stem, the head of the bolt member having a recess portion which can be rotated by a screwdriver, said apparatus including: a lock support having a counterbore and a shackle hole which are formed therethrough and which intersect each other, said counterbore having a small-diameter portion and a large-diameter portion which has a diameter larger than that of said small-diameter portion, the threaded stem of the bolt member extending through said small-diameter portion of said counterbore of said lock support, the head of the bolt member being located within said large-diameter portion of said lock support and having a diameter greater than that of said small-diameter portion of said counterbore so as to fasten said lock support to the computer housing; a padlock having a lock body and a shackle having two end portions which are locked within said lock body, said shackle extending through said shackle hole of said lock support and covering the recess portion of the bolt member so as to prevent the bolt member from being driven by the screwdriver; and an elongated flexible fixing member fastened to said padlock at one end portion thereof and to the computer support at the other end portion thereof; wherein the improvement comprises: an L-shaped locking plate having a horizontal portion located intermediately over said display unit, and a vertical portion which is secured to said horizontal portion at an upper end thereof and which has an aperture aligned with the threaded hole of the computer, said vertical portion of said locking plate being located between the threaded hole of the computer housing and the lock support so that the bolt member extends through said aperture of said locking plate, thereby preventing the display unit from rotating relative to the computer housing; whereby, when said padlock is opened by an associated key, said padlock can be removed from said lock support so as to permit the screwdriver to access the recess portion of the bolt member, thereby removing said lock support from the computer housing, removal of the lock support from the computer housing permitting the display unit to rotate relative to the computer housing so as to open the computer.