US 5,076,079 AGranted

Anti-theft device for computers and the like

OwnerDavid B. Monoson, Jack Greenfieldinventors

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Abstract

An equipment housing is secured against removal from a clamping assembly which embraces two opposing sides of the equipment housing. Plates are affixed to said opposite sides of the housing by an adhesive means arranged in a unique manner to rely upon its shear strength to prevent unauthorized removal of the equipment or housing or both. The various types of adhesives which may be used in connection with this shear strength locking device may include single part adhesives which consist of liquids of various viscosity, as well as amorphous materials, films and layered films which include various types of double-sided tapes. Another category of adhesives is the multipart material which may consist of two-part epoxies or two-part acrylics. For the most part, high-tack adhesives, which cure at normal room temperatures, are the preferred material. Cyanoacrylates and similar matrials may be used where rapid cure and adhesion of dissimilar parts is required. All of the foregoing materials are included, and are hereinafter referred to as "adhesives." These plates have openings cooperating with pins forming a part of the clamping assembly. The shear strength of the adhesive or glue prevents the equipment housing from being removed from the clamping assembly without demolishing the equipment housing. The clamping assembly is adjustable to accommodate housings of varying sizes. The clamping assembly may be directly affixed to a support or table or alternatively may be affixed to an anchoring structure by a flexible cable.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A security system for preventing unauthorized removal of equipment enclosed in a housing having at least first and second opposed exterior surfaces, said system comprising:

a pair of side plates each having substantially flat opposing surfaces;
a pair of adhesive means each having a first adhesive surface secured to one flat surface of an associated one of said plates and a second adhesive surface secured to an associated one of said first and second housing exterior surfaces;
clamping means cooperating with said side plates and movable between a first position for clamping said side plates and said housing therebetween and a second position wherein said clamping means is displaced from said housing and said side plates;
said clamping means including first and second members each respectively engaging one of said side plates;
said first and second members each having an engaging means and said side plates each having a cooperating engaging means whereby said engaging means of each of said first and second members interengage the cooperating engaging means of an associated side plate to prevent said side plates from sliding in a direction parallel to the surface thereof relative to said member when said side plates and members engage one another, said engaging means and cooperating engaging means being configured to allow separation of each said member from engagement with its side plate as said members are moved in a direction perpendicular to the plane occupied by its respective side plate, whereby the shear strength of the adhesive means prevents the removal of the side plates and the housing from said clamping means against any pulling force exerted on the housing in a direction parallel to the flat surfaces of said side plates, when said clamping means is in the clamping position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.