Remote Actuator Security Apparatus for Portable Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional security apparatuses for portable electronic devices are often bulky, obstructing ports and design aesthetics, and fail to securely engage newer, slimmer devices without interfering with their functionality.
Innovation Solution
A security apparatus featuring a cable with a lock head and an actuator assembly positioned remotely to minimize interference, allowing the lock head to be securely engaged and disengaged without blocking device ports, utilizing an expandable portion and biasing members for secure attachment and detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional security apparatuses are used to secure portable electronic devices, then the devices are locked in place, but the security apparatus blocks other ports (USB ports, power ports, headphone jacks) of the devices
Solution Approach 1:
The security apparatus is divided into separate functional components: a lock head that engages with the device and a cable that transmits force. This segmentation allows the lock head to be small and non-obstructive while the cable extends the actuation mechanism away from the device ports, resolving the contradiction between secure engagement and port accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the security mechanism into the third dimension by using a cable that projects away from the device. Instead of having the entire security apparatus at the device surface (2D), the cable creates a 3D spatial arrangement where the actuator can be positioned remotely, preventing interference with ports while maintaining secure engagement.
2Reliability
If conventional security apparatuses are used to secure portable electronic devices, then the devices are locked in place, but the security apparatus is bulky relative to the slim industrial design of newer devices
Solution Approach 1:
The bulk of the security apparatus is extracted from the device interface and placed in the cable assembly. The lock head itself is minimized to only the essential engagement components, while the cable contains the actuation mechanism. This extraction allows the device to maintain its slim profile while the security function is provided by the separate cable assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable assembly uses flexible, thin-walled construction to provide the necessary structural integrity for security engagement while maintaining a slim, unobtrusive profile. The flexible cable can be routed away from the device without adding significant bulk to the device itself, preserving the slim industrial design.
3Ease of operation
If the actuator assembly is positioned close to the lock head, then the cable length is reduced, but the actuator assembly blocks device ports and interferes with device operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cable acts as an intermediary element between the actuator assembly and the lock head. It transmits the actuation force over a distance, allowing the actuator to be positioned away from the device ports. This intermediary enables both actuator accessibility and port unobstruction by decoupling the spatial relationship between these components.
Data Source
AI summary
A security apparatus for a portable electronic device includes a force-transmission member having a length, a first end, and a second end. A lock head is coupled to the first end of the force-transmission member, the lock head configured to selectively engage the electronic device and movable by the force-transmission member between a locked position, in which the lock head is secured to the electronic device, and an unlocked position, in which the lock head is unsecured from the electronic device. An actuator assembly is spaced a distance from the lock head along the length of the force-transmission member. The actuator assembly includes a body and a manual actuator pivotally coupled to the body, the manual actuator being pivotable from a first position to a second position to move the movable member relative to the body such that the lock head moves from the unlocked position to the locked position.