Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Actuators
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-04
2003-12-09
Easthom, Karl D. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Actuators
C200S329000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06660952
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to safety switches and more particularly to an improved safety switch adapted to be installed within an electronic device (e.g., computer) so as to inhibit the theft of internal electronic elements.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, a safety switch is installed within an electronic device (e.g., computer) for preventing its housing or the internal electronic elements installed therein from being opened or touched by an unauthorized third party as well as issuing a warning alarm by the electronic device if such unauthorized action is occurred. Typically, a connector at one end of a signal cable extended from a trigger switch of the safety switch is electrically coupled to one of the internal electronic elements of the electronic device. The safety switch is secured to the inner wall of the housing of the electronic device enabling the trigger switch to sense whether the housing is being opened. Therefore, the location of securing the safety switch to the inner wall of the housing is critical to success of its desired purposes. Recently, the importance of the safety switch is particularly significant because the current electronic elements are very delicate and even expensive. An unauthorized opening of the housing of the electronic device and a subsequent manipulation of its internal electronic elements by a third party may damage the electronic elements. Hence, the safety switch should be well designed in order to inhibit such unauthorized action.
As stated above, the configuration of the well known safety switch comprises a trigger switch, a signal cable, a connector at one end of the signal cable electrically coupled to one of internal electronic elements of the electronic device, which is secured to the inner wall of the housing of the electronic device for sensing an unauthorized opening of the housing of the electronic device and a subsequent manipulation of its internal electronic elements by a third party and issuing a warning signal by the electronic device to inhibit the unauthorized action.
However, the prior art safety switch suffered from several disadvantages. For example, any pulling action to the signal cable happened in the testing procedures in the manufacturing factory may cause a poor contact of the signal cable with the internal electronic element or the trigger switch, or even disengage the connector from the internal electronic element or the signal cable from the trigger switch. This will increase the number of defect products, resulting in an increase of both maintaining cost and time after selling. Unfortunately, it is frequently occurred in assembly and test procedures in the manufacturing process. To the worse, the connector of the safety switch may be disengaged from the internal electronic element due to an inadvertent pulling in maintenance of the electronic device in the future. This can bring inconvenience to users.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved safety switch installed within an electronic device in order to overcome the above drawbacks of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a safety switch in an electronic device comprising a seat comprising an opening, a cavity in the opening, a first cylinder in the opening, a second cylinder in the opening, and at least one snapping member at either edge of the opening so as to fasten the seat to an inner wall of a housing of the electronic device. With this arrangement, the present invention can prevent the housing from being opened and prevent internal electronic elements of the electronic device from being touched by an unauthorized third party as well as issuing a warning signal by the the electronic device. The seat further comprises a gap on the bottom of the opening. The second cylinder is spaced apart from the first cylinder. The safety switch further comprises a trigger switch fitted in the cavity of the opening, the trigger switch comprising a signal cable extended therefrom wherein one end of the signal cable is formed as a connector, the signal cable runs the lower surface of the first cylinder prior to going up to run the upper surface of the second cylinder, and the signal cable passes through the gap on the bottom of the opening for exposing the connector. An additional support is provided to the signal cable by both the first and second cylinders as a pulling force is exerted on the signal cable for preventing the pulling force from transmitting to the trigger switch along the signal cable to cause a poor contact of the trigger switch with the signal cable or a disengagement of the trigger switch from the signal cable. By utilizing this safety switch, it is possible of overcoming the above drawbacks of the prior art, i.e., a pulling of the signal cable causes a poor contact of the trigger switch with the signal cable or even disengages the trigger switch from the signal cable and an increase of the number of defect products.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4210380 (1980-07-01), Brzostek
patent: 5070219 (1991-12-01), Grosskrueger et al.
patent: 5244415 (1993-09-01), Marsilio et al.
patent: 5329083 (1994-07-01), Lai
patent: 5533911 (1996-07-01), Elam
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Easthom Karl D.
First International Computer Inc.
Fishman M.
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