GB2524336A

GB2524336A - A device

Info

Publication number: GB2524336A
Application number: GB1405266.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gloria Ayinnemi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-03-22
Filing date: 2014-03-22
Publication date: 2015-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2034-03-22
Also published as: GB2524336B; GB201405266D0

Abstract

A device for impeding or preventing access to controls on electronic equipment such as personal video recorders, to prevent a child from using the controls. The device comprises a housing 10 having at least a pair of opposed sides and an upper portion, a door which may be hinged on the housing, moveable between and open and a closed positioned wherein the device is positioned in use over an item of electrical equipment so that the door 24 is arranged over the controls in order to permit access to the controls when the door is open. The door may be transparent and include a catch or lock 28; the housing may include attachment means to mount the housing to a surface and further attachment means to connect a second housings together to house a plurality of electrical devices such as VCR, PVR.

Description

A DEVICE

Field of Invention

The pictured embodiment of the invention provides a device for impeding or preventing access to controls of electronic equipment, for example by children.

Brief Descriotion of Figures Figure 1 shows a front view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows an isometric view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the embodiment shown in figure 1.

Detailed Description of the Embodiment

Referring to figures 1 to 3, an embodiment of a device according to the invention comprises: A housing 10 comprising a left 12 and a right 14 hand side portions and an upper portion 16 defining an interior space 18, a front opening 20 and a rear opening 22, the housing being open at its base, A door 24 mounted on one or more hinges 26 to one of the side portions and movable between a closed position in which the door doses at least a part of the front opening and an open position, and A closure means 28 to retain the door in the closed position.

In this embodiment the interior space is configured to receive an article of electronic equipment and to provide a chosen dimension between the outer walls of the article and the walls of the housing. In some embodiments the dimension is in the range 05cm to 10cm, in some embodiments in the range 1cm to 5cm adjacent to one or more of the left and right side portions and the upper portion.

In this embodiment the door closes the front opening in the dosed position. In some embodiments the door partially doses the front opening in the closed position, such that access is impeded to controls on the front panel of the article of equipment.

In this way the device provides a means to partially enclose an article of electronic equipment such that access to controls on the equipment is prevented or impeded, which the equipment is able to operate normally within the housing. Such a device is advantageous in situations where access to the equipment by children is undesirable. For example the electronic equipment may be a personal video recorder (PVR) and access to it may be undesirable by leading to unintentional reprogramming by a child.

In this embodiment the housing tapers in a region 30 adjacent to the front opening such that the dimensions of the front opening are less than the dimensions of the housing at a distance from the opening.

In this embodiment the door comprises a region 34 of transparent material. In some embodiments the door comprises a translucent or a smoked' effect material.

In this embodiment the closure 28 comprises a catch having a twist to unlock operation. In some embodiments the closure comprises a lock, for example openable using a key. In some embodiments the closure is a child-resistant closure having a push and twist action to open the closure.

In some embodiments the housing comprises a rear closure to wholly or partially close the rear opening. In some embodiments the rear closure comprises a bar adapted to fix to the left and the right side portions adjacent to the rear opening. In some embodiments the rear closure is hinged to one of the side portions and is configured to attach to the other side portion.

In some embodiments the rear closure is configured to lock to a side portion. In this way the rear closure is adapted to allow an article of electronic equipment to be placed in the device and then for removal of the article via the rear opening to be prevented by the rear closure means.

In some embodiments the housing comprises one or more attachment points configured to allow the housing to be attached to a surface on which it stands. Such attachment points make comprise lugs provided on the lower edges of the left and adapted to slide under a fixing means attached to the surface.

In some embodiments the housing comprises attachment means to attach a further such device to the first. For example, such attachment means may be provided on the left and/or right side portions. In some embodiments each attachment means may comprise an interlocking first and second feature, for example a first feature being provided on the left side portion and a second feature on the right side portion, so allowing devices to be attached by means of the interlocking features, the right side portion of the first device attaching to the left side portion of the second device.

In some embodiments a spacer means may be incorporated internally or externally, for example wherein at least one screw thread extending spacer is included internally to space the equipment apart from the housing, or space the device from surrounding apparatus.

According to the embodiment the device may be dimensioned to receive a piece of electronic equipment that will typically have a size within a range as customary in the art. Such equipment typically has a width greater than its height and a depth that is less than or equal to its width. In some embodiments the device has a housing having a width left to right in the range 25 to 50cm, a depth in the range 20 to 40cm and a height in the range 8 to 25cm. In some embodiments the width is in the range 30 to 40cm, the depth in the range 25 to 35cm and the height in the range 10 to 20cm.

Referring to figure 3, in this embodiment the device comprises: a housing 10 formed from a sheet material 36 bent to provide the left, right and side portions of the housing, the sheet comprising a stepped profile 38 to allow fixing of a fascia 40; a fascia 40 configured to attach to the sheet component, the fascia comprising an attachment portion 42 adapted to interfrt with the stepped profile 38, and a tapering portion 44 to provide the tapering region 30; two hinges 46 mounted on the inner side of the fascia, two hinge fastenings to attach the hinges to the door by means of fixing knobs 50; a door comprising a sheet of transparent material 34, and a closure 28 mounted on the sheet 34 and adapted to catch to the side of the fascia 40.

The fascia may be formed from for example a metal component, such as of steel or aluminium, or from moulded polymer. The fascia may be detachable from the sheet component 36, and may be interchangeable, for example to provide a different finish to the front of the device. The device may be coloured such that the sheet component 36 is the same colour as the fascia 40, or the fascia may be provided in a choice of colours, for example to colour code or to customise the device.

Further embodiments of the device may include wholly displaceable, detachable panels, or sliding parts, such as the door.

The invention has been described by way of examples only and it will be appreciated that variation may be made to the above-mentioned embodiments without departing from the scope of invention.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realised that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A device for preventing access to controls of electrical equipment comprising: a housing having at least a pair of opposed sides and an upper portion, a door mountable on an open face of the housing, moveable between and open and a closed positioned wherein the device is positioned in use over an item of electrical equipment so that the door is arranged over the controls in order to permit access to the controls when the door is open.
2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the door is hingeably attached to the housing.
3. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the device includes a rear portion.
4. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the device is adapted to be attached to a surface.
5. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the door is transparent or translucent. r
6. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the device includes a closure to maintain the door in a closed position.
7. A device according to any preceding claim having an attachment means for attaching one device to another.
8. A device according to any preceding claim including a fascia.
9. A device according to any preceding claim including a spacer.
10. A device as substantially herein described with reference to the figures.