Mechanical lock for a removable hard disk drive and a removable memory card

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by a mechanical lock for engagement with the chassis of a computer that prevents the removal of one or both of a removable hard disk drive and a removable memory card.
In one illustrative embodiment, the mechanical lock comprises a locking member that is adapted to prevent the opening of a door to a hard disk drive compartment in the chassis of a portable computer.
According to this embodiment, the door to the hard disk drive compartment is maintained in a closed position by a sliding bar which engages the chassis of the portable computer.
To provide access to the compartment, the sliding bar must be disengaged from the chassis.
The locking member of the mechanical lock engages the sliding bar and prevents the disengagement of the bar from the chassis.
Accordingly, when the mechanical lock is installed on a portable computer and the locking member is engaged with the sliding bar, a removable hard disk drive disposed in the hard disk drive compartment is locked within the portable computer.
In this embodiment, the mechanical lock also includes a flange that prevents the ejection of a memory card from a memory card slot disposed in the chassis of a portable computer.
The flange may cover and prevent actuation of the memory card eject buttons or may partially block the memory card slots.
Accordingly, when the mechanical lock is installed on a portable computer, a removable memory card disposed in a memory card slot is locked within the portable computer.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the flange of the mechanical lock is disposed in the path of and prevents the opening of the door to the hard disk drive compartment.
Accordingly, when the mechanical lock of this embodiment is installed on a portable computer, a removable hard disk drive disposed in the hard disk drive compartment is locked within the portable computer.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the locking member of the mechanical lock engages the door to the hard disk drive compartment and prevents the opening of the door