MOBILE WORKSTATION

Abstract

A mobile workstation comprises a generally horizontal work surface and a plurality of support structures coupled to the work station to support the work surface above a floor. The mobile workstation is configured to permit the workstation to be moved from one work area to another.

Description

This application claims priority under U.S.C. §119(c) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/807,132, filed Jul. 12, 2006, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to workstations for use in an office, classroom or other facility. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a portable workstation that allows for ease of configuring a workspace.

Generally, workstations are designed to provide a user with a place to conduct business or perform work and can be used in combination with a computer system and other devices to increase productivity. Workstations are, generally, fixed structures in the form of cubicles or desks having a horizontal work surface. Workstations are often heavy and cumbersome structures that cannot be easily moved from one place to another without the aid of multiple people and the need for partial or full disassembly.

SUMMARY

According to the present disclosure, a mobile workstation comprises a generally horizontal work surface and a plurality of support structures coupled to the work station to support the work surface above a floor. The work surface and support structures are arranged to permit use of the work surface by a user sitting in a chair. The mobile workstation is designed to permit the workstation to be transported from one work area to another and permit a classroom, office, or conference center to be rearranged to meet specific needs. Transportation of the workstation is accomplished by “tilting” and “rolling” the work station to a desired location.

In illustrative embodiments, the mobile workstation includes a horizontal work surface supported by a “tripod style” support structure having two front legs and a centrally located posterior column. The column includes a wedge-shaped bottom surface that tapers toward the front of the column to form a leading edge. The column also includes wheels that are attached to the base of the column rearward of the leading edge and arranged so that when the workstation is level, the wheels are elevated off of the floor. When the workstation is being used, the front legs and the leading edge of the column are engaged with the floor to limit movement of the workstation. The workstation can be moved by raising the front end of the workstation, which re-elevates the front legs and the leading edge of the column off of the floor causing the wheels to engage the floor and permit movement of the workstation about the wheels.

The column of the mobile workstation, comprises various power, universal serial bus (USB), and computer networking ports to provide hub functionality for USB computer peripherals or to provide pass-through connectivity to facility power outlets and computer networking. The column of the mobile workstation also includes a shelf for supporting and elevating a computer tower off of the floor. The column also includes an electrical accessory port adapted to receive lighting or a computer monitor.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompany figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mobile workstation, in accordance with the present disclosure, having a planar work surface supported by a “tripod-style” support structure having two front legs and a truck located at the rear of the work surface, wherein the truck includes a wedge-shaped bottom surface defining a wheel lifter and wheels attached to the base of the truck and arranged so that when the work station is level, the front legs and the leading edge of the wheel lifter engage the floor to limit movement, as shown in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 5; the workstation can be moved by lifting the front end of the workstation, which elevates the front legs and the leading edge of the wheel lifter off of the floor to permit movement of the workstation about the wheels, as shown in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 6;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the workstation of FIG. 1, showing the positioning of the legs and truck with respect to the work surface;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the workstation of FIG. 1 showing the orientation of the legs and truck with respect to the work surface;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the workstation, similar to FIG. 1 showing the orientation of the truck along the posterior side of the workstation;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the workstation of FIG. 1 showing the workstation in a level use position with the front legs and the leading edge of the wheel lifter in contact with the floor and the wheels elevated off of the floor;

FIG. 5a is an enlarged side elevation view of the wheel lifter of FIG. 5 with portions broken away;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the workstation showing the workstation in a transport position with the front portion of the workstation being raised to elevate the front legs and the leading edge of the wheel lifter off of the floor to permit movement of the workstation about the wheels;

FIG. 6a is an enlarged side elevation view of the wheel lifter of FIG. 6 with portions broken away;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the truck showing various power, USB, and computer networking ports that provide hub functionality for USB computer peripherals or pass through connectivity to facility power outlets and computer networking;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 7 showing a lighting accessory coupled to the truck of the workstation;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIGS. 7 and 8 showing a computer monitor coupled to the truck of the workstation;

FIG. 10 is a side view of the mobile workstation showing a support shelf for supporting a computer tower and further showing a telescoping monitor secured to the rear side of the truck; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the workstation truck illustrating the support shelf supporting a computer tower.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A mobile workstation 10 is designed to permit a user to raise the front of the workstation off of an underlying surface 11 to move workstation 10 to a desired location about wheels 48, as shown in the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 6. Workstation 10 includes a work table 12, a truck 16, and a lifting wedge 17.

Work table 12 is supported, in part, by legs 14, as shown, for example, in FIG. 1. The remainder of work table 12 is supported by truck 16. Work table 12 can be manufactured from a variety of materials, including plastics, wood, and wood products that may be covered with a laminate or other material to create a smooth work surface. Work table 12 includes apertures 18 to permit the passage of cables and power cords from computer equipment or lighting.

Work table 12 includes a front edge 20 and a spaced-apart rear edge 22. Work table 12 also includes a top surface 24 and a spaced-apart bottom surface 26. In illustrative embodiments, truck 16 is positioned adjacent rear edge 22 of work table 12, and legs 14 are positioned adjacent front edge 20. Work table 12 is a rigid structure that can support a computer and/or monitor and is set at an elevation to permit a standard chair and the legs of the user to fit beneath work table 12.

When workstation 10 is moved to a desired location, the front of workstation 10 is lowered to return workstation 10 to a use position, as shown, for example, in FIG. 5. In the use position, legs 14 and lifting wedge 17 are in contact with underlying surface 11, while wheels 48 are elevated off of underlying surface 11. In a transport position, legs 14 and lifting wedge 17 are moved away from underlying surface 11 while wheels 48 engage underlying surface 11 to permit movement of work station 10. In illustrative embodiments, truck 16 includes a series of conductivity ports to permit the connection of computer equipment and other tools or accessories to workstation 10 as shown, for example, in FIG. 7.

Legs 14 of workstation 10 support work table 12 and include a first end 34 and a spaced apart second end 36 as shown, for example, in FIG. 1. Legs 14 extend downwardly from bottom surface 26 of work table 12 in direction 32, adjacent front edge 20. While legs 14 are preferably manufactured from steel, it is contemplated that other materials can be used to manufacture legs 14 while still allowing them to perform their intended function, including aluminum, wood, and composite materials. Legs 14 can also be solid or hollow. Legs 14 include first end 34, positioned to lie adjacent work table 12 and spaced apart from second end 36 positioned to lie adjacent underlying surface 11. First end 34 of leg 14 is coupled to horizontal support member 30. Second end 36 of legs 14 includes anti-skid caps 40 that have a high coefficient of friction to resist movement when leg 14 is in contact with underlying surface 11. Legs 14 are slightly arched in order to position second end 36 of leg 14 outward from front edge 20 of work table 12.

Truck 16 is positioned to lie adjacent rear edge 22 of work table 12 and essentially provides a third leg to support work table 12. Truck 16 includes a base 21, wheels 48, and an axle 49. Base 21 includes a first end 54, and a spaced apart second end 56. Base 21 further includes a bottom surface 29 having a generally horizontal portion 31 and a downwardly facing angled portion 33. Angled support members 46 and work table 12 are positioned to lie adjacent first end 54 of base 21.

In illustrative embodiments, base 21 also includes a relatively planar first side 58 and a substantially curved second side 60. First and second sides 58, 60 meet along edges 62, 64 respectively. Base 21 is preferably manufactured from a plastics material. While a plastics material is preferred, it is contemplated that other materials may be used to manufacture base 21. Base 21 also includes a top surface 70 that is sloped downward from edge 72 to edge 74. Top surface 70 of base 21 may include necessary ports as described in more detail below.

Lifting wedge 17 is coupled to and depends from base 21. Lifting wedge 17 provides means for lifting wheels 48 away from underlying surface 11 to inhibit movement of work table 12 and truck 16 relative to underlying surface 11 in response to a tipping movement 51 of work table 12 and truck 16 relative to underlying surface 11 as shown in FIGS. 1-5. Lifting wedge 17 includes a top surface 23, a downwardly facing angled surface 25, and a vertical surface 27 as shown best in FIGS. 5a and 6a. Top surface 23 is coupled to generally horizontal portion 31 of base 21 such that downwardly facing angled surface 25 and downwardly facing angled portion 33 form a co-planar surface 35. Vertical surface 27 and downwardly facing angled surface 25 cooperate to define a leading edge 68.

In the use position, co-planar surface 35 and underlying surface 11 cooperate to define a first acute included angle 37 therebetween as shown in FIG. 5a. In the transport position, co-planar surface 35 and underlying surface 11 cooperate to define a second acute included angle 39 therebetween which is smaller than first acute included angle 37 as shown in FIG. 6a.

In illustrative embodiments, an axle 49 is coupled to base 21 and configured to support wheels 48 for rotation about an axis of rotation 53 as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 3. Wheels 48 permit workstation 10 to be moved around when truck 16 is tilted to the transport position.

In illustrative embodiments, FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a “tilt and roll” feature of workstation 10. FIG. 5 illustrates workstation 10 in the static use position with legs 14 and leading edge 68 of lifting wedge 17 positioned on underlying surface 11. When leading edge 68 and legs 14 are positioned to engage underlying surface 11, wheels 48 are moved away from underlying surface 11 to create a gap 76 between a lowest point 41 of wheels 48 and underlying surface 11. In the use position, work table 12 is oriented parallel to underlying surface 11 to provide a substantially horizontal work surface. When workstation 10 is in the use position, the user can position their legs and chair under the work table 12.

When it is desirable to move workstation 10 to a different location, front edge 20 of work table 12 is raised by the user causing legs 14 to move away from underlying surface 11 as suggested in FIG. 6. Raising work table 12 also causes leading edge 68 of lifting wedge 17 to move away from underlying surface 11 causing wheels 48 to engage underlying surface 11 to permit movement of work station 10 about wheels 48 in fore and aft directions. In the transport position suggested in FIG. 6 and 6a, lowest point 41 of wheels 48 engages underlying surface 11 and leading edge 68 disengages and moves away from underlying surface 11 in response to the tipping movement 51 to create a gap 78 therebetween.

Once a desired location is selected, the user lowers front edge 20 of work table 12 so that legs 14 and leading edge 68 of lifting wedge 17 once again engage underlying surface 11 to return workstation 10 to the use position. In the use position, wheels 48 are once again moved away from underlying surface 11.

Horizontal support members 30 each include a first end 42 and a spaced apart second end 44. While horizontal member 30 is preferably tubular, as shown, for example, in FIG. 3, it is contemplated that horizontal support member 30 can be solid as well. First end 42 of each horizontal support member 30 is coupled to first end 34 of legs 14. Legs 14 and horizontal support member 30 may be formed as one piece or can be formed as separate components that are coupled together. Second end 44 of each horizontal support member 30 is coupled to an angled support member 46. Horizontal support member 30 can be formed with angled support member 46 or can be formed of separate components that are coupled together. Horizontal support member 30 is positioned adjacent bottom surface 26 of work table 12 and is secured by use of screws, bolts, rivets, adhesive or by other securing means known to those skilled in the art. Horizontal support structures 30 transfer a portion of the load placed on the work table 12 to legs 14. The remainder of the load placed on work table 12 is transferred to truck 16 through angled support members 46.

Angled support members 46 are coupled to horizontal support members 30 at a first end 50 and extend from horizontal support members 30 to truck 16 as shown, for example, in FIG. 3. Angled support members 46 are secured to bottom surface 26 of work table 12 by fasteners, adhesive or other means known to those skilled in the art and are adapted to transfer loads placed on work table 12 to truck 16 or legs 14 through horizontal support members 30. Angled support members 46 can be coupled to horizontal support members 30 by a tube-in-tube connection or can be formed as one piece with horizontal support members 30. Angled support members 46 are coupled to truck 16 at a second end 52 by use of fasteners, bolts, rivets, welding adhesive or by other means known to those skilled in the art.

FIGS. 7 through 9 illustrate the various connections that are associated with base 21 to provide computer networking. Base 21 may include electrical outlets 80, USB ports 82, network cable ports 84, indicator lights 86, switches 88 and accessory port 90. Accessory port 90 can be adapted to accept lighting 92 as shown in FIG. 8 or a computer monitor 94 as shown in FIG. 9. Connections are routed through base 21 to second side 60 of base 21 near second end 56.

Workstation 10 also includes a shelf 96 that is coupled to base 21 along first side 58 and is adapted to support a computer tower 98. Shelf 96 includes first and second side walls 100, 102 that are coupled to first side 58 of base 21. Shelf 96 also includes bottom wall 104 that is coupled to side walls 100, 102 and is adapted to support computer tower 98. Shelf 96 also includes front wall 106 that retains computer tower 98 on shelf 96. Base 21 may also include a telescoping arm 108, as shown, for example in FIG. 10 that is adapted to support a computer monitor 110.

Claims

1. A mobile workstation comprising

a work table including a top surface, a bottom surface, and legs extending downwardly from the bottom surface and adapted to rest on an underlying surface,

a truck including a base coupled to the work table, wheels coupled to the base, and an axle extending between the wheels, and

lift means for lifting the wheels away from the underlying surface to inhibit movement of the work table and truck relative to the underlying surface in response to tipping movement of the work table and truck relative to the underlying surface.

2. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the lift means includes a lifting wedge coupled to the base.

3. The mobile workstation of claim 2, wherein the lifting wedge includes a top surface, a downwardly facing angled surface arranged to intersect the top surface to form an acute included angle therebetween, and a vertical surface arranged to intersect the downwardly-facing angled surface to define a leading edge and further arranged to extend upwardly to intersect the top surface, wherein the top surface, downwardly facing angled surface, and vertical surface cooperate to form a right triangle.

4. The mobile workstation of claim 3, wherein the base includes a downwardly facing angled portion arranged to form a co-planar surface with the downwardly facing angled surface of the lifting wedge.

5. The mobile workstation of claim 3, wherein a lowest point of each wheel cooperates with the leading edge to define a gap therebetween when the base is substantially perpendicular to the underlying surface.

6. The mobile workstation of claim 3, wherein the leading edge is positioned to lie between the work table and the lowest point of each wheel when the truck is pivoted to cause the legs to move away from and the wheels to engage the underlying surface.

7. The mobile workstation of claim 3, wherein the lifting wedge and the base cooperate to define a table support and the table support is monolithic.

8. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the base includes a bottom surface having a generally horizontal portion and a downwardly facing angled portion forming an obtuse included angle therebetween.

9. A mobile workstation comprising

a work table including a top surface, a bottom surface, and legs extending downwardly from the bottom surface and adapted to rest on an underlying surface,

a truck including a base coupled to the work table, wheels coupled to the base, and an axle coupled to the base and configured to support the wheels for rotation about an axis of rotation, and

a lifting wedge coupled to the base and configured to include a horizontal top surface, a vertical side surface, a downwardly facing angled surface adjacent the vertical side surface, and a leading edge formed by the intersection of the vertical side surface and the downwardly facing angled surface.

10. The mobile workstation of claim 9, wherein the downwardly facing angled surface is arranged to intersect the top surface to define an acute included angle therebetween.

11. The mobile workstation of claim 10, wherein a lowest point of each wheel cooperates with the leading edge to define a gap therebetween when the base is substantially perpendicular to the underlying surface.

12. The mobile workstation of claim 10, wherein the leading edge is positioned to lie between the work table and the lowest point of each wheel when the truck is pivoted to cause the legs to move away from and the wheels to engage the underlying surface.

13. The mobile workstation of claim 12, wherein the base includes a bottom surface having a generally horizontal portion and a downwardly facing angled portion arranged to define an obtuse included angle.

14. The mobile workstation of claim 9, wherein the lifting wedge and the base cooperate to define a table support and the table support is monolithic.

15. The mobile workstation of claim 9, wherein the base includes a downwardly facing angled portion arranged to form a co-planar surface with the downwardly facing angled surface of the lifting wedge.

16. The mobile workstation of claim 15, wherein the co-planar surface cooperates with the underlying surface to define a first acute included angle when a longitudinal axis of the base is in a substantially perpendicular relationship relative to the underlying surface.

17. The mobile workstation of claim 16, wherein a second acute included angle smaller than the first acute included angle is defined by the co-planar surface and the underlying surface when the base is pivoted such that the wheels engage the underlying surface.

18. A mobile workstation comprising

a work table including a top surface, a bottom surface, and legs extending downwardly from the bottom surface and adapted to rest on an underlying surface,

a truck including a base coupled to the work table, wheels coupled to the base, and an axle extending between the wheels, and

a lifting wedge depending from the base and being formed to include a leading edge configured to engage an underlying surface when the truck is in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the underlying surface to move the wheels away from the underlying surface.

19. The mobile workstation of claim 18, wherein the lifting wedge includes a top surface coupled to the base, a downwardly facing angled surface arranged to intersect the top surface to define an acute included angle, and a vertical surface arranged to extend between the top surface and the downwardly facing angled surface.

20. The mobile workstation of claim 19, wherein the downwardly facing angled portion is arranged to form a co-planar surface with the downwardly facing angled surface of the lifting wedge.

21. The mobile workstation of claim 19, wherein a lowest point of each wheel cooperates with the leading edge to define a gap therebetween when the base is substantially perpendicular to the underlying surface.

22. The mobile workstation of claim 19, wherein the leading edge is positioned to lie between the work table and the lowest point of each wheel when the truck is pivoted to cause the legs to move away from and the wheels to engage the underlying surface.

23. The mobile workstation of claim 18, wherein the base includes a bottom surface having a generally horizontal portion and a downwardly facing angled portion defining an obtuse included angle therebetween.

24. The mobile workstation of claim 18, wherein the lifting wedge and the base cooperate to define a table support and the table support is monolithic.