Abstract:
The present invention is a mobile workstation that is attached to a vehicle such as a pickup truck or SUV. The mobile workstation includes a hinged cover that closes over an inner containment area that is rotatably attached to extruded metal attachment members that can be attached to the vehicle using ratcheting tie-downs. In one embodiment, an attachment platform is attached to the metal attachment members to provide additional stability. The mobile workstation can be lighted and heated to further protect the contents such as plans, drawing and documents. The workstation may be rotated to a comfortable working angle and stores flat when not in use. Additionally, the mobile workstation may be mounted on legs to provide a workstation at a jobsite without the vehicle.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority and herein incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/595,903, filed Aug. 16, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Contractors, architects and other professionals often work out of their vehicles when at a job site. This often involves carrying plans and other drawings and papers that must be consulted at the job site regardless of the weather. It is known to use brief cases and covered clipboards and the like to carry these papers and while this method offers some protection from the elements, it is not always practical considering the size of some of the documents that are used. Often such users are forced to lay out the papers on the seat of the vehicle or try to shelter them under a tarp covering the back of a vehicle. This can lead to damaged papers and general disorganization.  
         [0003]     To help with this problem, pickup trucks have been equipped with lids or “toppers”, etc. but although these do offer some protection for the materials stored within such devices, they are very inconvenient and do not offer an easily accessible working surface.  
         [0004]     There is a need for a work station that is portable and capable of being mounted to a vehicle to provide protection for documents and provide a work surface that allows a user to consult, notate, secure and generally organize the material therein.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention is a mobile workstation that is attached to a vehicle such as a pickup truck or SUV. The mobile workstation includes a hinged cover that closes over an inner containment area that is rotatably attached to extruded metal attachment members that can be attached to the vehicle using ratcheting tie-downs. In one embodiment, an attachment platform is attached to the metal attachment members to provide additional stability. The mobile workstation can be lighted and heated to further protect the contents such as plans, drawing and documents. The workstation may be rotated to a comfortable working angle and stores flat when not in use. Additionally, the mobile workstation may be mounted on legs to provide a workstation at a jobsite without the vehicle.  
         [0006]     Other features and advantages of the instant invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a detailed view of a section shown in  FIG. 3   
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a side view of another embodiment according to the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 11  is a side view of yet another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 12  is a top view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 13  is a sectional view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 16  is another perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 17  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 18  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 19  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 20  is a side view according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     Reference is now made to the drawings in which reference numerals refer to like elements.  
         [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a mobile workstation is shown having a cover  120 , two handles  155 , attachment members  115  and  125 , a base platform  180 , a periphery containment element  170 , support rods  175 , and two attachment members  115  and  125 . The mobile workstation attaches a pickup truck  100  using ratchet tie-downs  130  which are attached to hard points  105  located within the bed of truck  100 . A hook  110  connects attachment member  115  to hard point  105 . Of course other attachment methods are acceptable to keep the mobile workstation from moving when attached to the vehicle. In the embodiment shown, attachment member  125  rests on left and right well  145  and  140 . An attachment platform  165  is used to provide a solid anchoring section for attaching base platform  180  and to provide a storage area for a base support arm  160 . In practice, base support arm  160  rotates into place when base platform  180  is raised to a selected working angle. This angle can either be preselected to provide a single operating angle or may be adjustable utilizing different stops (not shown) as is known in the art. Base support arm is a flat sheet of plywood hingedly connected to a bottom of base platform and wedges against a ridge along a trailing edge of attachment platform  165 .  
         [0029]     Periphery containment element  170  encloses a containment space  182  that is used to hold the materials desired to be protected (not shown). When cover  120  is in a closed position, periphery containment element  170  fit within the edges of cover  120  weather proofing the contents. When cover  120  is rotated to an open position, support rods  175  are placed between cover  120  and base platform  180  to keep cover  10  in an open position. Cover  120  is opened and closed using handles  155 .  
         [0030]     Now referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an embodiment is shown that does not rely on connecting to hard points. The mobile workstation is shown attached to pickup truck  100  with four mounting brackets  190  (only two are shown) which fit across the top of the side panels of pickup truck  100 . Mounting brackets  190  may be bolted to pickup truck  100  (not shown) as is known in the art. Additionally, a rubber like material can be added to the underside surface of mounting brackets  190  to protect the truck bed and to allow the mobile workstation to remain in place without bolting. Additionally, it is possible to make mounting brackets  190  fit within the opening along the top of most pickup truck side panels (not shown). Mounting bracket  190  is attached to attachment platform  165  using bolt  155 . Of course other attachment methods may be used such as welding or rivets as is known in the art.  
         [0031]      FIGS. 5, 6  and  7  illustrate an embodiment of the present invention in a typical application. Cover  120  is flat in the closed position with base support arm  160  lying within attachment platform  165  and hingedly attached to the bottom of base platform  180  using hinge  210 . As base platform  180  is raised for use, base support  160  swings out along attachment platform  165  and is wedged against stop  195 . This locks the mobile workstation at the desired angle. In one embodiment, a plurality of stops  195  are provided to enable the user to select from a range of different angles depending on which stop  195  is selected. Base platform rotates into the open position using hinge  205  which is attached to a forward end of attachment platform  165  and the bottom of base platform  180 . Next, cover  120  is rotated into the open position using hinge  185 . This exposes periphery containment element  170  allowing a user to access the contents. Two support rods  175  are located between cover  120  and base platform  180  to keep cover  120  in the open position for use.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  shows the mobile workstation with a guide track  215  attached to attachment platform  165 . Base support arm  160  has a guide wheel  220  that fits within guide track  215  and rolls therein. As base platform  180  rotates, base support arm  160  moves within guide track  215  which has a plurality of rollover stops (not shown) that allow the user to select different operating angles as is known in the art. Of course other kinds of guides can be used such as sliders instead of guide wheels, etc. as is known in the art as long as base support arm is allowed to move from the closed to open position.  
         [0033]      FIG. 9  utilizes a pneumatic arm  230  to hold cover  120  in the open position. The advantage of pneumatic arm  230  is that cover  120  may be placed in an infinite number of operating positions. A locking mechanism  225  is disposed on an end of periphery containment element  170  and latches into a catch plate (not shown) located on the inside of cover  120  as is known in the art. Cover  120  is secured using a key to lock locking mechanism  225 . Other embodiments are possible such as using a padlock and catch plate and are known in the art.  
         [0034]     Now referring to  FIG. 10 , the mobile workstation is shown mounted to a table  255 . The mobile workstation could also be placed on any flat surface of sufficient size and strength to support it when a temporary workstation is needed and mobility is not necessary. An alternative embodiment is shown having a slider  240  slidably attached to slide track  245 . Slide track  245  is attached to attachment platform  165 . Two end stops  250  are located at the ends of slider track  245  to prevent slider  240  from leaving slider track  245 . A pivot  237  is provided to connect base support arm  160  to slider  240 . As base platform  180  is raised and lowered, base support arm  160  moves along slider track  240  to provide proper positioning. Slider may be frictionally fitted against slider track  245  to provide an infinite number of positioning angles or there may be a plurality of physical stops along slider track  245  to provide a discreet number of positioning angles as is known in the art.  
         [0035]     Referring now to  FIG. 11 , a frictional multi-positional spring  275  is utilized to hingedly attach cover  120  with base platform  180 . Multi-positional spring  275  allows cover to be placed in an infinite number of operating angles as is known in the art. Additionally, spring  205  could also be a multi-positional spring eliminating the need for base support arm  160 .  
         [0036]     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 12 and 13  where the mobile workstation is shown having four heating units  280  disposed within base platform  180  and positioned to heat containment space  182  bounded by periphery containment element  170 . A containment restraint  285  stretches from one side of periphery element  170  to an opposite side and is utilized to keep documents and other items from shifting. Containment restraint  285  is a rubber strap but other restraints are acceptable such as elastic belts, plastic leaves etc. as is known in the art. Heating units  280  may be wired with a wiring harness (not shown) to connect to the vehicles electrical system or could be plugged in to a generator or power inverter as is known in the art. In the embodiment shown, attachment member  125  is an extruded metal angle bolted to metal bracket  295  which is also bolted to attachment platform  165 . Two attachment eye hooks  290  are provided to attach tie-downs ( FIG. 1 ).  
         [0037]      FIG. 14  is a bottom view of cover  120  showing an embodiment equipped with a light  315  and a light switch  320 . When cover  120  is in the closed position, light switch  320  makes contact with base platform  180  (FIGS.  2 ,  7 - 12 ) and turns light  315  off. When cover  120  is opened during operation, light switch  320  is activated and light  315  turns on. A fluorescent light is used in this embodiment, but other kinds of lights would work such as low voltage LED&#39;s or incandescent as is known in the art. The energy required to operate light  315  could be provided by connecting in to the vehicles electrical system or the light could be battery operated.  
         [0038]     With reference to  FIGS. 15 through 20 , an embodiment of a mobile workstation adapted for use on the roof of a vehicle such as an SUV  325  is shown having two roof attachment members  330 , a slide attachment member  360  attached to each roof attachment member  330 , rollers  350 , hinge  335  and leveling stop  355 . Rollers  350  fit within slide attachment member and allow base platform  180  to slide out past the end of roof attachment members  330  and beyond the edge of the roof of SUV  325 . In use, the mobile workstation slides out and then rotates around hinge  335  which is a multi-positional spring allowing base platform to be positioned in an infinite number of operating angles. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 20 , base support arm  160  may be used to provide support for base platform  180  when in use. In this configuration, the bottom of base platform  180  is actually below the level of the roof of SUV  325 . Once in position, cover  120  is rotated to an open position and support arm  175  is inserted to keep cover  120  in an open position. When finished, the process is reversed and base platform  180  lies flat and parallel with the roof and the edge does not project out past the edge of the roof. A locking mechanism (not shown) may be used to prevent the workstation from opening or it may simply be secured using a rubber tie-down or bungee cord as is known in the art. Of course this roof-top embodiment may be combined with any of the other embodiments discussed herein and is considered to be part of this disclosure.  
         [0039]     Although the instant invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art.