Abstract:
An adjustable-height workstation that can hold a laptop or tablet computer. The workstation includes a base section, an intermediate section having an upwardly-extending lower support structure, an upper support structure, and a pair of parallel side links connected there between, to accomplish a double-crank parallelogram four-bar linkage, with the upper support structure defining the coupler of the linkage. The workstation also has an upper working section supported by the intermediate section and having at least a first essentially horizontal shelf, to provide an adjustable-height workspace.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority of Provisional application Ser. No. 60/498,055, filed on Aug. 27, 2003. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a mobile workstation for a laptop or tablet computer.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Mobile carts used as workstations are known. These carts are commonly used in medical facilities and on manufacturing floors. They are typically adapted to carry a computer, and usually have additional shelf space available for the user, for such things as paper work, medications, and/or portable medical equipment.  
         [0004]     These carts are typically used by many different people over the course of a day or a week. It is thus important that these carts have certain ergonomic features. For example, it is desirable for the user to be able to adjust the height of the cart to place the work surfaces and computer at a convenient and comfortable position. It is typically also important for the display portion of the computer to be adjustable for optimal viewing.  
         [0005]     Such carts typically comprise a wheeled base and an upper working section connected by an adjustable-length post, which is typically accomplished with a gas spring. The spring is operated by a lever. As there can be a substantial amount of weight carried at the top of the post, it is awkward and relatively difficult to lift the working section to a higher working position. This has been especially problematic in medical facilities, as often times the users of these carts are female nurses who lack the strength to easily lift the working section to a comfortable working height. The height-adjustment feature is thus less likely to be properly employed by such users.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     This invention features an adjustable-height workstation that has sufficient workspace, and typically is particularly adapted to hold a laptop or tablet computer. The workstation includes a base section, and an intermediate section having an upwardly-extending lower support structure, an upper support structure, and a pair of parallel side links connected there between, to accomplish a double-crank parallelogram four-bar linkage, with the upper support structure defining the coupler of the linkage. The workstation also has an upper working section supported by the intermediate section and having at least a first essentially horizontal shelf, to provide an adjustable-height workspace.  
         [0007]     The intermediate support section may further comprise a spring coupled between at least one of the side links and the lower support structure, to assist in movement of the upper support structure relative to the lower support structure. The spring may be a gas spring. The base section may comprise a plurality of wheels that rest on the floor, to accomplish a mobile workstation. The wheels may be locking casters.  
         [0008]     The upper section may further comprise a second essentially horizontal shelf spaced from and below the first shelf. The second shelf may be hingedly connected to the first shelf. The upper section may further comprise one or more standoffs between the first and second shelves. The hinged connection may be located where the standoffs contact the second shelf.  
         [0009]     The upper section may further comprise a mechanical structure coupled to the first shelf and extending between the two shelves and above and near one side of the first shelf, to create space for a device to fit between the shelves. The device may be a portion of a computing device. The computing device may be a laptop computer, in which case the device that fits between the shelves may be the display portion of the laptop computer. The laptop computer may also have a base portion to which the display portion is hingedly attached; the base portion sits on the first shelf.  
         [0010]     The mechanical structure may comprise a bar that rests on the second shelf. The bar may be releasably couplable to the second shelf. The releasable coupling may be accomplished with a tab attached to the bar that fits through a slot in the second shelf. The tab may have an opening located below the second shelf when the tab is fitted through the slot, to allow a lock to be placed through the tab, to prevent the first shelf from being lifted off the second shelf. The bar may define two projecting lobes extending above the first shelf. The bar may further define an intermediate section between the lobes that extends down to the second shelf.  
         [0011]     The adjustable-height workstation may further comprise at least one receptacle for holding a battery or other power source. The adjustable-height workstation may comprise at least two such receptacles. A receptacle may be coupled to the upper section, and carry a battery for powering a computer. The upper section may further comprise a tray for a computer keyboard. The tray may be extendable and retractable relative to the first shelf. The tray may comprise a retractable mouse-holding portion.  
         [0012]     The upper section may further comprise a tablet computer holder. The tablet computer holder may comprise one or more structures that releasably capture the tablet computer. The tablet computer holder may comprise structures that overly at least three edges of the tablet computer when the tablet computer is on the tablet computer holder. A structure that releasably captures the tablet computer may comprise a movable protruding section that can be moved to overly an edge of the tablet computer. The tablet computer holder may further comprise a device for locking the protruding section in place while it overlies the edge of the tablet computer.  
         [0013]     Also featured in the invention is an adjustable height workstation comprising a base section having a plurality of wheels that rest on the floor, to accomplish a mobile workstation. There is an intermediate section comprising an upwardly-extending lower support structure, an upper support structure, and a pair of parallel side links connected there between, to accomplish a double-crank parallelogram four-bar linkage, with the upper support structure comprising the coupler of the linkage, and further comprising a gas spring coupled between at least one of the side links and the lower support structure, to assist in movement of the upper support structure relative to the lower support structure. Also included is an upper working section supported by the intermediate section and comprising at least a first essentially horizontal shelf, to provide an adjustable-height workspace. The upper section may further comprise a tablet computer holder comprising structures along four sides, at least some of which overly at least two of the four edges of the tablet computer, to releasably capture the tablet computer. At least one such structure may comprise a movable protruding section that can be moved to overly an edge of the tablet computer, the tablet computer holder further comprising a device for locking this movable protruding section in place while it overlies the edge of the tablet computer. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0015]      FIGS. 1A through 1C  are perspective, rear and side views, respectively, of a preferred embodiment of the adjustable-height workstation of this invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 1D  is a highly schematic view of the four-bar linkage and the gas spring of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-1C ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 1E  is a close-up schematic side view of a laptop computer in use on the workstation of  FIGS. 1A through 1C ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a view similar to that of  FIG. 1A  but of a slightly different embodiment of the invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3A  is a perspective view of another alternative preferred embodiment of the invention that is particularly adapted to carry a tablet computer; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 3B  is an exploded view of the preferred mechanism for accomplishing a locking tablet computer cradle for the embodiment of  FIG. 3A . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     This invention comprises a wheeled mobile cart that is particularly adapted to hold either a laptop computer or a tablet computer. The cart defines an upper working surface. The height of the upper working surface relative to the wheeled base is user-adjustable to accommodate a particular user or use.  FIGS. 1A-1E  show one embodiment adapted to carry a laptop computer, with  FIG. 2  showing a variation thereof.  FIG. 3  shows a second embodiment adapted to carry a tablet computer.  
         [0022]     Wheeled mobile cart  10 ,  FIGS. 1A-1E , comprises three main parts: wheeled base  12 , adjustable-height intermediate support section  14 , and upper working section  16 . Base  12  comprises structure  20  that carries a plurality of locking casters  21 . Intermediate section  14  comprises lower generally vertical support structure  30  and upper generally vertical support structure  34 , connected by linkage  32 . Linkage  32  comprises a pair of pivotable parallel side links that allow structure  34  to move relative to structure  30 , while maintaining the generally parallel relationship between structures  30  and  34  so that upper working section  16  is maintained in the horizontal position as it is moved up-and-down via linkage mechanism  32 . Mechanism  32  is operated by the user via foot lever  60 . Depressing foot lever  60  releases mechanism  32 , which will move down under the force of gravity, and can be lifted up by the user. When the user&#39;s foot is taken off lever  60 , mechanism  32  locks again. The adjustment mechanism preferably includes gas spring  33  and foot lever  60 . Gas spring  30  is coupled to the lower link of the double pivoting link arrangement  32 . These links are pivotable about horizontal axes relative to structures  30  and  34  to maintain structure  34  vertical, and thus maintain upper working section  16  in the horizontal position as it is moved up and down.  
         [0023]     Upper section  16  comprises at a minimum a support surface for a laptop computer. In this embodiment, section  16  comprises support shelf  42  and/or  44  for a laptop computer, and forwardly-projecting retractable shelf  40  that is adapted to hold a computer keyboard. In a typical use, a laptop computer is inserted in the space between the back of upper shelf  44  and rear bar  54  with the keyboard portion of the laptop computer resting on shelf  42 .  
         [0024]     Shelf  44  is attached to shelf  42  through a hinge assembly that allows shelf  44  and bar  54  to pivot relative to shelf  42 . A laptop computer can then be placed on surface  42 . Shelf  44  can then be lowered back down so that it rests on surface  42  as shown. The display portion of the laptop projects upward just in front of bar  54 , so that it is visible to the user. A padlock (not shown) is used to secure bar  54  to surface  42  to prevent unwanted removal of an installed laptop. The shape of bar  54 , with spaced protruding lobes  54   a  and  54   b  extending above the top of shelf  44 , prevents removal of a laptop computer through opening  106  between back  44   a  of shelf  44  and bar  54 . Lobes  54   a  and  54   b  also act as a back rest for the display portion  104  of laptop computer  102 .  
         [0025]     In this usage scenario, the user does not have access to the keyboard portion of the laptop. However, a keyboard can be placed on retractable tray  40  and connected to the laptop so that the user can perform keyboard functions. Retractable mouse portion  41  extends from tray  40  to provide a convenient location for a mouse, if one is used. This arrangement also provides upper working surface  44  that can be used as desired, typically as a small desk surface on which the user can place items, or write. In an alternative usage, the user can place the laptop on surface  44  and just use the laptop normally.  
         [0026]     Receiver saddle  46  is adapted to carry a typical laptop battery or AC/DC converter so that the laptop can be plugged into a wall receptacle AC power source. Rear carrier  48  can accept a flat battery cell that can be used to extend wireless run time.  
         [0027]     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 2  is identical to that of  FIG. 1 , except that bar  85  is straight as opposed to the “M” shape of bar  54 ,  FIGS. 1A-1C .  
         [0028]     Embodiment  10   a ,  FIGS. 3A and 3B , does not include upper working surface  44  or bar  54  or  85 . Rather, tablet computer holder  70  is coupled to the cart via support  78 . Holder  70  defines receiving sections  73  and  74  that grip one edge of the tablet computer, and projecting edge-receiving sections  75  and  76 . In order to grip tablet computers of different widths, sections  73  and  74  can be sized and shaped as necessary for a particular model of tablet computer. Sections  73 - 76  all overlay the top of three sides of the tablet computer. Upper grip  77  preferably has a forward-most downwardly protruding tab section that overlays the front edge of the tablet so that the tablet cannot be removed from the holder once inserted therein. Upper support  77  is attached to a rotating lock that, when unlocked, can be rotated, causing the C-shaped clamp  77  to move up, and thus free the upper edge of the tablet, so that it can be removed. Backing  72  is preferably pivotably coupled to support  78  so that the user can adjust the angle of the display for the particular user or use situation, and also to allow a 90 degree rotation, to provide for both portrait and landscape viewing.  
         [0029]     The preferred embodiment of this tablet computer cradle is shown in exploded view in  FIG. 3B . Tablet computer  100  has sides  101  through  104 . Cradle  70  comprises first sheet metal member  71 , second sheet metal member  81 , lock  79  that operates movable arm  77 , and two spring arm gripping and support brackets  89  (only one shown) that are coupled to member  81  at locations  85  and  87 . Lock  79  sits in opening  83  in member  81 . “C” shaped locking and support arm  77  is moved back and forth in the direction of arrow A as a key turns a lock in locking mechanism  79 . This can be accomplished by coupling arm  77  to a pawl moved by locking mechanism  79 . Member  71  defines the tablet support base and also fixed retaining arms  73  and  74  against which side  101  of computer  100  sits, fixed projecting arms  76   a  and  76   b  against which side  102  sits, and fixed projecting arms  75   a  and  75   b  against which side  103  sits. At least retaining arms  73  and  74  overlay a portion of the top of the tablet computer. Fixed projecting arms on three sides of the tablet PC prevent the tablet from substantially moving from side-to-side and also overlay the top edge of the tablet at least on one side, so that the tablet PC must be removed from the cradle by sliding it in and out from side  104 . Movable retaining arm  77  is able to move out away from the tablet (in the direction of arrow A) a sufficient distance so that the tablet can be removed from the cradle. Once the tablet is slid into the cradle, the key is used to turn the lock that pulls arm  77  back in against side  104  and overlaying the top, to snuggly hold the tablet and also lock the tablet in the cradle to prevent the tablet PC from being misplaced or stolen.  
         [0030]     Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not others, this is for convenience only, as the features can be combined as would be apparent to those skilled in the art, and as the claims set forth the rights granted under the patent. Other combinations of features would be apparent to those skilled in the field and are within the scope of the claims.