Patent Publication Number: US-2006006628-A1

Title: Mobile tool station and work table

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application claims priority to applicant&#39;s provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/587,239 filed Jul. 12, 2004. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to a mobile tool station and worktable. More particularly, the present invention relates to a worktable that is supported on wheels that can be locked from moving or can be unlocked for movement of the workbench. The worktable allows a person to assemble, work, test or build items on top of the table. The table also includes a tool station for the person to locate tools or a tool case that can be removed from the worktable. An additional set of wheels can be located at one or both ends of the table to allow the wheels to be placed in or on the bed of a truck and the work table collapsed to allow a single person to place the table in the back of the truck.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Today working people need to set-up and work in a variety of places. Often the work is performed in the field or in places where a workman needs to set-up quickly and begin to work. This requires them to bring a variety of tools with them. They may also need to erect a workbench where none is available. The working location may be in the middle of a field or inside a house that is being constructed. The worker needs to easily transport their tools from the vehicle or truck to where the work is to be performed. Several patents have been issued that provide transportation of work benches or tool chest, but none of them are collapsible to be easily stored and removed from a truck by one person.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,151 issued May 22, 1973 to Skripsky discloses a portable workbench. The portable workbench is collapsible and allows the tool bench to be taken apart and broken down for transportation. The portable workbench has openings in the top to allow different tools or workstations to be placed in the top of the workbench. While the portable workbench is collapsible for easier transportation, the workbench does not have wheels for transporting nor does it collapse onto a supplemental set of wheels for easy one-person storage within a truck or vehicle. The portable workstation further does not allow for temporary storage of a toolbox.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,283 issued May 5, 1981 to Nash et al discloses a workbench structure. The workbench structure consists of a workbench with wheels located on one side of the workbench structure. The workbench is not collapsible and does not have a support means for storing a toolbox. The workbench structure does not collapse for placement within a truck or vehicle by a single person.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,513 issued Oct. 24, 1989 to Skarsten discloses a portable workbench. The workbench consists of pieces that are placed together to create a workbench. The workbench is collapsible by folding the workbench and carrying the workbench. The workbench is portable but does not include wheels for transporting. The workbench also does not allow for storage for a toolbox.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,523,583 issued Feb. 25, 2003 to Ruiz discloses a workbench with an extendable footstep assembly. The workbench includes four wheels for easy movement of the workbench. The wheels also include brakes to locking the workbench to prevent movement. This tool bench is not collapsible for easier placement in a truck. This patent has storage for tools, but does not have storage for a removable toolbox.  
      What is needed it is a mobile tool transporter and workbench that can be configured on a gurney type transporter that can be collapsed for storage within a truck. The ideal device would provide for the tool box to be removable from the gurney, the height of the work bench to be adjustable, an additional set of wheels located under the workbench for placement in the bed of a truck and the gurney collapsed so the mobile tool transporter can be slid into the truck by a single person. The proposed device satisfies these needs with a simple to use mobile tool transporter and workbench.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a mobile tool station and worktable. Currently there is no single product that provides all the features and function described and disclosed by this application. The features disclosed make it easy for a workman to transport his tools and allows them to easily set-up and begin working as well as break down the workbench and transport the workbench to another location or job site.  
      One object of the mobile tool station is to provide a tool station that can be easily erected by a single person.  
      Another object of the mobile tool station is to allow a storage location for a tool bench.  
      Another object of the mobile tool station is to provide a tool station with wheels for easier transportation.  
      Another object of the mobile tool station is to provide a collapsible work bench configured on a gurney type base where the mobile workbench can be collapsed onto the bed of a vehicle or truck and rolled into the back of the truck by a single person.  
      Another object of the mobile tool station allows for the height of the mobile tool station to adjustable to allow the operator to raise or lower the height of the workbench to accommodate the comfort of the operator.  
      Still another object of the mobile tool station is providing a braking mechanism on one or more wheels to prevent the mobile tool station from moving unexpectedly.  
      Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench on a collapsible gurney.  
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the collapsible gurney from  FIG. 1  being loaded into the bed of a truck.  
       FIG. 3  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench configured for painting with a height adjustable gurney.  
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the mobile workbench from  FIG. 3  shown in a collapsible configuration.  
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench shown with a removable toolbox.  
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench from  FIG. 5  shown with the toolbox removed.  
       FIG. 7  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench shown with the work-top removed showing the internal compartments.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench  10  on a collapsible gurney. The gurney is configured similar to a gurney that may be used to transport an injured person or patient in a hospital. The intent of the gurney is providing a mobile workbench that can be easily installed and removed from the back of a truck or vehicle by one person. One possible installation process is shown and described in  FIG. 2 . One embodiment of the mobile workbench as shown in  FIG. 1 , shows the mobile workbench  10  with a tool box  20  installed on top of the mobile workbench. In this embodiment, the workbench includes a tool chest  20  integrated into the mobile workbench. In the preferred embodiment, the toolbox is constructed from folded sheet metal, but it may also be constructed from wood, plastics or a combination thereof. The top surface of the toolbox may also be constructed of a different of wood or a different material than the toolbox is constructed. It is further contemplated that the workbench may be configured with different heights to accommodate a variety of different operations. It is further contemplated that the toolbox may be configured with different volume capacity compartments to accommodate a variety of different size tools. An expandable shelf or hinged section of the workbench may also exist to provide a larger work area. Holes or other features may be placed onto or through the surface of the workbench, drawers or sides of the toolbox to hold other items.  
      The toolbox rests upon a wheeled gurney type carriage that provides support for the toolbox and workstation and also allows easy movement and transportation of the mobile toolbox and work surface. In the preferred embodiment legs and structural supports similar to  50 ,  52 ,  54  and  100  support the toolbox and workstation. In this embodiment the legs are constructed of tubular steel, but the legs can be constructed for other materials that provide the structural support necessary. The bottom of the frame has three or more wheel, and in the preferred embodiment the bottom of the frame is supported on four wheels  40  as shown in the figure. A breaking mechanism  45  may exist on one or more wheels. An additional wheel or set of wheels  30  extend from under the bottom  70  of the toolbox/workbench. This wheel is positioned for placement in the back of a vehicle of the bed of a truck to allow the entire mobile tool box and work bench to be collapsed and placed within the back of the truck or vehicle by a single person. This is best shown and described in  FIG. 2 .  
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the collapsible gurney from  FIG. 1  being loaded into the bed of a truck. From this figure, the collapsible gurney  10  is shown being placed into the back of a pick-up truck  60 . This figure shows the height of the mobile workbench is constructed at about the same height as the bed of the truck. The wheel  30  located under the workbench is shown resting on the bed  65  of the truck  60 . The height of the wheel  30  and the bed of the truck  65  make it ideal for placement within the bed of the truck with one person. As the gurney is pushed further into the bed of the truck, one or more of the legs  110  of the support structure of the gurney makes contact with the edge  65  of the bed of the truck and the carriage part of the gurney folds up under the tool box and work bench. This allows all the wheels  40  to be at the same height and the entire mobile tool station and workbench can be rolled into the vehicle. One or more wheels of the mobile too station can be locked  45  to prevent movement or rolling of the mobile workstation in the back of the vehicle.  
       FIG. 3  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench  10  configured for painting with a height adjustable gurney. The top of the workbench in this embodiment is configured with locations for paint cans  84  and/or a holder for paint brushes  80 . The paintbrushes  82  in the holder can be maintained in a vertical orientation. In this embodiment of the mobile tool station, wheels  30  are located under the mobile tool station to allow easy placement of the mobile workstation in the back of a truck or other vehicle. A height adjustment mechanism  90  allows the working surface of the mobile work station to be adjusted up or down to accommodate the user, or to collapse the mobile work station for placement in a truck or other vehicle. The height adjustment may be by means such as detents, screwed or stops to allow all incremental or infinite height positions. The cross member legs  102  can slide along the underside of the toolbox to accommodate the height adjustment. This configuration also includes one or more locking wheels  45 .  
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the mobile workbench  10  from  FIG. 3  shown in a collapsible configuration. This figure shows wheels  30  at the same horizontal orientation as the wheels  40  that support the mobile workstation when the mobile workstation is in the extended orientation. The wheels are shown at the same height on a flat surface  120  that can be the ground or the back of a truck. This configuration also includes one or more locking wheels  45 .  
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are isometric views of one embodiment of the mobile workbench  10  shown with a removable toolbox. In  FIG. 5  the tool box  20  is shown resting on top of the mobile portion of the gurney  72 . In  FIG. 6  the tool box  20  is shown removed from the gurney  72 . The working surface  74  is shown in  FIG. 6  with the toolbox removed. Wheels  30  and  32  are shown attached to the underside of the toolbox so the toolbox can also be easily transported in the back of a truck separate from the gurney. The gurney has wheels  40  with break(s)  45  to hold the gurney or mobile workbench is position. An alternate method of preventing movement of one or more wheel is shown in  FIG. 5  with standoffs  130  that can be raised or lowered to lift the wheels off the ground. This can also be used to adjust the height of the worktable.  
       FIG. 7  shows an isometric view of one embodiment of the mobile workbench  10  shown with the worktop removed showing the internal compartments. The worktop  25  can be lifted off the top of the tool storage area to allow access to the tools or equipment stored inside the workbench, or the top may be hinged to the tool storage area. It is further contemplated that the hinged lid may be hinged with removable hinge pins to allow for both hinged access as well as removal of the workbench. The toolbox area  20  is constructed with a number of compartments of different sizes  22 ,  24 ,  26 . For example a shovel may be placed in compartment  26  while smaller items such as stakes or a hammer may be placed in smaller compartments  22 . While the storage area is shown with different size compartments, the compartments may all be the same size, or may be custom configured to accept specific tools in each compartment. Wheels  30 ,  40  and wheel breaking mechanism  45  are shown in this figure and described previously.  
      Thus specific embodiments and applications for a mobile tool bench have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.