Patent Publication Number: US-6220182-B1

Title: Postal workstation

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to computerized workstations for printing labels, forms, and the like, and more particularly to a novel workstation suited for use and service of dual printers supported thereby. 
     B. Description of the Prior Art 
     Heretofore, computerized postal workstations for printing labels, forms, cards, and the like have generally comprised a large table having sufficient surface area to support a computer monitor, keyboard, mouse, and at least one attached printer while leaving space for collecting, sorting, and/or processing the printed output. It is commonplace in workstations of this type to find thermal printers dedicated to high volume use, and consequently it is necessary to restock such printers with labels, cards, etc., and to change printing ribbons or cartridges on a regular basis. In workstations comprising a large table-top, access to a primary and/or a secondary printer is often restricted, particularly if the printer is located at a rear portion of the table and the rear portion of the table abuts against a wall, and disruption of workstation operation becomes necessary to perform printer maintenance tasks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a workstation for high volume computerized printing and processing operations that offers ergonomic placement of computer components, as well as convenient location of both a primary and a secondary printer for receiving and processing output therefrom. It is a related object of the present invention to provide such a workstation wherein the primary and secondary printers are each readily accessible for changing ribbons, sheet stock, card stock, labels, etc., and for performing service and repair. 
     A workstation formed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention includes a main support surface elevated by a plurality of legs. The main support surface includes a rear portion and a front portion having an open cut-out region sized to receive a person, for example an operator or service technician, to bring the rear portion of the main support surface within the comfortable reach of such person. A worksurface is pivotally connected to the front portion of the main support surface by a hinge and normally resides in a horizontal working position to close the open cut-out region and simultaneously close an upwardly facing compartment opening of a storage compartment located adjacent to the cut-out region. The rear portion of the main support surface is intended to support a primary printer, a monitor mount, and a secondary printer, while the worksurface provides an area for a keyboard and mouse. The worksurface pivots from its working position to a vertical servicing position to enable an operator or service technician to occupy the exposed cut-out region to facilitate access to the primary printer as needed. The secondary printer is situated atop an auxiliary support surface slidably mounted on the main support surface for movement between the rear and front portions of the main support surface, and a tray for receiving output from the secondary printer normally extends laterally from the worksurface to reside above a forward portion of the travel path of the auxiliary support surface. The tray is pivotally connected to the worksurface to allow it to be removed from above the travel path so that the auxiliary support surface and secondary printer can be slid forward to the front portion of the main support surface as needed. 
     In a second embodiment of the present invention, the lateral positions of the storage compartment and worksurface hinge are interchanged, and the tray is pivotally connected to the storage compartment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top left perspective view of a workstation formed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top right perspective view of the workstation shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, however showing a worksurface of the workstation in a servicing position; 
     FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the workstation shown in FIG. 1, showing adjustment of a tray of the workstation; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial top right perspective view showing use of the tray of the workstation when the tray is in a working position; 
     FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, however illustrating forward positioning of a secondary printer by way of a slidable auxiliary support surface of the workstation with the tray in a servicing position; and 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of a workstation formed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a workstation formed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown and identified generally by the reference numeral  10 . Workstation  10  is intended for use in an environment requiring computerized printing of labels, forms, and the like, and processing of these items in high volume. For example, workstation  10  is suitable for use in a postal facility or business mailroom. By way of illustration, workstation  10  supports a computer monitor  12 , a keyboard  14 , a mouse  16 , a primary thermal printer  18 , and a secondary thermal printer  20 , all of which are connected to a computer (not shown) in well-known fashion. 
     Workstation  10  generally comprises a main support surface  22  elevated from the floor by a plurality of legs  24 , a worksurface  26 , a storage compartment  28 , an auxiliary support surface  30 , a tray  32 , and a monitor mount  34 . Main support surface  22  includes a front portion  22   a  and a rear portion  22   b , with front portion  22   a  being closer to an operator than rear portion  22   b . As shown in FIG. 1, primary printer  18 , monitor mount  34 , monitor  12 , auxiliary support surface  30 , and secondary printer  20  are normally located on rear portion  22   b.    
     Referring also now to FIG. 3, it can be seen that main support surface  22 , and more specifically front portion  22   a  thereof, includes an open cut-out region  36  with spaced lateral sides  36   a  and  36   b  sized for an operator or service technician to stand within the cut-out region to facilitate access to equipment on rear portion  22   b . Cut-out region  36  enables the operator or service technician to stand close to primary printer  18  for loading a printer ribbon and/or labels, and for performing maintenance and repair service. Primary printer  18  may be orientated such that its output is collected on rear portion  22   b  for further processing. 
     Worksurface  26  includes a right-angle side member  38  pivotally connected to main support surface  22  adjacent lateral side  36   b  of cut-out region  36  by a hinge  40  having a pivot axis that extends in a front to rear direction relative to main support surface  22 . During normal printing operation at workstation  10 , worksurface  26  is moved to a horizontal working position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 such that it covers cut-out region  36  and provides an area to place computer input devices including keyboard  14  and mouse  16 . Side member  38  serves to elevate worksurface  26  relative to main support surface  22  for ergonomic reasons. A free side  42  of worksurface  26  opposite side member  38  is supported by storage compartment  28 , as will be described further below, when worksurface  26  is in a horizontal working position. If access to primary printer  18  is desired, items on top of worksurface  26  may be removed and free side  42  lifted upwardly to pivot worksurface  26  to an upright servicing position to open cut-out region  36 . As will be appreciated from FIG. 3, side member  38  provides a stable base for worksurface  26  when worksurface  26  is in an upright servicing position. 
     Storage compartment  28  is located adjacent the first lateral side  36   a  of cut-out region  36  and is preferably in the form of a rectangular box having a partial lid  44  defining an upwardly facing compartment opening  46 . Free side  42  of worksurface  26  sits immediately adjacent to partial lid  44  when worksurface  26  is in a horizontal working position, such that compartment opening  46  is closed by an overlapping portion of worksurface  26 . Storage compartment  28  can be used to store replacement ribbons, cartridges and labels for printers  18  and  20 , as well as service tools and maintenance instructions for the printers. 
     Auxiliary support surface  30  is provided to support secondary printer  20  for use when primary printer  18  is out of order or otherwise unavailable, and is slidably mounted on main support surface  22  by way of telescoping or retracting parallel tracks  48  connected to main support surface  22  and the underside of auxiliary support surface  30 , as can be seen in FIG.  6 . Tracks  48  define a travel path between rear portion  22   b  and front portion  22   a  of main support surface  22 , whereby secondary printer  20  can be moved forward from rear portion  22   b  to front portion  22   a  to permit servicing and regular maintenance of secondary printer  20 . 
     Attention is presently directed to FIGS. 4-6, which depict tray  32  as being pivotally connected to worksurface  26  near side member  38  by hinged cantilever support brackets  50 . Tray  32  normally rests in a horizontal working position such that it extends laterally from worksurface  26  to reside above a forward portion of tracks  48 . As will be understood by reference to FIG. 5, auxiliary support surface  30  and secondary printer  20  carried thereby are positioned at a rearward portion of tracks  48  when secondary printer  20  is in use, and tray  32  rests in a working position adjacent an output feeder  52  of the secondary printer to collect output from the secondary printer. If access to secondary printer  20  by the operator or a service technician becomes necessary, tray  32  may be swung upward to a servicing position wherein it is removed from above tracks  48 , as shown in FIG. 6, and secondary printer can be slid forward on auxiliary support surface  30 . Tray  32  could also be mounted for laterally directed sliding motion into and out of a slot in worksurface  26  to accomplish selectable positioning of the tray above tracks  48 . 
     Monitor mount  34  is supported by rear portion  22   b  of main support surface  22  and is chosen to provide mounting capability for an ergonomic viewing adjustment mechanism, such as a retractable monitor stand or the like. Monitor mount  34  is situated between primary printer  18  and secondary printer  20 , and elevates a monitor sufficiently relative to main support surface  22  to give the operator an unimpeded line of sight over worksurface  26   
     Referring once again to FIG. 1, workstation  10  preferably includes shelving  54  under main support surface  22  for storing the computer housing, supplies and other items used at the workstation. 
     FIG. 7 shows a workstation  10 ′ formed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. Workstation  10 ′ is similar to workstation  10  of the first embodiment, however storage compartment  28  is located proximate to lateral side  36   b  of cut-out region  36  and supports tray  32 , while side member  38  and the hinged connection of worksurface  26  to main support surface  22  are located adjacent lateral side  36   a  of cut-out region  36 . Accordingly, worksurface  26  pivots counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 7 to move from a working position to a servicing position. This embodiment has the advantage of allowing tray  32  to remain in a horizontal working position while worksurface  26  is in a generally upright servicing position. 
     It will be understood from the foregoing description that an operator using a workstation according to the present invention can sustain productivity even when a primary printer  18  or secondary printer  20  is not operational. Moreover, a workstation of the present invention allows maintenance or repair of one printer while the other printer is in use. For instance, if primary printer  18  is not operational, a printing command can be redirected to secondary printer  20 , any input devices can be temporarily removed from worksurface  26 , and worksurface  26  can be pivoted to an upright servicing position to open storage compartment  28  and simultaneously expose cut-out region  36  for facilitating access to the primary printer. By way of further example, if secondary printer  20  is in need of maintenance or repair, tray  32  can be pivoted to an upright servicing position and secondary printer  20  moved forward along tracks  48  for easy access thereto.