Abstract:
A method of conducting an electronic repair business employing a mobile laboratory comprising converting a preexisting mobile vehicle of the van type into a mobile electronic laboratory and repair shop by first stripping all of the preexisting components in the van rearward of the existing front seats to provide a relatively flat floor from the front seats to the rear doors of the vehicle, the resulting floor being 10 to 12 feet wide, 16 to 18 feet in longitudinal direction and having a work space approximately 6 feet above the resulting floor, providing a transverse bulkhead arranged vertically behind the front seats, so that the space behind the bulkhead constitutes a work space, and fitting the work space into an electronics diagnostic and repair laboratory by adding the necessary work components and electronic components.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to methods of conducting repair business in a mobile laboratory and specifically to the vehicle employed in the business and its method of use during operation for the electronic repair business. Repair, in the broad sense includes upgrades and innovative solutions to electronic problems. 
   2. Prior Art 
   For the purpose of providing methods of conducting electronic repair business and vehicles for use in connection therewith, a number of various designs have been broadly proposed in the related art: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,321, issued on Aug. 11, 1992, to Landry et al., for a mobile office van conversion, while not relating specifically to a method of conducting a repair business, nevertheless, discloses a method of employing a van for a mobile office conversion. In Landry, the cargo space behind the front seats is converted into a mobile office. 
   Montgerard U.S. Pat. No. 4,643,476, issuing on Feb. 17, 1987, discloses a mobile band instrument repair shop. In Montgerard, a mobile trailer is converted into a repair shop for repairing band instruments. 
   One of the interesting features of the Montgerard patent is that it provides a somewhat detailed description of the prior art itself in Column 1, Lines 17 through 36 as follows: 
   “Several of the related art devices include a motorized general purpose traveling workshop for use during war described in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,365,940, issued to Couse on Dec. 26, 1944; a woodworking shop mounted in a trailer described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,206, issued to Griffin on Oct. 25, 1977; a motorized self-contained van for servicing automobiles in remote regions described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,358, issued to Legueu on Oct. 28, 1980; a van including a power source having vehicle testing equipment for testing the electrical performance of a motor described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,123, issued to Gygrynuk on Oct. 10, 1972; a mobile muffler shop mounted on a truck and including tubing bending equipment described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,158, issued to Mercer on Oct. 29, 1974; a self-contained kitchen unit for placement in a van type vehicle described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,539, issued to Niessner on Jun. 10, 1975; and a mobile voting service located in a motorized vehicle described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,377,367, issued to Smith on Mar. 22, 1983.” 
   Another prior art patent of interest is Thoma U.S. Pat. No. 6,612,008 B1, issuing on Sep. 2, 2003. Thoma is of interest in that the patent itself is couched in terms of a method for conducting a repair business using a mobile vehicle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention involves a van conversion using a full-sized van. Purely for purposes of example the van shown in the drawings is a Dodge Sprinter having a length of 18 to 22 feet and an internal height from the deck in rear to the inside of the roof of the vehicle of approximately 6 feet with a cargo width of approximately 10 to 12 feet. The reason for specifying a full van, as opposed to a mini-van, is that the nature of the computer repair business requires considerable space for making the repairs, analyzing the problems and for carrying a minimum of parts necessary to effectuate a practical repair business. 
   For the purpose of converting the van into a proper vehicle for conducting the method of repair business described herein, the rear of the van behind the front seats is stripped of seating and the preexisting van equipment, and a vertical transverse bulkhead is installed immediately behind the front seats. This part of the conversion results in a space of approximately 12 to 16 feet in longitudinal length, 10 to 12 feet in width and 6 feet in height. A longitudinal track is installed in the flooring of the vehicle extending from the rear doors thereof to the bulkhead behind the front seats. A plurality of slidable seats are mounted for slidable positioning along the length of the track. A table or workbench is provided along one side of the van for supporting thereon monitors, keyboards and electronic mice and other electronic diagnostic elements and devices for the purpose of analyzing and working on problems in connection with any electronic equipment brought in by customers to be repaired by the overall service provider. The slidable seats are therefore positional along the bench/table in conjunction with the monitors, keyboards, etc. The sides of the vehicle which are not otherwise employed for the monitors are used as shelf space for electronic components that are used in the business of repair of computers etc. Along the sides of the top of the vehicle are bins for storing parts and equipment in a manner similar to the storage of articles in aircraft. That is, the bins are provided with closures for preventing the articles stored therein from falling out during transport of the van from one location to another. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a elevation view of the starboard side of the vehicle which is used in the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the vehicle shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an opposite side view of the vehicle shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the starboard side of the vehicle and showing the chairs and other equipment mounted on the inside port wall of the vehicle. 
       FIG. 5  is a view inside of the vehicle opposite that shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of the vehicle having everything removed. 
       FIG. 7  is a rear view of the vehicle with the rear doors open to show the interior of the vehicle. 
       FIGS. 8A through 8D  together constitute a block diagram showing the purposes of the vehicle of the present invention with the various components utilized to accomplish that purpose. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to the drawings in detail,  FIGS. 1 through 7  show a van  10  of suitable size to store the necessary components for the van to carry with it for the various tasks and assignments it must cover. The van  10  has a conventional roof  12 , tires (four)  14 , a port (outer) side  16 , and a starboard (outer) side  18 . The vehicle  10  is provided with conventional port and starboard front doors  20  and  22  respectively, and a starboard sliding door  24  which, in the  FIG. 1  showing, is slid to a rear position leaving an opening  26  on the starboard side of the vehicle to permit a person to enter the vehicle from the outside. 
   The vehicle is also provided with a conventional motor (not shown), conventional drive system (not shown), a driver&#39;s seat  30  and a passenger seat  32 . For the sake of providing maximum interior space in the vehicle  10  an air conditioner  34  is mounted on the roof of the van near the rear of the vehicle. 
   The rear of the vehicle is provided with left and right hand doors  36  and  38  which fold together in a conventional manner as shown in  FIG. 2 . An auxiliary generator  40  is mounted on the rear bumper  42  but is foldable downwardly, as best shown in  FIG. 3 , to permit the rear doors to be opened. The forward interior area of the vehicle in which the driver&#39;s and passenger&#39;s seats  30  and  32  are located can be referred to as the cab or cab area  44  whereas, the rear interior portion of the vehicle behind the cab can be referred to as the cargo area  46  (which is also the work area or work space). The cab area and the cargo area are separated by a transverse wall or bulkhead  48  which is provided adjacent the port side with an opening or passageway  50  to permit someone from entering the cargo area after passing through the opening behind the passenger seat. Access to the interior of the cargo area  46  is also available through the opening  52  when the sliding door  24  is in the open position shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   As best shown in  FIGS. 4 ,  6  and  7 , the cargo area  46  is provided with a floor or deck  48  which extends for essentially the entire length of the cargo area. Mounted essentially mid-way along the floor  48  are a pair of parallel tracks  51  separated from each other so as to provide a sliding arrangement for a vertical leg  52  of a slidable seat  54 . The slidable seat  54  has an upper portion which folds in relation to a horizontal seat portion  56 . The vertical or back portion  54  folds down against the sear  56  and these parts together fold by means of a folding strap  58  against the leg  52 . The seat  54  can be removed and stored behind the bulkhead  48  at the forward end of the tracks  51 . 
   In the cargo area  46  and adjacent the inner side of the left (port) side  16  of the vehicle is an elongated desk or work surface  60  supported by vertical legs  62 . Mounted along the port wall  16  above the table  60  are three flat screen monitors  64 . Each flat screen monitor has associated with it a keyboard  66  and a mouse  68 . Above the flat screen monitors and along the roof of the vehicle are a plurality of airplane type storage bins  70 . Likewise, along the roof of the van opposite from the last mentioned array, are additional bins  70 . Immediately behind the bulkhead along the vertical wall thereof are a plurality of shelves (unnumbered) and immediately to the rear of the shelves is an area  72  for housing a CPU and a credit card machine. 
   The mobile van of the present invention will require a large amount of shelf space for the storage of the numerous components that the van must carry. In this regard, the rear wall of the bulkhead  48  behind the driver&#39;s seat  30  is provided with shelves  74 . The insides of the two rear doors are provided with shelves  76 . The entire inner starboard side of the van behind the sliding door  24  is provided with shelves  78 . 
     FIGS. 8A through 8D , inclusive, describe the manner in which the mobile unit or store  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 through 7  is employed in the computer repair or refurbishing business. Thus, with respect to  FIG. 8A , the mobile computer repair concept  90  is designed to embrace the three common types of business; i.e., commercial  92 , residential  94  and government  96 . It is contemplated that these three modalities would include upgrades, networking, wireless network  98 , software configuration  100  all within the purview of the repair work that is done by the mobile repair unit of  FIGS. 1 through 7 . 
   Requests from customers come into the call center  102  or the website  104 . Depending upon the nature of the call the information is directed to the traditional store  106  or the mobile store  108 , or to warehouse distribution  110 , in the event that the store is out of the item requested. When the information is directed to the mobile store or the traditional store, then the parts needed are the new parts  112 , used parts  114  or refurbished parts  116 . Normally, new parts will be used unless the customer specifically requests used or refurbished parts. The parts requests, new, used or refurbished will have to be picked up, and if not at the traditional store or the mobile store, then delivered to the traditional store or mobile store. Each location for the storage of parts, that is the mobile store  108 , the traditional store  106 , or the warehouse distribution  110  will know precisely what is on hand at each of the locations and thus it will be determined through the pick-up and delivery service  118 , whether or not the parts delivery  114  should be actuated, or, if the mobile unit has the part in which case on-site service  116  will prevail. Any time of day that the call has come into the call center  102  or the website  104  the parts delivery can be placed in the van. Depending upon the demands created by the call to the call center or the request of the website  104  the computers at the traditional store, mobile store or the warehouse distribution will determine, through the pick-up and delivery service  118 , where and when the part needs to be shipped, if at all. If no shipment is needed, the part is already at the mobile store then on-site service will prevail. If the part is needed for the job and is not in the van then it can be placed in the large van  124  before the latter leaves for work for the day. Otherwise, if a call comes in during the day or near the end of the day, parts delivery  122  will see that delivery is made by small auto  126 . 
   Turning now to  FIG. 8   b , when the call comes in to the call center  102  or the website  104  the request will be in the nature of some type of repair service or refurbishment which will necessitate some product  128 . The parts can be numerous and varied as indicated in  8   b , including numerous accessories  130 , such as cables  132 , which can be used to build computers  134  plus other items of electrical or electronic nature which utilizes cases in which the equipment is mounted. Also the parts could include different kinds of drives  136  and CPU processors  138 . Occasionally, a request might require computer refurbishing  140  of computer disks, for example. Other products required to complete the customers requests involve controller cards  142 , accessories used in conjunction with digital security  144 , floppy drives used for data storage  146 , devices including unusual things such as finger print readers, joysticks and game controllers  148 . Hard drives are always a possibility  150  and modems are frequently required  152 . In any computer repair facility a person should be in a position to provide memory  154  and auxiliary equipment such as scanners  156 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 8   d , the demands on the computer store might also include requests for motherboards  158 , monitors  160 , PDA and cell phones  162 . Similar requests might involve networking  162 , multimedia considerations  164 ; in some cases the requests might require providing fax machines, printers, and supplies  166 . Incidental accessories such as notebook batteries and notebook upgrades  168  might fall within the purview of a customers request. Finally, the customer might wish to purchase software to solve particular problems of that customer, in which case the software  170  would be provided with whatever other tools are associated with the software. In the unusual event that the customers problems are not what they appear, the system is prepared to offer services in parts that connect with radio and T.V.  172  and Vide  174 . 
   Whereas the present invention has been described in particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further variations and modifications of the invention may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.