Abstract:
A portable workstation apparatus having a collapsible frame, wheels, a seat, and work surface, whereby collapsing the frame and manipulating an articulated work surface attachment, permits the apparatus to be utilized as a hand truck. Also described is an enhanced version of the collapsible portable workstation apparatus having a scissors linkage lift mechanism allowing adjustment of the seating height.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention generally relates to seats, desks, tables, workstations, and hand trucks. Specifically, this device is a combination folding portable seat/desk/hand truck. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Traditionally, technicians, engineers, surveyors, maintenance, and emergency personnel and the like employed in industrial, commercial or institutional settings are required to perform field work outside a typical office environment. Field work may be indoors or outdoors, upon a factory floor or mezzanine, aboard a seagoing vessel, aircraft or land vehicle. Field work generally involves equipment and or facilities construction, start-up, commissioning, field trials, maintenance, calibration, certification etc. Such field work can range from a few minutes duration to days or even years dependant on the project work scope. Many field work sites do not have permanent workstations, tables, desks, chairs, and or hand trucks hereafter known as workstations. Generally it is not practical to locate permanent workstations that will be used infrequently as the workstations occupy expensive real estate and typically collect useless items rendering the workstations unavailable when needed. Oftentimes makeshift workstations are assembled from inverted buckets, wire spools, boxes, crates, pallets, steps, machinery ledges, etc. Rarely are these makeshift workstations the correct seating or working height and as such are generally uncomfortable. Fatigue commonly occurs when using such makeshift workstations resulting in reduced productivity and workmanship. Additionally, makeshift workstations are often unstable and or incapable of adequately supporting personnel or equipment. Personnel injury and or equipment damage can and does occur due to workstation tipping and or structural failure. 
   Frequently, heavy toolboxes, briefcases, portable computers, instruments, etc. hereafter known as equipment, are hand carried to the field work site. Injuries such as muscle strains, back pain, etc. are commonly related to lifting or hand carrying equipment. 
   Hand trucks provide an injury reducing means to transport equipment to work sites, but do not provide a seat or work surface. 
   Overall, makeshift workstations are generally inadequate in the following respects: 
   1. Seating position (horizontal and vertical) relative to work surface 
   2. Seating comfort (non ergonomic design) 
   3. Work surface position (horizontal and vertical) relative to seating 
   4. Work surface horizontal tilt relative to seating 
   5. Stability (seating and work surface) 
   6. Load capacity (personnel and instruments) 
   7. Provide no means to transport equipment 
   PRIOR ART 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,865 Visually Appealing Versatile Rollable and Folding Chair as the prior art provides portable seating and a reading surface, but the four wheel design is inherently unstable on uneven flooring. Additionally, the seating height and book surface height are generally not readily adjustable to accommodate the majority of the world&#39;s adult population. 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,134 Work Surface for Luggage and Luggage Carriers as the prior art provides a portable a work surface and luggage carrier but no seating means. 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,720 Portable PC Workstation as the prior art provides a portable work surface but no seating means. 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,796 Combined Desk and Luggage Carrier as the prior art provides a portable work surface and luggage carrier but no seating means. 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,400 Portable Desk Assembly as the prior art provides portable seating and a work surface but without the means transport itself via wheels or transport additional equipment. 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,783 B2 Portable Collapsible Workstation as the prior art provides portable seating and a work surface but without the means transport itself via wheels or transport additional equipment. 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,134 Apparatus for Housing and Transporting, and Furnishing an Adjustable User-platform for a Portable Computer as the prior art provides portable work surface and transportation means, but no seating means. 
   The proposed device differs from U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,936 Portable Ergonomic Work Station as the prior art provides portable work surface, but no seating means. 
   The proposed device provides a portable workstation solving the aforementioned limitations by providing the following features: 
   1. Means for providing portability including: 
   
       
       
         
           a. Device folds to facilitate device portability 
           b. Device provides wheels to facilitate device portability 
           c. Device provides handle assembly to facilitate device portability 
           d. Device serves as a hand truck to facilitate equipment portability 
           e. Device provides lifting device to facilitate device portability
 
2. Means for supporting personnel including:
 
           a. Device provides seating assembly 
           b. Seating assembly adjustable about vertical axis, accommodating 95% of world adult population 
           c. Seating assembly rotates about vertical axis 
           d. Seating is ergonomically designed, accommodating 95% of world adult population
 
3. Means for supporting work equipment including:
 
           a. Device provides work surface assembly 
           b. Work surface assembly is adjustable about the vertical and horizontal planes, accommodating 95% of world adult population 
           c. Work surface assembly adjustability with respect to seating assembly accommodates 95% of world adult population 
           d. Work surface can function as an easel, poster holder, or other media holder 
           e. Work surface can be replaced with greater area work surfaces 
           f. Work surface can be replaced with equipment such as photographic equipment
 
4. Miscellaneous features:
 
           a. Tripod frame design provides stability on most surfaces 
           b. Multiple workstations can be combined across, side by side or any combination thereof to provide increased work surface area and common work surface area seating 
           c. Materials of construction and construction features selected for various environmental service or environmental conditions, including but not limited to:
           1. National Sanitary Foundation (NSF) food service   2. Chemical, temperature, biological resistance   3. Classified/hazardous locations as per National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 70) National Electrical Code   4. Electrically insulated   5. Electrically conductive and static dissipative   
         
           d. Mechanical attachment means to prevent unwanted workstation motion or removal 
           e. Vibration damping components can be provided 
           f. Tie down means for transporting equipment 
         
       
     
  
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention provides a portable workstation apparatus and method designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs. The invention is a wheeled, portable, collapsible workstation with integral seating, work surface, load securing and transportation capacity. This unique invention utilizes a stable tripod frame structure, an ergonomically adjustable and designed seating assembly, and an ergonomically adjustable and designed work surface assembly in a hand portable device. The invention is designed to accommodate approximately the workstation dimensional requirements of 95% of the world&#39;s adult population (smallest 2.5% to largest 97.5%). With commonly used construction materials, and fabrication techniques similar to bicycle manufacturing; the invention provides a simple and economic portable workstation solution for engineers, technicians, maintenance personnel, and the like employed in such professions. 
   The workstation work surface provides a storage location and attachment means for equipment, luggage, toolboxes, instrumentation, computing devices, and the like. The user attaches equipment to the work surface. Using the integral handle and wheels, the user pulls/pushes the workstation and equipment to a work site. The user removes the equipment from the work surface, and unfolds the workstation, adjusting the seat and work surface as desired. The user replaces the equipment on the work surface. The user now has an ergonomically adjusted workstation allowing for greater productivity and less fatigue. Additionally, equipment damage due to falls from unstable or makeshift work surfaces is minimized. Variations in construction materials provide for increased resistance to damage from the elements, chemical or physical abuse, food service or use in hazardous/classified locations. Various equipment devices such as photographic equipment may be substituted for the work surface. Additionally, the work surface converts to an artist&#39;s easel. Two or more workstations may be combined forming a larger table work surface. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for the average 50 th  percentile user configuration. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for the smallest 2.5 th  percentile user configuration. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for the average 97.5 th  percentile user configuration. 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for an artist&#39;s easel configuration. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus collapsed for transport configuration. 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the portable workstation apparatus with the seat and work surface removed for frame assembly clarity. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the portable workstation apparatus. 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of the multiple portable workstation apparatuses depicting a cooperative work surface area. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for the average or 50 th  percentile user configuration. The workstation is comprised of an articulated and collapsible tripod frame assembly hereafter known as the Frame. Item  10  is first frame subassembly hereafter known as Frame  10 , further detailed in  FIG. 7 . Item  10  essentially forms two legs of the tripod frame assembly. Item  20  is a beam type second frame subassembly, hereafter known as Frame  20 , forming the third leg of the articulated and collapsible tripod frame assembly. Item  18  is a lockable articulated joint hereafter known as Joint  18 , combining Frame  10  and Frame  20  into an articulated and collapsible tripod frame assembly. Joint  18  can have lockable means within its own assembly in the form of a ratcheting mechanism or a clamping mechanism. Alternately, the locking mechanism for joint  18  may be facilitated by support member  28 , holding the Frame in an upright and operating position. Support member  28  is detachable from either or both Frame  10  or Frame  20 , positioning the Frame in a collapsed transport and storage position. Wheels  16  attached to Frame  10  provide means to transport the workstation apparatus about the floor  100 . The wheels  16  are dimensioned to provide rolling ease, and use upon common industrial traffic floor gratings. Alternately, the wheels  16  can be lockable to inhibit unintended motion. A skid plate  22  is provided to inhibit unintended motion. Additionally, the skid plate is dimensioned such that is suitable for use upon common industrial traffic floor gratings. Any or all of the wheels  16  may be replaced with a skid plate  22 . The skid plate  22  also provides a hole formed within as a means to permanently affix the workstation to inhibit unintended motion. Both the wheels  16  and the skid plate  22  may provide leveling means, vibration damping, and or resistance to environmental factors such as but not limited to temperature, chemicals, etc. A handle  24  is formed within or attached to Frame  20  as a means for the user to grasp and transport the workstation. 
   A seat assembly mounting device  30  hereafter known as Mount  30  is generally attached to Frame  20 . A seat vertical position control device  34  hereafter known as Lift  34  is attached to Mount  30 . A scissors linkage lifting mechanism is preferred for lift  34  as it is compact and provides a raised to lowered height ratio greater than 2:1. Bellows type pinch point guarding and or aesthetic covering(s) although not shown, may be employed to cover Lift  34 . Lift  34  is actuated via handle  36 . Handle  36  is articulated such that it will pivot and release should it catch upon an obstacle while the apparatus is transported. A bearing assembly  38  may be provided to allow the user to swivel the seat  32 . The bearing assembly  38  can be constructed of sliding and or rolling bearing materials, with the choice of material being suitable for the workstation environment. A stop mechanism  39 , generally a releasable spring type plunger device, can be used to prevent seat  32  rotation about the vertical axis. The seat  32  dimensions and features are configured to support 95% of the world&#39;s adult population. The seat  32  can be provided with a removable back support member  40 . The back support member  40  may have an articulation  44  to facilitate storage and transportation. A seat back  42  is provided upon the back support member  40 . An approximate planar work surface  60  is supported via a work surface position control device  50  hereafter known as Position Control  50 . Position Control  50  generally consists of one or more extensible members with extension locking points  52  and if necessary  54 . Position Control  50  also cooperates with Frame  20  via a lockable articulation  26 . Lockable articulation  26  can have lockable means within its own assembly in the form of a ratcheting mechanism or a clamping mechanism. Position Control  50  also cooperates with work surface  60  via a lockable articulation  56 . Lockable articulation  56  can have lockable means within its own assembly in the form of a ratcheting mechanism or a clamping mechanism. Work surface  60  is provided having one or more attachment areas for lockable articulation  56  cooperation with position control  50 . Position control  50  extensible features cooperating with lockable articulation  26  and lockable articulation  56 , provides means of horizontal and vertical positioning of work surface  60  with respect to seat  32 . Said cooperation between seat  32  to work surface  60 , providing dimensional accommodations for 50% of world adult population. The positioning of seat  32  and work surface  60  are consistent with the needs of the average or 50 th  percentile user. Alternate point of lockable articulation  58  is provided for alternative configurations described in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 . 
     FIG. 2  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for the smallest or 2.5 percentile user configuration. All the components recited in the description of  FIG. 1  are utilized with the following modifications: The position of seat  32  is adjusted via Lift  34  and Handle  32 , the position of work surface  60  is adjusted via Position Control  50 , lockable articulation  26 , and lockable articulation  56 , accommodating the needs of the smallest or 2.5 percentile user configuration. 
     FIG. 3  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for the largest or 95 th  percentile user configuration. All the components recited in the description of  FIG. 1  are utilized with the following modifications: The position of seat  32  is adjusted via Lift  34  and Handle  32 , the position of work surface  60  is adjusted via position control  50 , lockable articulation  26 , and lockable articulation  56 , accommodating the needs of the largest or 95 th  percentile user configuration. 
     FIG. 4  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus configured for an artist&#39;s easel user configuration. All the components recited in the description of  FIG. 1  are utilized with the following modifications: The position of work surface  60  is changed and lockable articulation  58  is utilized, an articulated fork truck nose  62  is rigidly held at substantially a right angle to the work surface  60 , accommodating the needs of supporting an artist&#39;s easel user configuration. 
     FIG. 5  is a side view of the portable workstation apparatus for transport configuration with equipment. All the components recited in the description of  FIG. 4  are utilized with the following modifications: The position of seat  32  is adjusted via Lift  34  and Handle  32  to its lowest operative position. The position of work surface  60  is adjusted via position control  50 , lockable articulation  26 , and lockable articulation  58 . The locking mechanism for joint  18  is released positioning the frame in a collapsed transport and storage position. Wheels  16  and Handle  24  provide means to transport the collapsed workstation and apparatus about the floor  100 . The articulated fork truck nose  62  is rigidly held at substantially a right angle to the work surface  60 . Equipment  110  is positioned on work surface  60  for transportation. 
     FIG. 6  is a top view of the portable workstation apparatus with the seat and work surface removed for frame assembly clarity. The Frame  10  is comprised of a first frame member  12 , a mirror image frame member  13 , and a stiffening member  14 , forming an a first frame subassembly. The wheels  16  are also shown located at frame member  12  and  13  endpoints. The Joint  18  is shown cooperating with Frame  10  and Frame  20 , with stiffening member  14  providing a mechanical stop to the Frame assembly in the collapsed transport and storage position 
     FIG. 7  is a top view of the portable workstation apparatus depicting the seat  32  and work surface  60 . 
     FIG. 8  is a top view of multiple portable workstation apparatuses depicting a cooperative work surface areas  60  and seats  32 .