In-car work station

• US 6,015,198 A
• Filed: 08/15/1997
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary A. Stair
• Original Assignee: Gary A. Stair
• Inventors: Stair, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US08/912,077
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 108/44, 108/42, 312/236, 312/183, 312/235.1, 297/188.2, 297/188.21, 297/188.01, 297/188.11, 206/425, 206/557, 220/771
• US Class Current: 312/235.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/002 of trays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/043 mounted on or under a seat

Abstract

An in-car work station adapted to be supported on an front passenger seat and provide easy access from the driver seat. The work station has an immovable top surface located adjacent to the front of the work station which can be used as a support surface for articles being used by the occupant of vehicle. A drawer is provided in the work station and is laterally extendable from its stored position to a use position where the drawer extends in the inboard direction toward the driver seat thereby increasing access by the driver. The drawer includes a receptacle cavity having a support tray for receiving a note pad thereon and readily permitting access from the driver seat to the note pad.

Claims

1. A work station for use in an automobile, said work station comprising:

a base adapted to be supported on an automobile front passenger seat readily enabling use by an occupant of the automobile from a driver seat, said base including a rear end, a front end, an inboard side, an outboard side and a top surface, said rear end being positionable toward a rear portion of the seat and said front end being positionable toward a front portion of the seat, said top surface including an immovable planar portion located adiacent to said front end of said base, said planar portion operating as support surface for articles being used by the occupant of the driver seat, at least one drawer located in said base and being laterally extendable from a stored position within said base to an inboard use position where said drawer is substantially outside of said base, said drawer including a receptacle cavity adapted for storing articles therein, said cavity being accessible when said drawer is in said use position and being inaccessible when said drawer is in said stored position, and support means located within said drawer for receiving a note pad thereon and readily permitting access from the driver seat to said note pad supported thereon, said support means including a removable tray located in said receptacle cavity, said tray capable of being maintained in an inclined position.

2. A work station for use in an automobile, said work station comprising:

a base adapted to be supported on an automobile front passenger seat readily enabling use by an occupant of the automobile from a drive seat, said base including a rear end, a front end, an inboard side, an outboard side and a top surface, said rear end being positionable toward a rear portion of the seat and said front end being positionable toward a front portion of the seat, said top surface being an immovable planar surface located adjacent to said front end of said base, said planar surface operating as a support surface and free work area for articles being used by the occupant of the driver seat, at least one shelf located in a forward end of said base adjacent to said front end of said base and having a width of a dimension extending only part way to said rear end of said base, said shelf being located immediately below and adjacent to said top surface and being movable from a stored position within said base to a fully extended use position where said shelf protrudes laterally from said base, in said use position said shelf forming an inboard lateral extension of said top surface and providing said work station with an L-shaped configuration, said shelf defining a substantially flat planar support surface for receiving a note pad thereon and readily permitting use from the driver seat of the note pad.

3. A work station as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a receptacle compartment located within said forward end of said base and immediately below said shelf.

4. A work station as set forth in claim 3 wherein said receptacle compartment is a drawer, said drawer being laterally movable to a fully extended position where said drawer protrudes laterally from said inboard side of said base in a use position.

5. A work station as set forth in claim 2 further comprising a well formed in said top surface adjacent to said rear end and to said outboard side of said base, said well being of a size to receive file folders therein, a carrier sized to be received in said well, said carrier being removable from said well for removing file folders from said work station and the automobile.

6. A work station as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a carrier sized to be received within said well, said carrier including handles for grasping and carrying said carrier independent of said work station.

7. A work station as set forth in claim 2 further comprising an upstanding flange formed along at least one side of said top surface and extending thereabove, said flange forming a perimeter portion of said top surface and preventing inadvertent movement of items off of said top surface during movement of the automobile.

8. A work station as set forth in claim 7 wherein said flange is provided along a front perimeter and an outboard perimeter of said top surface.

9. A work station as set forth in claim 2 further comprising leg means for supporting said front end of said base beyond said front portion of said passenger seat, and leg means being vertically adjustable and extending downward from said base to contact flooring in said automobile.