Mobile clinical workstation

• US 6,493,220 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterMetro Industries Corporation (Ali Holding Srl), Lex Camany
• Original Assignee: LXE Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Michael R., Clark, Richard A., Flemig, Steven B.
• Primary Examiner(s): FEILD, LYNN DIANA
• Application Number:
  US09/397,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 361/686, 361/683, 361/680, 361/681, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 312/197, 312/239, 312/208.2, 248/161, 248/404, 248/676-678, 248/370, 248/158, 248/127, 248/129, 248/919, 248/918, 108/50, 108/147
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 21/00 Tables or desks for office equipment, e.g. typewriters, keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0023 Columnar component for computer, stand or trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/918 Ancillary device support associated with a video display screen

Abstract

A mobile workstation includes an adjustable-height horizontal tray and a pull-out keyboard tray mounted beneath the horizontal tray to support a keyboard. A device, such as computer terminal, mounts to the horizontal tray through installation into a vertically-mounted docking station mounted to the horizontal tray, or through a mounting bracket mounted adjacent to the horizontal tray. A tiltable bracket mounts the docking station to the horizontal tray, and a clutch assembly allows the angle of the bracket and the angle of the docking station and the computer terminal, to be adjusted to avoid glare on the terminal'"'"'s display screen. With a mounting bracket, a tiltable bracket mounts a vertically-mounted display screen to the top of the horizontal tray. The mobile workstation also carries a power unit including an extended-life battery and a battery charger that connects to an AC power supply to charge the conventional battery pack connected to the computer terminal as well as the extended-life battery carried on the mobile workstation. When the computer terminal is stored in the mobile workstation, the wireless computer terminal can communicate through a radio transceiver in communication with a computer network, such a distributed patient-care computer network. Furthermore, a mobile workstation with a docking station includes a spring-mounted vertically-movable leveling tray that allows the computer terminal to be easily removed from the docking station using a push-down-and-tilt motion. An electronic and/or key lock selectively prevents vertical movement of the leveling tray to secure the computer terminal within the docking station.

Claims

1. A mobile workstation, comprising:

a wheeled chassis;

a tray supported by the chassis and having a lower surface and an upper surface defining a substantially horizontal work surface;

a bracket mounted to the bottom of the horizontal work surface to support a wireless computer terminal;

a display screen mounted substantially perpendicular to and above the top of the horizontal work surface, wherein the display screen mounts to a tiltable bracket connecting the display screen to the tray and for rotating the display screen relative to the tray; and

a power unit for the wireless computer terminal and supported by the chassis.

2. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises:

a dolly assembly;

a vertical beam having a first end connected to the dolly assembly and a second end connected to the tray; and

means for altering the length of the vertical beam and maintaining the tray at a plurality of selectable distances from the dolly assembly.

3. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the bracket defines a tray housing, further comprising a pull-out keyboard tray supported adjacent to the lower surface of the tray.

4. The mobile workstation of claim 1 wherein the bracket defines a back mounting bracket supported adjacent to the lower surface of the tray and configured to support a power converter.

5. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the bracket defines a housing supported on the upper surface.

6. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the power unit further comprises:

a rechargeable battery pack for supplying power to the wireless computer terminal while the wireless computer terminal is supported within the bracket; and

a battery charger connectable to an AC power source for charging the rechargeable battery.

7. The mobile workstation of claim 6, wherein the power unit further comprises:

a power cord for connecting the battery charger to the AC power source; and

a power cord storage assembly operable for retracting the power cord when the power cord is not connected to the AC power source.

8. A mobile workstation, comprising:

a wheeled chassis with a dolly assembly;

a substantially horizontal tray supported by the chassis and having a lower surface and an upper surface defining a work surface, the tray connected to the chassis by a vertical beam having a first end connected to the dolly assembly and a second end connected to the tray;

a means for altering the length of the vertical beam and maintaining the tray at a plurality of selectable distances from the dolly assembly;

a display screen supported by the tray adjacent to the work surface;

a tiltable bracket connecting the display device above the tray and for rotating the display device relative to the tray;

a pull-out keyboard tray supported adjacent to the lower surface of the tray;

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to a device and the display screen;

a battery charger connectable to an AC power source for charging the rechargeable battery;

a power cord for connecting the battery charger to the AC power source; and

a power cord storage assembly operable for retracting the power cord when the power cord is not connected to the AC power source.

9. The mobile workstation of claim 8, wherein:

the tray supports a computing device.

10. The mobile workstation of claim 9, wherein the tray further defines a bracket mounted to the lower surface of the horizontal tray and configured to support the device.

11. The mobile workstation of claim 9, wherein the tray further defines a bracket mounted to the upper surface of the horizontal tray and configured to support the device.

12. A mobile workstation, comprising:

a wheeled chassis;

a tray supported by the chassis and having an upper surface defining a substantially horizontal work surface; and

a bracket mounted adjacent to the work surface for supporting a docking station for holding a device,

wherein the bracket tiltably connects to the tray for rotating the docking station relative to the tray.

13. The mobile workstation of claim 12, further comprising:

a docking station supported by the bracket including an elongate dimension and a relatively slender dimension; and

wherein

the tray supports the docking station with the elongate dimension substantially vertical and the slender dimension substantially horizontal.

14. The mobile workstation of claim 12, further comprising a clutch connecting the bracket to the tray for maintaining the docking station in a plurality of selectable rotational positions relative to the tray.

15. The mobile workstation of claim 12, wherein the chassis further comprises:

a dolly assembly;

a vertical beam having a first end connected to the dolly assembly and a second end connected to the tray; and

means for altering the length of the vertical beam and maintaining the tray at a plurality of selectable distances from the dolly assembly.

16. The mobile workstation of claim 12, wherein the tray defines a lower surface, further comprising a pull-out keyboard tray supported adjacent to the lower surface of the tray.

17. The mobile workstation of claim 12, further comprising:

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the device while the device is supported within the docking station; and

a battery charger connectable to an AC power source for charging the rechargeable battery.

18. The mobile workstation of claim 17, further comprising:

a power cord for connecting the battery charger to the AC power source; and

a power cord storage assembly operable for retracting the power cord when the power cord is not connected to the AC power source.

19. The mobile workstation of claim 12, wherein:

the device includes a display screen; and

the docking station supports the device with the display screen substantially perpendicular to and above the work surface.

20. A mobile workstation, comprising:

a wheeled chassis;

a tray supported by the chassis and having an upper surface defining a substantially horizontal work surface;

a bracket mounted adjacent to the work surface for supporting a docking station for holding a device;

a retainer for holding the device in the docking station;

a restraining member movable from an open position to a closed position so that the device may be removed from the docking station when the restraining member is in the open position, and so that device is resiliently restrained in the docking station when the restraining member is in the closed position;

a lock movable from a release position to an interference position to positively restrain the device in the docking station; and

an unlocking means for selectively moving the lock from the interference position to the release position to allow the device to be removed from the docking station.

21. The mobile workstation of claim 20, wherein:

the retainer includes two spaced-apart arms for receiving a first side of the device; and

the restraining member comprises a leveling tray for resiliently supporting a second side of the device, opposite the first side of the device.

22. A mobile workstation, comprising:

a wheeled chassis;

a substantially horizontal tray supported by the chassis and having an upper surface defining a substantially horizontal work surface;

a docking station supported by the tray adjacent to the work surface for removably supporting a device, the docking station including an elongate dimension and a relatively slender dimension;

the tray supporting the docking station with the elongate dimension substantially vertical and the slender dimension substantially horizontal;

a tiltable bracket connecting the docking station to the tray for rotating the docking station relative to the tray; and

a clutch connecting the bracket to the tray for maintaining the docking station in a plurality of selectable rotational positions relative to the tray.

23. The mobile workstation of claim 22, wherein the chassis further comprises:

a dolly assembly;

a vertical beam having a first end connected to the dolly assembly and a second end connected to the tray; and

means for altering the length of the vertical beam and maintaining the tray at a plurality of selectable distances from the dolly assembly.

24. The mobile workstation of claim 22, wherein the tray defines a lower surface, further comprising a pull-out keyboard tray supported adjacent to the lower surface of the tray.

25. The mobile workstation of claim 24, further comprising:

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the device while the device is supported within the docking station; and

a battery charger connectable to an AC power source for charging the rechargeable battery.

26. The mobile workstation of claim 25, further comprising:

a power cord for connecting the battery charger to the AC power source; and

a power cord storage assembly operable for retracting the power cord when the power cord is not connected to the AC power source.

27. The mobile workstation of claim 26, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a retainer including two spaced-apart arms for receiving a first side of the device;

a restraining member including a leveling tray for receiving a second side of the device, the leveling tray being movable from an open position to a closed position so that the device may be removed from the docking station when the restraining member is in the open position, and so that device is resiliently restrained in the docking station when the restraining member is in the closed position;

a lock movable from a release position to an interference position to positively restrain the device in the docking station; and

an unlocking means for selectively moving the lock from the interference position to the release position to allow the device to be removed from the docking station.

28. A mobile workstation, comprising:

a wheeled chassis;

a substantially horizontal tray supported by the chassis and having a lower surface and an upper surface defining a work surface;

a docking station supported by the tray adjacent to the work surface for removably supporting a device, wherein;

the docking station includes an elongate dimension and a relatively slender dimension; and

the tray supports the docking station with the elongate dimension substantially vertical and the slender dimension substantially horizontal;

a tiltable bracket connecting the docking station to the tray for rotating the docking station relative to the tray;

a clutch connecting the tiltable bracket to the tray and operable for maintaining the docking station in a plurality of selectable rotational positions relative to the tray;

a pull-out keyboard tray supported adjacent to the lower surface of the tray;

a rechargeable battery for supplying power to the device while the device is supported within the docking station;

a battery charger connectable to an AC power source for charging the rechargeable battery;

a power cord for connecting the battery charger to the AC power source; and

a power cord storage assembly operable for retracting the power cord when the power cord is not connected to the AC power source.

29. The mobile workstation of claim 28, wherein the docking station further comprises:

a retainer including two spaced-apart arms for receiving a first side of the device;

a restraining member including a leveling tray for receiving a first side of the device, the leveling tray being movable from an open position to a closed position so that the device may be removed from the docking station when the restraining member is in the open position, and so that device is resiliently restrained in the docking station when the restraining member is in the closed position;

a lock movable from a release position to an interference position to positively restrain the device in the docking station; and

an unlocking means for selectively moving the lock from the interference position to the release position to allow the device to be removed from the docking station.