Tractor-truck cab with workstation and mobile seat
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A tractor-truck cab comprising:
- a seat-supporting track extending between a driving position located on a driver side of the cab and a workstation position located on a passenger side of the cab;
a seat mounted on the seat-supporting track for movement therealong between the driving position and the workstation position;
a work-surface platform provided on the passenger side of the cab; and
an interlocking system for selectively locking the seat in the driving position, wherein the interlocking system comprises;
a vehicle movement-prohibiting device;
a switching device;
a blocking device for selectively obstructing a path along the seat-supporting track; and
a controller in communication with the vehicle movement-prohibiting device, the switching device, and the blocking device, for controlling the blocking device based at least in part on a signal from the switching device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided herein is a cab for a tractor-truck. The cab includes a work station, suitable for use as a desk or the like, which can be provided with common office machines. Also provided in the cab is a seat, which is slidably fixed to a seat-supporting track that extends across the floor of the cab, so that the seat can be selectively positioned between a driving position and a workstation position. The tractor-truck can be equipped with an interlock system that keeps the vehicle from moving if the seat is not in the driving position. Also, when the seat is not in the workstation position, a second seat can be detachably fixed in the workstation position.
84 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A tractor-truck cab comprising:
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a seat-supporting track extending between a driving position located on a driver side of the cab and a workstation position located on a passenger side of the cab;
a seat mounted on the seat-supporting track for movement therealong between the driving position and the workstation position;
a work-surface platform provided on the passenger side of the cab; and
an interlocking system for selectively locking the seat in the driving position, wherein the interlocking system comprises;
a vehicle movement-prohibiting device;
a switching device;
a blocking device for selectively obstructing a path along the seat-supporting track; and
a controller in communication with the vehicle movement-prohibiting device, the switching device, and the blocking device, for controlling the blocking device based at least in part on a signal from the switching device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21)
a sensing device for detecting a position of the seat; and
a locking mechanism for selectively maintaining the vehicle movement-prohibiting device in a predetermined state, wherein the controller controls the locking mechanism based at least in part on a position signal received from the sensing device.
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7. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 6, wherein the sensing device comprises an optical sensor.
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8. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a solenoid.
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9. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 8, wherein the controller controls the locking mechanism to maintain the vehicle movement-prohibiting device in the predetermined state when the position signal received from the sensing device indicates that the seat is not in the driving position, and the controller controls the locking mechanism to allow the vehicle movement-prohibiting device to move from the predetermined state when the position signal received from the sensing device indicates that the seat is in the driving position.
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11. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a passenger seat removably mounted on the seat-supporting track at the workstation position.
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12. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 1, wherein the seat comprises a base portion and a seat portion rotatably mounted to the base portion.
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13. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 1, wherein the work-surface platform has a first edge which extends along a portion of a forward wall of the cab, and has a second edge which extends along a portion of a side wall of the cab.
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14. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 13, wherein the work-surface platform is positioned below a window of the cab.
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15. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 14, wherein the work-surface platform includes a substantially transparent display portion.
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20. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a filing cabinet mounted in the cab below the work-surface platform.
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21. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a curtain track mounted above at least a portion of a window of the cab, and a curtain slidably fixed to the curtain track for extending therealong.
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10. A tractor-truck cab comprising:
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a seat-supporting track extending between a driving position located on a driver side of the cab and a workstation position located on a passenger side of the cab;
a seat mounted on the seat-supporting track for movement therealong between the driving position and the workstation position;
a work-surface platform provided on the passenger side of the cab;
a seat-position sensor for detecting a seat position of the seat;
a solenoid for selectively locking the seat in a predetermined position;
a parking-brake-position sensor for detecting a parking-brake position of a parking brake;
a parking-brake lock for selectively locking the parking brake in an engaged position; and
a controller for controlling the solenoid based at least in part on the parking-brake position detected by the parking-brake-position sensor, and for controlling the parking-brake lock based at least in part on the seat position detected by the seat-position sensor.
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16. A tractor-truck cab comprising:
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a seat-supporting track extending between a driving position located on a driver side of the cab and a workstation position located on a passenger side of the cab;
a seat mounted on the seat-supporting track for movement therealong between the driving position and the workstation position;
a work-surface platform provided on the passenger side of the cab, wherein the work-surface platform has a first edge which extends alone a portion of a forward wall of the cab, and has a second edge which extends along a portion of a side wall of the cab, wherein the work-surface platform is positioned below a window of the cab, and wherein the work-surface platform includes a substantially transparent display portion;
a computer;
a keyboard fixed to an upper surface of the work-surface platform; and
a computer monitor fixed to a lower surface of the work-surface platform and having a display screen, wherein the computer monitor is positioned such that the display screen can be viewed through the display portion of the work-surface platform. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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22. A tractor-truck comprising:
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a cab having a driver side and having a passenger side opposite said driver side;
a seat-supporting track, disposed within the interior of the cab, extending between the driver side of the cab and the passenger side of the cab, wherein the seat-supporting track includes a driving position from which the tractor truck can be driven by an operator seated in said seat;
a seat disposed within the interior of the cab, mounted on the seat-supporting track for movement therealong between the driver side and the passenger side;
a work-surface platform provided on the passenger side of the cab; and
an interlocking system for locking the seat in the driving position, wherein the interlocking system comprises;
a vehicle movement-prohibiting device;
a switching device;
a blocking device for selectively obstructing a path along) the seat-supporting track; and
a controller, in communication with the vehicle movement-prohibiting device, the switching device, and the blocking device, for controlling the blocking device based at least in part on a signal from the switching device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
wherein said driver side includes a driver-side door, and wherein said passenger side is free of a passenger-side door. -
24. A tractor-truck in accordance with claim 22, further comprising a seat-mounting bracket for removably installing a second seat on the passenger side of the cab.
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25. A tractor-truck in accordance with claim 24, further comprising a filing cabinet mounted in the cab below the work-surface platform.
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26. A tractor-truck in accordance with claim 25, further comprising a curtain track mounted above at least a portion of a window of the cab, and a curtain slidably fixed to the curtain track for extending therealong.
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27. A tractor-truck cab comprising:
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a seat-supporting track extending along an interior floor of the tractor-truck cab;
a seat slidably mounted to the seat-supporting track;
a work-surface platform having an upper surface that is substantially parallel with an upper surface of said interior floor; and
a display device provided between the floor of the cab and the work-surface platform, wherein the seat-supporting track includes a driving position and a work-station position, wherein the seat-supporting track allows for the seat to be selectively positioned at either one of the driving position and the work-station position, wherein the work-surface platform is positioned such that the upper surface of the work-surface platform is suitable for use as a desk by a user seated in the seat if the seat is positioned at the workstation position, wherein the work-surface platform includes a substantially transparent display portion, wherein an image on the display device is viewable by a user seated in the seat if the seat is positioned at the workstation position, and wherein the display device is mounted to a lower surface of the work-surface platform, wherein the display device includes a display for displaying the image, and wherein the display is substantially aligned with the transparent display portion of the work-surface platform. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
a computer in communication with the display device;
a computer peripheral in communication with the computer, said computer peripheral having the capabilities of at least one device selected from the group consisting of a printer, a plotter, a scanner, an imager, a fax machine, and a photocopier.
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32. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 27, further comprising a filing cabinet mounted in the cab below the work-surface platform.
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33. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 32, further comprising a curtain track mounted above at least a portion of a window of the cab, and a curtain slidably fixed to the curtain track for extending therealong.
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34. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 33, wherein said seat is a first seat, and the tractor-truck cab further comprises a seat-mounting bracket for removably installing a second seat on the passenger side of the cab.
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35. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 34, further comprising an interlocking system for locking the first seat in the driving position.
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36. A tractor-truck cab in accordance with claim 27, further comprising an interlocking system for locking the seat in the driving position.
Specification