Apparatus and methods for an equipment stand for a drive-thru employee station

• US 8,181,920 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EF Bavis & Associates Incorporated (E.F. Bavis & Associates)
• Original Assignee: EF Bavis & Associates Incorporated (E.F. Bavis & Associates)
• Inventors: Brown, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Nkeisha
• Application Number:
  US11/834,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 248/177.1, 248/146, 248/599, 248/622, 248/631, 248/125.8, 108/147, 108/144.11, 108/50.01, 108/50.02, 108/150
• US Class Current: 248/125.8
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/023 with a central column
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for a drive thru terminal equipment stand comprising a base, a vertical support having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the base, a framework connected to the second end of the vertical support, and a plurality of equipment supporting surfaces connected to the framework. The vertical support is operable to adjust the height of the framework along a vertical axis of the vertical support relative to the base. The framework and the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces are operable to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the vertical support. The plurality of equipment supporting surfaces are operable to support a plurality of employee equipment selected from the group consisting of a monitor, a keyboard, a computer mouse, a printer, a scanner, and a telephone.

Claims

1. A drive thru terminal equipment stand comprising:

a base;

a vertical support having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the base;

a framework connected to the second end of the vertical support; and

a plurality of equipment supporting surfaces connected to the framework, the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces comprising;

a front equipment supporting surface; and

side equipment supporting surfaces located at opposite sides of the vertical support and extending outwardly from the front equipment supporting surface;

wherein the vertical support is operable to adjust a height of the framework along a vertical axis of the vertical support relative to the base;

wherein the framework and the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces are operable to rotate about the vertical axis of the vertical support;

wherein the second end of the vertical support is connected to the framework at a location above the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces operable to rotate about the vertical support; and

wherein, with the framework in a front facing orientation with the front equipment supporting surface facing a user, the front equipment supporting surface being located at a front of the vertical support and the side equipment supporting surfaces extending rearwardly from the front equipment supporting surface beyond the vertical support.

2. The equipment stand of claim 1, wherein the vertical support is a gas cylinder, the gas cylinder having an outer cylinder and an inner cylinder positioned within the outer cylinder.

3. The equipment stand of claim 2, wherein the inner cylinder rotates within and relative to the outer cylinder, and wherein the inner cylinder comprises the second end and the outer cylinder comprises the first end.

4. The equipment stand of claim 1, wherein the framework comprises an upper tray located above the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces, the second end of the vertical support being connected to the upper tray.

5. The equipment stand of claim 4, wherein at least one of the side equipment supporting surfaces extends outwardly beyond the upper tray in a widthwise direction.

6. The equipment stand of claim 4 further comprising a prescription tray connected to the upper tray and extending downwardly toward the front equipment supporting surface to provide a vertically oriented support surface located at least partially below the upper tray.

7. The equipment stand of claim 4, wherein the upper tray comprises a monitor supporting surface.

8. The equipment stand of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the front equipment supporting surface is at a lower elevation than the side equipment supporting surfaces.

9. The equipment stand of claim 4, further comprising a handle connected to the framework that extends outwardly beyond the upper tray in a widthwise direction such that the handle is grasped by a user at a location adjacent the upper tray for adjusting the height of the framework relative to the base.

10. The equipment stand of claim 9, further comprising a height adjustment lever that is operable to lock and unlock the framework into and from a position.

11. The equipment stand of claim 1, wherein the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces comprises at least one side equipment surface extending outwardly beyond the front equipment surface in a widthwise direction.

12. A drive thru terminal equipment stand comprising:

a base;

an adjustable vertical support having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the base;

a monocoque framework connected to the second end of the vertical support; and

a plurality of equipment supporting surfaces connected to the framework;

wherein the vertical support is operable to adjust the height of the framework along a vertical axis of the vertical support relative to the base;

wherein the framework and the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces are operable to rotate about the vertical axis of the vertical support;

wherein the second end of the vertical support is connected to the framework at a location above the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces connected to the framework, the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces rotatable about the vertical support are located below the second end of the vertical support and the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces extend about the vertical support such that the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces surround the vertical support.

13. The equipment stand of claim 12, wherein the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces comprises:

a front equipment supporting surface connected to the framework; and

side equipment supporting surfaces located at opposite sides of the vertical support and extending outwardly from the front equipment supporting surface.

14. The equipment stand of claim 13, wherein the front and side equipment supporting surfaces are operable to support an employee equipment selected from the group consisting of a keyboard, mouse, scanner, printer, and telephone.

15. The equipment stand of claim 12 further comprising a prescription tray connected to the framework adjacent the second end of the vertical support that extends downwardly to provide a vertically oriented support surface.

16. The equipment stand of claim 12, wherein the monocoque framework at least partially surrounds the vertical support such that at least one of the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces connected to the framework rotates about the vertical support when the framework rotates.

17. The equipment stand of claim 12, wherein the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces are operable to support a plurality of employee equipment selected from the group consisting of a monitor, a keyboard, a computer mouse, a printer, a scanner, and a telephone.

18. The equipment stand of claim 12, wherein the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces are all one integral unit.

19. The equipment stand of claim 14, wherein the plurality of equipment supporting surfaces comprise a computer mouse supporting surface rotatably connected to a keyboard supporting surface.