Universal portable workstation

• US 8,651,030 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avon C. Coffman
• Original Assignee: Mydeation, LLC
• Inventors: Coffman, Zachary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROHRHOFF, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US13/083,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20110247530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 108/42, 108/44, 108/47, 108/48, 108/65, 108/169, 108/147.17, 108/147.18, 108/138.13, 108/97, 108/158.13, 108/117, 108/121, 108/123, 108/125, 108/130, 108/131
• US Class Current: 108/97
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0085 Supplementary support fixed on the edge of a desk or table
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 3/0911 the struts being permanently connected to top and leg or underframe and leg
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/08 with clamps acting on vertical rods
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 9/14 with pins coacting with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/02 of table type
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/16 in height

Abstract

A universal portable workstation that can be temporarily coupled to an existing fixture, the portable workstation comprising an adjustable support leg assembly, a first table section, a second table section and an attachment clamp. The support leg assembly includes one fixed leg and at least one adjustable leg configured for relative telescopic movement. The support leg assembly is pivotally coupled to a first table section that is configured to house the support leg assembly in a retracted position. The height of the workstation is adjustable and can be fixed by a height adjustment lock. First table section and second table section are hingedly coupled so that the two sections can be in an extended, flat position and a folded, retracted position. The attachment clamp is configured to temporarily fixedly couple an end of the second table section to the existing fixture.

Claims

1. A universal portable workstation that can be temporarily coupled to an existing fixture comprising:

an adjustable support leg assembly having at least one fixed leg and at least one adjustable leg slidably coupled to said fixed leg and configured for telescopic movement therewith, and a base coupled to said adjustable leg configured to engage a support surface wherein at least one height adjustment lock operates to temporally fixedly connect said adjustable leg and said fixed leg to prevent further slidable movement therebetween;

a first table section having a top, a bottom, a first end and a second end wherein said adjustable support leg assembly is pivotally coupled to said bottom of said first table section proximate said first end and being movable between a fully extended position wherein said adjustable support leg assembly is substantially perpendicular to said first table section and a fully retracted position wherein said adjustable support leg assembly lies adjacent the bottom of said first table section;

a second table section having a top, a bottom, a first end and a second end wherein said bottom of said second end of said first table section is pivotally coupled to said bottom of said first end of said second table section, wherein said top of said second table section at said second end includes an overlapping portion having a first thickness, wherein said overlapping portion extends substantially parallel to said top and is configured to overlap and rest upon an existing fixture;

an attachment clamp operable to fixedly couple and clamp said overlapping portion of said second end of said second table section directly to and against an existing fixture said attachment clamp operable to resist lateral and horizontal displacement of said portable workstation; and

a sleeve operable to slide along at least a portion of said at least one fixed leg, at least one brace bar pivotally coupled to said sleeve and to said first table section, said at least one brace bar preventing said adjustable support leg assembly from pivoting past a predetermined angle with respect to the top of said first table section when said adjustable support leg assembly is in its fully extended position.

2. The universal portable workstation of claim 1 wherein said attachment clamp is selected from a group consisting of a bar clamp, screw clamp, and pivot clamp.

3. The universal portable workstation of claim 1 wherein said fixed leg is pivotally coupled to said bottom of said first table section with a locking hinge mechanism.

4. The universal portable workstation of claim 3 wherein said locking hinge mechanism further comprises a release mechanism.

5. The universal portable workstation of claim 1 wherein said first table section is pivotally coupled to said second table section with a locking hinge mechanism.

6. The universal portable workstation of claim 5 wherein said locking hinge mechanism further comprises a release mechanism.

7. The universal portable workstation of claim 1 wherein said fixed leg comprises a plurality of nestable tubular legs.

8. The universal portable workstation of claim 1 wherein said base comprises at least two adjustable feet.

9. The universal portable workstation of claim 8 wherein said adjustable feet are threaded levelers.

10. The universal portable workstation of claim 1 including a release mechanism associated with said at least one height adjustment lock for releasing the engagement between said adjustable leg and said fixed leg.

11. The universal portable workstation of claim 1 wherein said overlapping portion further includes an anti-slip feature disposed to an underside of said overlapping portion between said overlapping portions and said existing fixture.

12. A universal portable workstation that can be temporarily coupled to an existing fixture comprising:

an adjustable support leg assembly including a fixed leg, a first adjustable leg slidably coupled to said fixed leg and configured for relative telescopic movement therewith, a second adjustable leg slidably coupled to said first adjustable leg and configured for relative telescopic movement therewith, and a base coupled to said second adjustable leg and configured to engage a support surface wherein a first height adjustment lock operates to temporally fixedly connect said first adjustable leg and said fixed leg to prevent further slidable movement therebetween and further wherein a second height adjustment lock operates to temporally fixedly connect said first adjustable leg and said second adjustable leg to prevent further slidable movement therebetween;

a first table section having a top, a bottom, a first end and a second end wherein said fixed leg of said adjustable support leg assembly is pivotally coupled to said bottom of said first table section proximate said first end and is movable between an extended position wherein said fixed leg is substantially perpendicular to said first table section and a retracted position, said bottom of said first table section is configured to house said adjustable height leg assembly in its retracted position;

a second table section having a top, a bottom, a first end and a second end wherein said bottom of said second end of said first table section is pivotally coupled to said bottom of said first end of said second table section with a locking hinge mechanism, wherein said second end of said second table section includes an overlapping portion having a first thickness wherein said overlapping portion extends parallel to said top and is configured to overlap and rest upon an existing fixture, said overlapping portion further comprising an anti-slip feature disposed to an underside of said overlapping position between said overlapping portion and said existing fixture;

at least one clamp pivotally coupled to said bottom of said second end of said second table section operable to temporally fixedly couple and clamp said overlapping portion of said second end of said second table section directly to and against an existing fixture, said attachment clamp and said anti-slip feature operable to resist lateral and horizontal displacement of said portable workstation; and

a sleeve operable to slide along at least a portion of said at least one fixed leg, a pair of brace bars pivotally coupled to said sleeve and to said first table section, said pair of brace bars preventing said adjustable support leg assembly from pivoting past a predetermined angle with respect to the top of said first table section when said adjustable support leg assembly is in its extended position.

13. The universal portable workstation of claim 12 wherein said clamp is selected from a group consisting of a bar clamp, screw clamp, and pivot clamp.

14. The universal portable workstation of claim 12 wherein said fixed leg comprises a plurality of nestable tubular legs.

15. The universal portable workstation of claim 12 wherein said base comprises at least two adjustable feet.

16. The universal portable workstation of claim 15 wherein said adjustable feet are threaded levelers.

17. The universal portable workstation of claim 12 including a release mechanism associated with said first and second height adjustment locks for releasing the engagement between said first adjustable leg and said fixed leg and between said second adjustable leg and said first adjustable leg.

18. The universal portable workstation of claim 12 wherein the bottom of at least one of said first and second table sections includes a plurality of protuberances distributed over the bottom thereof.

19. The universal portable workstation of claim 18 wherein said plurality of protuberances are distributed in a circular pattern over the bottom thereof.