Mobile clinical workstation

• US 7,009,840 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterMetro Industries Corporation (Ali Holding Srl)
• Original Assignee: LXE Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Michael R., Clark, Richard A., Flemig, Steven B.
• Primary Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US10/783,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20040165348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 361680-686, 248/161, 248/404, 248676-678, 248/158, 248/370, 248/127, 248/129, 248918-919, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/223.3, 312/197, 312/239, 108/3, 108/25, 108/50.19, 108/147, 108/150, 108/50.11, 108/50.02, 606/32, 606/202
• 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 moveable chassis;

a tray supported by the chassis and having an upper surface defining a substantially horizontal work surface and a lower surface comprising an input device tray proximate to the lower surface; and

a docking station for a computing device supported by the tray,

wherein the docking station is tiltable relative to the upper surface of the tray.

2. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the input device tray is a pull-out tray.

3. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the input device tray is an adjustable tray.

4. The mobile workstation of claim 1, wherein the input device tray is a height adjustable tray.

5. The mobile workstation of claim 1, further comprising:

a power unit supported by the chassis for supplying power to the computing device.

6. The mobile workstation of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring device, the monitoring device supported about the moveable chassis.

7. The mobile workstation of claim 1, further comprising a medical device, the medical device supported about the moveable chassis.

8. The mobile workstation of claim 1, further comprising a tiltable display, wherein the tiltable display is used to view medical images.