Patent Application
20230381944
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The disclosure relates to workstation assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new workstation assembly for creating, repairing, and servicing jewelry. The present invention discloses a workstation assembly specifically designed to have air powered tools and fuel fired torches for use in crafting, repairing, and servicing jewelry that is mobile and thus positionable at a location desired by a jeweler.
The prior art relates to workstation assemblies, which may comprise carts with compressors, sterilization units, tanks of compressed gas, outlets and power cords, tire mounting equipment, and the like. What is lacking in the prior art is a workstation assembly comprising . . .
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cart, which comprises an upper plate, an upper face of which is configured for positioning of an item, such as an article of jewelry, to is to be manipulated. An air compressor is attached to the cart and a plurality of tools is removably attached to the cart. The tools are air powered. Each tool is operationally engaged to the air compressor by means of an associated air hose of a plurality of air hoses. Each tool has a respective function so that the plurality of tools comprises tools having a variety of functions. The tools are configured for mechanical manipulation of the item by drilling, sanding, polishing, and the like.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
An air compressor 32 is attached to the cart 12 and a plurality of tools 34 is removably attached to the cart 12. The tools 34 are air powered. Each tool 34 is operationally engaged to the air compressor 32 by means of an associated air hose 36 of a plurality of air hoses 36. Each tool 34 has a respective function so that the plurality of tools 34 comprises tools 34 having a variety of functions. The tools 34 are configured for mechanical manipulation of the item by drilling, sanding, polishing, and the like.
An air tool controller 38 is attached to the cart 12 and is operationally engaged to each of the tools 34 and the air compressor 32. The air tool controller 38 is enabled to engage a respective tool 34 selectively and operationally to the air compressor 32. The present invention anticipates the air tool controller 38 comprising actuated manifolds, multiport actuated valves, and the like, which are well known to those skilled in the art of gas delivery controllers.
An air tool holder 40, which comprises a plurality of air tool clips 42, is attached to a front wall 44 of the pedestal 14. Each air tool clip 42 is configured to removably engage a respective tool 34 to removably attach the respective tool 34 to the air tool holder 40. A plurality of air tool switches 46 is operationally engaged to the air tool controller 38. Each air tool switch 46 is attached to the air tool holder 40 within a respective air tool clip 42 so that the air tool switch 46 is activated upon removal of an associated tool 34 from the air tool clip 42 and deactivated upon insertion of the associated tool 34 into the air tool clip 42. The air tool switch 46 is enabled to selectively signal the air tool controller 38 to operationally engage the associated tool 34 to the air compressor 32 upon removal of the associated tool 34 from the respective air tool clip 42.
A power module 48 is engaged to the cart 12 and is operationally engaged to the air compressor 32. The power module 48 may comprise one or both of a power cord 50, as shown in
A fuel tank 56 is attached to the cart 12. As shown in
A thermal tool controller 62 is attached to the cart 12 and is operationally engaged to each of the torches 58 and the fuel tank 56. The thermal tool controller 62 is enabled to engage a respective torch 58 selectively and operationally to the fuel tank 56. The present invention anticipates the thermal tool controller 62 comprising actuated manifolds, multiport actuated valves, and the like, which are well known to those skilled in the art of gas delivery controllers. As shown in
A thermal tool holder 68, which comprises a plurality of thermal tool clips 70, is attached to the front wall 44 of the pedestal 14. Each thermal tool clip 70 is configured to removably engage a respective torch 58 to removably attach the respective torch 58 to the thermal tool holder 68. A plurality of thermal tool switches 72 is operationally engaged to the thermal tool controller 62. Each thermal tool switch 72 is attached to the thermal tool holder 68 within a respective thermal tool clip 70 so that the thermal tool switch 72 is activated upon removal of an associated torch 58 from the thermal tool clip 70 and deactivated upon insertion of the associated torch 58 into the thermal tool clip 70. The thermal tool switch 72 is enabled to selectively signal the thermal tool controller 62 to operationally engage the associated torch 58 to the fuel tank 56 upon removal of the associated torch 58 from the respective thermal tool clip 70.
A cavity 74 is positioned in the pedestal 14. As shown in
In use, the cart 12 is rolled upon its wheels 30 to a desired location. The plug 52 of the power cord 50 is extended and engaged to an outlet to provide power to the air compressor 32. The fuel tank 56 is opened so that fuel flows to the thermal tool controller 62. Each tool 34 and torch 58 is available to a jeweler, as needed, to create or repair jewelry. Simply removing a tool 34 or a torch 58 from its associated air tool clip 42 or thermal tool clip 70 will actuate a corresponding one of the air tool controller 38 and thermal tool controller 62 so that the tool 34 or the torch 58 is ready to use.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
