STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to portable and foldable workstations. The workstation is optionally useful as a chair or seating device, useful for outdoor activities. The present invention is in the technical field of furniture. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field of workstations, foldable workstations, and all weather workstations. The workstation can optionally be reduced to a portable seating device by omitting a work-holding surface such as a table or tray portion.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At the pace of technological change, there is a great demand for portable workstations and workstation devices. In particular, there is a need for portable workstations which can be folded so as to be readily portable, having a seat portion and a table portion for holding a book, electronic device, and papers, among other things. A number of workstation devices are known in the furniture and arts.
Examples of prior art patents relating to portable devices having a seat can be found in U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 338,345 issued to inventor Camp for a collapsible seat; U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 474,041 issued to inventors Howard et al. for a portable folding chair; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,388 issued to inventor Enrique for a portable chair and cane with umbrella.
It is a problem in the prior art to make workstation devices that would be portable and foldable, and easy to set up. Additionally, such workstation devices should be easy to collapse or fold, and should be easy to stow. Further, such workstation devices should have a work support tray, and should be stable in use, as well as lightweight.
Outdoor folding chairs are also well known, particularly those with flexible fabric seats which are cot-like in operation. However, such outdoor folding chairs are not adapted to serve as portable workstations.
None of the prior art devices are adapted to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art. There is, therefore, a need in the prior art to provide a convenient, lightweight, portable workstation for outdoor use, having a support such as a shelf or table portion. Further, there is a need in the prior art to provide such a portable workstation which can be used outdoors and which therefore additionally includes a sheltering device or sheltering portion for providing shelter for the user from the elements found outdoors, including sun, snow, and rain.
In view of the aforementioned deficiencies and needs in the prior art, and in addition to the foregoing, it is also a problem in the prior art to provide a lightweight, foldable, and easy to use workstation having an umbrella mounted on a movable support, to provide shelter from the elements while outdoors.
It is a further problem in the art to provide a novel and useful construction of a foldable workstation device which overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art, including an improved construction, including improved pivot elements and ratchet joints for adjustable positioning of a sheltering device such as an umbrella.
Further, it is a problem in the art to provide a convenient, lightweight, portable workstation which can be reduced to a chair by omission of a tray or table portion, while also having a sheltering device or portion for providing shelter for the user from the elements found outdoors, including sun, snow, and rain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
From the foregoing, it is seen that it is a problem in the art to provide a device meeting the above requirements. According to the present invention, a device and process are provided which meets the aforementioned requirements and needs in the prior art. Specifically, the device according to the present invention provides a portable workstation having a seat and table or tray portion.
The present invention relates to workstations, and particularly portable and foldable workstations. In addition, the workstation of the present invention is optionally useful as a cane, and has a cane head.
Further, the workstation of the present invention can optionally be reduced to a portable seating device, specifically by omitting a work-holding surface such as a table or tray portion.
In a preferred embodiment, the workstation includes a foldable seat and a foldable tray.
The workstation of the present invention also includes an adjustable umbrella. The umbrella can be mounted to the cane head by a ratcheting mount so that it can be set at a number of different angles, so as to provide protection from the sun or rain. The umbrella can be folded easily when not in use.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the weather integrated cane workstation having a table, this view showing the left side of the weather integrated cane workstation in an operational position, according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the weather integrated cane workstation showing the left side of the weather integrated cane workstation in a folded condition, according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 3, showing the weather integrated cane workstation in the folded condition.
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the seating portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 3, wherein the seating portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity.
FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the seating portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 5, wherein the seating portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity.
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the table portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 3, wherein the table portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity.
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the table portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 7, wherein the table portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity.
FIG. 9 is a side view in perspective showing a rotatable umbrella support portion of the cane handle portion of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4.
FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of a non-rotating portion of the cane handle portion of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4, and which supports and houses the rotatable umbrella support portion of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a side perspective view of the integrated cane handle when the rotatable umbrella support portion of FIG. 9 is pushed all the way into the non-rotating portion of the cane handle portion shown in FIG. 10, when the rotatable umbrella support portion is being rotated and therefore is not yet set in a fixed position.
FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of the integrated cane handle as shown in FIG. 11, when the rotatable umbrella support portion of FIG. 9 is pushed into the non-rotating portion of the cane handle portion shown in FIG. 10, wherein the rotatable umbrella support portion is set in a fixed position by a spring-loaded movable push button which in its extend position serves as a locking pin.
FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair similar to that shown in FIG. 1 hereinabove but without a table, this view showing the left side of the weather integrated cane chair in an operational position, according to the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair of FIG. 13.
FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair showing the left side of the weather integrated cane chair in a folded condition, according to the present invention.
FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair of FIG. 15, showing the weather integrated cane chair in the folded condition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has three aspects, as follows. A first aspect of the present invention is as a portable workstation as shown in FIGS. 1-13, for use with electronics equipment such as tablet computers, intelligent phones, notebook computers and netbook computers, by way of example. Here, a table portion or tray portion provides support for the electronic device. The materials used for the workstation are very lightweight to render the workstation readily portable and stowable, and yet because of the inventive design the workstation of the present invention is sufficiently strong to provide durability.
A further feature of the inventive workstation is an adjustably positionable umbrella, which when used outdoors provides protection from the sun so that screen glare does not prevent use of the electronic devices. When used indoors, the umbrella portion can be positioned out of the way, or it can be entirely omitted or removed. The workstation of the present invention thus has the advantage of being usable both indoors and outdoors.
A second aspect of the present invention is as a portable chair with a built-in option of protection from the elements. The construction is similar to that of the above-described workstation, with the table portion omitted, and is shown in FIGS. 13-16. This type of portable chair is useful for attendance at spectator events held outdoors such as sporting events, political and religious events held outdoors, and family functions held outdoors. It is also useful for hikers and tourists, who may need a break from their exertions as well as protection from sun or rain. The materials used for the workstation are very lightweight to render the workstation readily portable and stowable, and yet because of the inventive design the workstation of the present invention is sufficiently strong to provide durability.
A third aspect of the present invention is that it serves as a cane with a handle as shown clearly in FIGS. 4 and 16. This may be used by any individual. An individual carrying this cane may also need to be able to sit and rest during an outing or while taking a long walk, and so the cane of the present invention can be transformed into a seat as shown in FIGS. 1 and 13. While outside, the individual may need protection from the elements, such as from the sun, rain, sleet, or even snow. Thus, the cane of the present invention will be useful for attendance at spectator events held outdoors such as sporting events, political and religious events held outdoors, and family functions held outdoors.
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a weather integrated cane workstation having a table portion 40, this view showing the side of the weather integrated cane workstation in an operational position. The operational position is the unfolded position, where a seat 20 is provided, and an umbrella 10 is available. A main leg 16 extends from the bottom to well beyond the seat 20 so as to provide a support for a lowermost tray support adjacent an umbrella tying portion 14; specifically, the table support is formed by a connecting device 38 and a triangular steel bar 36. The two ends of a steel wire or bar 36 are joined together to form the tip of the triangle. The ends then fan out after the joint and form a semicircular collar. When the tip end of device 36 rests on top of the push button 33, the collar will rest on the main leg 16 and will not allow sideways movement of table 40.
The joint tip sits on top of button 33 to support the table and the semicircular collar will hold on to the main leg 16 to prevent sideways wobble or shift of the table. A table part bar 32 is telescopically received in the main leg 16 and secured by a push button 33 which is a spring biased pin connecting the main leg 16 and the table part bar 32. A pair of legs 28, 28 are pivotably connected to the main leg 16 at a pivot member 26.
The pair of legs 28, 28 are connected to the seat 20 by pivot members 22, and thereby supports a distal end of the seat 20. A proximal end of the seat 20 is connected to the main leg 16 by an attachment element 18 which is slidably mounted on the main leg 16.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, the umbrella 10 is mounted on a cane handle 12. A spring-biased push button 11 extends through a hole 21 (seen in FIG. 3) on the umbrella handle, to lock the umbrella when pushing the umbrella handle onto the rotational part of the cane handle 131. This secures the umbrella mount in a manner shown in FIGS. 9-12 and as discussed further hereunder. Other methods of attaching the umbrella 10 to the cane handle 12 are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention, and would be understood by anyone having skill in the fastener arts or the mechanical assembly arts. All such variations are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention.
The details of the parts of the cane handle 12 and their relative locking by a push button 15 are described in FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12. An umbrella tying device 14 is shown in its released state in FIG. 1. The umbrella tying device 14 has two flexible arms, including a button on one arm and several holes on the other arm that allows for tightness adjustment. An alternative fastener arrangement could use a snap fastener of known type, or a hook-and-loop by of fastener material. All such variations are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention.
In use when moving or traveling with the weather integrated cane workstation or the weather integrated cane chair of the present invention, the tip of the umbrella 10 is secured by the umbrella holding device 30 and the umbrella handle is secured by the umbrella tying device 14 so that it is stably connected to the main leg 16. The umbrella holding device 30 is fixed on the main leg 16. The seating platform 20 is connected to the main leg 16 by a connector 18 and connected to the other two legs 28 by the pivot members 22. When folding the chair, the attachment element 18 will slide up on the main cane bar 16.
An axle member 26, which can be a bolt or other connector allowing pivoting motion, holds the main leg 16 and the pair of legs 28, 28 together at a pivoting joint and allows them to rotate against each other to fold or open the chair. A firm, yet flexible, seating-platform-securement device 24 is affixed to the seating platform 20. The securement device 24 is used to securely attach the seating platform 20 to the main cane bar 16 when the chair is in the folded or collapsed position. The securement device 24 can be a band with two arms, similar to that described hereinabove with reference to the umbrella holding device 30, including a button on one arm and several holes on the other arm that allows for tightness adjustment. An alternative fastener arrangement could use a snap fastener of known type, or a hook-and-loop by of fastener material. All such variations are contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention.
The main leg 16 has two holes 31 (shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6) and 39 (shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 5, and 6) for snap-locking operation with a push button 33 inside the table part bar 32 to lock the table part bar 32 in the pushed in or pulled out position when moving the table part bar 32 against the main leg 16. The table part bar 32 has guiding grooves 35 on both sides to guide the table part bar 32 during movements inside the main leg 16. The cane handle 12 is attached to the top of the table part bar 32 (shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4) of the cane workstation or on the top of the main leg bar 16 of the cane chair (shown in FIGS. 13, 14, 15, and 16).
The table portion 40 is shown in its open horizontal position in FIG. 1 being supported by the table part bar 32 through a connecting device 38 and a triangular steel bar 36. The connecting device 38 does not move relative to the table part bar 32, but allows the table portion 40 to rotate toward or away from table part bar 32. A connecting device 37 is disposed beneath the table portion 40 at a distal end of the table portion 40 from the connecting device 38. The connecting device 37 is generally cylindrical and has a hollow interior, and holds one side of the triangular steel bar 36 to allow the steel triangle to rotate toward or away from the table 40. Other types of connecting devices could be used for the connecting device 37, such as a flat plate deformed to have a half-cylindrical depression, as well as other shapes which can retain the triangular steel bar 36 while permitting pivoting movement.
The two ends of a steel wire or bar 36 are joined together to form the tip of the triangle. The ends then fan out after the joint and form a semicircular collar. When the tip end of device 36 rests on top of the push button 33, the collar will rest on the main leg 16 and will not allow sideways movement of table 40.
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 1, and the parts shown therein are as described hereinabove.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the weather integrated cane workstation showing the side of the weather integrated cane workstation in a folded condition. The parts shown therein are as described hereinabove. Here, the umbrella 10 is shown secured in its closed position with the tip down and secured at that tip by the umbrella holding device 30, and secured at the other end by the umbrella tying device 14.
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 3, showing the weather integrated cane workstation in the folded condition. The parts shown therein are as described hereinabove.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, the workstation is shown in its folded form. The umbrella 10 is collapsed and, as noted above, is attached to the main cane bar 16 by the umbrella hold device 30 and the umbrella-tie device 14. The rotation part of the cane handle 12 is shown locked in a downward position for easy cane movement, i.e. for use as a cane. The hole 21 shown on the umbrella handle in FIG. 3 is the opening for the push button 11 when mounting the umbrella. The push button 33 is in the locked position through the opening or hole 31. The table portion 40 is collapsed on top of the seat 20 with the steel wire 36 being disposed between the table 40 and the seat 20.
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the seating portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 3, wherein the seating portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity. The parts shown therein are as described hereinabove.
FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the seating portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 5, wherein the seating portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity. The parts shown therein are as described hereinabove.
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the table portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 3, wherein the table portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity. The parts shown therein are as described hereinabove.
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the table portion of the weather integrated cane workstation of FIG. 7, wherein the table portion is in a folded position and is shown by itself for the sake of clarity. The parts shown therein are as described hereinabove.
FIG. 9 is a side view in perspective showing a rotatable umbrella support portion of the cane handle portion of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4. As shown in FIG. 9, the rotating part 121 of the cane handle 12 is shown by itself. The non-rotating part 122 of the cane handle 12 is shown by itself in FIG. 10. The push button 11 is shown as a darkened circle because it is pointing out of the paper. The push button 15 is shown in its relaxed (extended) position. It is positioned 90 degrees relative to the push button 11.
The part 121 has a plurality of tines or arms terminating at distal ends 123. The distal ends 123 respectively bend at the end of the rotating part 121 of the cane handle 12 so as to lock the rotating and non-rotating parts of the handle together. A plurality of cut openings 126 are disposed between the arms and so define them. These cut openings 126 provide for flexibility when pushing the rotating part 121 into the non-rotating part 122 of the cane handle 12. The cuts will allow it to squeeze through a lock-ring 13 that is fixed inside the non-rotating part 122 of the handle.
FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of a non-rotating portion 122 of the cane handle portion of the device shown in FIGS. 1-4, and which supports the rotatable umbrella support portion of FIG. 9. As seen in this view, the portion 122 has a plurality of hole openings 124 therein, any of which can receive the push button or pin 15. This enables the relative rotational position to be changed between the portion 121 of FIG. 9 and the portion 122 of FIG. 10.
In FIG. 10, the lock-ring 13 is fixed inside the non-rotating part 122 of the cane handle. The lock-ring 13 has a slope on one side to allow for the rotating part 121 of the cane handle 12 to enter and squeeze through when integrating the two parts 121 and 122.
FIG. 11 is a side perspective view of the integrated cane handle when the rotatable umbrella support portion 121 of FIG. 9 is pushed all the way into the non-rotating portion 122 of the cane handle portion shown in FIG. 10, wherein the pin 15 remains retracted when the rotatable umbrella support portion is being rotated and therefore is not yet set in a fixed position.
FIG. 11 shows that there is enough room for the handle rotating part 121 to push in against the handle non-rotating part 122 with the push button 15 in a compressed state. The user can then rotate to select an angle and pull the rotating part 121 of handle 12 out to allow the push button 15 to lock into the selected opening hole 124.
FIG. 12 is a side perspective view of the integrated cane handle as shown in FIG. 11, when the rotatable umbrella support portion 121 of FIG. 9 is pushed almost all the way into the non-rotating portion 122 of the cane handle portion shown in FIG. 10, wherein the rotatable umbrella support portion is set in a fixed position by the spring-loaded movable push button 15 which in its extend position serves as a locking pin.
FIG. 12 shows the bent edge 123 of the rotating part 121 against the vertical edge of the lock-ring 13, which will not allow the rotating part of the handle 121 to be pulled out from the non-rotating part 122 of the handle 12.
FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair similar to that shown in FIG. 1 hereinabove but without a table, this view showing the left side of the weather integrated cane chair in an operational position. The parts shown are similar to those described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1-12. The cane handle 12 is attached to the top of the main bar 16.
FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair of FIG. 13. The parts shown are similar to those described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1-12.
FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair showing the left side of the weather integrated cane chair in a folded condition. The parts shown are similar to those described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1-12.
FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of the weather integrated cane chair of FIG. 15, showing the weather integrated cane chair in the folded condition. The parts shown are similar to those described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1-12.
The relative dimensions shown in the drawings and/or set forth above are by way of example only, and these dimensions can vary without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The invention being thus described, it will be evident that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the claims.
Patent Application
20130074743
