US20020043827A1

US20020043827A1 - Computer workstation kit

Info

Publication number: US20020043827A1
Application number: US09/918,535
Authority: US
Inventors: Eran Baru
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-08-06
Filing date: 2001-08-01
Publication date: 2002-04-18
Also published as: IL137713A0; IL137713A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer work station kit including a user's seat connector and a monitor supporting tray positioned in front of the seat comprising: a chassis unit, an elongated monitor supporting tray in the form of at least one arcuate rail, preferably a pair of parallel arcuate rails, and first varying means for varying the location of the monitor supporting tray between uppermost and lowermost positions; a seat connector, means for coupling the monitor supporting tray having the form of at least one arcuate rail, and the user seat and a second varying means for varying the relative distance between the monitor supporting tray and the seat connector. The monitor supporting tray may be supported by a compression drive and be provided with a pair of auxiliary rollers. The seat connector may be formed with complementary openings and be connected to the bottom surface of the seat.

Description

In recent years more and more people spend an Increasing amount of time in front of computers either professionally or as Internet users.

In order to meet the needs of this growing market extensive thought has been given to devise convenient, ergonomic space-saving stations or centers that will make user's position in front of the computer more comfortable and less tiresome—see e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,450 and PCT /IL98/00328 application, and the references therein mentioned.

These work station systems were, however, designed more for professional users at offices, rather then for domestic environment. Those are high cost products, specially for those that already purchase an expensive ergonomic seat.

It is thus the major object of the present invention to provide a low-cost kit, that will convert any computer seat to a modular computer work-station and present the required features mainly for the benefit of the users.

The present invention thus consists in a computer work station kit including a user's seat connector and a monitor supporting tray positioned in front of the seat, comprising:

a chassis unit, an elongated monitor supporting tray in the form of at least one arcuate rail, and first varying means for varying the location of the monitor supporting tray between uppermost and lowermost positions;

a seat connector, means for coupling the monitor supporting tray having the form of at least one arcuate rail, and the user seat; and

a second varying means for varying the relative distance between the monitor supporting tray and the seat connector.

In the computer work station kit according to the present invention the elongated monitor supporting tray may comprise a pair of parallel accurate rails slidingly supporting the monitor tray.

The monitor tray may be supported, e.g. by a compression drive resting against a bracket affixed to the monitor supporting rails below the monitor tray.

The monitor supporting tray may be provided with a pair of auxiliary rollers engaging, respectively the pair of the monitor sliding rails.

The seat connector may be formed with complementary openings through which the chassis unit slides.

The rails may be supported by a compression spring resting between the seat connector and the bracket affixed to the chassis unit

The seat connector bracket may be attached to the bottom surface of the seat or to the seat pole.

These and additional features of the present invention will become more clearly understood in the light of a description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: [0015]
FIG. 1 is a front three-dimensional schematic representation of the work station kit according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; [0016]
FIG. 2 is a side view of the work station kit of FIG. 1; [0017]
FIG. 3 is a front view of fig. 2; [0018]
FIG. 4 is a rear view of fig. 3; [0019]
The computer work station kit generally denoted [0020] 10 essentially comprises two main assemblies: the seat connector, generally denoted 12 and the monitor supporting structure generally denoted 14.
In the exemplified embodiment, [0021] assembly 12 comprises a seat connector 20 formed with a seat pole bracket 36 and a pair of complementary openings 26 and 28 through which the tubular rods 44 and 48 extend. This will allow the guided sliding movment of the monitor supporting structure 14 through connector 20. Preferably, the connection is of the quick dismantling type of any known design, for enabling the dismantling of the system into a kit form. The chassis 14 comprises a pair of tubular, guide rails or rods 44 and 48. The rods 44 and 48 are arcuate, extending parallel to each other supported by brackets 22 and 50. Bracket 50—besides supporting the parallel rods 44 and 48 as aforesaid, supports the drive designated 64.
[0022] Monitor tray 54 is free to slide on rails 44 and 48 by being provided with a pair of openings 56 and 58 as well as auxiliary rollers 60 and 62, and 70 and 72. The monitor support tray 54 is held in suspension or floating state against a compression drive of any kind 64, situated between the bracket 50 and the bottom surface of the tray 54, and thus is moveable donewards or upwards when required to change its location and angle along the rails 44 and 48, and to change the distance between the user and the monitor screen. A pair of slideable foot pedals 30 and 32 are provided on rails 44 and 48, witch the user's feet can rest, and are useful to apply whenever requested. Two coil springs 34 and 38 situated one on each rail 44 and 48 between the seat connector 20 and the brackets 66 and 68 thus the chassis 14 sliding forwards when pushing the foot pedals, and sliding back when let go. Chassis 14 can be locked inside connector 20 by any known design lock or bolt 40, if position established.
As will be now readily understood, the user sitting on the [0023] seat 16 is able, by stretching his legs against the pedals 30 and 32, to push chassis 14 which is sliding through the openings 26 and 28 in the seat connector 20, while the seat stand still. The monitor carrying tray 54 can be adjust by sliding along its arcuate rails 44 and 48 under the stroke of drive 64. Thereby the position of the display screen relative to the user s eyes. User seat 16 and seat pole 17, marked for illustration,
Therefor, the arrangement as shown lends itself to various ergonometrical different positions within certain predetermined limit, so that the user can exercise any position without having to stand up and apply adjustment to various other components of the system. [0024]
It will be also noted that the construction of the computer work station kit is extremely simple, low-cost, can be supplied without a seat, it can fit allmost any existing seat, thereby lowering the computer work stations market price. [0025]
Various additional features will be readily apprehended, bearing in mind that modification or variation of the exemplified embodiment shall be deemed to be included within the scope of the invention and defined in any by the appended claims. [0026]

Claims

1. A computer work station kit including a user's seat connector and a monitor supporting tray positioned in front of the seat, comprising:

2. The computer work station kit of claim 1, wherein the elongated monitor supporting tray comprises a pair of parallel, arcuate rails slidingly supporting the said monitor tray.

3. The computer work station kit of claim 1 wherein the monitor tray is supported by a compression drive resting against a bracket affixed to the monitor supporting rails below the monitor tray.

4. The computer work station kit of claim 3, wherein the monitor supporting tray is provided with a pair of auxiliary rollers engaging, respectively the pair of the monitor sliding rails.

5. The computer work station kit of claim 1, wherein the seat connector is formed with complementary openings through which the chassis unit slide.

6. The computer work station kit of claim 1, wherein the rails are supported by a compression spring resting between the seat connector and the bracket affixed to the chassis unit.

7. The computer work station kit of claim 1, wherein the seat connector bracket is attached to the bottom surface of the seat or to the seat pole.