AU633964B2

AU633964B2 - Computer work station

Info

Publication number: AU633964B2
Application number: AU62164/90A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Alexander Dewar
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-09-05
Filing date: 1990-09-05
Publication date: 1993-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 2010-09-05
Also published as: AU6216490A; WO1992006618A1

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952 Form COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published: Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: IAN DEWAR Address of Applicant: 43 GLEN ROAD BELGRAVE HEIGHTS

VICTORIA

AUSTRALIA

Actual Inventor: Address for Service: GRIFFITH HACK CO., 601 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: COMPUTER WORK STATION The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me:- -1i 2 COMPUTER WORK STATION The present invention relates to computer work stations.

Generally computer work stations are designed for use by people who require continuous access to a computer terminal. However, with the growing use of electronic mail systems and the availability of user friendly software as well as the falling cost of computer terminals, it has become economic to supply terminals to people who do not require continuous access to a terminal. However there is a high proportion of the workforce who do require computer access but only for a relatively small period of time each day.

A need has therefore arisen for a work station which will allow efficient sharing by a number of people of a personal computer or main frame terminal. This is especially so where costly state of the art computers are required.

In the past where a need arose for compute.

terminals to be shared, the terminal was mounted on a

~I~

3 mobile stand that could be wheeled from one position to another, plugged into the system and used at different work stations throughout the day.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a work station that obviates the need for the computer terminal to be transported from one position to another.

Accordingly the present invention provides a computer work station comprising three to five adjacent subordinate work stations, a rotatable support means for supporting a computer terminal and screening means attached to the rotatable support means for providing privacy to a user, th subordinate work stations beincr arranged about the rotatAble support meanswherein the rotatable support means is rotatable between positions corresponding to each of the subordinate work stations to provide access one at a time from each subordinate work station to a computer terminal supported on the rotatable support means.

Preferably, the computer terminal is mounted on an articulated arm or other mechanism that permits it to be drawn towards the user for use at a particular subordinate work station and then returned to a position on the rotatable support means to permit the support means to be rotated to another position to provide access to another user at an adjacent subordinate work station.

A suitable articulated arm is known as a Full Float Valet.

The rotatable support means may comprise a cylindrical hood having an opening on its side and mounted on a balled raced "Lazy Susan" table.

Each subordinate work station may be provided with its own keyboard which can be plugged into the computer terminal during use. Alternatively, a single keyboard may be mounted on the rotatable support means along with the computer terminal. The computer terminal may be a visual display unit connected to a main frame or it may be a desk top computer.

o<(C I -4- An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a work station according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the rotatable support means; and Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in cross-section of the rotatable support means and the computer terminal mounted therein.

Figure 1 illustrates a work station 1 having four subordinate work stations 2, 3, 4 and 5. Mounted centrally between each of the subordinate work stations is a rotatable support means 6 for supporting a visual display unit 7. The visual display unit 7 is mounted on a floating arm valet 8.

The rotatable support means 6 comprises a cylindrical hood 9 having an opening 10 and a base 11 on which the floating arm valet 8 is mounted. The work station is provided with a conduit 12 for supplying power to the computer terminal and connections to a computer main frame. Each work station has acoustic screens 13, 14, 15 and 16 to divide each subordinate work station from its neighbouring work stations. The base 11 of the cylinder 9 is mounted on a table 17 by means of a ball raced "Lazy Susan" mechanism 18 as seen in Figure 3. The underside of the base 11 has a brake pad secured thereto at a point thereof adjacent to the perimeter and centrally of the opening In this embodiment, the base 11 has attached to its underside a flange (not shown) which co-operates with a striker plate attached to the table 17 to prevent the rotatable support means 6 from being rotated through more than 360 This prevents the electrical and computer connections from ultimately being severed should the rotatable support means be rotated at more than 3600. However, it will be 5 understood that if the computer terminal comprises a PC, then such a feature would not be necessary if each work station were provided with a power outlet.

In use, the rotatable support means is rotated to a position at which the opening 10 faces the subordinate work station from which access to the computer terminal is required. The computer terminal 7 is then drawn out by use of the full float valet support arm 8 to a convenient position for use. When the computer terminal has been drawn through the opening 10, the weight of the terminal applies an overturning moment to the base 11 of the cylinder 9 causing the brake pad 19 to engage the table 17 thereby resisting any further rotation of the rotatable support means while the computer terminal is being used. Once access to the terminal is no longer required, it can be pushed back inside the opening by use of the full float valet support arm ready for rotation to another position at which it is accessible to another subordinate work station.

Claims

1. A computer work station comprising three to five adjacent subordinate work stations, a rotatable support means for supporting a computer terminal and screening means attached to the rotatable support means for providing privacy to a user, the subordinate work stations being arranged about the rotatable support means and separated from each other by screens wherein the rotatable support means is rotatable between positions corresponding to each of the subordinate work stations to provide access one at a time from each subordinate work station to a computer terminal supported on the rotatable support means and the computer terminal is mounted on the rotatable support means by means of an articulated arm or other mechanism that permits it to be drawn towards a user at a particular work station and then returned to a position on the rotatable support means to permit the support means to be rotated to another position to provide access to another user at another subordinate work station.

2. A computer work station according to claim 1 wherein the articulated arm is a Full Float Valet.

3. A computer work station according to Claim 1 or 4 Claim 2 wherein the screening means comprises a cylindrical hood having an opening in its side to permit a screen of a computer terminal supported on the support means to be viewed from one subordinate work station at a time.

4. A computer work station according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the rotatable support means comprises 'a ball raced "Lazy Susan" table.

T r0 A computer work station according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each subordinate work station is provided with a keyboard which can be connected to a computer terminal mounted on the rotatable support means during use of the terminal.

6. A computer work station according to anyone of claims 1 to 4 wherein a keyboard is mounted on the rotatable support means.

7. A computer work station according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the rotatable support means supports a visual display unit connected to a main frame or a desk top computer.

8. A computer work station substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 18th day of November 1992 IAN DEWAR by his Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia