JP7594426B2 - Cart with second top - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to carts known as nurse carts, rounds carts, etc., used in hospitals, etc.

Many carts with various configurations have been proposed and put to practical use in hospitals and other facilities.

Some carts have one or more support posts standing on a base equipped with casters, a horizontal top plate placed on the top ends of the posts, and shelves or trays supported by the posts in the space between the top plate and the base.

When the cart is parked, a personal computer (hereafter referred to as PC) can be placed on the top panel, and the PC can be operated while writing on designated writing paper, etc.

However, if a computer and stationery are placed together on the same tabletop, the size of the tabletop is limited, making it difficult to use either the computer or the stationery, and one may slip off the tabletop when the other is being used.

In order to solve the above problems, a cart with a second tabletop has been proposed in Patent Document 1 and elsewhere, in which a smaller second tabletop is provided in a floating position above the tabletop, and a personal computer is placed on the second tabletop, allowing the entire area of the original tabletop (hereinafter also referred to as the first tabletop) to be used even when the personal computer is in use.

Patent No. 5257916 Patent No. 6785965

In the carts with a second tabletop proposed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the support for the second tabletop is formed by wall-like supports dedicated to the second tabletop that stand on the left and right edges of the first tabletop. This means that the gap between the second tabletop and the first tabletop cannot be accessed from the left and right sides of the first tabletop, which causes usability problems.

In this specification, the left and right of the first tabletop refer to the left and right sides in the direction in which the cart is pushed, the front and rear of the first tabletop refer to the side that is the same as the direction in which the cart is pushed, and the rear side refers to the side opposite to the direction in which the cart is pushed, and the top and bottom of the first tabletop refer to the top side in relation to the top surface of the tabletop, and the bottom side in relation to the opposite side. This also applies to the second and third tabletops.

The objective of the present invention is to solve the problem that in a cart having a second top, it is difficult or impossible to access the area underneath the second top from the left or right side of the first top.

The configuration of the cart with a second tabletop of the present invention, which was made to solve the above problems, is characterized in that, in a cart with a tabletop supported by a support pillar erected on a base equipped with casters, the cart is provided with a frame supporting the second tabletop, which has a raised portion erected at the front end side of the tabletop in the direction in which the cart is pushed forward and an extension portion extending from the upper end of the raised portion toward the rear end side of the tabletop, and a second tabletop mounted on the extension portion of the frame.

In the present invention, the raised portion is raised from approximately the center of the front end side of the tabletop, or raised from approximately the left and right ends of the front end side of the tabletop. Since the raised portion of the frame supporting the second tabletop is positioned on the front end side of the tabletop, there is no problem in accessing the first tabletop below the second tabletop from the left and right sides.

The raised portion may be either a frame that is raised obliquely from approximately the center of the front end of the tabletop toward both the left and right sides of the tabletop, or a frame that is raised approximately directly upward from approximately the left and right ends of the front end of the tabletop. By forming the frame in this manner, the degree of freedom in the design of the frame that supports the second tabletop is increased.

The raised portion can also be provided with an attachment member at its base that has the function of preventing objects placed on the top plate from falling, or that has both a fall prevention function and a wiring management function. Since the raised portion is at the front end of the top plate, placing an attachment member at its base can prevent objects from slipping off the front end of the top plate, and if the attachment member is given a structure that guides and supports the wiring, the wiring to electronic devices and the like on the top plate can be neatly managed.

In the present invention, the second tabletop is mounted on the extension section so that it can slide in the front-to-rear direction of the first tabletop. If the second tabletop can slide forward and backward on the extension section of the frame, the second tabletop can be slid to a desired position for ease of use, and the usability of the first tabletop is also improved.

It is preferable that the second tabletop is provided with a rattle prevention mechanism at the portion (hereinafter referred to as the mounting portion) mounted on the extension section to prevent rattling of the second tabletop. Providing a rattle prevention mechanism allows the second tabletop to be slid smoothly, and also improves workability on the second tabletop, since the second tabletop does not rattle when in use.

The rattle prevention mechanism is composed of a holding part that holds the extension part formed on the left and right side edges of the second tabletop, and a spring-type sliding member provided on the holding part to fill the gap between the holding part and the extension part. With this configuration, the rattle prevention mechanism can prevent the second tabletop from rattling in the vertical and horizontal directions on the frame.

The second tabletop may have a third tabletop above it that is supported by a component or accessory of the second tabletop. By providing a third tabletop, the total loading area of all the tabletops becomes larger, further improving the usability of the cart.

The cart of the present invention has a first tabletop with a raised portion at the front end and an extension portion extending from the upper end of the raised portion toward the rear end of the first tabletop. The second tabletop is mounted on an extension portion of a frame that supports the second tabletop, making access to the first tabletop from the left and right sides much better than with conventional products.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the normal position of the second top plate of the cart of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cart of the present invention with the second top plate slid backward. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view showing the relationship between the second tabletop, the frame, and the first tabletop in the normal position in FIG. 1 ; 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional side view showing the relationship between the second top plate, the frame, and the first top plate in the sliding position of FIG. 2; FIG. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the second top plate of FIG. 3 . 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 3 . 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D in FIG. 5 . FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the state in which an attachment member is removed from the base of the raised portion of the frame. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an example in which the second top plate is provided with a third top plate. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of another example in which the second top plate is provided with a third top plate.

Figures 1 and 2 show an example of a cart Cc, which is a representative example of a nurse cart equipped with a second top plate 4 of the present invention. The cart shown in the figure is configured with a first top plate 1, which is approximately rectangular in plan view, attached via a mounting stand Ba to the upper end of a support P erected on a planar, approximately X-shaped base B, which has casters Ca at four points on its tip.

In the cart Cc, T1 and T2 are trays detachably attached to the support P, T3 is a shelf provided on the underside of the first tabletop 1 (see Figures 9 and 10), H is a handle for operating the cart provided at the rear end of the first tabletop 1, and St is a stopper for holding the cart Cc in a stopped position provided on the underside of the approximate center of the base B.

A cart Cc such as a general nurse cart is made up of the various components including the first tabletop 1 described above, but the present invention is a cart Cc that has a second tabletop 4, which will be described below, above the first tabletop 1.

In Figures 1 to 5, F is a frame that supports the second top plate 4. This frame F is formed from two raised sections 2, 2 made of frame members of pipe material that rise from the front end 1a of the first top plate 1, and extension sections 3, 3 made of frame members integral with the raised sections 2, 2 that are bent horizontally from the upper ends of each of the raised sections 2, 2 toward the rear of the first top plate 1 and extend approximately parallel to each other. The frame members can be any material that can form the frame F, such as a shape material or a bar material other than pipe material.

The raised portions 2, 2 include inclined raised portions 2, 2 that are inclined upward from approximately the center of the front end of the first tabletop 1 toward the left and right of the first tabletop 1 as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5, and upright raised portions 2, 2 that are raised approximately vertically from approximately the left and right ends of the front end of the first tabletop 1 as shown in Figures 9 and 10.

The inclined raised portions 2, 2 (Figs. 1, 2, 5) and the upright raised portions (Figs. 9, 10) each have an extension portion 3, 3 extending from the upper end of the raised portion toward the rear end side of the first tabletop 1 in a substantially horizontal position parallel to the tabletop 1. The configuration of the raised portion 2 and the extension portion 3 is one example, and in the present invention, if the raised portion 2 is raised at the front end side of the first tabletop 1 and the extension portion 3 is formed parallel to the upper end of the raised portion toward the rear of the first tabletop 1 in a substantially horizontal position, it functions as a frame F for the second tabletop 4 of the present invention.

The second tabletop 4 of the present invention is mounted on the extensions 3, 3 of the frame F, which has the above-mentioned raised portion 2 and extension portion 3, on its left and right sides, and this point will be explained below.

As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the left and right sides of the second top plate 4 are formed into a holding portion 41 with a generally U-shaped cross section (symmetrical on the left and right sides). The holding portion 41 has an outer standing wall 41a and a bottom wall 41b formed by bending the standing wall 41a inward at approximately 90 degrees, and the extension portion 3 of the frame F is inserted and supported in the holding portion 41 with a generally U-shaped cross section, which is surrounded by the standing wall 41a, the bottom wall 41b, and the back surface 4b of the left and right ends of the top surface 4a of the second top plate 4. In the holding portion 41, 41c is the standing wall at the rear end, and in the second top plate 4, 4c is the front standing wall, and 4d is the rear hanging wall.

As shown in Figures 3 to 5, 6 and 7, the cross-section of the extension portion 3 of the frame F is small compared to the cross-sectional size of the holding portion 41, so there is a considerable gap between the holding portion 41 and the extension portion 3.

In the present invention, in order to allow the second top plate 4 to slide smoothly relative to the extension portion 3 at its holding portion 41 and to prevent the second top plate 4 from rattling due to the gap, in the illustrated example, the springy slide member 5 attached to the extension portion 3 is disposed inside the holding portion 41. The springy slide member 5 can also be disposed in a state where it is attached to the holding portion 41.

The springy slide member 5 is formed of a plastic molded body having a generally L-shaped cross section (shape of the cross section in the longitudinal direction of the holding part 41) with abutment pieces 51a, 51b that abut against the vertical wall 41a and bottom wall 41b of the holding part 41 via the recoil force of the spring, and abutment pieces 52a, 52b that abut against the bottom wall 41b. The springy slide member 5 is formed of a generally L-shaped cross section with a portion that abuts against the vertical wall 41a and a portion that abuts against the bottom wall 41b integrated together, but it may also be formed as a separate body with the two abutment portions separated.

3 to 5, 6 and 7, 53a and 53b are substantially convex stoppers provided at the front and rear ends of the springy sliding member 5. The stoppers 53a and 53b abut against convex stopper receivers (not shown) formed by screws or the like provided at both front and rear ends of the bottom wall 41b of the holding part 41, thereby preventing the second top plate 4 from sliding. In the example shown in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7, the plug member 31 provided at the rear end of the extension part 3 abuts against the standing wall 41c at the rear end of the holding part 41, and the stopper part 53a of the springy sliding member 5 abuts against the clip nut 41d provided at the front end of the bottom wall 41b of the holding part 41, thereby restricting the respective ends of the forward and backward sliding motion of the second top plate 4. In addition, 53c and 53d are dowel-shaped mounting parts formed on the springy slide member 5 to attach the springy slide member 5 to the extension part 3.

As described above, the second top plate 4 is mounted on the extension parts 3, 3 at the left and right holding parts 41, 41 so that the second top plate 4 can slide back and forth. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8, the rising parts 2, 2 of the frame F are supported by a fixing mechanism 6 having a vertical wall-shaped support part 61a that connects and supports the base parts 21, 21 of the rising parts 2, 2, which are oriented approximately horizontally.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 8, the fixing mechanism 6 for the rising portions 2, 2 in Figs. 1 to 8 is a horizontal, flat support plate 61 with upright wall-like support portions 61a on the left and right sides having receiving holes into which the bases 21, 21 of the rising portions 2, 2 are inserted and held. The support plate 61 is placed on the upper surface of the first tabletop 1 at approximately the center of the front end portion, and the frame F including the rising portions 2, 2 is fixed to the first tabletop 1 by a fastening plate 62 that is placed on the underside of the tabletop at the corresponding position and a set screw 62a that is screwed into the nut of the support plate 61.

The fixing mechanism 6 of the raised portions 2, 2 is covered by an attachment member 7 that also serves as a cover, preventing items from falling off the front end of the first top plate 1 and accommodating wiring for electronic devices placed on the top plate.

The attachment member 7 is roughly box-shaped and dome-shaped, covering the bases 21, 21 of the rising parts 2, 2 and the entire fixing mechanism 6, with its rear surface formed as a standing wall to function as a fall prevention wall 71, and its front surface formed as a roughly concave shape in plan view to function as a wiring processing section 72 through which cords are inserted and clamped. The attachment member 7 covers the fixing mechanism 6, for example, by fitting the left and right sides of the inner surface of the attachment member 7 to the left and right support parts 61a. The attachment member 7 may be attached to the support parts 61a of the fixing mechanism 6 by screwing the attachment member 7 to the support plate 61.

Next, an example in which a third top plate 7 is provided as shown in Figs.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the third tabletop 8 is supported by a support arm 41e at the upper end of a standing wall 4c rising from the front end of the second tabletop 4 and is positioned at a downward slope toward the rear of the second tabletop 4, and the rear end of this third tabletop 8 is supported by a bracket portion 41f extending upward from the rear end of the holding portion 41 of the second tabletop 2.

The third tabletop 8 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 is supported at its rear end with an upward slope toward the front by bracket parts 41f that are integrally raised from the rear ends of the left and right holding parts 41 of the second tabletop 4.

The space between the bottom surface of the third top plate 8 and the top surface of the second top plate 4 is used to store small items such as binders, notebooks, and writing implements, and the computer is placed on the third top plate 8 when in use.

In the cart Cc having the third tabletop 8 shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the frame F supporting the second tabletop 4 also has extensions 3, 3 extending in parallel from the upper ends of the left and right raised parts 2, 2 toward the rear of the first tabletop 1. In the example shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the bases 21, 21 of the raised parts 2, 2 are fixedly supported (not shown) on the underside of the first tabletop 1 so as not to occupy the upper surface of the first tabletop 1. In addition, a fall prevention wall is arranged as an attachment member 7 on the upper surface of the first tabletop 1 between the bases 21, 21 of the left and right raised parts 2, 2. In addition, since the third tabletop 8 has a downward slope toward its rear side, a non-slip surface 8a is provided at the lower end.

As described above, the present invention provides a cart with a top supported by upright posts on a base equipped with casters. The cart is configured with a frame supporting a second top having a raised portion raised at the front end side of the top in the direction in which the cart is pushed forward and an extension portion extending from the upper end of the raised portion toward the rear end side of the top, and a second top mounted on the extension portion of the frame, so that a cart with a second top that does not impede the use of the first top 1 can be provided.

Cc Cart B Base Ba Mounting stand Ca Caster P Support T1, T2 Tray T3 Shelf H Handle St Stopper F Frame supporting second top plate 4 1 First top plate 2 Raised portion of frame F 3 Extension portion of frame F 4 Second top plate 5 Spring slide member 6 Fixing mechanism for raised portion 2 7 Attachment member for raised portion 2 8 Third top plate

Claims (6)

A cart having a top plate supported by a support pillar erected on a base having casters,
a frame for a second tabletop, the frame including a rising portion rising from a substantially central portion of a front end side of the tabletop in a pushing direction of the cart, and an extension portion extending from an upper end of the rising portion toward a rear end side of the tabletop;
A second top plate mounted on the extension portion of the frame;
A cart having a second top plate, comprising: 2. The cart having a second tabletop according to claim 1 , wherein the raised portion is formed by raising the frame obliquely from a substantially central portion of the front end side of the tabletop toward both the left and right sides of the tabletop. A cart having a second tabletop as described in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the raised portion is provided with an attachment member at a base approximately in the center of the front end side of the tabletop , the attachment member having a function of preventing objects placed on the tabletop from falling, or a function of preventing objects from falling and a function of handling wiring. 4. The cart having a second tabletop according to claim 1, wherein the second tabletop is mounted on the extension portion so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction of the tabletop. The cart having the second tabletop according to claim 4 , wherein the second tabletop is provided with a rattle prevention mechanism at a portion (hereinafter referred to as the mounting portion) mounted on the extension portion to prevent rattling of the second tabletop. A cart having a second tabletop as described in claim 5, wherein the anti-rattle mechanism comprises a holding portion that holds the extension portion formed on the left and right sides of the second tabletop, and a spring-type sliding member provided on the holding portion to fill the gap between the holding portion and the extension portion .

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