US 5,918,841 · Granted 1999-07-06
The Rolling Cart Patent That Organized Hospital Operating Rooms
Imagine a wheeled cart that holds a computer monitor, keyboard, and CPU all in one mobile unit—exactly what nurses and doctors need to move around a hospital. This patent locks down the design of those rolling stands with adjustable arms and brake systems that keep everything stable and accessible.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a rolling cart structure with a central pole, multiple mounting brackets that hold a flat-panel display on one adjustable arm, a keyboard on another arm with a pivot-and-brake assembly, plus dedicated brackets for a CPU and backup power supply. What's protected here is the specific arrangement of these components—how they stack vertically on the cart, how they pivot and lock in place, and the wheel-and-caster base that makes the whole thing mobile.
Why it matters
This patent represents a practical solution to a real workplace problem: healthcare workers and office staff needed equipment to move fluidly between locations without constant setup and teardown. Ergotron's design became foundational to the 'mobile workstation' category, used widely in hospitals, clinics, and modern offices where flexibility and ergonomics matter. The patent's specificity—especially the brake system that prevents the keyboard from swinging unexpectedly—made it valuable intellectual property in a market where safety and reliability are non-negotiable.
Real-world use
Every time a nurse wheels a computer station into a patient's room or a technician moves a workstation across a warehouse floor, they're using technology shaped by this 1999 patent design.
Original USPTO abstract
A rolling cart for a computer and flat panel display includes a base with plural castered dual wheels, a mounting pole projecting upward from the base, at least one pole mounting bracket, a pivot support bracket supported by the pole mounting bracket and securing a support arm which is suitable for supporting a flat panel display. Another pole mounting bracket supports another pivot support bracket and secures a second support arm having a pivot/brake assembly suitable for supporting a keyboard. Additionally, the cart supports a CPU bracket and a UPS mounting bracket. The pivot/brake assembly includes a frictional assembly and a brake assembly.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,918,841
- Filing date
- 1998-02-12
- Grant date
- 1999-07-06
- Assignee
- Ergotron, Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- SWEERE; HARRY C., GONNERMAN; MICHAEL D., VOELLER; DONALD M.
- CPC class
- F16M11/2064
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