Tablet holder, sunshade, and heated helmet box for climate controlled bench

Abstract

A system includes: a climate-controlled bench; a retractable shade positioned near the climate-controlled bench and including multiple foot supports coupled to the climate-controlled bench; and at least one tablet holder attached to a component of the climate-controlled bench. In some embodiments, the system instead, or in addition, includes at least one HVAC unit and at least one heater box, both of which are thermally and/or fluidly coupled to at least one other component of the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a substantially hollow bench configured to discharge climate-controlled air from an interior of the bench to an exterior of the bench;   at least one HVAC unit fluidly and/or thermally coupled to the interior of the bench and configured to deliver the climate-controlled air to the interior of the bench; and   at least one heater box fluidly and/or thermally coupled to at least one of the HVAC unit and the climate-controlled bench.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one HVAC unit comprises a first HVAC unit coupled to the hollow bench and a second HVAC unit coupled to the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one HVAC unit is coupled to both the hollow bench and the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater unit is fluidly and/or thermally coupled to the hollow bench. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater box comprises a pentagonal cross-section extending across a lengthwise dimension of the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater box comprises:
 a front door that is rotatably coupled via a hinge along a top surface to the rest of the heater box such that it is configured to rotate open;   a front door that is magnetically coupled to the rest of the heater box such that it remains closed when in use and when not opened by a user;   multiple side ports for fluidly coupling with one or more hoses that are coupled to the at least one HVAC unit; and/or   a transparent top surface.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow bench comprises at least one removable blank for thermally and/or fluidly coupling to the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heater box comprises multiple rear surfaces and/or planes that are sized and angled to match corresponding multiple rear surfaces of a diffusor manifold of the bench such that the multiple rear surfaces and/or planes of the heater box are in contact with the corresponding multiple rear surfaces of the diffusor manifold when in operation. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow bench is directly thermally coupled to both the at least one HVAC unit and the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater box comprises at least one non-orthogonal exterior surface. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater box comprises one or more side handles and/or front handles. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater box comprises at least one polymerized or rubberized layer disposed on at least one exterior surface of the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater box comprises a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment disposed within an interior volume of the at least one heater box. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least two of the first, second, and third compartments are sized such that a full-size football helmet may be placed therewithin, and
 wherein at least one of the first, second, and third compartments is smaller than the other two compartments.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one heater box comprises multiple dividing walls separating and at least partially defining the first, second, and third compartments, and
 wherein each dividing wall of the multiple dividing walls comprises at least one cross-connect hole disposed therein, the at least one cross-connect hole fluidly connecting at least one of the first, second, and third compartments to an adjacent one of the first, second, and third compartments.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one tablet holder attached to the substantially hollow bench; and   a retractable shade comprising a foot support coupled to the substantially hollow bench.   
     
     
         17 . A retractable shade comprising:
 a shade portion comprising an opaque flexible material;   multiple vertical members, each vertical member rotatably coupled to the shade portion; and   multiple telescoping supports, each telescoping support rotatably coupled to both the shade portion and a vertical member.   
     
     
         18 . The retractable shade of  claim 17 , comprising multiple foot supports, wherein each foot support is horizontally oriented and fixedly coupled to a vertical member. 
     
     
         19 . The retractable shade of  claim 17 , wherein the opaque flexible material comprises at least one of Gore-Tex®, canvas, polyester, nylon, and linen. 
     
     
         20 . The retractable shade of  claim 17 , wherein the shade portion is deployable at different angles defined with the vertical members by expanding or contracting the telescoping members, and
 wherein the opaque flexible material is coupled to at least one spring-loaded roller disposed within a side support of the shade portion such that the opaque flexible material may be selectively extended across shade portion when in use, and/or wound around the at least one spring-loaded roller when not in use.