Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field Of The Invention
The present invention generally relates to portable staging and seating
equipment,
and more particularly to a modular staging and seating assembly for forming
staging or seating
platforms of various configurations. The modular staging and seating assembly
of the present
invention includes a combination of at least one transport assembly, spacer
frame, deck platform
assembly and deck panel.
Discussion of the Prior Art
Portable staging and seating platform assemblies are commonly used in
auditoriums, gymnasiums, and event halls to accommodate performers or
spectators. Depending
on the desired use, an organization may need a flat elevated stage, a seating
riser arrangement, or
any one of many seating and staging combinations. Heretofore, manufacturers
have provided
many folding or collapsible platform structures to satisfy non-permanent
staging and seating
needs. An example of one such structure can be seen in U.S. Pat. No.
5,050,353. This prior art
staging system uses a series of folding frames having given heights which fold
and store within
close proximity to one another. The preset folding frame heights of this
structure limit the
variety of different staging and seating arrangements that can be achieved
with the same folding
frame assemblies. Another prior art structure can be seen in U.S. Pat. No.
5,349,789. This prior
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art system uses a more cumbersome folding structure that changes the position
of the platform
surfaces from horizontal to substantially vertical when folding the staging
assembly for storage.
In addition, this prior art system utilizes telescoping legs which limit
stability and require
coordinated individual adjustment to alter the overall staging assembly
height. The system
further employs a grouping of numerous panel supporting assemblies which must
be assembled
in various configurations to alter the surface of the platform from a seating
riser configuration to
a flat staging configuration. Both of these prior art structures require some
structure, whether it
be a platform panel or other dedicated locking linkage, to prevent the staging
systems from
inadvertently folding during use.
Because of the temporary nature of the staging and seating used by some
organizations, it is desirable to have an easily transportable modular staging
and seating
assembly that accommodates more than one platform height and permits
attachment to additional
modular staging and seating assemblies to achieve a variety of staging or
seating configurations.
It is further desirable that the grouping of such modular staging and seating
assemblies be
capable of accepting deck bridging panels. It is also desirable to have a
stable modular staging
and seating assembly which does not require a locking mechanism to prevent
folding or
collapsing of the structure when in use. It is still further advantageous to
have a modular staging
and seating structure which consists of simple, stackable subassemblies that
can be assembled
and disassembled by unskilled persons, without special tools, and which can
readily achieve a
simplified, space efficient storage configuration. The present invention
overcomes the
disadvantages of the prior art, while providing the above mentioned desirable
features of a
modular staging and seating structure.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose and advantages of the invention will be set forth in and apparent
from the description and drawings that follow, as well as will be learned by
practice of the
invention.
The present invention is generally embodied in an improved modular staging and
seating assembly which can be configured into a variety of staging or seating
platform
arrangements. The modular staging and seating assembly comprises at least one
transport
assembly, spacer frame, deck platform assembly and deck panel. The transport
assembly has a
plurality of wheels. The spacer frame is constructed to be stackable on the
transport assembly.
The deck platform assembly is constructed to be stackable on the transport
assembly or the
spacer frame, and to receive at least one deck panel which is constructed to
be stackable on the
deck platform assembly.
In a further aspect of the invention, the transport assembly has wheels which
may
be extended to facilitate moving the assembly or retracted to park the
assembly for use as a
foundation unit. The transport assembly also provides a carriage for storing
deck panels when
not in use.
In another aspect of the invention, the transport assembly, spacer frame and
deck
platform assembly employ vertical members with locator nodes at the upper ends
of the vertical
members and node receptacles at the lower ends to facilitate various modular
stacking
arrangements. The deck panels are provided with node receptacles in their
surface for stacking
engagement with the locator nodes on the deck platform assembly.
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In another aspect of the invention, the deck panel platform assembly is
adjustable
into at least two deck panel supporting positions. The first position supports
deck panels in a
seating riser configuration, and the second position supports deck panels in a
flat staging
configuration. The deck platform assemblies are adapted to provide support for
deck bridging
panels between two spaced apart modular staging and seating assemblies.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the modular staging and seating
assembly
further comprises a hand rail assembly that has an attachment connector which
can be used in a
first position for attaching the hand rail to the rear of a deck platform
assembly in a seating riser
configuration or can be used in an inverted second position for attaching the
hand rail to the rear
of a deck platform assembly in a flat staging configuration.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the
following detailed description are exemplary and provided for purposes of
explanation only, and
are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. Further features and objects
of the present
invention will become more fully apparent in the following description of the
preferred
embodiment of this invention and from the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In describing the preferred embodiment, reference is made to the accompanying
drawings wherein like parts have like reference numerals, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a modular staging and seating
assembly
of the present invention, illustrating a stacked transport assembly, spacer
frame and deck
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platform assembly, with the deck platform assembly in a seating riser
configuration and with the
deck panels removed.
FIG. 2 is a side view of a modular staging and seating assembly of the present
invention, illustrating a seating configuration with side and rear hand rails
installed, and with the
transport assembly wheels in the retracted position.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a modular staging and seating assembly of the present
invention, illustrating a staging configuration with some side and rear hand
rails installed, and
with the transport assembly wheels in the extended position.
FIG. 4 is a series of side views (FIGS. 4a through 4c) illustrating the
conversion
of a deck platform assembly from a seating riser configuration to a staging
configuration.
FIG. 5 is a pair of perspective views (FIGS. Sa and Sb) of deck panels, FIG.
Sa
illustrating the bottom of a standard deck panel, and FIG. Sb illustrating the
bottom of a deck
bridging panel.
FIG. 6 is a pair of side views (FIGS. 6a and 6b) of a hand rail assembly, FIG.
6a
illustrating a front view, and FIG. 6b illustrating an end view.
FIG. 7 is a series of side views (FIGS. 7a through 7c) illustrating a few of
the
many seating and staging configurations achievable with interconnected modular
staging and
seating assemblies of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a series of diagrammatic perspective views (FIGS. 8a through 8c)
further illustrating a few of the marry seating and staging configurations
achievable with
interconnected modular staging and seating assemblies of the present
invention.
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It should be understood that the drawings are not to scale and that certain
aspects
are illustrated in phantom views. While considerable mechanical details of a
modular staging
and seating assembly, including details of fastening means and other plan and
section views of
the particular embodiment depicting the invention have been omitted, such
detail is not per se
part of the present invention and is considered well within the comprehension
of those skilled in
the art in light of the present disclosure. It should also be understood that
the present invention
is not limited to the preferred embodiment illustrated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Refernng generally to FIGS. 1-8, it will be appreciated that the present
invention
generally may be embodied in numerous configurations of a modular staging and
seating
assembly.
Refernng now to FIGS. 1 through 3, the present invention is generally embodied
in a modular staging and seating assembly 10. The modular assembly 10 includes
a transport
assembly 12, a spacer frame 14, a deck platform assembly 16 and deck panels 18
(not shown in
FIG. 1 ). It will be appreciated that the transport assembly 12, spacer frame
14 and deck platform
assembly 16 are modular, stackable units that can be mixed and matched to
create the framing
for various staging and seating platform arrangements, a few examples of which
are depicted
diagrammatically in FIGS. 8a through 8c. The flexibility to create a multitude
of staging and
seating arrangements is enhanced if, as shown in the preferred embodiment of
FIGS. 1 through
3, the transporter assembly 12, spacer frame 14 and highest possible rise of
the deck platform
assembly 16 are all of similar height.
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The transport assembly 12 has a frame 20 and wheels 22. The frame 20 is
constructed preferably of thin wall tubing of suitable material such as steel
or aluminum. The
wheels 22 are preferably of the swivel caster type. Each wheel 22 is mounted
to a wheel height
adjuster system 24 for movement between a retracted position, as shown in FIG.
2, and an
extended position, as shown in FIG. 3. The wheel height adjuster system 24
includes pivot arms
26. One end of each pivot arm 26 is pivotally mounted to the transport
assembly frame 20 at
pivot 28. The other end of each pivot arm 26 is pivotally mounted to plates 30
which are
attached to a height adjuster rod 32. Height adjuster rod 32 is rotatably
mounted to the frame 20
and preferably includes a drive head at each end, such as of square or
hexagonal shape, to
receive a wrench. It will be appreciated that height adjuster rod 32 may be
rotated to move the
wheel height adjuster system 24 from the wheel retracted position to the wheel
extended
position.
With wheels 22 in the retracted position, as shown in FIG. 2, the frame 20 of
transport assembly 12 rests on the floor. With the frame 20 engaging the
floor, transport
assembly 12 can serve as a foundation unit on which space frames 14 and/or
deck platform
assemblies 16 may be stacked to build a staging or seating platform
arrangement. It will be
appreciated that transport assembly 12 is a load bearing structure and
therefore frame 20 should
be suitably constructed; one example of such construction would include
vertical support
members 34 as shown. Transport assembly 12 includes locator nodes 36 on the
top surface of
frame 20, preferably proximate the corners of transport assembly 12.
In the extended position, as shown in FIG. 3, wheels 20 of transport assembly
12
engage the floor surface and permit the transport assembly 12 to be moved for
use or storage.
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The frame 20 of transport assembly 12 has a carriage structure 38 for
convenient, space efficient
storage of deck panels 18. The frame 20 also can be interconnected to
additional transport
assemblies 12 by attaching means such as connectors 40.
The spacer frame 14 is constructed preferably of similar thin wall tubing. The
frame 14 also is a load bearing structure and preferably includes vertical
members 42 and
connecting members 44 for holding the vertical members 42 parallel and at a
fixed distance
apart. The vertical members 42 of the spacer frame 14 have locator nodes 46 at
their upper end,
and node receptacles 48 at their lower end. The node receptacles 48 simply may
be formed by
the walls of the tubing and engage the nodes 36 of transport assembly 12 to
secure the position
of the spacer frame 14 when in a stacked position. It will be understood that,
as shown in FIG.
7c, a plurality of spacer frames 14 may be stacked on top of a single
transport assembly 12, and
alternatively may be placed directly on a floor surface.
Deck platform assembly 16 is constructed of similar thin wall tubing
preferably in
the form of vertical members 50 and connecting members 52 to hold the vertical
members 50
parallel and at a fixed distance apart. Deck platform assembly 16 further
comprises extension
members 54 to enable the user to alter the platform height in sections.
Locator nodes 56 are
provided at the upper end of each vertical member 50 and extension member 54.
The bottom of
each vertical member 50 has a node receptacle 58 for stable, stacking
engagement with locator
nodes 46 on spacer frame 14.
Deck platform assembly 16 preferably has two rows of vertical members 50. The
nodes 56 on the inner most rows of vertical members 50 and extension members
54 engage the
node receptacles 60 in the deck panels 18, as shown in FIG. Sa. The nodes 56
on the outer most
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rows of vertical members 50 and extension members 54 engage the node
receptacles 60 in the
deck bridging panels 62, as shown in FIG. Sb, when bridging panels 62 are used
between two
spaced apart modular staging and seating assemblies 10, such as shown in FIGS.
8a through 8c.
If deck bridging panels 62 are not used, the locator nodes 56 on the outer row
of
vertical members 50 may be removed to permit the installation of a hand rail
assembly 64,
shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6. The hand rail assembly 64 comprises a hand rail 66
and a safety
closure channel 68.
Extension members 54 permit the deck platform assembly 16 to assume a seating
riser configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or a staging configuration, as
shown in FIG. 3.
The conversion of the deck platform assembly 16 from a seating riser
configuration to a staging
configuration is shown in the series of FIGS. 4a through 4c. As shown, the
deck panels 18 must
be temporarily removed to permit removal of panel safety closures 70 which may
be used as an
accessory to close the space between deck panels. Removal of deck panels 18
also permits the
extension members 54 from the taller end of the assembly to be interchanged
with the locator
nodes 56 from the shorter end of the assembly. In the reconfigured position,
the deck panels 18
may again be stacked on the nodes 56 to form the staging configuration.
For added stability of modular staging and seating arrangements, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 4, deck platform assembly 16 also has attachment connectors 72 to
interconnect
additional deck platform assemblies 16. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the
attachment connectors
72 may alternatively be used to install a hand rail assembly 64 at the rear of
the deck platform
assembly 16. Hand rail mounting couplings 74 may be used in a first position
to connect a hand
rail 64 to the attachment connectors 72 when the deck platform assembly 16 is
in a seating riser
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configuration, as shown in FIG. 2. The couplings 74 may be inverted to achieve
a second
position to connect a hand rail assembly 64 to the attachment connectors 72
when the deck
platform assembly is in a staging configuration, as shown in FIG. 3.
Referring now to FIG. 7, collectively FIGS. 7a through 7c show a few of the
multitude of various staging and seating configurations that can be obtained
by connecting a
plurality of modular staging and seating assemblies. FIG. 7a shows a fifteen
row seating riser
configuration, with stacking arrangements ranging from a deck platform
assembly 16 directly on
the floor surface up to a deck platform 16, three spacer frames 14 and a
transport assembly 12.
FIG. 7b shows a cabaret riser configuration prior to linking the five separate
staging sections.
FIG. 7c further illustrates a flat stage configuration constructed of five
staging assemblies of the
same height, wherein an additional spacer frame 14 is substituted for a
transport assembly 12 in
the first section.
Referring now to FIG. 8, collectively FIGS. 8a through 8c provide diagrammatic
illustrations of a few of the many staging and seating configurations that can
be obtained with
spaced apart rows of connected modular staging and seating assemblies 10. For
instance, in FIG.
8a, a seating riser configuration is constructed with seven spaced apart rows
of five connected
modular assemblies 10 having deck panels 18. Six rows of deck bridging panels
62 span the
gaps between rows of connected modular assemblies. FIG. 8b alternatively shows
a cabaret riser
configuration, utilizing deck bridging panels 62 and seating riser sections of
deck panels 18
between staging sections. FIG. 8c further illustrates a specialized staging
configuration easily
constructed of modular staging and seating assemblies 10. This configuration
utilizes deck
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panels 18 and deck bridging panels 62 in a combination of a flat staging
configuration and a
seating riser configuration used as a staircase.
Although reference has been made to the use of the present invention to
provide
alternative staging and seating configurations, for the purpose of
explanation, it is understood
that alternative benefits can be achieved through use of the invention.
Additionally it should be
understood that any of a variety of fastening means and suitable materials of
construction and
dimensions may be used to satisfy the particular needs and requirements of the
end user. It also
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and
variations can be made
in the design and construction of the modular staging and seating assembly
without departing
from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention
will be apparent to
those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice
of the invention
disclosed herein.
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