Mobile folding restaurant booth style bench

Abstract

Mobile folding restaurant booth style benches are provided, which may be arranged in opposed pairs to form restaurant style booths. An individual bench incorporates a mechanism for shifting the weight of the bench between a mobile base, which may be supported by swivel casters, and a stationary base, which may be supported by non-slip feet, actuated by pivoting a bench seat down from a folded storage position to an unfolded seating position. The weight shifting mechanism may include an engagement member, which is initially spaced apart from an actuator at a folded angle of the seat, and which contacts and begins transmitting force and movement to the actuator at a partially unfolded angle of the seat. Preferably, the bench further includes a biasing component that biases the stationary base upward relative to the mobile base, a locking mechanism that resists a force provided by the biasing component to retain the bench seat in the unfolded seating position, contoured shells or other covers for the seat and a seat back, and a back panel extending vertically above the seat back.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to mobile bench seating and, more particularly, to mobile bench seating styled such that opposed pairs of bench seating units arranged with a table between them resemble a typical restaurant booth.BACKGROUND[0002]Many people enjoy booth style seating. Compared to a table with individual movable or attached stools or chairs, booth style seating can provide comfort and create intimacy in a public setting, with its typical wide, contoured or cushioned seats, high seat backs, and frequently a privacy panel extending above the top of the seat backs. Thus, booth seating is commonly included in the customer dining / lounge areas of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and the like. However, booth style seating has been traditionally less common in school cafeterias and other institutional settings, where demands of mobility, efficient storage, and ease of cleaning often outweigh concerns regarding comfort and intimacy. Due to high seat ba...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention is a mobile folding bench that can be easily moved between a folded position and a seating position. It is supported on a mobile base and a stationary base, and has a seat back and seat surface. A biasing member keeps the stationary base at a vertical clearance distance from the floor surface when the mobile base contacts the floor. The seat can be locked in place using a retention mechanism. The technical effects of the invention include easy movement, adjustable seating angle, and stable support on the floor surface.

Problems solved by technology

However, booth style seating has been traditionally less common in school cafeterias and other institutional settings, where demands of mobility, efficient storage, and ease of cleaning often outweigh concerns regarding comfort and intimacy.

Due to high seat backs, privacy panels, and the prevalence of unused bench surface between occupants which would otherwise be empty space between individual chairs or stools, booth seating is typically more bulky and heavier than individual seating, making it more difficult to move and store.

Moreover, in addition to immobility, the typical positioning of booth seating next to a wall compounds the difficulty of cleaning on, around, and under booths.

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