Telescopic seating system with reconfigurable seats and benches
The telescopic riser system with adjustable seating assemblies addresses the inflexibility of existing seating systems by allowing adaptable configurations and efficient storage, enhancing venue flexibility and capacity adjustment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- US · United States
- Patent Type
- Applications(United States)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-09-22
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-26
AI Technical Summary
Existing seating systems in venues like auditoriums and arenas lack flexibility in accommodating different event configurations and seating capacities, and they do not efficiently manage transitions between seating and standing arrangements or storage needs.
A telescopic riser system with adjustable seating assemblies that include removable and foldable individual seats or benches, allowing for telescoping and retractable configurations to adapt to various event layouts, and a system for easy installation, removal, and storage of seating components.
Enables flexible and efficient seating arrangements that can accommodate different event configurations, adjust seating capacity, and provide quick transitions between seating and standing areas while optimizing storage space.
Smart Images
Figure US20260085531A1-D00000_ABST
Abstract
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63 / 699,324, filed Sep. 26, 2024, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of seating and more particularly to auditorium or arena seating.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is known to provide ascending rows of individual seats or bench seats in a venue where the seats face a stage or playing surface so that occupants of the seats may each have a view of the stage or playing surface. The rows may be grouped into sections that collectively wrap at least partially around or at least partially circumscribe the stage or playing surface. For example, the sections of ascending rows may form an oval or circle or U-shape or semi-circle shape around the stage or playing surface.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An adjustable seating system for a venue includes a riser having a plurality of decks. The riser may be a telescoping riser where the plurality of decks are retractable and extendable relative to one another. There are a plurality of mounting brackets disposed at the plurality of decks. A seating assembly (such as a grouping of individual seats or a bench seat with a standing rail) is configured to be removably attached to a pair of adjacent mounting brackets to mount the seating assembly at one deck of the plurality of decks. The seating assembly includes at least a seat and a pair of stanchions. With the seating assembly mounted at the riser, each stanchion of the pair of stanchions is received by a respective mounting bracket of the pair of adjacent mounting brackets. With the seating assembly removed from the riser, the seating assembly is configured to mount to a stillage for storage of the seating assembly. The seat may include a bench that is adjustably mounted at a standing rail, and the bench may adjust or pivot between a seating configuration, where the bench is generally horizontal for people to sit on, and a standing configuration, where the bench is folded upward along the standing rail to provide standing room along the standing rails.
[0005] These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a venue having both telescopic riser systems and fixed riser systems with an adjustable seating assembly removably mounted to risers;
[0007] FIGS. 2-4 show the adjustable seating assembly with chair groupings mounted to the risers;
[0008] FIGS. 5-7 show the adjustable seating assembly with bench seats and standing rails mounted to the risers;
[0009] FIGS. 8A-8D show the telescoping seating system as the chair groupings are folded relative to the risers and the risers are retracted relative to one another for storage;
[0010] FIG. 9 shows the risers with the chair groupings removed from the risers;
[0011] FIG. 10 shows the aisleway of the riser;
[0012] FIG. 11 shows the telescoping seating system with a last row of the risers having its chair groupings folded relative to the riser and the riser retracted for storage;
[0013] FIGS. 12A and 12B show the telescoping seating system having another type of telescoping riser as the chair groupings are folded relative to the risers and the risers are retracted relative to one another for storage;
[0014] FIGS. 13A and 13B show the telescoping seating system having telescoping risers and removable risers as the chair groupings are folded relative to the risers and the telescoping risers are retracted and the removable risers are retracted and removed for storage;
[0015] FIGS. 14A and 14B show the telescoping seating system having sets of removable risers as the chair groupings are folded relative to the risers and the removable risers are retracted and removed for storage;
[0016] FIGS. 15 and 16 show a system for swapping the adjustable seating assemblies; and
[0017] FIGS. 17 and 18 show the adjustable seating assemblies in storage.DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a venue 10 such as an auditorium or concert hall or arena or sports stadium is equipped with a riser system 12 that includes a plurality of risers 14 where each individual riser 14 may accommodate a plurality of ascending rows of individual seats or benches or standing positions (FIG. 1). That is, each riser 14 provides a series of stepped surfaces or decks that each accommodate one or more respective rows of seats or benches or standing positions. The risers 14 include telescopic risers where the stepped surfaces of the risers 14 extend and retract relative to one another, such as to allow the venue 10 to accommodate different sized stages or playing surfaces and thus adjust the seating capacity and arrangement based on the desired configuration of the venue 10, and the risers 14 may include fixed or non-telescoping risers or surfaces (FIGS. 4 and 7). Further, an adjustable or swappable seating system 16 may be disposed at the respective decks of the risers 14 to enable switching between individual seating arrangements, bench seating arrangements, standing arrangements, and the like, as described further below (FIGS. 2-7).
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 2-7, the adjustable seating system 16 includes brackets or stanchion receivers 18 mounted to the respective decks of the risers 14 and spaced from one another along each row. Respective seating assemblies or fixtures are configured to detachably mount to a pair of adjacent brackets 18. For example, a first seating assembly or fixture or chair grouping 20 includes individual seats 22 mounted to a rail 24 (FIGS. 2-4). The chair grouping 20 may have any suitable number of individual seats 22, such as one seat 22, two or more seats 22, three or more seats 22, four or more seats 22, and the like. The rail 24 includes a pair of stanchions 26 that are received at respective brackets 18 for mounting the chair grouping 20 to the risers 14. The individual seats 22 may include a self-rising seat and / or self-rising arm rest that automatically fold relative to a backrest of the seat 22 when the seat 22 is not occupied by a user.
[0020] Similarly, a second seating assembly or fixture or bench seat 28 includes a foldable bench 30 mounted to a standing rail 32 (FIGS. 5-7). The standing rail 32 includes or is mounted to a pair of stanchions 26 that are received at respective brackets 18 for mounting the bench seat 28 to the risers 14. The bench 30 may fold relative to the standing rail 32 to provide standing room at the riser 14 and / or for storage. The standing rail 32 may restrict movement of occupants between levels of the riser 14. Further, the standing rail 32 may extend behind the bench seat 28 and at least partially overlap the deck behind the bench seat 28 for providing a hand rail or support for occupants of the standing room in the row behind the bench seat 28. In some examples, the chair grouping 20 may have a standing rail extending behind the individual seats 22 to provide a standing rail for the for the row behind the chair grouping 20.
[0021] The chair grouping 20 and the bench seat 28 are removable from the brackets 18 and interchangeable with one another (or other types of seating configurations or fixtures like desks or work surfaces, railings, and the like) to change the seating arrangement within the venue 10. The adjustable seating system with bracket and chair groupings may utilize characteristics of the seating assemblies and systems commercially available from BlueCube (GB) Ltd. under the name Fast-Latch, and characteristics of the seating assemblies and systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,607,046 and / or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19 / 304,796, filed Aug. 20, 2025, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0022] Further, the bracket 18 may have a folding option to allow for storing of the chair grouping 20 or bench seat 28 on the telescopic decks of the riser 14. That is, the chair grouping 20 or bench seat 28 (or other seating arrangement mounted to the bracket 18) may be foldable relative to the riser 14 between a use position where the user may sit or occupy the seat and a storage position where the seat is folded toward the deck of the riser 14. In the storage position, the seat may rest on the deck of the riser or extend along the riser and be supported by the bracket 18. This provides a much slimmer profile for the seating assembly and allows the seating assembly to store between respective layers of the riser. In other words, with the seat in the storage position, the riser levels or decks may be retracted relative to one another into a substantially vertical stack with the seats disposed between the decks of the riser 14 (FIGS. 8A-8D). Put another way, the individual decks of the riser 14 may be vertically stacked and spaced relative to one another with the rows of seats attached to the riser and disposed between the adjacent decks. Similarly, bench seats 28 and standing rails 32 may be folded relative to the bracket 18 for storage with the riser decks (FIG. 16).
[0023] Thus, spacing between a first or lower deck of the riser 14 and an adjacent second or upper deck of the riser 14 is configured to accommodate the chair grouping 20 and / or bench seat 28 (or other fixture) and the bracket 18 between the adjacent risers. Accordingly, space between an upper mounting surface of the first deck and a lower surface of the second deck is greater than a vertical dimension of the chair grouping 20 and / or bench seat 28 (or other fixture) in the folded position so that the telescoping risers may easily be retracted and extended without the fixtures catching on decks of the riser 14.
[0024] Railings or hand rails 34 extending between rows of the risers (e.g., along stairways or aisles as shown in FIG. 10) may be removed from the risers or folded with the seating assemblies. Optionally, the seating assemblies may be removed from the decks of the riser 14 prior to folding the riser (FIG. 9). Moreover, a rearmost row of the riser 14 may be folded away for storage, where the seating assemblies at the deck are folded toward the riser and the riser is retracted for storage (FIG. 11). In the illustrated example of FIGS. 8A-8D, the telescoping riser 14 includes a plurality of decks that are at fixed heights relative to one another and that move laterally relative to one another to position the respective decks either underneath one another or adjacent one another. The riser may further move laterally relative to a fixed structure (e.g., fixed risers) for extending and retracting the riser relative to the fixed structure.
[0025] Optionally, the respective decks of the riser may be vertically movable relative to one another. As shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, each deck of a riser 114 may accommodate two or more rows of seating assemblies, with rearward rows lifted relative to forward rows to form ascending rows of seating assemblies in a use position (FIG. 12A). When moved to the storage position (FIG. 12B), the rows may be lowered to the deck and the seating assemblies may be folded relative to the deck, with the decks retracted relative to one another into a vertical stack for storage.
[0026] In other words, each deck of the riser 114 may include one or more platforms that are vertically movable relative to one another and relative to the deck of the riser 114, such as via telescoping hydraulic cylinders. The brackets and fixtures are disposed at the platforms to form the rows. In the use position, rearward platforms may be lifted relative to forward platforms to establish an ascending relationship between rows of fixtures disposed at the respective platforms. For example, a rearward platform may be lifted to a height above a forward platform at the same deck and at least partially below a forward platform at a deck directly behind the rearward platform. When moved to the storage position, the platforms are lowered and the fixtures are folded toward the respective decks. The decks of the riser 114 may then be retracted such that two or more rows of fixtures are disposed between each respective layer of the riser 114.
[0027] Further, one or more sets of risers may be removable from the venue 10 for storage. For example, and as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, a removable riser 214 may be removably attached to a front row of a riser 114 to extend the seating arrangement when extended (FIG. 13A). When the decks of the removable riser 214 are retracted relative to one another, the riser 214 may be removed from the fixed riser 114 and moved for storage remote from the riser 114 and / or remote from the venue 10 (FIG. 13B). Similarly, and as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, two or more sets of removable risers 214 may be used with or connected to one another.
[0028] As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the seating arrangements or fixtures at the decks of the risers are interchangeable with one another and / or removable. For example, the venue 10 may include sections with rows of chair groupings 20 and rows of bench seating 28 depending on the intended use of the venue 10 or the intended occupant of the section. The type of seating arrangement may be swapped between uses of the venue 10. As shown, a lift or other suitable equipment 11 may position chair groupings 20 or bench seats 28 at the respective rows of the risers 14 for installation by a user at the riser.
[0029] Further, the seating arrangements or fixtures may be removable from the risers 14 and grouped for storage. For example, and as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the chair groupings 20 and bench seats 28 may be removed from the brackets 18 and the rails 24 or stanchions 26 may be mounted to respective stillages 36. For example, the stillages include platforms or frames with brackets 18 configured to receive the stanchions 26 attached to the fixtures. In the illustrated example, the stillages 36 are stackable for more compact storage (FIG. 18). Further, each stillage 36 may accommodate multiple chair groupings, such as four or more chair groupings, five or more chair groupings, and the like. These stillages 36 may be lifted by the equipment 11 for staging and installing the seating arrangements.
[0030] Thus, the adjustable seating assembly 16 used in conjunction with the telescopic riser system 12 allows for quick, easy and flexible seating arrangements in the venue 10 along with a system for staging, installing and removing seating and railing components with the option to store the retractable seating with the safe stand railing and bench stored on the retractable seating. The telescopic system is shown with chairs stored on the telescopic decks. The integrated system allows for configuration of an arena seating area with two or more distinct seating options and an option for standing occupants with an integrated system for storing components of the system. The storage system may be used to stage, install and remove the various seating options. Optionally, the seating or standing rail may be stored within a telescopic seating system through a folding mechanism.
[0031] Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law.
Claims
1. A telescopic seating system for a venue, the telescopic seating system comprising:a telescoping riser comprising a plurality of decks, wherein the plurality of decks are extendable and retractable relative to one another;a plurality of mounting brackets disposed at the plurality of decks;a seating assembly configured to be removably attached to a pair of adjacent mounting brackets of the plurality of mounting brackets to mount the seating assembly at one deck of the plurality of decks of the telescoping riser;wherein the seating assembly comprises (i) a seat and (ii) a pair of stanchions;wherein, with the seating assembly mounted at the telescoping riser, each stanchion of the pair of stanchions is received by a respective mounting bracket of the pair of adjacent mounting brackets; andwherein, with the seating assembly removed from the telescoping riser, the seating assembly is configured to mount to a stillage for storage of the seating assembly.
2. The telescopic seating system of claim 1, wherein the seat comprises a plurality of individual seats mounted to a rail, and wherein the pair of stanchions extend from the rail.
3. The telescopic seating system of claim 1, wherein the seat comprises a bench, and wherein the pair of stanchions are attached to the bench.
4. The telescopic seating system of claim 3, wherein the seating assembly further comprises a standing rail attached to the bench.
5. The telescopic seating system of claim 1, wherein the stillage is configured to receive a plurality of seating assemblies for storage.
6. The telescopic seating system of claim 1, wherein, with the seating assembly mounted to the telescoping riser, the seat is adjustable between (i) a use position where the seat is configured to receive an occupant and (ii) a storage position where the seat is folded relative to the pair of mounting brackets toward the one deck.
7. The telescopic seating system of claim 6, wherein, with the seating assembly adjusted to the storage position, and with the plurality of decks retracted relative to one another, the seating assembly is vertically disposed between adjacent decks of the plurality of decks.
8. The telescopic seating system of claim 1, wherein the one deck of the plurality of decks comprises a first platform and a second platform, and wherein the pair of adjacent mounting brackets are disposed at the second platform, and wherein the second platform is vertically movable relative to the first platform between at least (i) a first position where the second platform is disposed at the same height as the first platform and (ii) a second position where the second platform is disposed above the first platform.
9. The telescopic seating system of claim 8, wherein the second platform is in the first position when the telescoping riser is in a retracted position, and wherein the second platform is in the second position when the telescoping riser is in an extended position.
10. The telescopic seating system of claim 9, wherein, with the seating assembly mounted to the telescoping riser, the seat is adjustable between (i) a use position where the seat is configured to receive an occupant and (ii) a storage position where the seat is folded relative to the pair of mounting brackets toward the second platform.
11. The telescopic seating system of claim 10, wherein, with the seating assembly adjusted to the storage position, and with the plurality of decks retracted relative to one another, the seating assembly at the second platform is vertically disposed between adjacent decks of the plurality of decks.
12. A telescopic seating system for a venue, the telescopic seating system comprising:a telescoping riser comprising a plurality of decks, wherein the plurality of decks are extendable and retractable relative to one another;a plurality of mounting brackets disposed at the plurality of decks;a seating assembly configured to be removably attached to a pair of adjacent mounting brackets of the plurality of mounting brackets to mount the seating assembly at one deck of the plurality of decks of the telescoping riser;wherein the seating assembly comprises (i) a plurality of individual seats mounted to a rail and (ii) a pair of stanchions that extend from the rail;wherein, with the seating assembly mounted at the telescoping riser, each stanchion of the pair of stanchions is received by a respective mounting bracket of the pair of adjacent mounting brackets;wherein, with the seating assembly mounted to the telescoping riser, the plurality of individual seats is adjustable between (i) a use position where the individual seats are configured to receive respective occupants and (ii) a storage position where the plurality of individual seats is folded relative to the pair of mounting brackets toward the one deck;wherein, with the seating assembly adjusted to the storage position, and with the plurality of decks retracted relative to one another, the seating assembly is vertically disposed between adjacent decks of the plurality of decks; andwherein, with the seating assembly removed from the telescoping riser, the seating assembly is configured to mount to a stillage for storage of the seating assembly.
13. The telescopic seating system of claim 12, wherein the stillage is configured to receive a plurality of seating assemblies for storage.
14. The telescopic seating system of claim 12, wherein the one deck of the plurality of decks comprises a first platform and a second platform, and wherein the pair of adjacent mounting brackets are disposed at the second platform, and wherein the second platform is vertically movable relative to the first platform between at least (i) a first position where the second platform is disposed at the same height as the first platform and (ii) a second position where the second platform is disposed above the first platform.
15. The telescopic seating system of claim 14, wherein the second platform is in the first position when the telescoping riser is in a retracted position, and wherein the second platform is in the second position when the telescoping riser is in an extended position.
16. A telescopic seating system for a venue, the telescopic seating system comprising:a telescoping riser comprising a plurality of decks, wherein the plurality of decks are extendable and retractable relative to one another;a plurality of mounting brackets disposed at the plurality of decks;a seating assembly configured to be removably attached to a pair of adjacent mounting brackets of the plurality of mounting brackets to mount the seating assembly at one deck of the plurality of decks of the telescoping riser;wherein the seating assembly comprises (i) a bench and (ii) a pair of stanchions attached to the bench;wherein, with the seating assembly mounted at the telescoping riser, each stanchion of the pair of stanchions is received by a respective mounting bracket of the pair of adjacent mounting brackets;wherein, with the seating assembly mounted to the telescoping riser, the bench is adjustable between (i) a use position where the bench is configured to receive an occupant and (ii) a storage position where the bench is folded relative to the pair of mounting brackets toward the one deck;wherein, with the seating assembly adjusted to the storage position, and with the plurality of decks retracted relative to one another, the seating assembly is vertically disposed between adjacent decks of the plurality of decks; andwherein, with the seating assembly removed from the telescoping riser, the seating assembly is configured to mount to a stillage for storage of the seating assembly.
17. The telescopic seating system of claim 16, wherein the seating assembly further comprises a standing rail attached to the bench.
18. The telescopic seating system of claim 16, wherein the stillage is configured to receive a plurality of seating assemblies for storage.
19. The telescopic seating system of claim 16, wherein the one deck of the plurality of decks comprises a first platform and a second platform, and wherein the pair of adjacent mounting brackets are disposed at the second platform, and wherein the second platform is vertically movable relative to the first platform between at least (i) a first position where the second platform is disposed at the same height as the first platform and (ii) a second position where the second platform is disposed above the first platform.
20. The telescopic seating system of claim 19, wherein the second platform is in the first position when the telescoping riser is in a retracted position, and wherein the second platform is in the second position when the telescoping riser is in an extended position.