Damped Stadium Seat Mounting for Quiet Return and Fine Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Stadium seats produce unwanted noise when returning to their standby position, and existing solutions like elastomeric pads are costly and have short operating lives, while the fixed attachment methods to spines lack fine adjustment capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A damping mechanism is integrated into the pivotal mounting system of the stadium seats to slow their movement, and a clamping system using inextensible strips is employed to connect seats to spines, allowing for precise positioning and reducing noise and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If elastomeric pads are used to cushion the impact of the seat on the backrest, then noise is reduced to a tolerable level, but the overall cost of the seating arrangement is increased and the operating life of the pad is shortened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful impact noise by removing the hard plastic-to-plastic contact interface. Instead of using soft pads that wear quickly, the invention introduces a dampening element that absorbs impact energy, separating the noise reduction function from the structural components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a dampening element at the interface between the seat and backrest that proactively absorbs impact energy before it can generate noise. This prevents the harmful effect rather than reacting to it after occurrence.
2Strength
If welded metal attachments or pre-drilled fasteners are used to connect seats to spines, then secure attachment is achieved, but fine adjustment of position of the stadium seat is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from fixed, static attachment methods (welded or pre-drilled) to a dynamic system where the seat can be positioned at multiple discrete locations along the spine. The attachment mechanism allows movement and repositioning while maintaining secure connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the attachment system into multiple discrete positioning points along the spine, allowing the seat to be secured at different locations. This segmentation enables both secure attachment at each point and fine adjustment by selecting different segment positions.
3Productivity
If the seat is made to return automatically to the standby position using a resilient member, then the aisle width is maintained, but the seat produces banging noises when it hits the backrest
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary dampening element between the seat and backrest that mediates the impact interaction. This intermediary component absorbs the shock of the seat returning to the standby position, preventing direct hard contact and the resulting banging noise while allowing the automatic return function to continue.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The damping mechanism reduces noise and discourages vandalism by increasing the effort required to move seats, while the clamping system provides precise positioning and secure attachment, thus addressing noise and adjustment issues effectively.
Implementation Method 1
A resilient member such as a spring or an elastomeric equivalent, is interposed between the seat and backrest and urges the seat into the standby position
Implementation Method 2
said pivotable mounting includes a damping means to slow the movement of said seat between said use and standby positions
Data Source
AI summary
A seat (1, 41, 61) for stadia, auditoria and the like is disclosed. The seat has a fixed backrest (2, 42) pivotable between a horizontal use position and a vertical standby position. A spring (33) or other resilient means urges the seat (5, 45) into the standby position. A damping mechanism such as a viscous grease damps the motion, preferably in both directions. Mounting straps (51, 52, 71, 72) enable a body (45) to be clamped to a spine (7, 47). By lightly tightening the straps, the position of the seat on the spine can be subject to small final adjustments before final tightening.