Removable Seating with Retractable Bolt Floor Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing venue seating systems are not easily removable or reconfigurable, limiting versatility and safety, and often compromise on comfort and professional appearance, especially when needing to convert spaces for different events.
Innovation Solution
A removable seating system featuring a retractable coupling device with a rotating bolt that allows seats to be quickly installed and removed without tools, with a mounting system that includes a base flange for stability and a cover mechanism to leave a smooth floor, and a lockout mechanism for safety and ease of use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If permanent seating is installed to ensure sturdiness and safety, then reliability and strength are improved, but adaptability and ease of removal deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The seating system is divided into modular components: individual seats with integrated coupling devices, mounting receptacles in the floor, and removable covers. Each seat can be independently removed by disengaging its coupling device, allowing flexible reconfiguration while maintaining the sturdiness of individual components. The segmentation enables the seating to transition from a permanent appearance to a easily reconfigurable system.
2Quantity of substance
If modular rows of seating are used to fill venue, then seating capacity is improved, but ease of arrangement and adaptability to curved rows deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seating system transitions from fixed modular rows to dynamic, individually positionable seats. Each seat with its integrated coupling device can be independently mounted, moved, and repositioned along curved or straight paths. The mounting receptacles are distributed throughout the floor to accommodate various arrangements, enabling the system to adapt to curved rows, angled configurations, or completely reconfigurable layouts while maintaining full seating capacity.
3Ease of operation
If stackable portable chairs are used for easy removal, then ease of operation is improved, but comfort, appearance, and structural strength deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The design merges the ease of removable seating with the sturdiness of permanent installation by integrating a coupling device directly into each seat. The coupling device with rotating bolt and mounting slot provides a secure mechanical connection to the floor, ensuring structural strength. Simultaneously, the simple rotation mechanism allows easy removal without tools, combining the benefits of portable and permanent seating into a single integrated system.
4Ease of operation
If chairs are made mobile for easy relocation, then ease of operation is improved, but safety and stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates preliminary safety measures through the coupling device design. The rotating bolt mechanism requires deliberate rotational action to disengage, preventing accidental removal during use. The coupling device maintains a secure locked state during events, ensuring stability and safety, while allowing intentional removal when needed. This preliminary locking action ensures safety during operation while preserving mobility when required.
Data Source
AI summary
A removable seating system includes a mounting receptacle, a seat, and a retractable coupling device coupled to the seat. The retractable coupling device couples the seat to the mounting receptacle when inserted into the mounting receptacle. The retractable coupling device disengages the seat from the mounting receptacle when retracted from the mounting receptacle. The retractable coupling device retracts into the seat when the seat is disengaged from the mounting receptacle. The system further includes a mounting face in the mounting receptacle and a mounting slot in the mounting face. The retractable coupling device includes a rotating bolt that couples the seat to the mounting receptacle by entering the mounting slot, rotating, and engaging the underside of the mounting face. The rotating bolt disengages the seat from the mounting receptacle by rotating so as to become aligned with the mounting slot and retracting from the mounting slot and into the seat.