EP1541783A1

EP1541783A1 - Collapsible and portable stand

Info

Publication number: EP1541783A1
Application number: EP04078348A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Martinus Wilhelmus Maria Jansen; Johannes Maria Henricus Gerardus Van Der Aalst; R.W. Ribbens
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-12-09
Filing date: 2004-12-09
Publication date: 2005-06-15
Also published as: NL1024971C2

Abstract

A stand 23 is made up of a rectangular container 3, which is divided into two sections 5, 7 by a diagonal surface. The diagonal surface is perpendicular to two transverse sides 11 situated opposite each other that extend in the longitudinal direction of the container and is at an angle with respect to the container's front 13 and top 15.

The sections 5, 7 can pivot with respect to each other about a pivot axis 17, which is situated on the top and is where the diagonal surface and the top 15 intersect. There are seats 25 in each section 5, 7 of the container situated on the diagonal surface.

The stand 23 is coupled to an additional stand by means of a separate stairway element 31. There is a door 35 in the other transverse side 33 of the container 3, which provides access to the space in the lower half 7 of the container 3. A toilet or a changing room, for example, may be situated in this space.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a collapsible and portable stand comprising a rectangular container with a top, bottom, front, back and two transverse sides, which container is divided into two sections by a diagonal surface that is perpendicular to both transverse sides and is at an angle with respect to the top and the front, which sections can pivot with respect to each other about a pivot axis, in which there are seats in each section of the container on the diagonal surface, where when the container is swung shut, the seating surfaces face each other, and when the container is swung open, the seating surfaces face upwards.

Prior art

Such a stand is known from the American patent US 3.752.531. With this known stand the container is a caravan-like trailer. Here, the diagonal surface is perpendicular to the container's short transverse sides and the pivot axis is situated in the container's front where the diagonal surface and the front intersect. Because of this, the top section of the container can be swung downwards about the pivot axis. By doing this, when fully swung out, a wide stand is obtained having a height equal to that of the container when closed.

Summary of the invention

An objective of the invention is to provide a stand of the type described in the preamble in which a greater surface area for standing and/or sitting can be obtained on the same floor area than is possible with the known stand. To this end, the stand according to the invention is characterized in that the two transverse sides to which the diagonal surface is perpendicular are the container's long sides, and that the pivot axis is situated on the container's top where the diagonal surface and the top intersect so that one of the sections swings upwards and is situated on top of the other section when swung open. The top section of the container, therefore, swings open upwards as a result of which a higher and steeper stand is obtained when swung open. Because of this, not only is the area for standing and/or sitting greater, but, in addition, the rows for standing and/or sitting can be placed closer together so that the spectators can see better over each other.
An embodiment of the stand according to the invention is characterized in that the stand, furthermore, comprises a separate stairway element by means of which the container, when fully opened, can be coupled to an additional container, where when coupled to each other the stairway element is situated between the two containers.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be elucidated more fully below on the basis of drawings in which embodiments of the stand according to the invention are shown. In these drawings:
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the stand according to the invention when swung open;
Figure 2 shows the stand shown in figure 1 when swung shut;
Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the stand shown in figure 1 when swung open;
Figure 4 shows the stand shown in figure 3 when swung shut; and
Figure 5 shows two of the stands shown in figure 3 coupled to each other in a perspective view.

Detailed description of the drawings

In figures 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the stand according to the invention is shown when swung open and when swung shut respectively. The stand 1 is made up of a rectangular container 3, which is divided into two sections, 5, 7 by a diagonal surface 9. The diagonal surface 9 is perpendicular to two transverse sides 11 that are situated opposite each other in the container's longitudinal direction and is at an angle with respect to the container's front 13 and top 15.
The sections 5, 7 can pivot with respect to each other about a pivot axis 17, which is situated where the diagonal surface 9 and the top 15 intersect. There are seats 19 in each section 5, 7 of the container on the diagonal surface 9, which are benches with legs in this embodiment. The seating surfaces 21 of the seats 19 face each other when the container is swung shut, see figure 2, and when it is swung open, they face upwards, see figure 1.
In figures 3 and 4, a second embodiment of the stand according to the invention is shown when swung open and when swung shut respectively. All sections that are the same as those of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numbers. This second embodiment of the stand 23 differs from the first embodiment in that in this one the seats 25 are not benches with legs under them, but box-shaped benches. When swung shut the line 27 dividing the two sections is not a straight line, but a stepped one, see figure 4. In this case, by a diagonal surface 29 is meant the plane that passes through the middle of the seats 25. This diagonal surface 29 is indicated by a dash-dot line.
Figure 5 shows two stands 23 coupled to each other in a perspective view. The stands 23 are coupled to each other by means of a separate stairway element 31. In the other transverse side 33 of the container 3 is a door 35, which provides access to the space in the lower half 7 of the container 3. It is possible to situate a toilet or a changing room, for example, in this space.
Although in the above the invention is explained on the basis of the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments shown in the drawings within the context defined by the claims.

Claims

Collapsible and portable stand comprising a rectangular container with a top, bottom, front, back and two transverse sides, which container is divided into two sections by a diagonal surface that is perpendicular to both transverse sides and is at an angle with respect to the top and the front, which sections can pivot with respect to each other about a pivot axis, in which there are seats in each section of the container on the diagonal surface, where when the container is swung shut, the seating surfaces face each other, and when the container is swung open, the seating surfaces face upwards, characterized in that the two transverse sides to which the diagonal surface is perpendicular are the container's long sides, and that the pivot axis is situated on the container's top where the diagonal surface and the top intersect so that one of the sections swings upwards and is situated on top of the other section when swung open.
Stand according to claim 1, characterized in that the stand, furthermore, comprises a separate stairway element by means of which the container, when fully opened, can be coupled to an additional container, where when coupled to each other the stairway element is situated between the two containers.