WO2014036641A1

WO2014036641A1 - Multipurpose room, carriage for use in a multipurpose room and method of installing and removing seat members on and from a floor of a multipurpose room

Info

Publication number: WO2014036641A1
Application number: PCT/CA2013/000764
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alain Gobeil; Pierre Laforest; Alexandre MASSÉ
Original assignee: Gestion Laforest Inc.
Priority date: 2012-09-07
Filing date: 2013-09-06
Publication date: 2014-03-13

Abstract

The multipurpose room comprises a floor, a number of seat members and a carriage capable of carrying the seat members and capable of displacement along the floor between a storage area and a multipurpose area. A guide element is mounted to the carriage. Guide members are provided in the multipurpose room, distinct from the carriage guide element and capable of cooperating with the carriage guide element for guiding the carriage in its movement at least in the multipurpose area. The seat members can be unloaded from the carriage to be installed on the floor in the multipurpose area and removed from the floor to be loaded on the carriage.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION: MULTIPURPOSE ROOM. CARRIAGE FOR USE IN A MULTIPURPOSE ROOM AND METHOD OF INSTALLING AND REMOVING SEAT MEMBERS ON AND FROM A FLOOR OF A MULTIPURPOSE ROOM

CROSS-REFERENCE DATA

The present application claims Paris convention priority based upon U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/698,102 filed September 7, 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to multipurpose rooms that may be transformed from a theater or amphitheater configuration that has seats fixed to the floor, to a multipurpose configuration with a multipurpose floor area devoid of theater seats.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Theater or amphitheater rooms are often large rooms that comprise a stage area and a seating area where a number of seats are fixed to the floor. One problem with such rooms is that it is often used only a small fraction of the time because there are only so many shows or performances that can be organized in a given theater room. The seats being fixed to the floor prevents the large room from being usable for anything but shows or presentations and also prevents the seats from being partially removed, for example if some floor space is required to form a larger scene.

As a result, multipurpose rooms have been invented wherein the seats can be removed from the floor to provide two modes to the room: a theater configuration where the seats are fixed to the floor, and a general purpose configuration where the seats are removed to the floor and stored away such that the floor can be used for receptions, meetings, diners, or the like. In the general purpose configuration, furniture that is not fixed to the floor, such as dinner tables and chairs, can be installed on the floor if desired.

It remains desirable to have theater seats fixed to the floor in the theater configuration of the multipurpose room. For one thing, these seats are much more comfortable than portable chairs; and for another, portable chairs that simply rest on the ground in non-fixed fashion can move as people sit or move between rows of seats, resulting in some rows ending up much narrower than others, to the discomfort of attendees. Moreover, during shows or presentations, moving seats may cause disturbing noise.

A known system for removing and installing fixed theater seats comprises vertically movable platforms that form the multipurpose room floor and a mechanism to displace the seats from a stored position underneath corresponding platforms to an operative position atop corresponding platforms. This is a relatively complex system however.

Another known system for removing and installing fixed theater seats comprises an endless chain that extends in a track embedded in the ground. The seats can engage the chain as it rotates, from a stored position (e.g. under the stage) to an installed position within the theater room. The seats remain attached to the chain within the theater room and covers are installed over the tracks in-between the seats to cover the endless chain, once the seats are in place. Covering the chain track with covers is impractical, and the system is generally complex.

Another known system from removing and installing fixed seats in a room comprises storing the seats in a concealed storage area and then extending them out of this storage area into the theater room with an extensible accordion-like support frame. The seats remain attached to the extensible support frame at all times, so that the entire support frame remains extended out of the storage area during use of the room in its configuration with the seats operatively installed. Once installed, the end result is a bleacher-type seating structure.

Storage of this big structure is complex due to its size, and only a few rows of seats can consequently be provided on the structure for deployment. This system is, in effect, impractical, if usable at all, for a theater room.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A multipurpose room comprising:

· a floor;

• a number of seat members;

• a carriage capable of carrying said seat members and capable of displacement along said floor between a storage area and a multipurpose area, with a guide element being mounted to said carriage;

· guide members in said multipurpose room, distinct from said carriage guide element and capable of cooperating with said carriage guide element for guiding said carriage in its movement at least in said multipurpose area; wherein said seat members can be unloaded from said carriage to be installed on the floor in said multipurpose area and removed from the floor to be loaded on said carriage.

In one embodiment, the multipurpose room further comprises first seat attachment members on said floor and second seat attachment members on said seat members, said first and second seat attachment members capable of cooperating for allowing the seat members to be releasably attached to said floor in said multipurpose area.

In one embodiment, said guide members comprise said first seat attachment members.

In one embodiment, said guide members can be moved between a retracted position in which they are nested within guide member openings within said floor such that they do not protrude above said floor, and a deployed position in which they protrude outside of said guide member openings above said floor, said guide members being in their deployed position when they cooperate with said guide element for guiding said carriage in its movement in said multipurpose area.

In one embodiment, said guide members comprise a number of discrete hooks that are engageable in corresponding sockets in said seat members, at least one of said first and second seat attachment members comprising an attachment actuator capable of relatively forcing said first and second seat attachment members towards one another for interlocking said first and second seat attachment members.

In one embodiment, said multipurpose room further comprises an onboard automated seat displacement mechanism carried by said carriage to automatically unload said seat members from said carriage to the ground and to automatically load said seat members from the ground to said carriage.

In one embodiment, said carriage is movable along a first axis generally parallel to said floor, said seat displacement mechanism comprising:

• a first seat displacement actuator for displacing one of said seat members relative to said carriage along a second axis that is parallel to said floor and transversal to said first axis; and

• a second seat displacement actuator for displacing a seat load-bearing structure provided on said carriage that carries said seat members along a third axis that is transversal to said floor. In one embodiment, said first seat displacement actuator comprises at least one selectively powered roller on which one of said seat members may rest to be displaced along said second axis when said roller is activated.

In one embodiment, said seat load-bearing structure is movable relative to said frame respectively between a lowered and a raised position wherein said load-bearing structure is moved respectively towards and away from said floor, said second seat displacement actuator comprising a flexible fluid tube extending between said frame and said seat load-bearing structure and connected to a fluid source, with said fluid tube capable of being emptied of and filled with fluid to move said seat load-bearing structure respectively between said lowered and raised positions.

In one embodiment, said multipurpose room further comprises a selectively controlled motor for moving said frame over ground.

In one embodiment, said guide element comprises a track for receiving a number of discrete said guide members therein in succession.

The present invention also relates to a carriage for installing and removing seat members from a multipurpose room, comprising:

• a frame movable over ground;

• a seat load-bearing structure carried by said frame and capable of carrying said seat members; and

· a guide element mounted to said main body for cooperating with distinct guide members provided in the room for guiding the displacement of said carriage in the room.

The present invention further relates to a method of installing and removing seat members on and from a floor of a multipurpose room that comprises a number of seat members, a carriage capable of carrying said seat members, a guide element mounted to said carriage, guide members in said multipurpose room that are distinct from said carriage guide element, said method comprising:

• installing said seat members on said floor by:

o moving said carriage, loaded with said seat members, from a storage area to a multipurpose area in said room and along an installation path in said multipurpose area;

o unloading said seat members from said carriage to said floor in said multipurpose area as said carriage follows said installation path; and

o moving said carriage, once said seat members are unloaded, from said multipurpose area to said storage area; • removing said seat members from said floor by:

o moving said carriage from said storage area to said multipurpose area in said room and along a removal path in said multipurpose area;

o loading said seat members from said floor onto said carriage as said carriage follows said removal path; and

o moving said carriage loaded with said seat members from said multipurpose area to said storage area;

and

• guiding the movement of said carriage when it moves in said multipurpose area through cooperation of said guide members and said guide element.

In one embodiment, the step of unloading said seat members on said floor further comprises interlocking first seat attachment members located on said floor with second seat attachment members located on said seat members for releasably attaching said seat members to said floor in said multipurpose area; and wherein the step of loading said seat members from said floor onto said carriage comprises releasing said first and second seat attachment members from one another.

In one embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of moving said guide members from a retracted position in which they are nested within guide member openings within said floor such that they do not protrude above said floor, to a deployed position in which they protrude outside of said guide member openings above said floor, before the step of installing said seat members on said floor; and of moving said guide members from said deployed position to said retracted position after the step of removing said seat members from said floor.

In one embodiment, the steps of unloading said seat members from said carriage to said floor and loading said seat members from said floor to said carriage, are accomplished by an onboard automated seat displacement mechanism carried by said carriage.

In one embodiment, the step of moving said carriage along an installation path and along said removal path in said multipurpose area is accomplished along a first axis parallel to said floor, said carriage comprising a seat load-bearing structure that carries said seat members that are loaded on said carriage, the step of unloading said seat members from said carriage to said floor comprising: • displacing a seat member to be installed among said seat members located on said load-bearing structure relative to said seat load-bearing structure along a second axis that is parallel to said floor and transversal to said first axis;

• moving said carriage towards selected said guide members until said first and second seat attachment members engage one another;

• displacing said load-bearing structure towards said floor along a third axis that is transversal to said floor, until all said seat members carried by said load-bearing structure rest on said floor;

• moving said carriage along said first axis until said seat load-bearing structure clears said seat member to be installed, such that said carriage will also reposition itself with respect to said seat members that are located above said load-bearing structure; and

• displacing said seat load-bearing structure away from said floor along said third axis to pick up seat members located above said load-bearing structure, leaving on the floor said seat member to be installed;

and the step of loading said seat members from said floor onto said carriage comprising:

• displacing said seat load-bearing structure towards said floor along said third axis;

• moving said carriage along said first axis until said seat load-bearing structure lies underneath a seat member to be removed among seat members located on said floor;

• displacing said seat load-bearing structure away from said floor along said third axis until said seat member to be removed is lifted away from said floor;

• moving said carriage away from said guide member until said first and second seat attachment members disengage one another; and

• displacing said seat member to be removed relative to said carriage along said second axis. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the annexed drawings :

Figures 1-4 are schematic perspective views of the floor and stage of a multipurpose room according to the present invention, sequentially showing the installation of seat members within the multipurpose room;

Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a number of aligned guide members and of an attachment actuator usable to move the guide members between their retracted and their deployed position;

Figure 6 is a view of the area circumscribed by line VI in figure 5, at an enlarged scale;

Figures 7 and 8 are two different exploded perspective views of one guide member with a corresponding portion of the attachment actuator, with figure 7 showing the slider bar resting against the L-shaped plate main body and one of the angle-irons, while figure 8 shows the slider bar exploded;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the carriage being part of the multipurpose room of the present invention;

Figures 10 and 1 1 are cross-sectional side elevations, at an enlarged scale, showing one end of a hollow tube forming the seat load-bearing structure of the carriage, and one end of a support plate and three wheel axles and corresponding wheels forming the carriage frame, figure 10 showing the flexible tube inflated to raise the seat load-bearing structure away from the floor and showing the foot of the seat member being spaced over the floor, and figure 1 1 showing the flexible tube emptied to lower the seat load-bearing structure towards the floor and showing the foot of the seat member resting on the floor;

Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view of the area circumscribed by line XII in figure 9, albeit at a different viewing angle;

Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view showing of a guide member with adjacent floor section being broken to show the underlying corresponding portion of the attachment actuator, showing the guide member in its retracted position;

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a portion of the room floor with guide members being in their deployed position, further showing the carriage as its moves along the first reference axis into a position before it stars unloading a seat member; Figure 15 is similar to figure 14, but shows the rearmost seat member on the carriage being displaced laterally along the second reference axis into a position where its feet become aligned with corresponding guide members;

Figure 16 is similar to figure 13, but shows the guide member in its deployed position and further shows a seat member foot aligned with the guide member;

Figure 17 is similar to figure 15 but shows the carriage having moved along the first reference axis until the seat member foot engages its corresponding guide member;

Figure 18 is similar to figure 16 but shows the seat member foot engaged with the guide member and further shows the foot being partly broken;

Figure 19 is similar to figure 17 but shows the carriage load-bearing structure being lowered along a third reference axis until the feet of the seat members rest on the ground;

Figure 20 is similar to figure 18 but shows the seat member foot resting on the ground;

Figure 21 is similar to figure 19 but shows the carriage having picked up the remaining seat members and having moved away from the now installed seat member;

Figure 22 shows the guide member being partly lowered to engage the socket of the seat member foot for interlocking the seat member foot with the guide member;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention more particularly showing one fixed platform and two vertically movable platforms all of which carry a seat member;

Figure 24 is an enlarged perspective view of a broken portion of a floor platform with one guide member and its corresponding actuator;

Figure 25 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the invention more particularly showing a broken portion of a floor platform, a portion of a seat member, and one guide member in interlocking engagement with the seat member foot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Figures 1 -4 schematically show a multipurpose room 100 according to the present invention of which only a floor 102 and a stage 104 are shown. Room 100 defines a front end 100a and a rear end 100b, with stage 104 being located spacedly over floor 102 at the room front end 100a. Room 100 also comprises an underfloor (not shown) over which floor 102 is installed; and may - and usually will - comprise walls and a ceiling. Additional usual structural and utility elements (not shown) are also provided in room 100, such as a support structure for stage 104, electrical grid connective plugs, etc... Multipurpose room 100 comprises a storage area 106 underneath stage 104 (storage area 106 could be located at any suitable location other than underneath stage 104, and could also be composed of more than a single location), and a multipurpose area 108 rearwardly of stage 04. Multipurpose room 100 also comprises a number of seat members 1 10. Each seat member 1 10 is formed of a seat support structure that carries one or more seats. For example, each seat member can be formed of a row of seats.

As detailed hereinafter, multipurpose area 108 may adopt different configurations, including either a theater configuration (figure 4) where seat members 1 10 are fixed to floor 102 in multipurpose area 108, or a general purpose configuration (figure 1) where seat members 1 10 are stored in storage area 106 such that the floor 102 is free of seat members 1 10 in multipurpose area 108 and the latter can be used for receptions, meetings, diners, or the like. Other configurations could include some seats being removed while others remain installed. To accomplish the transformation from the theater configuration to the general purpose configuration (or to any other configuration), carriages 1 12 are used to carry seat members 1 10 between storage area 106 and multipurpose area 108 and to install and remove seat members 1 10 in and from multipurpose area 108. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, four side-by-side carriages 1 12 are used, but as few as a single carriage 1 12 or any other suitable number of carriages could be used, notably depending on the size and configuration of room 100 and the size of seat members 1 10. Each carriage 1 12 moves along a first reference axis that, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, extends between the room front and rear ends 100a, 100b.

Figures 1 -8 show that multipurpose room 100 comprises guide members 1 14 that can protrude over floor 102 and are arranged in rows longitudinally extending in room 100. More particularly, as shown in figures 5-8, each guide member 1 14 forms the head portion of an L- shaped plate 122 having a main body 1 16 sandwiched between a pair of angle-irons 1 18, 120 that are fixedly attached under floor 102. Guide member openings in the form of slots 124 in floor 102 allow guide members 1 14 to either extend above floor 102 or be nested in openings 124, as detailed hereinafter. L-shaped plate main body 1 16 is pivotally attached between angle irons 1 18, 120 at one end at 126 and further carries a yoke 128 that is accessible through a pair of elongated slots 130, 132 in angle irons 1 18, 120.

An attachment actuator in the form of a linear actuator 134 coupled to a selectively powered motor 136 activates the linear displacement of an actuator bar 138 that extends adjacent to a longitudinal row of guide members 1 14 underneath floor 102. Actuator bar 138 can operate each guide member 1 14 by means of a movement transfer mechanism that transfers the horizontal movement of actuator bar 138 to a vertical displacement of guide member 1 14. Indeed, a U-shaped connector 140 is fixed to actuator bar 138 and holds in its U- shaped opening a driver pin 142 that is in turn fixed to a slider bar 144 that is horizontally slidable between angle-irons 1 18, 120, adjacent to L-shaped plate main body 1 16. Guiding yokes 145, 147 that are attached to slider bar 144 and that extend in a horizontally disposed slot 148 in angle-iron 1 18guide and restrict slider bar 144 to a horizontal displacement. Slider bar 144 is engaged on its top, slanted surface 150 by a stud 146 fixed to L-shaped bar main body 1 16. Consequently, when actuator bar 138 moves horizontally, slider bar 144 will engage stud 146 with its slanted surface 150 and force stud 146 to move up or down, with a corresponding up or down pivotal displacement of guide member 1 14.

Guide members 1 14 are consequently movable between a retracted position (fig. 13) in which they are nested within guide member openings 124 within floor 102 such that they do not protrude above floor 102, and a deployed position (fig. 16) in which they protrude outside of guide member openings 124 above floor 102.

As shown in figures 9-12, each carriage 1 12 defines front and rear ends 1 12a, 1 12b and comprises a frame 152 movable over ground on idle wheels 154. More particularly, frame 152 comprises a pair of elongated support plates 156 that rest on axles 158 of wheels 154. Carriage 1 12 also comprises a seat load-bearing structure 160 in the form of a pair of cross- sectionally rectangular hollow tubes 162, 164 spacedly and rigidly linked by a central rod structure 166. The wheels 154 are mounted by pairs on axles 158 that extend through vertically disposed slots 168 made in the side walls of the tubes 162, 164, allowing seat load-bearing structure 160 to move relative to frame 152.

Seat support bars 170, 172 are fixed respectively atop each hollow tube 162, 164. Seat support bars 170, 172 support seat members 1 10 when seat members 1 10 rest on seat load- bearing structure 160, as described hereinafter.

At carriage rear end 1 12b, seat load-bearing structure 1 0 comprises a first seat displacement actuator in the form of a powered roller 1 74 selectively rotatable by a motor 176. Powered roller 174 is carried by load-bearing structure 160 near one hollow tube 162, while an idle roller 178 is carried near the other hollow tube 164 in facing register with powered roller 174. Rollers 174, 178 are consequently parallel and spaced-apart, and are oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis extending between the carriage front and rear ends 1 12a, 1 12b. One seat member 1 10 may rest on rollers 1 74, 178 to be displaced, when powered roller 174 is activated, Π along a second reference axis that is perpendicular, to the first reference axis and parallel to floor 102. The rollers could alternately be oriented to move seat member 1 10 along a second axis that is transversal, albeit not perpendicular, to the first reference axis.

At carriage front end 1 12a, there is provided a bogie 180 pivotally attached to rod structure 166 by means of a bogie bar 181 and carrying a driving motor 182, driving wheels 184, additional support wheels (concealed in fig. 9), a spring loaded wire reel 186 from which extends an electric wire 188 connected to the local electric grid (not shown, but see also figs. 2-3), a control panel 190, an air compressor 194 and an air tank 192. An electric circuit (not shown) in control panel 190 distributes electric power received from wire 188 to all elements requiring power on carriage 1 12, including motor 182. The later powers driving wheels 184 to move carriage along floor 102. Control panel 190 is programmed to receive instructions from a central processing circuit 196 (shown in figures 1 -4) to control motor 182 and the direction in which driving wheels 184 are rotated.

Control panel 190 controls compressor 194 and a valve (not shown) to control the distribution of air to two flexible air tubes 198 respectively located inside hollow tubes 162, 164 (with only the flexible tube 198 in hollow tube 162 being visible in the drawings). Rigid distribution pipes 200, 202 link a manifold tee (concealed in fig. 9) to flexible tubes 198 while still allowing relative displacement of seat load-bearing structure 160 with respect to frame 152.

Air compressor 192, distribution pipes 200, 202 and flexible tubes 198 represent a second seat displacement actuator that is capable of displacing seat load-bearing structure 160 along a third reference axis that is transversal to floor 102 and transversal to the first and second reference axes, and more particularly in this case perpendicular to floor 102 and perpendicular to the first and second axes. Consequently, seat load-bearing structure 160 is movable relative to frame 152 respectively between a lowered and a raised position wherein load-bearing structure 160 is moved respectively towards and away from floor 102.

The flexible tubes 198 that extend between frame 152 and seat load-bearing structure 160 are capable of being inflated and emptied. If flexible tubes 198 are inflated with air as shown in figure 10, seat load-bearing structure 160 will be forced to its raised position. If emptied of air as shown in figure 1 1, seat load-bearing structure will be forced to its lowered position under the gravity force.

Another fluid than air could be used to inflate flexible tubes 198, including a non- compressible fluid such as oil or water. In such a case, a suitable fluid reservoir would be carried by carriage 1 12, for example on bogie 180, wherein this other fluid would be stored, with the flexible tubes being connected to the fluid reservoir. Air, while a compressible fluid, has the advantage, in case of accidental leaks, to not damage multipurpose room 100.

A guide element in the form of a track 204 is mounted to carriage 1 12, and more particularly to the wheel axles 158 on one side of carriage 1 12. Track 204 comprises a pair of parallel plates 230, 232 that are spaced-apart just enough to receive guide members 1 14 in sliding relationship therein. Track plates 230, 232 have flaring ends to facilitate egress of guide members 1 14 therebetween.

In use, the present invention relates to a method of installing and removing seat members 1 10 on and from floor 102 of multipurpose room 100 with at least one carriage 1 12.

Before installation starts, seat members 1 10 are loaded on carriages 1 12 and are stored underneath stage 104 in storage area 106 as shown in figure 1. Seat members 1 10 are installed such that their front faces towards the front end 1 12a of carriage 1 12. All seat members 1 10 but one will rest atop seat support bars 170, 172 of seat load-bearing structure 160, while one seat member will be located at carriage rear end 1 12b and will rest atop rollers 174, 178.

The method for installing said seat members on said floor comprises first moving guide members 1 14 from their retracted position (figure 13) in which they are nested within guide member openings 124 within floor 102 such that they do not protrude above said floor, to their deployed position (figure 16) in which they protrude outside of guide member openings 124 above floor 102.

Then, the method comprises moving carriage 1 12, initially loaded with seat members 1 10, from storage area 106 to multipurpose area 108 in room 100 and along an installation path in multipurpose area 108. More particularly, the installation path in the embodiment shown in the drawings is linear along the above-mentioned first axis, and starts by moving carriage 1 12 from room front end 100a almost all the way to room rear end 100b. As carriage 1 12 moves, carriage 1 12 is guided first by a fixed, continuous guide rail 234 (see figures 2-4) that will slide within track 204, and then by one row of guide members 1 14 that will also slide within track 204, to ensure that carriage 1 12 remains along its intended installation path. Carriage will be stopped at a position just short of the last guide members 1 14 in room 100 as shown in figure 14.

Then, the method comprises unloading seat members 1 10 from carriage 1 12 to floor 102 in multipurpose area 108 as carriage 1 12 continues to follow its installation path. This step of unloading seat members 1 10 from carriage 1 12 to floor 102 comprises first displacing the rearmost seat member 1 10, which is to be installed first, relative to seat load-bearing structure 160 laterally along the above-mentioned second axis by means of the powered roller 174 as shown in figure 15. The rearmost seat member 1 10 will be thusly moved until its feet 206 become aligned with corresponding guide members 1 14. (It is noted that only one foot 206 is visible in figure 15, but a second foot is located near the opposite end of seat member 1 10 and is aligned with a second guide members 1 14). More particularly, sockets 207 having slots 208 for receiving the guide members 1 14 are provided on the seat member feet 206, and it is these slots 208 that become aligned with the guide members 1 14. This alignment is further shown in figure 16.

The method then comprises moving carriage 1 12 along its first axis towards the rearmost guide members 1 14 until the seat member feet sockets 207 engage the guide members 1 14, as shown in figures 17 and 18. Figure 18 further shows that socket 207 comprises a shoulder 210 located underneath the hook-shaped guide member 1 14 for complementary engagement of one with the other. This will be detailed hereinafter.

The method then comprises displacing load-bearing structure 160 towards floor 102 along the third axis, until the rearmost seat member 1 10 rests on floor 102 with its feet 206, as shown in figures 19 and 20, and as also sequentially shown in figures 10 and 1 1. The method of installing seat member 1 10 on floor 102 further comprises moving carriage 1 12 along the first axis towards the room front end 100a, away from the rearmost guide members 1 14, until seat load-bearing structure 160 clears the seat member being installed. It is noted that when load- bearing structure 160 is displaced towards floor 102 along the third axis, all seat members 1 10 that are located on load-bearing structure 160 come to rest on the ground such that when carriage 1 12 moves along the first axis, carriage 1 12 will reposition itself with respect to all seat members 1 10 that are located above its load-bearing structure 160. The previously second to last seat member 1 10, will then be positioned at the rearmost position on carriage 1 12 and will become next in line to be installed. Indeed, seat load-bearing structure 160 is then displaced away from floor 102 along the third axis to engage and lift all the remaining overlying seat members 1 10 away from the floor 102. All seat members 1 10 overlying seat load-bearing structure 160 will be located above seat support bars 170, 172 while the new rearmost seat member 1 10 will be located above rollers 174, 178.

The method then comprises moving load-bearing structure 160 along the third axis away from floor 102 to engage all the overlying seat members 1 10 and lift them away from floor 102. All seat members 1 10 but the new rearmost seat member 1 10 will be lifted by the seat support bars 170, 172 while the new rearmost seat member 1 10 will be lifted by rollers 174, 178. Carriage 1 12 may then move towards the room front end 100a, along the first axis, until the rearmost seat member 1 10 is positioned slightly frontwards of the new set of rearmost free guide members 1 14, as shown in figure 21. The method described above may then be repeated for each seat member 1 10, with each seat member 1 10 being installed on the next set of rearmost free guide members 1 14.

Once seat members 1 10 are all unloaded from carriage 1 12 and installed on floor 102, carriage 1 12 is moved back from multipurpose area 108 to storage area 106.

At this point, the attachment actuator forces the first and second seat attachment members towards one another for interlocking the first and second seat attachment members and consequently securing the seat members 1 10 to floor 102. More specifically, this is accomplished by forcing guide members 1 14 downwardly until they are forced against the socket shoulders 210 as shown in figure 22. This interlock of the hook-shaped guide members 1 14 with the feet of seat members 1 10 effectively locks seat members 1 10 in place until they are later released.

Figures 1 -4 sequentially show the installation of seat members 1 10 as described above, at a larger scale.

The multipurpose area 108 of room 100 may then be used in theater configuration, where all seat members 1 10 are secured to the ground in set positions.

To transform room 100 back to its general purpose configuration, the following method of removing seat members 1 10 from floor 102 is followed.

First, each carriage 1 12 is moved out from storage area 106 to multipurpose area

108 in room 100 and along a removal path in multipurpose area 108. This removal path is aligned with the above-mentioned first axis and brings carriage 1 12 first to the frontmost seat member 1 10 for loading seat member 1 10 from floor 102 onto carriage 1 12. As carriage 1 12 moves along its removal path, its movement is guided through cooperation of (1 ) continuous guide rail 234 and track 204 while carriage 1 12 is in storage area 106; and (2) guide members 1 14 and track 204 while carriage 1 12 is in general purpose area 108.

The step of loading seat member 1 10 from floor 102 onto carriage 1 12 comprises essentially the opposite steps as those mentioned above for unloading a seat member 1 10 on floor 102. Namely, the first step comprises releasing the guide members 1 14 from the socket shoulders 210 consequently unlocking the seat members 1 10 from their attachment to floor 102.

The method then comprises displacing seat load-bearing structure 160 towards floor 102 along the third axis. Carriage 1 12 is moved along the first axis until seat load-bearing structure 160 lies underneath the seat member 1 10 to be removed. The next step is to displace seat load-bearing structure 160 away from floor 102 along the third axis until the seat member 1 10 to be removed is lifted away from the floor. Afterwards, carriage 1 12 is moved away from the guide member 1 14 that engage the seat member feet 206 until the first and second seat attachment members disengage one another, or in other words until the seat member feet sockets 207 disengage the guide members 1 14. Then, the seat member 1 10 being removed is displaced relative to carriage 1 12 laterally along the second axis by rollers 174, 178 to allow its feet 206 to become out of alignment with the rows of guide members 1 14.

Carriage may then move towards the next frontmost seat member 1 10 along the first axis without the feet 206 being in the way. The above method is then repeated for each next frontmost floor-bound seat member 1 10 until all seat members 1 10 are removed from the floor 102 and loaded onto carriage 1 12. It is noted that when carriage 1 12 will stop short of the next frontmost seat member 1 10 and when seat load-bearing structure 160 will move towards the ground along the third axis, the one or more seat members 1 10 that have been removed from the floor will come to rest on the floor. When carriage 1 12 moves along the first axis to position itself underneath the next frontmost floor-bound seat member 1 10, it will effectively concurrently reposition itself with respect to the other previously removed seat members 1 10, the latter gradually moving away from the rear end 1 12b of carriage 1 12 as new seat members are picked up.

Once carriage 1 12 is loaded with the entire row of longitudinally aligned seat members 1 10, it is moved from multipurpose area 108 to storage area 106. Room multipurpose area 108 is then free of seat members 1 10. By lowering guide members 1 14 back into guide member openings 124 (figure 13), floor 102 in multipurpose area 108 now has a free flat top surface devoid of seat members and may be used for any desired suitable purpose.

It is noted that although guide members 1 14 are shown to comprise the first seat attachment members in the form of the hook-shape of guide member 1 14, the guide members could alternately be distinct from the first seat attachment members, i.e. two distinct structures could be provided, one for guiding carriage 1 12 and one for attaching seat members 1 10 to the floor.

Advantageously, all steps for unloading seat members 1 10 from carriage 1 12 to floor 102 and for loading seat members 1 10 from floor 102 to carriage 1 12, are accomplished by the onboard automated seat displacement mechanism carried by carriage 1 12 that includes control panel 190 that controls the movement of carriage 1 12 and its first and second seat displacement actuators. Additional position detection means (not shown) including mechanical or optical detectors could also be used to help control panel 190 determine when carriage 1 12, seat members 1 10 and/or seat load-bearing structure 160 have reached determined positions.

However, it is noted that it could technically be possible to have a manually operable carriage that can be manually moved along the first axis, guided along guide members 1 14; and that the seat member 1 10 also be loaded and unloaded partially or fully manually, for example by providing idle rollers only to move the seat member along the second axis; and by providing a seat load-bearing structure movable up and down along the third axis through manual intervention, for example with a manual jack provided on the carriage.

Other actuators than those described above could also be used, for example hydraulic cylinders that would push the seats along the second axis (first actuator), and hydraulic jacks that would lift the seat load-bearing structure (second actuator).

Figures 1 -4 suggest that floor 102 may be formed of distinct platforms 212 extending laterally in room 100. Floor 102 may be thusly formed to facilitate installation of the underlying equipment, such as the actuator rods 138 and the entire attachment actuators.

Alternately, in another embodiment of the invention shown in figures 23-24, a floor 302 of a multipurpose room 300 is formed of vertically movable platforms 304 and of one or more fixed platforms 306, the latter for example located at the front end of room 300. Seat members 310 are installed atop platforms 304, 306 in a manner very similar to the one described above, with the installation occurring when platforms 304, 306 are disposed in a flat configuration, i.e. all at a same height, to form a uniform flat floor surface 302 on which a carriage 1 12 may operate. Once the installation of the seat members 310 is complete and the carriage 1 12 has returned to its storage area, vertically movable platforms 304 may be elevated as shown in figure 23 to form an amphitheater configuration with gradually rising seats towards the rear end of the room. Suitable powered vertical actuators 314 and guide members 316 are installed underneath vertically movable platforms 304 to allow them to move up and down.

A common attachment actuator allowing all seat members 310 to be attached to the floor 302 links all platforms while still allowing independent vertical movement of the platforms. The actuation system shown in figures 4-8 would be workable for such a solution. Alternately, figures 23-24 show a guide member 320 shaped like the head and shaft of a nail that engages a fork-shaped seat socket 322. Each guide member 320 is actuated for vertical displacement by a distinct actuator 3 19.

It can consequently be seen that the guide members could have different configurations and shapes allowing it to guide the carriage and to attach to the seat members. These guide members can include hooks or hook-like attachment elements such as the guide members of the embodiments shown herein, or be shaped differently, such as including threads or other attachment means.

Figure 25 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein, instead of having the guide members be movable to engage the fork-shaped seat sockets like in the last embodiment, it is the fork-shaped socket 400 that is raised or lowered to engage the guide member 402. Socket 400 comprises spaced-apart walls 404, 406 linked at their upper end by a roller 408. An actuator bar 410 extends in the space between walls 404 and 406 and underneath roller 408 and is engaged on an upper slanted surface 412 thereof by roller 408. A screw jack 413, powered by a motor 414, controls the translation of actuator bar 410 within a sleeve 416 attached to and forming part of a seat member 418. The slanted portion 412 of the upper surface of actuator bar 410 transforms the horizontal translation of the actuator bar 410 in a vertical translation of the socket 400 through the engagement of roller 408 atop slanted portion 412. Guide members 402 are also still actuated as they still need to be raised from their retracted position where they are nested in the floor platform 422, to a deployed position as shown in figure 25. Once the seat member 418 is positioned with its socket 400 engaging the deployed guide member 402, the seat member 418 is first lowered until the bottom plate of a support sleeve 420 engages the underlying floor 422; and then the forked socket 400 is raised until it engages the underside of the head of the guide member 402, interlocking the guide member 402 and the socket 400. The seat member support sleeve 420 is partly opened on one side to allow entrance and egress of the guide member 402 therein.

Claims

1. A multipurpose room comprising:

• a floor;

• a number of seat members;

• guide members in said multipurpose room, distinct from said carriage guide element and capable of cooperating with said carriage guide element for guiding said carriage in its movement at least in said multipurpose area;

wherein said seat members can be unloaded from said carriage to be installed on the floor in said multipurpose area and removed from the floor to be loaded on said carriage.

2. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 1 , further comprising first seat attachment members on said floor and second seat attachment members on said seat members, said first and second seat attachment members capable of cooperating for allowing the seat members to be releasably attached to said floor in said multipurpose area.

3. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 2, wherein said guide members comprise said first seat attachment members.

4. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 3, wherein said guide members can be moved between a retracted position in which they are nested within guide member openings within said floor such that they do not protrude above said floor, and a deployed position in which they protrude outside of said guide member openings above said floor, said guide members being in their deployed position when they cooperate with said guide element for guiding said carriage in its movement in said multipurpose area.

5. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 4, wherein said guide members comprise a number of discrete hooks that are engageable in corresponding sockets in said seat members, at least one of said first and second seat attachment members comprising an attachment actuator capable of relatively forcing said first and second seat attachment members towards one another for interlocking said first and second seat attachment members.

6. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an onboard automated seat displacement mechanism carried by said carriage to automatically unload said seat members from said carriage to the ground and to automatically load said seat members from the ground to said carriage.

7. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 6, wherein said carriage is movable along a first axis generally parallel to said floor, said seat displacement mechanism comprising:

• a second seat displacement actuator for displacing a seat load-bearing structure provided on said carriage that carries said seat members along a third axis that is transversal to said floor.

8. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 7, wherein said first seat displacement actuator comprises at least one selectively powered roller on which one of said seat members may rest to be displaced along said second axis when said roller is activated.

9. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 7, wherein said seat load-bearing structure is movable relative to said frame respectively between a lowered and a raised position wherein said load-bearing structure is moved respectively towards and away from said floor, said second seat displacement actuator comprising a flexible fluid tube extending between said frame and said seat load-bearing structure and connected to a fluid source, with said fluid tube capable of being emptied of and filled with fluid to move said seat load-bearing structure respectively between said lowered and raised positions.

10. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a selectively controlled motor for moving said carriage over ground.

1 1. A multipurpose room as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide element comprises a track for receiving a number of discrete said guide members therein in succession.

12. A carriage for installing and removing seat members from a multipurpose room, comprising:

a frame movable over ground;

a seat load-bearing structure carried by said frame and capable of carrying said seat members; and

a guide element mounted to said carriage for cooperating with distinct guide members provided in the room for guiding the displacement of said carriage in the room.

13. A carriage as defined in claim 12, wherein said carriage is destined to move over ground along a first axis and comprises a seat displacement mechanism comprising: a first seat displacement actuator for displacing a seat member to be installed relative to said carriage along a second axis that is destined to be essentially parallel to the ground and that is transversal to said first axis; and

a second seat displacement actuator for displacing said seat load-bearing structure along a third axis that is transversal to said first and second axes and that is destined to be transversal to the ground.

14. A carriage as defined in claim 13, wherein said first seat displacement actuator comprises at least one selectively powered roller on which an active seat member may rest to be displaced along said second axis when said roller is activated.

15. A carriage as defined in claim 13, wherein said seat load-bearing structure is movable relative to said frame respectively between a lowered and a raised position that are destined to correspond to positions wherein said load-bearing structure is moved respectively towards and away from the ground when said frame rests on the ground, said second seat displacement actuator comprising a flexible fluid tube extending between said frame and said seat load-bearing structure and connected to a fluid source, with said fluid tube capable of being emptied and filled of fluid to move said seat load-bearing structure respectively between said lowered and raised positions.

16. A carriage as defined in claim 12, further comprising a selectively controlled motor for moving said frame over ground.

17. A carriage as defined in claim 12, wherein said guide element comprises a track for receiving a number of discrete said guide members therein in succession.

18. A method of installing and removing seat members on and from a floor of a multipurpose room that comprises a number of seat members, a carriage capable of carrying said seat members, a guide element mounted to said carriage, guide members in said multipurpose room that are distinct from said carriage guide element, said method comprising:

installing said seat members on said floor by:

o moving said carriage, once said seat members are unloaded, from said multipurpose area to said storage area;

removing said seat members from said floor by:

o moving said carriage loaded with said seat members from said multipurpose area to said storage area; guiding the movement of said carriage when it moves in said multipurpose area through cooperation of said guide members and said guide element.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the step of unloading said seat members on said floor further comprises interlocking first seat attachment members located on said floor with second seat attachment members located on said seat members for releasably attaching said seat members to said floor in said multipurpose area; and wherein the step of loading said seat members from said floor onto said carriage comprises releasing said first and second seat attachment members from one another.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein said guide members comprise said first seat attachment members.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising the steps of moving said guide members from a retracted position in which they are nested within guide member openings within said floor such that they do not protrude above said floor, to a deployed position in which they protrude outside of said guide member openings above said floor, before the step of installing said seat members on said floor; and of moving said guide members from said deployed position to said retracted position after the step of removing said seat members from said floor.

22. A method as defined in claim 21 , wherein the steps of unloading said seat members from said carriage to said floor and loading said seat members from said floor to said carriage, are accomplished by an onboard automated seat displacement mechanism carried by said carriage.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, wherein the step of moving said carriage along an installation path and along said removal path in said multipurpose area is accomplished along a first axis parallel to said floor, said carriage comprising a seat load- bearing structure that carries said seat members that are loaded on said carriage, the step of unloading said seat members from said carriage to said floor comprising:

• displacing a seat member to be installed among said seat members located on said load- bearing structure relative to said seat load-bearing structure along a second axis that is parallel to said floor and transversal to said first axis; • moving said carriage towards selected said guide members until said first seat attachment members engage said second seat attachment members of said seat member to be installed;

• displacing said load-bearing structure towards said floor along a third axis that is transversal to said floor, until all said seat members carried by said load-bearing structure rest on said floor including said seat member to be installed;

· displacing said seat load-bearing structure away from said floor along said third axis to pick up seat members located above said load-bearing structure, leaving said seat member to be installed on said floor;

· moving said carriage along said first axis until said seat load-bearing structure lies underneath a seat member to be removed among seat members located on said floor;

• moving said carriage away from said guide members until said first seat attachment members disengage said second seat attachment members of said seat member to be removed; and

• displacing said seat member to be removed relative to said carriage along said second axis.