Ampere modular tandem seating system

• US 8,075,054 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Laura Lisa Smith
• Original Assignee: Laura Lisa Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Laura Lisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US12/163,587
• Publication Number:
  US 20090001775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 297/217.4, 297/217.6, 297/232, 297/248
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/02 Tables combined with seats folding or stowable tables with separable parts combined with seats A47B3/063; foldable table and seat units A47B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 13/005 Modular seating chairs connectible into a row A47C1/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/723 with display screens

Abstract

A seating system designed to accommodate a variety of activities that can be performed while a person is sitting or resting, and more particularly waiting. A single tandem row of seats or a back to back configuration of tandem seats has an electrical wire way extending behind or between each seat back, respectively. A cover plate encloses the wire way, and a plurality of electrical and data ports are accessible from the cover plate. Laptop computers, music players and other electrical devices can be plugged into the seating system so that the user can comfortably operate such a device while waiting.

Claims

1. A seating system comprising:

a) a configuration of a single line of tandem seats, each seat having a seat base and a seat back;

b) a wire way within which electrical and data wires extend, wherein the wire way is connected to each seat back in said single line of tandem seats;

c) said wires traversing at least a portion of the wire way;

d) said wires having an electrical connector at a terminal end; and

e) a cover plate pivotably connected to and extending over the wire way for each seat, wherein at least one port connected to said wires, selected from the group consisting of an electrical port, a data port and a combination thereof, is accessible from a top surface of the cover plate.

2. The seating system of claim 1 further comprising a second single line of tandem seats connected to the back of said system.

3. The seating system of claim 2 comprising a first row of seats connected to a second row of seats by a table.

4. The seating system of claim 1 further comprising a TV monitor mounted on the backside of the wire way and connected to said wires.

5. The seating system of claim 1 further comprising at least one arm frame attached to at least one side of one seat.

6. The seating system of claim 5 wherein said arm frame comprises upholstery.

7. The seating system of claim 6 wherein said upholstered arm frame comprises a sustainable material.

8. The seating system of claim 1 further comprising upholstered seats.

9. The seating system of claim 8 further comprising upholstered seats made of a sustainable material.

10. The seating system of claim 1 comprising a first and a second row of seats connected to form an inside corner.

11. The seating system of claim 10 further comprising a table placed on said inside corner.

12. The seating system of claim 1 comprising a first and a second row of seats connected to form an outside corner.

13. The seating system of claim 12 further comprising a table placed on said outside corner.

14. The seating system of claim 1 comprising a first row of seats connected to a second row of seats by a table.

15. The seating system of claim 1 further comprising said seats forming an arc.

16. The seating system of claim 1 wherein the electrical port is a power grommet.

17. The seating system of claim 1 further comprising a meter connected to at least one of the group consisting of said electrical port, said data port, and a combination thereof.

18. The seating system of claim 17 further comprising an interface for said meter to activate said port upon receipt of an activation signal.

19. The seating system of claim 1 wherein said cover plate further comprises a storage box.

20. The seating system of claim 1 where said cover plate further comprises a cylindrical container.