U.S. patent application number 12/596983 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-03 for auditorium.
Invention is credited to Paul Fletcher.
Application Number | 20100132267 12/596983 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38904626 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100132267 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fletcher; Paul |
June 3, 2010 |
Auditorium
Abstract
An auditorium (10), part of which is covered by a roof structure
(20), the auditorium has a partitioning structure (22) which acts
to partition off a section of the auditorium whereby a majority
part of the partitioned section is covered by the roof
structure.
Inventors: |
Fletcher; Paul; (Lancashire,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Law Office of Michael D. Eisenberg;Intellectual Property Law
3258 Caminito Eastbluff, Suite 89
San Diego
CA
92037
US
|
Family ID: |
38904626 |
Appl. No.: |
12/596983 |
Filed: |
April 24, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
April 24, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB07/01495 |
371 Date: |
October 21, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/6 ; 472/136;
52/66 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H 3/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
52/6 ; 472/136;
52/66 |
International
Class: |
E04H 3/14 20060101
E04H003/14; E04H 3/30 20060101 E04H003/30 |
Claims
1. An open air sports stadium having a defined area in which an
audience can be seated and wherein the defined area can be enclosed
for provision of entertainment to the seated audience, the sports
stadium comprising: a roof extending over the defined area and at
least part of a sports playing field; one or more partitioning
structures retractable from a fully extended position wherein the
defined area is completely enclosed, to a stored position wherein
the entire sports playing field is open; and means for supporting
the partitioning structure in a fully extended position.
2. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein the defined area
includes a floor structure to which the or each partitioning
structures may be fastened.
3. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein the floor
structure comprises, or includes a stage.
4. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein the floor
structure is located over at least part of the sports playing
field.
5. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein the defined area
has means to provide climate control to the underside of the floor
structure thereby to protect the sports playing field.
6. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein the or each
portioning structure, when fully extended, extends from the floor
structure to the roof structure of the defined area.
7. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein the roof
structure includes a retractable portion.
8. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein the entire roof
is retractable.
9. An enclosed area according to claim 1, wherein at least part of
the roof is at least partially transparent.
10-11. (canceled)
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an auditorium. The
invention especially relates to an auditorium that is designed to
act as both a sports stadium and an entertainment arena, for
example an exhibition hall or concert venue.
[0002] There is a continual demand to provide increasingly large
and modern stadia for sporting events. New stadiums are being
constructed throughout the world which are designed to house and
provide for tens of thousands of followers of sports teams. The
cost of constructing suitable stadia is vast, running often into
hundreds of millions of pounds. It is very difficult, and in most
cases impossible, to recoup the cost simply through the sporting
events held at the stadia. In football stadiums for example, games
are only played at the stadium approximately twenty two times every
year. The majority of football stadiums are not equipped to provide
any other sort of entertainment events other than football. Even
for the few which are, the time of publication of the yearly
schedule of games is such that other events cannot be practically
booked in advance.
[0003] Moreover, football stadia are open-air such that events,
other than football, cannot be realistically held at the stadium
throughout the winter months. Some newly constructed stadia
incorporate retractable roof mechanisms which may allow events to
take place at any time during the year. However, the grass or
sports surface, suffers considerable damage when the roof of the
stadium is shut for a sustained period. Also, the size of the roof
construction does not allow the roof to be opened and closed
intermittently following changes to weather conditions.
[0004] The present invention sets out to provide a sports stadium,
a part of which is able to provide a closed auditorium for other
entertainment events such as an exhibition or musical concert.
[0005] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided
an enclosed area for the provision of entertainment to an audience
seated in a defined area of an open air sports stadium
comprising:
[0006] a roof extending over the defined area and at least part of
the sports playing field;
[0007] one or more partitioning structures retractable from a fully
extended position wherein the defined area is completely enclosed,
to a stored position wherein the entire sports playing field is
open; and
[0008] means for supporting the partitioning structure in a fully
extended position.
[0009] Preferably the defined area includes a floor structure to
which the or each partitioning structures may be fastened.
[0010] Preferably the floor structure comprises, or otherwise
includes, a stage.
[0011] Preferably the floor structure is located over at least part
of the sports playing field. Preferably still, the defined area has
means to provide climate control to the underside of the floor
structure thereby to protect the sports playing field.
[0012] Advantageously the or each partitioning structure, when
fully extended, extends from the floor structure to the roof
structure of the defined area.
[0013] Preferably the roof may include a retractable portion.
Alternatively the entire roof itself may be retractable.
[0014] Preferably the at least part of the roof may be at least
partially transparent.
[0015] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
provided a auditorium, part of which is covered by a roof
structure, the auditorium having a partitioning structure which is
movable from a stored position to an extended position whereby the
partitioning structure acts to partition off a section of the
auditorium whereby a majority part of the partitioned section is
covered by the roof structure.
[0016] One embodiment of the present invention will now be
described by way of example with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is schematic plan view of an auditorium constructed
in accordance with the present invention with the roof omitted and
with a partitioning structure in a stored position;
[0018] FIG. 2 is the auditorium of FIG. 1 with the partitioning
structure in a fully extended position;
[0019] FIG. 3 illustrates the part of the auditorium sectioned off
by the partitioning structure as extended in FIG. 2;
[0020] FIG. 4 is the auditorium of FIG. 1 with the partitioning
structure in a fully extended position in accordance with a second
embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 illustrates the part of the auditorium sectioned off
by the partitioning structure as extended in FIG. 4;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a side cross-section of the auditorium of FIG. 1
with the partitioning structure in an extended position.
[0023] It will be appreciated that stadia include a large number of
different design and constructional features, for the purposes of
this application, a simplified stadium construction will be
described, concentrating solely on features that contribute to the
invention.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view of an auditorium, in this
case a football stadium 10. It is clearly envisaged however that
the stadium could apply to any outdoor sports ground, such as for
example, a rugby pitch or cricket pitch.
[0025] The building structure of the stadium 10 surrounds a
football pitch 12. The stadium 10 is an open-air arena which means
that the football pitch 12 is not covered by a roof structure. This
maintains the integrity of the grass surface of the football pitch
12.
[0026] The stadium building generally includes an area for
corporate use 14, a public lobby area 16 and a seating area 18.
[0027] The corporate area 14 and lobby area 16 are generally
enclosed within the main building structure. Though not shown in
FIGS. 1 to 5, the stadium 10 includes a roof structure 20 that
extends over the seating area 18. This can be seen clearly in FIG.
6. The roof structure 20 extends approximately to the edge of the
football pitch 12 so to provide cover for all fans watching the
game.
[0028] The stadium design further includes two extendible
partitioning structures 22. Each partitioning structure 22 is
foldable to a storage position against a back wall 24 of the
stadium 10, as shown in FIG. 1. Each partitioning structure 22
comprises a plurality of hinged panels foldable back on themselves
in a concertinaed manner for storage. An end panel of each
partitioning structure 22 is fastened to the back wall 24 of the
stadium 10.
[0029] The end panels may be fastened within a longitudinally
extending groove located within the back wall 24 to allow the end
panels to slide along the groove to a position from which either or
both partitioning structures 22 can be extended.
[0030] The partitioning structures 22 are extendible from the wall
24 to partition off a section or defined area 26 of the stadium 10.
The partitioning structures 22 extend towards the pitch between
gaps 28 formed between adjacent chairs and other building
structures within the lobby area 16.
[0031] At least some of the panels of the partitioning structures
22 may have a curved profile such that the partitioning structures
22, when fully extended, partition off a defined area that is
generally semi-circular, as can be clearly seen in the embodiment
of FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0032] The partitioning structures 22 may be extended or retracted
manually or may be automatically controlled. The bottom edges of
the panels of the partitioning structures 22 may be fastened
within, so as to be slidable along, a groove formed in the floor of
the stadium 10 to allow simply and efficient extension and
retraction of the partitioning structures 22.
[0033] The distal ends of the partitioning structures 22 are
fastened together once the structures 22 are fully extended, to
entirely enclose the defined area 26. The partitioning structures
22 extend partly across the pitch 12 to provide an area 28 in which
a stage 30 can be located as will be described later.
[0034] Once extended, the partitioning structures 22 are fastened
to supports 32 which are embedded in recesses 34 formed in the
pitch surface 12, as can be seen clearly in FIG. 6. The position of
the supports 32, which is provided by way of example only, are
shown in dotted lines in FIGS. 1 to 5.
[0035] Once the defined area 26 is partitioned, the area 28 between
the seating 18 and the partition structures 22 is sufficiently
large to provide a stage 30, which may be located at least partly
over the pitch 12. The stage 30 is mounted on a series of further
supports 36, again embedded within recesses formed in the pitch
surface. The underside of the stage may have some form of climate
control, which may for example include UV lighting, to maintain the
integrity of the pitch surface 12 directly underneath the
stage.
[0036] When the partitioned structures 22 are fully retracted to
their storage position, whereby entire pitch 12 is opened for
normal use, the recesses are plugged to provide a continuous smooth
playing surface 12 in those areas.
[0037] As can be seen in FIG. 6, each partitioning structure 22
includes a roof part 38 which extends perpendicularly from the top
of the structure 24. The roof part 38 is, for example, around 30
meters in length and, once the partition is in place, extends
towards the roof structure 20 of the stadium 10.
[0038] The roof part 38 may be telescopically extendible from the
main partitioning structure 20.
[0039] The roof part 38 of the partitioning structures 22 is then
fastened to the roof structure 20 to provide a roof which entirely
covers the defined area 26 sectioned off. The roof part 38 of the
partitioning structures 24 may be at least partially transparent so
as not to impair the view of audiences within the defined area 26,
and maintain the ambience of the area 26 in bright weather. In an
alternative embodiment, the roof structure 20 of the stadium 10 may
be extendible to meet with, and be fastened to, the top of the
partitioning structures 22.
[0040] The partition provided by the partitioning structures 22 is
entirely supported by the ground supports 32 thus avoiding any
stress or pressure to being applied to the roof structure 20 of the
stadium 10.
[0041] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the partitioning
structures 22 are located against side walls 40 of the stadium 10
and extend in a straight line across the pitch 12 to partition of a
defined area 42 of approximately one third of the stadium 10.
[0042] When not in use the stadium 10 constructed in accordance
with the present invention is able to act as a traditional football
stadium whereby the entire seating area is accessible by fans
wanting to watch a football match. The entire lobby area 16 and
corporate area 14 of the stadium 10 is also accessible to relevant
people at this time.
[0043] When a football match is not taking place, the partitioning
structures 22 can be extended and fastened together to section off
a defined area 26, 42 of the stadium 10. The defined area 26, 42
can then act as a entirely separate entertainment area or arena
where, for example, musical concerts can take place. The
partitioning structures 22 act as the surrounding walls of the
arena and the stadium roof structure 20 and roof parts 38 of the
partitioning sections 22 provide a completely enclosed structure,
protecting audiences from adverse whether conditions thus allowing
the arena to be used at any time of year. The seating area within
the arena is very close to the stage which provides for a greater
audience spectacle.
[0044] It is clearly envisaged that the stadium can be designed to
provide partitioning structures 22 stored at and extendible across
any part of the stadium 10 to partition of a defined area of the
stadium to any shape or size.
[0045] Although the embodiments described refer to two partitioning
structures 22 brought together to provide a partition, it is
envisaged that only one partitioning structure 22 may be required
which is extendible across the stadium 10 to be fastened to another
wall of the stadium 10. It is also envisaged a plurality of
partitioning structures 22, or sets of partitioning structures 22
may be provided to provide a number of separate or interlinked
defined sectioned off areas at any one time.
[0046] The inner surface of the partitioning structures 22, which
face the seating area 18 when the partition is extended, may
include one or more screens to receive projected images. This
allows for, example, away games to be projected onto the screens
which can then be watched by an audience within the arena.
[0047] The lobby area 16 of a stadium 10 traditionally comprises
one or more floors of corridors linking a number of entrances to
different seating areas within the stadium. The lobby area also
traditionally includes food and drink areas, toilets and other
similar amenities.
[0048] Stadiums are currently being built that include a separate
building connected to the stadium to house exhibitions, museums and
other forms of publically accessible cultural areas. Such areas can
be become very busy and public congestion can often make it
difficult to get close to exhibits.
[0049] It is envisaged that the stadium of the present invention is
designed to utilise the lobby area 16 of the stadium 10 to hold
exhibitions. Partitioning structures 22 such as those hereinbefore
described can be utilised to partition off other areas of the
stadium to which the exhibition does not extend. Use of the lobby
area allows large numbers of people to walk in one direction around
the length of the stadium to view exhibits
[0050] The above described embodiments are given by way of example
only, and the skilled reader will naturally appreciate that many
variations could be made thereto without departing from the scope
of the present invention.
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