Stadium Riser Made Of Extruded Metal

Abstract

A modular seating riser for stadia, a set of structural modules for building the same, a kit and an assembly therefor, as well as to a method for building the same, are provided. More particularly, a set of structural modules for building a structurally sound modular seating riser on which seats of a bleacher-type stadium can be mounted are provided. The structural modules are an elongated metal extrusion. The set of structural module includes a first module having a female tensioned catch-connector provided along a lateral edge thereof, and a second module having a male tensioned catch-connector provided along a lateral edge thereof. The male and female tensioned catch-connectors have complementary configurations for mating and interlocking together, and forming, when interlocked together, a structural permanent joint.

1 . A set of structural modules for building a modular seating riser on which seats of a bleacher-type stadium are mounted, each of said structural modules being a metal extrusion having an elongated shaped body with two opposite lateral edges, the set comprising:
 a first module having a female tensioned catch-connector provided along at least one of the lateral edges thereof; and   a second module having a male tensioned catch-connector provided along at least one of the lateral edges thereof, the male and female tensioned catch-connectors having complementary configurations for mating and interlocking together, the first and second modules being operable between an unassembled configuration in which the female and male catch-connectors are disconnected, and an assembled configuration in which the female and male catch-connectors are interlocked together and frictionally tensioned against one another to form a structural permanent joint.   
     
     
         2 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first and second modules have inner cellular sections defined by first and second space-apart walls interconnected by transversal ribs,   the female catch-connector comprises a pair of inward female sloping-arms, each extending from a respective one of said first wall and said second wall inward a cellular section, said female sloping-arms sloping toward one another, each at a substantially identical first angle with respect to said first and second walls respectively, and   the male catch-connector comprises a pair of outward male sloping-arms, each extending from a respective one of said first wall and said second wall outward a cellular section, said male sloping-arms sloping toward one another, each at a substantially identical second angle with respect to said first and second walls respectively, the second angle being inferior to the first angle for wedging the male catch-connector within the female catch-connector and each male sloping-arm having a male contact surface provided with a locking stub to engage a respective end of the female sloping-arm and lock the male catch-connector within the female catch-connector.   
     
     
         3 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 2 , wherein each female sloping-arm has a female contact surface devised to engage with the male contact surface of a corresponding one of the male sloping-arms and wherein the end of each of the female sloping-arms comprises a blocking stub protruding from a surface opposite the female contact surface for interlocking with a corresponding one of said locking stubs of the male sloping-arms. 
     
     
         4 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 3 , wherein the locking stub has a rounded surface to glide along the female contact surface. 
     
     
         5 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 1 , wherein the female tensioned catch-connector extends substantially laterally with respect to the body of the first module and the male tensioned catch-connector extends substantially laterally with respect to the body of the second module such that when the first and second modules are in the assembled configuration, a substantially planar riser module assembly is formed. 
     
     
         6 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 5 , wherein the substantially planar riser module assembly defines a floor section of the modular seating riser. 
     
     
         7 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 1 , wherein the female tensioned catch-connector extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the body of the first module and the male tensioned catch-connector extends substantially laterally with respect to the body of the second module such that when the first and second modules are in the assembled configuration, a substantially corner riser module assembly is formed. 
     
     
         8 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the structural modules is provided with at least one opening for receiving one or more seat fasteners to fasten one or more corresponding seats thereto. 
     
     
         9 . The set of structural modules according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least one opening includes at least one slot oriented longitudinally with respect to the body of the structural module for adjustably positioning the seat fastener therealong. 
     
     
         10 . A modular seating riser for mounting seat rows of a bleacher's type stadium, the modular seating riser comprising:
 at least a first and a second structural module, each of said first and second structural modules being a metal extrusion having an elongated shaped body with two opposite lateral edges, wherein:
 the first module has a female tensioned catch-connector provided along at least one of the lateral edges thereof; 
 the second module has a male tensioned catch-connector provided along at least one of the lateral edges thereof, 
 the male and female tensioned catch-connectors have complementary configurations for mating and interlocking together, and 
 the first and second modules are operable between an unassembled configuration, in which the female and male catch-connectors are disconnected, and an assembled configuration, in which the female and male catch-connectors are interlocked together and frictionally tensioned against one another to form a structural permanent joint. 
   
     
     
         11 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 10 , wherein the female tensioned catch-connector extends substantially laterally with respect to the body of the first module and the male tensioned catch-connector extends substantially laterally with respect to the body of the second module such that when the first and second modules are in the assembled configuration, a substantially planar riser module assembly is formed. 
     
     
         12 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 said first and second modules have inner cellular sections defined by first and second spaced-apart walls interconnected by transversal ribs,   the female catch-connector comprises a pair of inward female sloping-arms each extending from a respective one of said first wall and said second wall inward a cellular section, the female sloping-arms sloping toward one another, each at a substantially identical first angle with respect to said first and second walls, and   the male catch-connector comprises a pair of outward male sloping-arms each extending from a respective one of said first wall and said second wall outward a cellular section, the male sloping-arms sloping toward one another, each at a substantially identical second angle with respect to said first and second walls respectively, the second angle being inferior to the first angle for wedging the male catch-connector within the female catch-connector and each male sloping-arm having a male contact surface provided with a locking stub to engage a respective end of the female sloping-arm and lock the male catch-connector within the female catch-connector.   
     
     
         13 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 10 , wherein an other lateral edge of at least one of the first and second modules is provided with a lock-connector, the modular seating riser further comprising:
 at least one third structural module having an elongated shaped body with a first and a second opposite lateral edge, a first lock-connector provided along the first lateral edge, the first lock-connector of the third module and the lock-connector of the other lateral edge of said at least one of the first and the second modules having complementary configurations for mating and interlocking together.   
     
     
         14 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 13 , wherein said other lateral edges of both the first and second modules are each provided with one of said lock-connector and the third module comprises a second lock-connector provided along the second lateral edge thereof, the first lock-connector of the third module and the lock-connector of said other lateral edge of the first module having complementary configurations for mating and interlocking together and the second lock-connector of the third module and the lock-connector of said other lateral edge of the second module having complementary configurations for mating and interlocking together. 
     
     
         15 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second lock-connectors of the third module both extend substantially laterally with respect to the body of the third module and the lock-connectors provided along the other lateral edge of each of the first and second modules extend substantially perpendicularly with respect to the body of the first module and the second module, respectively, such that when the first or the second module is assembled with the third module, a substantially corner riser module assembly is formed. 
     
     
         16 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 15 , wherein the first and second modules have a top face opposite to a bottom face and wherein the lock-connector provided along the other lateral edge of the first module extends from the top face thereof whereas the lock-connector provided along the other lateral edge of the second module extends from the bottom face thereof such that when the first and second modules are assembled together and each of said first and second modules are also respectively assembled with one of said third module a substantially stepped riser assembly is formed with the first and second modules forming a floor section of one row of seats, the third module assembled to the first module forming a wall section of said one row of seats and the third module assembled to the second module forming a wall section of a preceding inferior row of seats. 
     
     
         17 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the first lock-connector provided along the first lateral edge of the third module comprises a male tensioned catch-connector as defined in  claim 12 ;   the second lock-connector provided along the second lateral edge of the third module comprises a protruding flange;   the lock-connector provided along the other lateral edge of the first module is a female tensioned catch-connector as defined in claim for receiving the male tensioned catch-connector of the third module; and   the lock-connector provided along the other lateral edge of the second module is an inverted-U shaped overlapping joint-connector sized for nesting therein the protruding flange of the second lock-connector of the third module.   
     
     
         18 . A modular seating riser according to  claim 17 , wherein the overlapping joint-connector comprises at least one guide stub for guiding therein the protruding flange of the third module. 
     
     
         19 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for building a modular seating riser on which seats of a bleacher-type stadium are mounted, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a plurality of sets of structural modules, as claimed in  claim 1 ;   (b) assembling the first and second modules of each set by interlocking, for each set, the female catch-connector of the first module with the male catch-connector of the second module, thereby forming a plurality of corresponding riser assemblies; and   (c) connecting the plurality of said riser assemblies in a successive arrangement by mounting each riser assembly onto a preceding one of said riser assemblies.   
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the connecting of step (c) comprises:
 providing at least one third module, as claimed in  claim 14 ; and   connecting at least one successive pair of said riser assemblies via one of the at least one third module, by mating, for each of the at least one successive pair, the first lock-connector of the corresponding third module with the first module of a preceding riser assembly of said pair and the second lock-connector of the corresponding third module with the second module of a succeeding riser assembly of said pair.