Theater Seating

Abstract

Theater seating systems, theater lounge seats, theater seats, and theater seating arrangements are described herein. An example embodiment of a theater seating system comprises a separating panel and a theater seat. The separating panel has a first end, a second end, a first section, a second section, a third section, and a fourth section. The first section, the second section, the third section, and the fourth section cooperatively define a chamber within which the theater seat is disposed. The first end is separated from the second end to define an opening that provides access to the chamber defined by the separating panel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A theater seating system comprising:
 a separating panel having a separating panel lengthwise axis, a first end, a second end, a first section, a second section, a third section, and a fourth section, the separating panel lengthwise axis extending through the second section and the fourth section, the first section extending from the first end to the second section, the second section extending from the first section to the third section, the third section extending from the second section to the fourth section, the fourth section extending from the third section to the second end, the first section, the second section, the third section, and the fourth section cooperatively defining a chamber, the first end separated from the second end to define an opening providing access to the chamber, the first end separated from the second end by a first length, the third section having a second length that extends from the second section to the fourth section, the second length being greater than the first length; and   a first theater seat disposed within the chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The theater seating system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first end, the second end, and the opening is disposed on a first side of a first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis;
 wherein the third section is disposed on a second side of the first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis.   
     
     
         3 . The theater seating system of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the first section and a portion of the third section are disposed on a second plane that is disposed orthogonal to the separating panel lengthwise axis;
 wherein the second section has a first curve and a second curve, the first curve extending from the first section and toward the first plane, the second curve extending from the third section and toward the first plane; and   wherein the fourth section has a third curve and a fourth curve, the third curve extending from the third section and toward the first plane, the fourth curve extending from the second end and toward the first plane.   
     
     
         4 . The theater seating system of  claim 3 , wherein the first curve positions a portion of the first section at a first angle relative to a portion of the second section, the first angle being between 45 degrees and 135 degrees;
 wherein the second curve positions a portion of the second section at a second angle relative to a portion of the third section, the second angle being between 45 degrees and 135 degrees.   
     
     
         5 . The theater seating system of  claim 2 , wherein the first theater seat is disposed on the first side of the first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis. 
     
     
         6 . The theater seating system of  claim 2 , further comprising a second theater seat disposed within the chamber and on the second side of the first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis. 
     
     
         7 . The theater seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first theater seat comprises a backrest directed toward a plane that contains a portion of the fourth section. 
     
     
         8 . The theater seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the first theater seat is separated from the fourth section by a third length that is less than the second length, the third length measured on an axis that is parallel to the separating panel lengthwise axis. 
     
     
         9 . The theater seating system of  claim 1 , wherein the second section of the separating panel has a second section bottom surface, a second section top surface, and a first height that extends from the second section bottom surface to the second section top surface; and
 wherein the fourth section of the separating panel has a fourth section bottom surface, a fourth section top surface, and a second height that extends from the fourth section bottom surface to the fourth section top surface, the second height being less than one half the first height.   
     
     
         10 . The theater seating system of  claim 9 , wherein the first theater seat is movable between a first configuration and a second configuration and comprises a headrest, the headrest disposed a third length from the second section bottom surface when the first theater seat is in the first configuration, the headrest disposed a fourth length from the second section bottom surface when the first theater seat is in the second configuration, the third length being greater than the first height, the fourth length being less than the first height. 
     
     
         11 . A theater seating system comprising:
 a separating panel having a separating panel lengthwise axis, a first end, a second end, a first section, a second section, a third section, and a fourth section, the separating panel lengthwise axis extending through the second section and the fourth section, the first section extending from the first end to the second section, the second section extending from the first section to the third section, the third section extending from the second section to the fourth section, the fourth section extending from the third section to the second end, the first section, the second section, the third section, and the fourth section cooperatively defining a chamber, the first end separated from the second end to define an opening providing access to the chamber, the first end separated from the second end by a first length, the third section having a second length that extends from the second section to the fourth section, the second length being greater than the first length, each of the first end, the second end, and the opening is disposed on a first side of a first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis, the third section disposed on a second side of the first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis; and   a first theater seat disposed within the chamber and separated from the fourth section by a third length that is less than the second length, the third length measured on an axis that is parallel to the separating panel lengthwise axis.   
     
     
         12 . The theater seating system of  claim 11 , wherein a portion of the first section and a portion of the third section are disposed on a second plane that is disposed orthogonal to the separating panel lengthwise axis;
 wherein the second section has a first curve and a second curve, the first curve extending from the first section and toward the first plane, the second curve extending from the third section and toward the first plane; and   wherein the fourth section has a third curve and a fourth curve, the third curve extending from the third section and toward the first plane, the fourth curve extending from the second end and toward the first plane.   
     
     
         13 . The theater seating system of  claim 12 , wherein the first curve positions a portion of the first section at a first angle relative to a portion of the second section, the first angle being between 45 degrees and 135 degrees;
 wherein the second curve positions a portion of the second section at a second angle relative to a portion of the third section, the second angle being between 45 degrees and 135 degrees.   
     
     
         14 . The theater seating system of  claim 11 , wherein the first theater seat is disposed on the first side of the first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis. 
     
     
         15 . The theater seating system of  claim 11 , further comprising a second theater seat disposed within the chamber and on the second side of the first plane that contains the separating panel lengthwise axis. 
     
     
         16 . The theater seating system of  claim 11 , wherein the first theater seat comprises a backrest directed toward a plane that contains a portion of the fourth section. 
     
     
         17 . The theater seating system of  claim 11 , wherein the second section of the separating panel has a second section bottom surface, a second section top surface, and a first height that extends from the second section bottom surface to the second section top surface; and
 wherein the fourth section of the separating panel has a fourth section bottom surface, a fourth section top surface, and a second height that extends from the fourth section bottom surface to the fourth section top surface, the second height being less than one half the first height.   
     
     
         18 . The theater seating system of  claim 17 , wherein the first theater seat is movable between a first configuration and a second configuration and comprises a headrest, the headrest disposed a third length from the second section bottom surface when the first theater seat is in the first configuration, the headrest disposed a fourth length from the second section bottom surface when the first theater seat is in the second configuration, the third length being greater than the first height, the fourth length being less than the first height. 
     
     
         19 . A theater seating arrangement comprising:
 a theater having a first wall, a second wall, a third wall, a fourth wall, a floor, and a ceiling, the first wall, the second wall, the third wall, the fourth wall, the floor, and the ceiling cooperatively defining an audience area;   a first theater seating system disposed within the audience area and comprising:
 a first separating panel having a first separating panel lengthwise axis, a first separating panel first end, a first separating panel second end, a first separating panel first section, a first separating panel second section, a first separating panel third section, and a first separating panel fourth section, the first separating panel lengthwise axis extending through the first separating panel second section and the first separating panel fourth section, the first separating panel first section, the first separating panel second section, the first separating panel third section, and the first separating panel fourth section cooperatively defining a first separating panel chamber, the first separating panel first end separated from the first separating panel second end to define a first separating panel opening providing access to the first separating panel chamber, the first separating panel first end separated from the first separating panel second end by a first length, the first separating panel third section having a second length that extends from the first separating panel second section to the first separating panel fourth section, the second length being greater than the first length; and 
 a first theater seat disposed within the first separating panel chamber; 
   a second theater seating system disposed adjacent to the first theater seating system and within the audience area, the second theater seating system comprising:
 a second separating panel having a second separating panel lengthwise axis, a second separating panel first end, a second separating panel second end, a second separating panel first section, a second separating panel second section, a second separating panel third section, and a second separating panel fourth section, the second separating panel lengthwise axis extending through the second separating panel second section and the second separating panel fourth section, the second separating panel first section, the second separating panel second section, the second separating panel third section, and the second separating panel fourth section cooperatively defining a second separating panel chamber, the second separating panel first end separated from the second separating panel second end to define a second separating panel opening providing access to the second separating panel chamber, the second separating panel first end separated from the second separating panel second end by a third length, the second separating panel third section having a fourth length that extends from the second separating panel second section to the second separating panel fourth section, the fourth length being greater than the third length; and 
 a second theater seat disposed within the second separating panel chamber; 
   a first aisle disposed between the first wall of the theater and the first theater seating system; and   a second aisle disposed between the second wall of the theater and the second theater seating system;   wherein the first separating panel third section and the second separating panel third section are disposed between the first aisle and the second aisle and adjacent to one another.   
     
     
         20 . The theater seating arrangement of  claim 19 , wherein the first separating panel opening provides access to the first separating panel chamber from the first aisle; and
 wherein the second separating panel opening provides access to the second separating panel chamber from the second aisle.