US 10,602,848 · Granted 2020-03-31
The Theater Seat Divider That Lets Recliners Sit Closer Together
Imagine reclining theater seats that stick into each other's space—but with a special divider in the middle so your feet and the other person's seat don't collide. This patent describes a clever arrangement of footrests and backrest supports that lets theaters pack more recliners into the same room without people kicking each other.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a comfort divider system made up of alternating footrest assemblies and recliner backstop assemblies designed to fit between adjacent reclining seats. What's protected here is the specific arrangement and structure of these components that allow recliners to be positioned closer together while keeping occupants' feet and seat mechanisms from interfering with neighboring seats.
Why it matters
Movie theater recliners have become a major draw for premium cinema experiences, and theaters want to fit as many of them as possible into each auditorium to maximize revenue. This patent solves a real mechanical problem: recliners naturally take up more floor space than fixed seats, especially when they extend footrests. By designing a divider system that safely manages that overlap, the patent lets theaters offer luxury seating in denser configurations, making recliners economically viable for more locations.
Real-world use
The next time you recline at a premium movie theater and notice your footrest extends under the armrest of the seat next to you without collision, you're experiencing the geometry this patent protects.
Original USPTO abstract
A comfort divider for use in a seating system for improved user comfort and convenience while maximizing auditorium floor space utilization. The comfort divider is comprised of foot rest assemblies and recliner backstop assemblies arranged in an alternating fashion.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 10,602,848
- Filing date
- 2016-06-17
- Grant date
- 2020-03-31
- Assignee
- Enrique Ramirez Magaña
- Inventor(s)
- MAGAÑA, ENRIQUE RAMIREZ
- CPC class
- A47C7/506
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