Static structures (e.g. – buildings) – With stadium or auditorium feature
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-17
2001-03-20
Canfield, Robert (Department: 3621)
Static structures (e.g., buildings)
With stadium or auditorium feature
C052S007000, C052S009000, C052S066000, C052S126600, C472S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202356
ABSTRACT:
MULTIFUNCTIONAL BUILDING
The invention relates to a multifunctional building for providing accommodation to events, said building comprising a sports field for an outdoor sport, at least part of the sports field being provided in a container, means for moving said container in vertical direction, all in such a manner that in raised condition said container forms the roof of a space which can be utilized for indoor activities. The outdoor sport can be soccer, baseball, rugby, American football, etc.
Such a building is known from WO-A-90/15207. The building according to WO-A-90/15207 comprises piers on the corners of the container for guiding the container during the vertical movement thereof.
The present invention provides an improved multifunctional building which is characterized in that said means for moving said container in vertical direction are provided under said container.
As a result of this said means do not constitute a physical or visual obstacle when the container occupies a low position. In addition this enables an advantageous support with a minimum span and an optimum distribution of forces.
With a building of this type the sports field for practicing the outdoor sport always lies in the open air, so that the rules of the sport in question are complied with. According to another aspect of the invention the sports field may furthermore consist of natural grass, which grass can be kept in optimum condition, because it is in contact with the outside air and with the natural light at all times, whilst in addition to that the quality of the grass may be enhanced in that the container in which the grass field is present may be provided with the necessary installations for the watering, draining, etc. of the grass field. Furthermore heating elements may be provided in order to prevent snow and/or ice from remaining present on the sports field, which is disadvantageous when the sports field is being used and which is also disadvantageous because of the additional energy which would be required for moving the sports field in vertical direction.
According to another aspect of the invention the sports field may comprise sports facilities fixedly provided thereon, such as dugouts, goal posts, lines, etc. When indoor activities take place these sports facilities do not cause any inconvenience, because they are present on the roof of the space within which the indoor activities take place.
According to another aspect of the invention stands which are present outside the sports field may be movable in such a manner that they can be moved to a position under the container when said container occupies a raised position. In that case the container comprising the sports field not only forms the roof of the space within which an indoor activity takes place, but it also forms the roof of the stand that has been moved forward. This may be advantageous in particular when the indoor activity is a sport which is played on a smaller area than the area of the sports field.
According to another aspect of the invention roofed-in stands may be present outside the sports field, the roof of said stands being constructed in such a manner that it abuts the container when said container has been moved to a raised position. In this manner it is possible to form a closed space having a free area of at least the same dimensions as the sports field.
According to another aspect of the invention the container, when occupying its raised position, may abut a wall or the roof of a stand, whereby a flexible, inflatable sealing means is provided between said container and said wall or said roof. Preferably said sealing means consists of a flexible, inflatable hose, which may be divided into compartments. The hose may thereby be inflated when the container is positioned at the correct height, so that an adequate yet slightly flexible seal is obtained along the edge of the container.
According to another aspect of the invention said sealing means are attached to the container and they are at the upper side provided with a slab whose bottom edge extends to above a wall part or said roof after said sealing means have been inflated. As a result of this it is inter alia possible to obtain an adequate discharge of for example rain water. This construction will be explained in more detail hereafter.
According to another aspect of the invention the container may be provided with a supporting structure, which has a height such that it comprises a floor, so that a space is created which may function as a parking garage or a storage space. In this manner the height of the container and its supporting structure which is necessary to give the container sufficient strength and rigidity can be utilized in an effective manner.
Of course such a parking garage for visitors of events can only be used when the container occupies its lowermost position. The storage space can be used constantly, however, for example as a caravan garage. The space may thereby be accessible in more than one raised position of the container.
According to another aspect of the invention the container may be constructed in such a manner that it can be secured in a user position at several heights, which may be useful, for example for energy reasons, when events take place which require a space less high than the maximum height to which the container can be raised. In one preferred embodiment this maximum height may be higher than the roof of the stands surrounding the sports field, as a result of which the number of possible uses of the building can be further increased.
According to another aspect of the invention at least three hydraulic jacks are provided under the container for lifting said container, whereby each jack may comprise a plurality of hydraulic cylinders surrounding a leg, on which leg the container is supported, and whereby said cylinders are capable of jointly moving said leg some distance upwards, and whereby one cylinder can engage said leg at a lower location whilst another cylinder remains in engagement with said leg. This will be discussed in more detail hereafter by means of an embodiment of a jack of this type.
The number of hydraulic jacks and/or their location is preferably selected such that the space under the container can be utilized optimally and that they do not form an obstacle when the stands are being moved, as already discussed before. It is preferred to use four jacks, which are spaced far apart.
Furthermore the invention relates to a method for converting a facility for practising an outdoor sport into a facility for indoor activities, and vice versa, wherein at least part of the bottom of the sports field for said outdoor sport is moved up to the position in which said bottom forms the roof of the space for said indoor activities, and vice versa.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3975869 (1976-08-01), Bouton
patent: 4783934 (1988-11-01), Langhart et al.
patent: 5319895 (1994-06-01), Ray
patent: 5365704 (1994-11-01), Ray
patent: 5468190 (1995-11-01), McCaffrey
patent: 5642589 (1997-07-01), Miron et al.
patent: 5921032 (1999-07-01), Labinski
patent: WO 90/15207 (1990-12-01), None
Canfield Robert
McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen
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