STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC AND INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF THE MATERIAL

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mobile stage. More particularly, the invention relates to a mobile stage that collapses into a trailer and provides seating for an audience.

Description of the Related Art

Mobile performance stages are commonly used for temporary venues, performances, or rallies. Typical mobile performance stages must be assembled on site. A mobile stage can be generally defined as a transportable construction to be assembled and disassembled at designated locations, generally outdoors, so as to provide a place where people such as musicians, actors, entertainers, politicians and spokespersons, to name just a few, can appear in front of a live audience. A mobile stage has a framework that generally includes an overhead roof structure supported by column structures and an elevated floor structure. The roof structure can provide a support for scenic equipment such as lights, wide screens, speakers and others, depending on the nature of the event and the venue.

Mobile stages are often an economical alternative to erecting a permanent stage at a site. The typical reasons for electing to use a mobile stage include temporary use, cost, and reliability. Cutting the costs of using a mobile stage provides additional incentive for using a mobile stage. The simplest way to cut costs would be to reduce the number of persons required to setup and operate the stage. Costs are also saved when a mobile stage is durable and has a long effective lifespan. These cost savings can be passed on to customers, increasing the incentive to use one mobile stage over another.

Typical mobile stages generally provide a platform to serve as the stage itself as well as an overhead framework that supports a roof, lighting systems, audio systems, visual systems and/or other components commonly used during various performances. They do not typically provide bleachers or other components that provide seating or other amenities to an audience.

The above-described deficiencies of today's systems are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art and corresponding benefits of some of the various non-limiting embodiments may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description. In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a collapsible mobile stage that includes seating for an audience.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a collapsible mobile stage which may be folded into a configuration and the shape of a trailer that may be hauled by a truck. The collapsible mobile stage includes an elevated framework supported by telescoping columns. The elevated framework may be used to support lighting, audio and visual systems. The mobile stage also provides seating for an audience on either side of a central stage supported by a platform. The platform includes a central segment between two opposing lateral segments. The lateral segments may be folded up to form the sides of a trailer while the central segment forms the bottom of the trailer. Audience seating sections may be folded over the platform segments to create the roof of the trailer. Audience seating as well as the elevated framework may be stored within the trailer or within a secondary trailer.

In one embodiment, a mobile stage comprises an overhead framework formed from four main trusses, four secondary trusses and a diamond shaped central structure which support a lighting system, audio system and/or video systems. Four collapsible telescoping columns support the framework at each of four corners. Two opposing lateral bleacher sections face a central stage and have support structures hidden by skirts. A platform supports the central stage and extends between the opposing lateral bleacher sections. The platform includes a central platform segment and two lateral platform segments. Railing extends along the front and rear of the lateral platforms. A folding staircase is positioned at the rear end of the central platform.

In another embodiment, the mobile stage is collapsed by disassembling and removing the framework and supporting columns, disassembling and removing the lateral bleachers, folding the two lateral platform segments such that they are perpendicular to the central platform segment to form the sides of a trailer. The bleacher sections are folded over each other about the lateral and central platforms to form the roof of the trailer. The framework and/or the bleachers are stored within the trailer.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible mobile stage.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

