Portable seat partition unit

摘要

An easy-to-use seat partition unit, a kit for transporting and assembling, and a method for establishing a physical barrier in mass transit vehicles is disclosed. The seat partition unit includes a movable partition panel which is physically connected to a partition base. The movable partition panel extends from an inoperative collapsed first position vertically from the central section of the partition base to an extended second position which is the operative configuration of the seat partition unit and is slid from the central section of the partition base either in a left or right longitudinal direction on upper tracks on the partition base such that the movable panel efficiently provides a barrier between the upper and lower bodies of adjacent passengers. The panel and base are configured and adapted to be placed into and frictionally held between adjacent passenger seats to support the seat partition unit in an upright position.

主权项

1. A portable seat partition unit for use in vehicles having at least a pair of seats comprising:
a movable partition panel having a neighbor-facing surface and horizontal and vertical edges adjoining the neighbor-facing surface; and a partition base having a neighbor-facing surface, top, bottom and vertical edges adjoining the neighbor-facing surface, and a panel supporting structure; wherein the neighbor-facing surface of the partition base comprises at least two adjacent sections; wherein the partition base has a thickness that: (a) is uniform along its vertical height from top edge to bottom edge, (b) varies along its vertical edge such that at least one segment of the partition base is wider than the portion of the partition base extending from the segment to the bottom edge such that the segment limits the depth of insertion of the partition base between the seat bottoms of adjacent seats to a depth at which the seat partition unit is supported in a substantially upright position, or (c) tapers off smoothly from a maximum thickness at its top edge to a minimum thickness at its bottom edge; wherein the movable partition panel slides in a vertical direction from an inoperative first position located within the partition base in one section to an operative second position where the panel protrudes out of the body of the partition base, with the movable partition panel moved horizontally onto the supporting structure of the partition base to maintain the panel in the second position; wherein the movable partition panel is adapted and dimensioned to provide a barrier to physically separate an upper-body portion of at least two passengers seated in adjacent seats and at least one edge of the movable partition panel is adapted and dimensioned to be received into and frictionally retained between the space of the seat back of the adjacent seats so as to support the seat partition unit in an upright position between the adjacent seats; and wherein the partition base is adapted and dimensioned to provide a barrier to physically separate the lower-body portion of at least two passengers seated in adjacent seats and has a lower portion extending from the bottom edge which is adapted and dimensioned to be received into and frictionally kept in place between the space of the seat bottoms of adjacent seats so as to support the seat partition unit in an upright position between the adjacent seats.