	US 12,128,328 B2
	Modularly configurable staging system and method
Michael J. Baldassari, Hoboken, NJ (US); Christopher D. Conti, Rutherford, NJ (US); and James M. Lehner, III, Montville, NJ (US)
Assigned to Production Resource Group, L.L.C., New Windsor, NY (US); and MIKE-O-MATIC Industries LLC, Hoboken, NJ (US)
Appl. No. 17/630,012
Filed by Production Resource Group, L.L.C., Armonk, NY (US); and MIKE-O-MATIC Industries LLC, Hoboken, NJ (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 31, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/044548 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 25, 2022, PCT Pub. No. WO2021/022182, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/881,224, filed on Jul. 31, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0266163 A1, Aug. 25, 2022
Int. Cl. A63J 1/02 (2006.01); A63J 5/02 (2006.01); F21V 21/38 (2006.01); F21W 131/406 (2006.01)

CPC A63J 1/02 (2013.01) [A63J 5/02 (2013.01); F21V 21/38 (2013.01); F21W 2131/406 (2013.01)]

11 Claims

1. A method for rapid changeover of performance stage staging scenes, comprising:

selecting from an inventory of preconfigured staging modules a first plurality of preconfigured staging modules combinable to create a first staging scene;

selecting from the inventory of preconfigured staging modules a second plurality of preconfigured staging modules combinable to create at least a second staging scene;

selecting from the inventory of preconfigured staging modules at least a third plurality of preconfigured staging modules combinable to create at least a third staging scene;

providing an overhead hoist grid above at least a portion of a stage area, the overhead hoist grid comprising an array of fixed hoist points having lifting elements including power and communication connections;

installing the first staging scene, comprising:

connecting the first plurality of preconfigured staging modules to the lifting elements of a first plurality of selected fixed hoist points in said array of fixed hoist points, said connecting including lifting connections, power connections and communication connections, and

lifting the first plurality of preconfigured staging modules using said first plurality of selected fixed hoist points to create said first staging scene; and

changing the staging scene and installing the second staging scene, comprising:

lowering preconfigured staging modules previously lifted with the overhead hoist grid onto dollies,

disconnecting lowered preconfigured staging modules from lifting elements of the first plurality of selected fixed hoist points;

connecting the second plurality of preconfigured staging modules to the lifting elements of a second plurality of selected fixed hoist points in said array of fixed hoist points, said connecting including lifting connections, power connections and communication connections, and

lifting the second plurality of preconfigured staging modules using said second plurality of selected fixed hoist points within the array of fixed hoist points of the overhead hoist grid to create the second or a subsequent staging scene; and

changing the staging scene and installing the third or a subsequent staging scene, comprising:

lowering preconfigured staging modules previously lifted with the overhead hoist grid onto dollies,

disconnecting lowered preconfigured staging modules from lifting elements of the second or a subsequent plurality of selected fixed hoist points;

connecting the third plurality of preconfigured staging modules to the lifting elements of a third or subsequent plurality of selected fixed hoist points in said array of fixed hoist points, said connecting including lifting connections, power connections and communication connections, and

lifting the third or a subsequent plurality of preconfigured staging modules using the third or subsequent plurality of selected fixed hoist points to create the third or a subsequent staging scene;

wherein at least one of the first, second or third plurality of selected fixed hoist points comprises (i) a unique set selected of hoist points, and (ii) utilizes less than all fixed hoist points in the array of fixed hoist points.