Patents Assigned to Kimball International, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9124308
    Abstract: Furniture components, such as office furniture components, are configured to include electronic components that transfer electrical power to peripheral electronic devices via wireless technologies, including conductive and inductive technologies. The articles of furniture may include grommet devices received within work surfaces, the grommet devices incorporating or housing the electronics of wireless power systems. The articles of furniture may also include the electronics of wireless power systems physically embedded or integrated within work surfaces in a manner in which the continuous surfaces of the work surfaces are maintained, and the work surfaces may optionally further include lighting or other indication features to indicate the locations of the electronics to a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith E. Metcalf
  • Patent number: 9010033
    Abstract: A wall rail system for mounting to a wall within an office environment or work space, including a first, upper rail and a second, lower rail, each including a horizontally-facing channel. The rails further include vertically-facing channels, with the rails mountable to a wall in an inverted, opposing relationship with respect to one another with the vertically-facing channel of the upper rail facing in an upward direction, and the vertically-facing channel of the lower rail facing in a downward direction. Brackets secured to components such as a work surfaces or cabinets, for example, interface with the vertically-facing channels of the rails for mounting components to the rails without the use of fasteners. Decorative and/or functional tiles may be captured adjacent the wall between the rails using faceplates which engage the horizontally-facing channels of the rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald Woods, Samial K. Johnson
  • Patent number: 8967054
    Abstract: A modular desking system for an open plan office environment provides a variety of highly stable and variously configurable component parts which can be modularly combined with one another to provide a wide variety of desking styles and sizes. The user may decide among many options for linking various desking system assemblies with one another to create a larger desking assembly well suited to various open-plan office spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay M. Henriott, Keith E. Metcalf
  • Patent number: 8882065
    Abstract: A two-piece track assembly may be used in an office environment for mounting accessory components, such as work surfaces, cabinets, shelves, filing units, etc., to either a permanent building wall or to the framework of a movable office wall or office partition system. The track assembly includes a base mountable to the wall or framework via a plurality of fasteners. A track mounts to the base to cover the fasteners used to mount the base. The track also includes a relatively thinly-profiled slot into which a corresponding, relatively thinly-profiled mounting flange of an accessory component is received to mount and support the accessory component upon the track assembly. Optionally, a decorative or functional tile may be mounted to a wall or partition between a pair of track assemblies spaced vertically from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Jay M. Henriott, Keith E. Metcalf
  • Patent number: 8844210
    Abstract: Brackets for an office partition system permit the off-modular attachment of articles of furniture, such as cabinets, above the upper edges of panels in the partition system. The width of the furniture article may be either equal to, less than, or greater than the width of an underlying panel. Also, the location of the furniture article may be adjusted relative to the underlying panels such that the location of the furniture article is not determined by the size or position of an underlying panel to which the furniture article is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Jay M. Henriott
  • Publication number: 20140261100
    Abstract: An office furniture system for use in an open plan office environment, the furniture system configured as a “hybrid” system including features of both traditional partition systems and contemporary desking or benching systems. In one configuration, one or more work surfaces each include an electronic services bracket mounted beneath the rear edge(s) thereof, and access covers for providing selective access to electronic service modules mounted to the bracket and disposed within a raceway space beneath the rear edges of the work surfaces. The work surfaces may be associated with a partition system or, alternatively, may be associated with a desking arrangement. In another configuration, at least one electronic services module is mounted beneath a horizontal frame member of a partition, and work surface mounting brackets are used to mount one or more work surfaces on one or both sides of the partition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: KIMBALL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jay M. Henriott, Keith E. Metcalf, Samial K. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140158024
    Abstract: A table has a support structure and a work surface that may pivot between a substantially horizontal use position and a substantially vertical storage position. A privacy screen is pivotally attached to the work surface such that the privacy screen is pivotally movable relative to the work surface between a first, storage position in which the screen is substantially parallel to the work surface and a second, deployed or use position in which the screen is substantially perpendicular to the work surface. The screen may be pivotally attached to the work surface via a resistance hinge such that movement of the screen between the first and second positions requires overcoming a resistance force. A stop element may be attached to either the work surface or the screen to prevent movement of the screen beyond the second, deployed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: KIMBALL INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Jay M. Henriott
  • Publication number: 20140054961
    Abstract: A remote transmitter wirelessly transmits energy to an article of furniture adapted to receive and store the wireless energy. The article of furniture is further adapted distribute the stored energy to electrical loads such as peripheral electronic devices, portable electronic devices and other articles of furniture. The remote transmitter may wirelessly transfer energy during inactive periods. The stored energy may be distributed to an electrical loads during an active period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith E. Metcalf, Jay M. Henriott
  • Patent number: D698175
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Schweikarth
  • Patent number: D711670
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Woods
  • Patent number: D714578
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Woods
  • Patent number: D720942
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Schweikarth
  • Patent number: D726461
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott J. Thorne
  • Patent number: D728947
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Schweikarth
  • Patent number: D728983
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Schweikarth
  • Patent number: D731827
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott J. Thorne
  • Patent number: D731835
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Schweikarth
  • Patent number: D738148
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Schweikarth
  • Patent number: D741097
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Donald Woods
  • Patent number: D751846
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventor: Derek Schweikarth