Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a reclineable back, a seat, and a control operably supporting the back and the seat on the base for synchronous movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a pair of flexible support members and a link that combine to operably support the seat and back for synchronous movement on the base upon recline, which provides ergonomic non-shearing support for a seated user during recline. The back and seat each include perimeter frames, parallel resilient support members extending between side frame sections of the perimeter frames, and covers covering the resilient support members for distributed support and aesthetics. By this arrangement, the flexible member and the link move the one component along a defined path during recline of the back, and the seat and back also provide ergonomic support, both during recline and without recline.

Abstract: A post and beam furniture system having a plurality of horizontally-extending beams having a longitudinally-extending T-shaped first channel and a longitudinally, T-shaped second channel, and a plurality of vertical posts each having a lower portion thereof adapted to be abuttingly supported on a floor surface of an office space, and an upper portion thereof adapted to be connected with the horizontally-extending beams, and a longitudinally-extending T-shaped channel. The channels of the beams and posts receiving a plurality of connectors and accessories, including a multiple bracket post and beam connectors, a T-nut connector, and T-connector, an infill panel, a horizontally-extending two-part wire manager, a vertically extending wire manager, a vertically adjustable worksurface, a transactional surface, a swivel support for supporting a post thereon, and a universal utility hook.

Abstract: A back construction includes a back shell mounted on a back frame at top and bottom connections, and a flexible lumbar section biased forwardly by a biasing device. The bottom connection is located rearward of the back shell to allow unencumbered sliding entry into the seating unit from a lateral side position, but the bottom connection defines a virtual pivot forward of its physical location to provide the desired path of flexure when the lumbar section is flexed. In one form, the bottom connection is a pair of non-parallel links of dissimilar length. In another form, the bottom connection is a follower with two bearings following a guide slot. In some variations, the force of the biasing device is variable. Seating units incorporating the back construction include a vehicle seat, a foldable portable stadium seat, and a wheelchair seat.

Abstract: An armrest includes an armrest support and a subassembly supported thereon for vertical adjustment by a height adjustment device having a rotatable high-lead-angle threaded shaft, a mating nut, and a trigger. The shaft member is rotatable upon a vertical force being placed on the subassembly, and the trigger engages the shaft to prevent rotation and fix a selected height position. The subassembly includes a housing, an armrest cap, and a pair of swing arms pivoted to each of the housing and cap for adjustably supporting the armrest cap for rotational and translational horizontal movement. Horizontal adjustment is controlled by choice of materials, a frictional wave spring and dampener. Optionally, the armrest cap includes a keyhole slot and one of the links includes a configured protrusion shaped to selectively linearly slide along a long part of the slot . . . or rotate in the circular end of the keyhole slot.

Abstract: A seating unit includes a seat, a back, a base, and a motion control having a plurality of flexible supports for operably supporting the seat and back on the base. The flexible supports are movable in a generally fore-to-aft direction but stiff in a generally vertical direction, and further the flexible supports have end sections projecting generally outward from said base for operably engaging the seat and/or back, so that when the flexible supports flex in the fore-to-aft direction, they provide for directed movement of the seat and/or the back. In one form, the flexible supports are integrally molded with the center section of the motion control.

Abstract: A chair includes a base, a seat, a back, and a control operably supporting the seat and back on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The seat and back include a stiff perimeter frame with opposing perimeter sections, and a plurality of rods each independently bendable in vertical and angled directions. End bearings on the rods are captured in pockets in the perimeter frame, which limits their inward and outward sliding movement. The control includes front and rear leaf springs and a pivot arm operably supporting the seat and the back for synchronous movement, with the direction of movement being such that energy is stored during recline. The energy stored during recline assists in providing a heavier person with added counterbalancing force during recline. A booster mechanism is also selectively engageable for added support upon recline.

Abstract: A seating unit includes a seat, a back, and a support structure supporting the seat and the back. A wheelchair base frame includes a beam extending transversely across the wheelchair base frame. An adjustable extendable column extends between the beam and the support structure for adjustably supporting the seating unit on the wheelchair base frame. The support structure and/or the transverse beam can be constructed to receive the same structure as is provided on a standard task chair. By this arrangement, a plurality of similar chairs can be ordered, some having standard bases and others having a wheelchair base. Concurrently, the seating unit with the wheelchair base can include substantially all options and styling offered in the standard task chair.