Patents by Inventor D. Stephen Hoffman
D. Stephen Hoffman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6554354Abstract: A seating unit comprises: an armrest having an inwardly facing surface that includes an aperture; a table having a support surface mounted on and above a mounting post; and a mounting bracket mounted within the armrest. The mounting bracket is configured to receive the mounting post through the aperture in the armrest and to detachably secure the mounting post such that the support surface is generally horizontally disposed. In this configuration, the seating unit can provide a table-type surface in a convenient location for an occupant of the seating unit, yet the table can be removed when its presence is undesirable.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Marcus L. Murphy
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Patent number: 6540291Abstract: A reclining chair includes: a base configured to rest on an underlying surface; a swivel unit attached to the base; a chassis assembly mounted to the base; an arm member mounted above the base and to the chassis assembly; a seat having a seat frame, a lowermost portion of the seat frame being located at least 6 inches from the underlying surface; a backrest; an intermediate ottoman; a front ottoman; and a pair of reclining mechanisms mounted to the chassis assembly, the seat and the backrest. The reclining mechanisms are configured to move the seat and backrest relative to the base between an upright position, a “TV” position, and a fully reclined position. The chassis assembly has a first longitudinal dimension. The arm member has a horizontal run and two upright runs. The horizontal run is positioned above and in non-contacting relationship with the underlying surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2001Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Marcus L. Murphy
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Publication number: 20030015893Abstract: A reclining seating unit includes: a generally horizontally disposed seat; a pair of upright arms, each of the arms being positioned adjacent opposite sides of the seat and configured to rest on an underlying surface; a generally upright backrest positioned adjacent to a rear portion of the seat; at least one ottoman; and a pair of reclining mechanisms attached to the seat, arms, backrest and at least one ottoman, and a heart-rest mechanism pivotally interconnected with the reclining mechanisms. The heart-rest mechanism is configured so that the seating unit is movable between fully reclined and heart-rest positions in which the ottoman is disposed forwardly of the seat, the backrest forms a fully reclined angle with the seat that is substantially the same as that formed in the fully reclined position, and the seat forms a heart-rest angle with the underlying surface that is greater than in the fully reclined position.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2002Publication date: January 23, 2003Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Marcus L. Murphy
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Publication number: 20020149238Abstract: A reclining chair includes: a base configured to rest on an underlying surface; a swivel unit attached to the base; a chassis assembly mounted to the base; an arm member mounted above the base and to the chassis assembly; a seat having a seat frame, a lowermost portion of the seat frame being located at least 6 inches from the underlying surface; a backrest; an intermediate ottoman; a front ottoman; and a pair of reclining mechanisms mounted to the chassis assembly, the seat and the backrest. The reclining mechanisms are configured to move the seat and backrest relative to the base between an upright position, a “TV” position, and a fully reclined position. The chassis assembly has a first longitudinal dimension. The arm member has a horizontal run and two upright runs. The horizontal run is positioned above and in non-contacting relationship with the underlying surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2001Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Marcus L. Murphy
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Patent number: 6061891Abstract: A rocking and reclining chair comprises: a base having a pair of generally horizontal planar bearing surfaces; a generally horizontally-disposed seat positioned above the base; a generally upright backrest positioned above the base rearward of the seat; a reclining assembly for moving the seat and backrest between upright and reclined positions relative to the base; a pair of rocker cams; and a pair of rocker spring assemblies. The reclining assembly is attached to the seat and the backrest and includes a pair of mechanisms and front and rear stabilizing members. Each reclining mechanism includes a plurality of pivotally interconnected links, two of which are a seat mounting plate attached to the seat and a cam mounting plate. The cam mounting plate includes first and second sets of spring assembly mounting holes and first and second sets of rocker cam mounting holes, and further includes front and rear cross-member mounting locations (preferably inwardly-directed flanges).Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1998Date of Patent: May 16, 2000Assignee: Ultramek, Inc.Inventor: D. Stephen Hoffman
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Patent number: 5876094Abstract: A rocking and reclining chair comprises: a base having a pair of generally horizontal planar bearing surfaces; a generally horizontally-disposed seat positioned above the base; a generally upright backrest positioned above the base rearward of the seat; a reclining assembly for moving the seat and backrest between upright and reclined positions relative to the base; a pair of rocker cams; and a pair of rocker spring assemblies. The reclining assembly is attached to the seat and the backrest and includes a pair of mechanisms and front and rear stabilizing members. Each reclining mechanism includes a plurality of pivotally interconnected links, two of which are a seat mounting plate attached to the seat and a cam mounting plate. The cam mounting plate includes first and second sets of spring assembly mounting holes and first and second sets of rocker cam mounting holes, and further includes front and rear cross-member mounting locations (preferably inwardly-directed flanges).Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 1997Date of Patent: March 2, 1999Assignee: Ultramek, Inc.Inventor: D. Stephen Hoffman
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Patent number: 5775775Abstract: A reclining press-back seating unit utilizes modified three-way reclining mechanisms. The three-way mechanism is modified to be free of a footrest, and is mounted within the press-back seating unit so that its links are positioned in the upright position in the same orientation to one another that they would be in the TV position of the three-way reclining unit. The seating unit can be used with virtually any three-way reclining mechanism, including those for wall-avoiding units and high-leg units, to create pressback versions of these units which are particularly suitable for use in multiple seat seating units.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 1995Date of Patent: July 7, 1998Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventor: D. Stephen Hoffman
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Patent number: 5597199Abstract: An ottoman having a retractable table is disclosed herein. The table stores within the cavity of the ottoman and is movable to an extended position in which the table surface resides above and forwardly of the ottoman base.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 1995Date of Patent: January 28, 1997Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Charles F. Lowe
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Patent number: 5584530Abstract: A seating unit having a movable seat is disclosed. The seat is movable between a closed position, in which the seating surface of the seat is generally horizontally disposed, and an open position in which the seating surface is generally vertically disposed and forwardly facing, the lower surface of the movable seat confronts the front wall of the seating unit, and the front edge portion of the seat is adjacent the underlying surface. Mechanisms suitable for effecting such movement are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1993Date of Patent: December 17, 1996Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: W. Clark Rogers, D. Stephen Hoffman
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Patent number: 5562049Abstract: A table having a pair of laterally extendable table surfaces. The table includes a base having a horizontally disposed periphery that defines a footprint on an underlying surface, first and second generally planar table surfaces, a table surface forward extension mechanism interconnected with the base and the first and second table surfaces, and a table surface lateral extension mechanism interconnected with the base and the first and second table surfaces. The table surface forward extension mechanism and the table surface lateral extension mechanism are each constructed and arranged so that each of the first and second table surfaces is movable between a retracted position, in which the first and second table surfaces are positioned generally above the base footprint, and a laterally extended position, in which the major portions of the first and second table surfaces are generally horizontally disposed and are positioned above, forwardly and laterally of the base footprint.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1994Date of Patent: October 8, 1996Assignees: Helton, Inc., Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, J. Steven Helton
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Patent number: 5549052Abstract: Disclosed herein is a table comprising a base, a table surface, and a mechanism for controlling the movement of the table surface relative to the base. The table surface is movable between a retracted position, in which the table surface is generally horizontally disposed above and adjacent the base, and an extended position, in which the table surface is generally horizontally disposed above the base and a major portion of the table surface resides forwardly of the base. The mechanism is mounted to a table base and a table surface. The mechanism has a front pivot link, pivotally interconnected to the base at a first pivot, and a rear pivot link, pivotally interconnected to the base at a second pivot link. The mechanism is mounted to the surface at the upper portion of the front pivot link at a third pivot, and at the upper portion of the rear pivot link at a fourth pivot. The mechanism is configured such that it can be mounted inboard of the table base end panels.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1994Date of Patent: August 27, 1996Assignee: Ultra-Mek CorporationInventor: D. Stephen Hoffman
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Patent number: 5538320Abstract: An ottoman having a removable cover for storage within is disclosed. The cover is movable between a closed position, in which it resides above the walls of the ottoman, and an open position, in which the cover is generally vertically disposed, confronts the rear wall of the ottoman, and is adjacent the underlying floor. This configuration provides an ottoman that is much less susceptible to tipping in the open position.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1995Date of Patent: July 23, 1996Assignee: Ultra-Mek CorporationInventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Charles F. Lowe
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Patent number: 5503086Abstract: Tables having a table top that is movable between a closed position atop the table base and an open position forward and above the table base are disclosed. Certain table embodiments have swivel means to permit rotation of the table top about an axis of rotation normal to the table surface. Others include mechanisms for moving the table surface between the open and the closed position that are sufficiently compact as to be suitable for use with a large majority of coffee table and end table styles.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1993Date of Patent: April 2, 1996Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, W. Clark Rogers
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Patent number: 5466041Abstract: An ottoman having a removable cover for storage within is disclosed. The cover is movable between a closed position, in which it resides above the walls of the ottoman, and an open position, in which the cover is generally vertically disposed, confronts the rear wall of the ottoman, and is adjacent the underlying floor. This configuration provides an ottoman that is much less susceptible to tipping in the open position.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 1995Date of Patent: November 14, 1995Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, Charles F. Lowe
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Patent number: 5375907Abstract: A mechanism suitable for use with a retractable sofa table adapted for mounting the mechanism to a sofa frame, a lower pivot link pivotally interconnected to the mounting element, a table mounting bracket pivotally interconnected to the lower pivot link configured to be fixed to the table section, and an upper pivot link pivotally interconnected to the mounting element, and further pivotally interconnected to the table mounting bracket is disclosed. The upper pivot link includes between its pivots a bend disposed toward the lower pivot link which is configured to accept the profile of a sofa table.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 1992Date of Patent: December 27, 1994Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: W. Clark Rogers, D. Stephen Hoffman
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Patent number: 5374100Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanism for a seating unit headrest which permits adjustment of the headrest portion relative to the remainder of the mechanism to permit use of the mechanism with seating units of different heights. Also disclosed is a mechanism which includes a flange on the rear extension link of the headrest so that only one link of the mechanism per side is visible when the chair is viewed from side or rear elevation.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1993Date of Patent: December 20, 1994Assignee: Ultra-Mek, Inc.Inventors: W. Clark Rogers, D. Stephen Hoffman
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Patent number: 5322344Abstract: A mechanism for use with a sofa table movable between a retracted closed position and a generally horizontal open position is disclosed. The mechanism is particularly suited for use with a sofa to which is attached a foldable bed. The mechanism comprises: a mounting link adapted for mounting the mechanism to a sofa frame; a lower pivot link pivotally interconnected to the mounting link; a table mounting bracket pivotally interconnected to the lower pivot link and adapted to be fixed to a sofa table; and an upper pivot link pivotally interconnected to the mounting link and further pivotally interconnected with the table mounting bracket. The lower pivot link includes a bend between its pivots disposed toward the upper pivot link within which the head portion of a foldable bed in its fold position can reside when the sofa table is in its closed position.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1993Date of Patent: June 21, 1994Assignee: Ultra-MekInventors: D. Stephen Hoffman, W. Clark Rogers