Patents by Inventor Joel Ruiter
Joel Ruiter 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: 11969081Abstract: A connection assembly for securing a support member to a work surface (e.g., a table leg to a table top) that includes an attachment plate, a retainer, and a fitting. The attachment plate connects to a bottom surface of the table top, the fitting connects to an upper end of the table leg, and the retainer exerts a force on the fitting that helps absorb or take up tolerances within the connection assembly so that the support member is securely connected to the work surface. In one example, the retainer is a resilient component that is compressed between the fitting and a receiving portion of the attachment plate to help take up tolerances within the connection assembly, whereas in another example the retainer is a rotatable component that exerts a force against the fitting to address tolerances and the like. A method for providing a connection assembly is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2021Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: QUINT WORKSPACES LLCInventors: Paul G. Dame, Anthony J. Sall, Joel Ruiter, James E. Moon, Jr.
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Patent number: 11812848Abstract: A furniture system includes an elongated chase having a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. A first leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and a second leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg. Power cables are positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply. A modular power unit is coupled to the lower surface of the body. The modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2022Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: MILLERKNOLL, INC.Inventors: John Matthai, Joshua DeWys, Joel Ruiter, Michael Katje, Peter Keyzer, Michael A. Johnson, Taiyoh Afrik
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Publication number: 20220142361Abstract: A furniture system includes an elongated chase having a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. A first leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and a second leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg. Power cables are positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply. A modular power unit is coupled to the lower surface of the body. The modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: John Matthai, Joshua DeWys, Joel Ruiter, Michael Katje, Peter Keyzer, Michael A. Johnson, Taiyoh Afrik
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Publication number: 20220125194Abstract: A connection assembly for securing a support member to a work surface (e.g., a table leg to a table top) that includes an attachment plate, a retainer, and a fitting. The attachment plate connects to a bottom surface of the table top, the fitting connects to an upper end of the table leg, and the retainer exerts a force on the fitting that helps absorb or take up tolerances within the connection assembly so that the support member is securely connected to the work surface. In one example, the retainer is a resilient component that is compressed between the fitting and a receiving portion of the attachment plate to help take up tolerances within the connection assembly, whereas in another example the retainer is a rotatable component that exerts a force against the fitting to address tolerances and the like. A method for providing a connection assembly is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2021Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Paul G. Dame, Anthony J. Sall, Joel Ruiter, James E. Moon, JR.
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Patent number: 11291302Abstract: A furniture system includes an elongated chase having a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. A first leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and a second leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg. Power cables are positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply. A modular power unit is coupled to the lower surface of the body. The modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.Inventors: John Matthai, Joshua DeWys, Joel Ruiter, Michael Katje, Peter Keyzer, Michael A. Johnson, Taiyoh Afrik
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Publication number: 20210068539Abstract: A furniture system includes an elongated chase having a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. A first leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and a second leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg. Power cables are positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply. A modular power unit is coupled to the lower surface of the body. The modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: John Matthai, Joshua DeWys, Joel Ruiter, Michael Katje, Peter Keyzer, Michael A. Johnson, Taiyoh Afrik
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Patent number: 10842266Abstract: A furniture system includes an elongated chase having a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. A first leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and a second leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg. Power cables are positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply. A modular power unit is coupled to the lower surface of the body. The modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.Inventors: John Matthai, Joshua DeWys, Joel Ruiter, Michael Katje, Peter Keyzer, Michael A. Johnson, Taiyoh Afrik
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Publication number: 20190357676Abstract: A furniture system includes an elongated chase having a body extending from a first end to a second end. The body has an upper surface and a lower surface. A first leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and a second leg is coupled to the lower surface of the body and spaced apart from the first leg. Power cables are positioned within a cavity of the body, the power cables configured to connect to a building's power supply. A modular power unit is coupled to the lower surface of the body. The modular power unit includes a power outlet electrically coupled to the power cables.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2018Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: John Matthai, Joshua DeWys, Joel Ruiter, Michael Katje, Peter Keyzer, Michael A. Johnson, Taiyoh Afrik
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Patent number: 7793367Abstract: A rigid furniture post comprises a single piece of extruded material formed into any number of shapes which may serve as a post for furniture. A coupler comprises a piece of thermoplastic containing at least one female side wherein a post may be inserted to facilitate in the linear assembling of post segments into a longer post.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2008Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: R.T. London CompanyInventors: Joel Ruiter, Mark Chamberlin, Gregory J. Winer
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Patent number: 7201107Abstract: The present disclosure provides an assembly having a movable portion and a fixed portion. At least a portion of the movable portion comprises a work surface. The assembly further includes a storage device having a material holder that moves from a first position in a substantially covered configuration to a second position that uncovers or exposes at least a portion of the material holder so that a user can access the material holder and contents therein. A connection component connects the material holder to the movable portion and moves the material holder from the covered configuration to the uncovered, at least partially accessible, configuration by utilizing a translation of force from the movement of the movable portion.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2004Date of Patent: April 10, 2007Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventor: Joel Ruiter
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Publication number: 20050168707Abstract: A convertible projection assembly and method, the assembly including a support structure, a translucent screen member including a viewing front surface and an oppositely facing rear surface, the screen member releasably mountable to the support structure and a reflecting member forming an internal surface and an oppositely facing external surface, the internal surface of the reflecting member at least in part forming a reflecting surface, the reflecting member releasably mounted to the support structure such that the reflecting surface at least in part faces the rear surface of the screen member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2004Publication date: August 4, 2005Inventors: Thomas Feldpausch, Kirt Martin, Joel Ruiter
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Patent number: D868509Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.Inventors: John Matthai, Joel Ruiter
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Patent number: D872489Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2018Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.Inventors: Joel Ruiter, Joshua DeWys
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Patent number: D897292Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2018Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.Inventors: John Matthai, Joel Ruiter
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Patent number: D903382Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2019Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.Inventors: John Matthai, Joel Ruiter
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Patent number: D922782Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2019Date of Patent: June 22, 2021Assignee: Thorley Industries, LLCInventors: Joel Ruiter, Phil Carpenter, Jared Rosenthal