Patents Assigned to Herman Miller, Inc.
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Publication number: 20020046452Abstract: A machine and method for securing fabric layers to the core of a fabric panel. The machine includes top rollers and side rollers for stretching the fabric layers along the top surface and side surfaces of the core. Staplers preserve the stretch by stapling the edge of the fabric to the side surfaces. A front stapler and rear stapler are also provided for stapling the fabric to the rear surface and front surface of the core.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2001Publication date: April 25, 2002Applicant: HERMAN MILLER, INC.Inventor: Thomas M. Kinney
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Patent number: 6371035Abstract: A storage device including two opposing side panels, a plurality of shelves and a plurality of crossed support devices. The plurality of shelves interconnect the side panels. The plurality of crossed support devices are capable of being attached to one of a first opening and a second opening. The first opening and the second opening are located opposite one another and provide access to an interior cavity capable of supporting storage materials.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller Inc.Inventors: Jeffery E. Schiedegger, Eric P. Chan
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Patent number: 6367876Abstract: A tiltable chair including a housing, a back support pivotally attached to the housing about a first horizontal axis and a seat support pivotally attached to the housing about a second horizontal axis. A leaf spring includes a first end engaging the housing and a second end biasing the back support and seat support in an upward direction. A fulcrum member is moveably supported in the housing and engages a bottom surface of the spring intermediate the first and second ends of the spring. The chair also include an adjustable backrest and armrests slideably mounted on the back support, and a seat slideably mounted on the seat support. A tilt limiter is provided to limit the rearward tilting of the chair. A selector member includes indicia that indicates the setting of the tilt limiter so as to apprise the user of maximum available rearward tilt position of the chair.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2001Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Jerome C. Caruso, Steven J. Caruso, Bruce R. Gezon, Marc A. Gierz, Jack R. Nyenhuis
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Patent number: 6349907Abstract: A support assembly for supporting an object on a floor. The support assembly includes a leg member and a heel member mounted on said leg member. The heel member is adapted to engage the floor. A foot member is pivotally attached to the leg member. The foot member is adapted to pivot between an upright storage position and a lateral support position. When in the lateral support position, the foot member is adapted to engage the floor at a point spaced apart from the heel member. In a preferred embodiment, a cover is provided to conceal the foot member when placed in the upright storage position. In a preferred embodiment, the heel member comprises a height adjustable glide device that includes a base portion and a stem portion extending upwardly from the base portion. A shaft is disposed in the stem portion and operable engages an actuator disposed in a cavity formed in the base portion. The shaft operably engages the leg member to provide vertical adjustment of the leg member.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2000Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Geoff A. Hollington, Dean D. Achterhof, Michael L. De Pree, George A. Miles
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Patent number: 6341457Abstract: A wall panel including a rectangular frame, a pair of wall members and a thin decorative sheet covering the wall members. The frame includes two spaced apart, generally parallel vertical frame members and spaced apart, generally parallel horizontal lower and upper frame members. The horizontal frame members are connected to the vertical frame members at opposite ends thereof to form the rectangular frame. In one embodiment, each of the frame members includes a core member and a pair of sidewall members attached to opposite sides of the core member. The wall members are attached to the sidewalls on opposing sides of the frame members. In another embodiment, inner wall members are attached to the opposing sides of the frame members, and outer wall members are thereafter attached to the inner wall member. A decorative sheet covers the outer surface of each outer wall member. The wall panels are connected to each other with a connector member.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2000Date of Patent: January 29, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Chad D. Aerts, Phil E. Carpenter, Ernest C. De Leon, David B. Martin, Jack R. Nyenhuis
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Patent number: 6339907Abstract: A wall panel including a rectangular frame, a pair of wall members and a thin decorative sheet covering the wall members. The frame includes two spaced apart, generally parallel vertical frame members and spaced apart, generally parallel horizontal lower and upper frame members. The horizontal frame members are connected to the vertical frame members at opposite ends thereof to form the rectangular frame. Each of the frame members includes a core member and a pair of sidewall members attached to opposite sides of the core member. The wall members are attached to the sidewalls on opposing sides of the frame members. A decorative sheet covers the outer surface of each wall member. A method for manufacturing the frame members includes providing a fixture with spaced apart first, second and third surfaces. A hanger bracket is mounted to the vertical frame core member and is positioned in the fixture such that the hanger bracket engages the first surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2000Date of Patent: January 22, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Paul Dame, Duane McClung, Thomas J. Newhouse
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Publication number: 20010047637Abstract: A modular wall panel and mounting members for attaching a panel covering thereto. The modular wall panel has one or more flanges that connect to a frame support. A panel covering is tensioned across a face of the frame support and is connected to the flanges by the mounting members.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2000Publication date: December 6, 2001Applicant: HERMAN MILLER INC.Inventors: J. Dennis Henderson, Todd Alan Shane
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Patent number: 6308922Abstract: A support assembly for supporting an object on a floor. The support assembly includes a support bracket releasably mounted to the leg member. The support bracket and leg member are adapted so as to permit the support bracket to be rotated between at least three positions relative to the leg member. In one preferred embodiment, one of the support bracket and leg member comprise a post member and the other of the support bracket and leg member comprises a socket shaped to receive the post member.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2000Date of Patent: October 30, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Geoff A. Hollington, Dean D. Achterhof, Eric Cammenga, Michael L. De Pree
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Publication number: 20010029713Abstract: A wall panel including a rectangular frame, a pair of wall members and a thin decorative sheet covering the wall members. The frame includes two spaced apart, generally parallel vertical frame members and spaced apart, generally parallel horizontal lower and upper frame members. The horizontal frame members are connected to the vertical frame members at opposite ends thereof to form the rectangular frame. In one embodiment, each of the frame members includes a core member and a pair of sidewall members attached to opposite sides of the core member. The wall members are attached to the sidewalls on opposing sides of the frame members. In another embodiment, inner wall members are attached to the opposing sides of the frame members, and outer wall members are thereafter attached to the inner wall member. A decorative sheet covers the outer surface of each outer wall member. The wall panels are connected to each other with a connector member.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2001Publication date: October 18, 2001Applicant: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Robert L. Beck, Paul G. Dame, Ernesto C. De Leon, Paul M. Emaus, Timothy A. Hoogland, David B. Martin, Duane G. McLung, Thomas J. Newhouse, Richard C. Weise
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Publication number: 20010029712Abstract: A wall panel including a rectangular frame, a pair of wall members and a thin decorative sheet covering the wall members. The frame includes two spaced apart, generally parallel vertical frame members and spaced apart, generally parallel horizontal lower and upper frame members. The horizontal frame members are connected to the vertical frame members at opposite ends thereof to form the rectangular frame. In one embodiment, each of the frame members includes a core member and a pair of sidewall members attached to opposite sides of the core member. The wall members are attached to the sidewalls on opposing sides of the frame members. In another embodiment, inner wall members are attached to the opposing sides of the frame members, and outer wall members are thereafter attached to the inner wall member. A decorative sheet covers the outer surface of each outer wall member. The wall panels are connected to each other with a connector member.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2001Publication date: October 18, 2001Applicant: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Paul M. Emaus, David B. Martin, Richard C. Weise
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Patent number: 6301847Abstract: A wall panel including a rectangular frame, a pair of wall members and a thin decorative sheet covering the wall members. The frame includes two spaced apart, generally parallel vertical frame members and spaced apart, generally parallel horizontal lower and upper frame members. The horizontal frame members are connected to the vertical frame members at opposite ends thereof to form the rectangular frame. Each of the frame members includes a core member and a pair of sidewall members attached to opposite sides of the core member. The wall members are attached to the sidewalls on opposing sides of the frame members. A decorative sheet covers the outer surface of each wall member. A method for manufacturing the frame members includes providing a fixture with spaced apart first, second and third surfaces. A hanger bracket is mounted to the vertical frame core member and is positioned in the fixture such that the hanger bracket engages the first surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2000Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Robert L. Beck, Paul Dame, Duane McClung, Thomas J. Newhouse, Ronald W. Norton, Jim Prisby, Gerald Schondelmayer, Sonia Nash, Richard Weise
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Patent number: 6299405Abstract: A material handling system, apparatus, and method for transferring and inverting a generally planar panel is disclosed. The system, apparatus, and method is comprised of a panel-engaging member and a panel-engaging member rotator. The panel-engaging member has a generally rectangular slot to receive only a portion of a panel. The panel-engaging member rotator is adapted to rotate the panel-engaging member about an axis generally parallel to the width of the slot between a position where the slot is generally horizontal and facing one direction to another position where the slot is generally horizontal and facing a generally opposite direction. The height, depth, and width of the slot are selected so that when a portion of the panel is inserted into the slot, the portion of the panel is kept from falling out of the slot by gravity and friction when the holding member is moved.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 1999Date of Patent: October 9, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Tim R. Sterken, Philip L. Berridge
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Patent number: 6295764Abstract: A stackable wall panel system including at least one upper and lower wall panel, a first and second corner post and an insert. The insert threadably engages an upper portion of the first corner post, and the second corner post is disposed on the first corner post over the insert. A connector connects the second corner post and the insert. One or more upper wall panels are connected to a pair of lower wall panels with an alignment clip, a pair of draw blocks and a draw rod.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2000Date of Patent: October 2, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Philip Longstreet Berridge, Scott Walter Compton, Bruce Robert Gezon, Anthony David Lufkin, Shane Michael Ramsdell
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Patent number: D449172Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2000Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Douglas M. Van De Riet, Jeffrey R. Oberlin, Jason W. Carpenter, Jeff Weber, Todd D. Krupiczewicz
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Patent number: D449938Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2000Date of Patent: November 6, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Douglas M. Vanderiet, Jeff Weber, Todd D. Krupiczewicz
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Patent number: D450959Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2000Date of Patent: November 27, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Ayse Gul Birsel, Robert W. Insalaco, Ayako Takase
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Patent number: D454735Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2000Date of Patent: March 26, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventor: Eric Ping Pang Chan
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Patent number: D455571Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2001Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Douglas M. Van De Riet, Jeff Weber, Todd D. Krupiczewicz
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Patent number: D456160Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2001Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Douglas M. Van De Riet, Jeffrey R. Oberlin, Jason W. Carpenter, Jeff Weber, Todd D. Krupiczewicz
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Patent number: D456164Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2001Date of Patent: April 30, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Douglas M. Vanderiet, Jeff Weber, Todd D. Krupiczewicz