Abstract: A body support structure includes a backrest and a seat connected to the backrest. A suspension material is connected to the backrest or the seat. The suspension material has a first zone with a first stiffness and a second zone with a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness. Also included are methods of creating different zones in the suspension material.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 15, 2016
Date of Patent:
December 29, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
John F. Aldrich, Brock Walker, Jeff Bruner, Adwait Bhagwat, Ethan McGraw, Don Chadwick
Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 10, 2018
Date of Patent:
December 8, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
Abstract: 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:
Grant
Filed:
May 23, 2018
Date of Patent:
November 24, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
John Matthai, Joshua DeWys, Joel Ruiter, Michael Katje, Peter Keyzer, Michael A. Johnson, Taiyoh Afrik
Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 3, 2020
Date of Patent:
November 3, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
Abstract: A method of communicatively pairing a first furnishing item with a second furnishing item, the method including impacting the first furnishing item against the second furnishing item. The method also includes generating a first output with a first sensor of the first furnishing item in response to an impact between the first furnishing item and the second furnishing item and generating a second output with a second sensor of the second furnishing item in response to the impact between the first furnishing item and the second furnishing item. The method further includes receiving, by a controller, the first output, receiving, by the controller, the second output, and pairing a first communication circuit of the first furnishing item with a second communication circuit of the second furnishing item in response to receiving the second output within a predetermined time of receiving the first output.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 22, 2019
Date of Patent:
September 1, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
Jeff Gibson, Christopher Hoyt, Nicolas Milani, Kurt Dykema, Dave Moelker, Jared Thomas
Abstract: A furniture system includes an office productivity structure (OPS). The furniture system also includes a sensor coupled to the OPS, the sensor operable to detect a parameter of the OPS and generate an output signal indicative of the parameter; and a processor coupled to the sensor. The processor is operable to receive the output signal generated by the sensor, determine, based on the output signal, an operation condition of the OPS, when the operation condition is determined to be within a satisfactory range, determine an estimated time before servicing is needed, and when the operation condition is determined to be outside a satisfactory range, send a service alert.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 2, 2019
Date of Patent:
August 25, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
Christopher Hoyt, Daniel Rucker, Joseph Doran, Brian Alexander, Adam Daley-Fell
Abstract: A seating structure includes a frame, a carrier, and a suspension material. The frame includes first and second side frame members spaced apart in a first direction and defining an opening therebetween. The first and second side frame members have an inner portion facing the opening and an outer portion facing away from the opening, the outer portion including a plurality of first attachment features facing away from the first and second side frame members in the first direction. The carrier includes first and second side carrier members. The first and second side carrier members include a plurality of second attachment features facing the first and second side frame members in the first direction, the plurality of second attachment features engaging the plurality of first attachment features to attach the carrier to the frame. The suspension material is attached to the carrier and extends over the opening in the frame.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 29, 2016
Date of Patent:
August 18, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, James Slagh, Brent Tracy, Michael D. Stanton, Sr.
Abstract: A subarchitectural office system including a subarchitectural wall having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge opposite the first side edge. The subarchitectural office system also includes a first arch adjacent the first side edge of the subarchitectural wall and a second arch adjacent the second side edge of the subarchitectural wall. The first and second arches both include a first vertical post adjacent the respective side edge of the subarchitectural wall, an overhead beam with a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end of the overhead beam is coupled to the first vertical post and the overhead beam extends outwardly from the first vertical post. The first and second arches also include a second vertical post positioned away from the subarchitectural wall and coupled to the second end of the overhead beam.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 13, 2018
Date of Patent:
July 21, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
Ayse Birsel, Bibi Seck, Andrew Kurrasch
Abstract: A workstation includes a frame having a lower rail and a plurality of upright posts coupled to and extending upwardly from the lower rail. Each upright post has a track. The workstation also includes a plurality of panels supported by the frame. Each panel has a first side edge received in the track of one of the plurality of upright posts, a second side edge received in the track of another of the plurality of upright posts, and a lower edge adjacent the lower rail. The lower edge has a first length. Each panel also has an upper edge opposite the lower edge. The upper edge has a second length that is longer than the first length.
Abstract: The invention relates to a chair (1) which comprises a support (6), a seat element (5), a back element (4), a leg element (3), a spring mechanism and a weight-controlled working adjusting element for the spring mechanism.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 14, 2017
Date of Patent:
April 21, 2020
Assignee:
HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Inventors:
Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Zwick, Roland Zwick