Abstract: A flexible back support for use in seats such as automobile seats or office chairs, includes a central body portion with outwardly extending support fingers such that an arch having a variable apex is formed when the back support is subtended longitudinally. The longitudinal location of an apex and the shape of the arch formed on the back support changes responsively to a load imposed by a person's back. Noise, galling, wear and rough movement between moving parts of the flexible back support are reduced by the coefficient of friction reduction method of the present invention.

Abstract: Ink jet printing is provided onto rigid panels such as foamboard and contoured material using ultraviolet (UV) light curable ink, which is first at least partially cured with UV light and then may be subjected to heating. Printhead-to-panel spacing is controllable to maintain a predetermined constant distance from the printing element to the surface of the panel where the ink is to be applied. Each of a plurality of printheads may be independently moveable to control the spacing of the printheads from the substrate surface. Sensors on the printhead carriage measure the shape, or vertical position of, the printhead's distance from the printhead carriage to the surface of the substrate being printed. The position or focal length of the UV light curing head may be varied to maintain focus of the UV light on the ink on a contoured surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A lumbar support for a seat includes an archable pressure surface having an upper region and a lower region and a force actuator such as an electric motor. The force actuator is held in a housing. The actuator housing is fixedly attached to said archable pressure surface in a compact design. A force transmission element such as a cable is connected to at least one of the upper and lower regions of the pressure surface and the force transmission element is also connected to the actuator. When force is applied by the force actuator to the cable, the pressure surface arches from a substantially flat position to an arched position.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning power or telecommunications outlets in furniture and wall systems. The apparatus cooperates with a wall, partition or furniture system to repositionably support a cable suitable for transmitting telecommunications data and/or electrical power. The apparatus includes an outlet box and a conduit or channel for receiving the cable. Means for removably attaching the apparatus to the system are provided so that the apparatus can be removably attached to the system in a plurality of positions. The system may include a base and a support frame forming a plurality of mounting positions. A removable cover may fit over at least a portion of an open side of the conduit or channel for restricting access to the interior of the channel. A method for repositionably supporting a cable in a modular construction system forming a plurality of mounting locations is also disclosed.

Abstract: A bedding or seating product comprising a spring assembly made up of a plurality of parallel strings of springs joined to each other. Each of the strings of springs comprises a row of interconnected pocketed coil springs. Selected pockets of fabric are shorter than adjacent pockets, so coil springs in the selected pockets are under a greater load than adjacent coil springs. In one preferred embodiment, every other pocket is under a greater load than the adjacent pockets, resulting in a checkerboard arrangement in at least one area of the product.

Abstract: Ink jet printing is provided onto rigid panels such as office partitions, which have surfaces that are contoured, textured or made of a fabric or other three-dimensional material, or are otherwise differently spaced from the plane of the panel such that the distance between a printing element and the point on the surface on which ink is to be deposited is not always the same or exactly predictable. Preferably, fabric covered panels are printed using ink jet printing, preferably using ultraviolet (UV) light curable ink, which is first, at least partially cured with UV light and then subjected to heating to more completely cure and dry the ink to remove, by evaporation or otherwise, the uncured monomers. The panel surface may be contoured by quilting or molding processes. Print head to panel spacing is adjustable to maintain a predetermined constant distance from the printing element to the surface of the panel where the ink is to be applied.

Abstract: A novel support for use with furniture having a spring-edge is provided that includes a coil assembly. The coil assembly is typically square or rectangular with top and bottom surfaces and a front edge that faces the front of the furniture piece. A bridge is secured to the top surface of the coil assembly to provide support for the spring-edge. The bridge extends outwardly away from the front edge of the coil assembly and is supported in the same plane as the top surface of the coil assembly by a series of wires. The wire supports terminate at and hold a stiffening member in place that forms the upper portion of the spring-edge. The stiffening member is used to attach a series of front springs to the bridge. These springs are held in place on their lower end by the frame of the piece of furniture.

Abstract: A non-woven fiber pad having a convoluted surface formed by cutting a non-woven fiber batt having a plurality of low melt synthetic fibers. The non-woven batt is compressed generally toward a cutting device by a pair of counter-rotating drums having convoluted surfaces.

Abstract: A chair movable between an upright, stowed position and a reclined, extended position, comprising a seat, a back, an ottoman, a recliner linkage, and an electric solenoid driven release mechanism. The recliner linkage couples the ottoman to the chair. The recliner linkage is adapted to move the ottoman between the upright stowed position and the reclined, extended position. The electric solenoid driven release mechanism has a member in contact with the recliner linkage and when activated moves the ottoman linkage beyond the release point. Once the recliner linkage moves beyond the release point the chair moves from the upright position to the recliner position.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide structure that can be installed within a warehouse-type rack to convert the rack for use as a merchandise and display rack. In this manner, warehouse-type racks can be provided with a greater degree of adjustability to accommodate a larger number of shelving and product storage and display configurations. The structure installed within a warehouse-type rack can include secondary uprights connected to secondary front-rear stretchers. Preferably, the connections between the secondary uprights and the secondary front-rear stretchers are adjustable so that the secondary uprights can be secured in different positions within the warehouse-type rack. In some embodiments, the secondary uprights can be secured in different front-rear positions in the rack and/or can be secured in different vertical positions with respect to the secondary front-rear stretchers.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for feeding and slitting mattress covers, quilts and other soft goods supported on a table. The apparatus has a first slitting wheel rotatable by a motor. A second slitting wheel is rotatable by the motor and contacts the first slitting wheel to provide a cutting action. The apparatus further includes upper and lower conveyors operable by the motor for conveying the soft goods past the slitting wheels. The upper conveyor is resiliently vertically movable and applies a compression force against the soft goods as they are moved between the upper and lower conveyors and past the slitting wheels.

Abstract: In one aspect of the invention, an adjustable bed system is contained within a truck sleeper compartment. The adjustable bed system includes: a base frame; an upper-body frame system and a lower-body frame system, with each frame system being pivotally attached at one end to the base frame and pivotable from a horizontal position to a position which is at an acute angle with the horizontal position; a first adjustable-linkage system adjustably connecting the upper-body frame system to the base frame; and a second adjustable-linkage system adjustably connecting the lower-body frame system to the base frame.

Abstract: A stapler for clinching materials together with a generally U-shaped staple. The stapler has an anvil with spaced-apart wedges disposed adjacent a backing plate, and the spaced-apart wedges have respective chamfers that contact legs of the staple and guide the legs away from each other. A driver blade is movable between the spaced apart wedges and pushes against a staple crown. As an actuator pushes the driver blade between the wedges, the staple is being pushed over the wedges. The actuator retracts the driver blade from between the spaced-apart wedges substantially independent of a biasing force pushing the spaced apart wedges against the backing plate.

Abstract: Ink jet printing is provided using ultraviolet (UV) light or other curable composition or stable or other printable substance having a dye-component therein. The ink is jetted onto a substrate, the composition is cured, then heated to set the dye. Sublimation dye-based UV ink printing onto polyester is preferred.

Abstract: A tucking attachment for a sewing machine having a tucking blade with one end positioned adjacent material and a tucking blade drive with an output shaft mechanically coupled to the tucking blade. A control, connected to the tucking blade drive, is operable to command the tucking blade drive to move the tucking blade through a programmable displacement to form a tuck in the material adjacent a presser foot of the sewing machine. Thereafter, the sewing machine is operated to sew a number of stitches in the tuck, and the tucking blade is then retracted. Repeating the above cycle of operation permits successive tucks of different lengths to be formed in the material.

Abstract: A fusible non-woven fibrous web for a quilt batt. The fusible non-woven fibrous web includes a non-woven fibrous web and a heat sealable and releasable adhesive. The adhesive is coated on the outer surface of the web and insinuates between the fibers of the web internally. The adhesive thus binds the fibers of the web and provides a tackiness sufficient to allow the web to be applied to, removed from, and reapplied to a backing material or other fabric.

Abstract: A bale binding machine utilizes controlled pins to guide the path of a wire (or strap) around a bale such that strength-reducing bending is not introduced to the wire. The bale binding machine binds bales of fibrous bulk materials such as cotton and nylon.

Abstract: A shelving display system comprising a conventional gondola made up of a generally horizontal base and at least two upstanding posts to which generally horizontal top and bottom tracks are attached. Support/display members, such as decorative panels, standards for shelf brackets and shelves, and partitions may be attached to the top and bottom tracks to complete the system.

Abstract: A control system for a bulk material baler embodied in a machine readable data structure and including an instruction to a moveable guide track to move from a removed position to a closed position to create a guide track loop around a volume of bulk material to be baled while that bulk material is under compression and also including in instruction to a bale strap feed drive to feed a pre-determined length of strapping around the guide track loop, and including an instruction to a cutter to cut the end of the bale strap and including an instruction to a strap fastener to fasten together the ends of the bale strap and including an instruction to remove the moveable guide track section from around the bale and an instruction to release compression and an instruction to eject a bound bale.

Abstract: A tilt out head for a bulk material baler that includes a bracket for holding a baling wire feed drive, including an electro servo motor and drive wheels, a baling wire knotter including tying cylinders and an electro servo motor and optionally other equipment such as a cutter, a gripper, and tensioning pins. The tilt out bracket of the present invention pivots at its lower extremity so that the equipment on the bracket may rotate outwards and down away from a baler carriage to a stopped position that exposes all of the parts for ease of repair and maintenance.