Patents Assigned to Steelcase Development Corporation
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Patent number: 6474738Abstract: A chair assembly includes a seat shell that includes a seat section adapted to support a user thereon and a back section extending upwardly from the seat section. The seat shell further includes a pair of first coupler portions, and a bolster having a support section and first and second arm sections juxtaposed across the support section. Each arm section of the bolster includes a second coupler portion matable with the first coupler portions. The first coupler portions and second coupler portions couple with one another to allow the bolster to be rotated between a first position, wherein the support section of the bolster is at a first height relative to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position, wherein the support section of the bolster is at a second height relative to the seat section of the seat shell and that is above the first height.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Clifton J. Ratza, Trent A. Eekhoff
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Patent number: 6474665Abstract: A mobile pedestal includes a wheeled cabinet unit with a cabinet made from sheet metal, and a cushioned upholstery-covered top subassembly attached to a top of the wheeled cabinet unit. The top subassembly includes a flat housing made of a wood product and that is shaped to substantially cover the cabinet. The housing defines a pair of edge-located elongated cavities. A U-shaped handle with elongated legs extend into and slidably engage the cavities so that the handle is movable to an internal storage position in the cavities and to an extended angled use position. The legs have a turned-in end and the cavities are configured to engage the turned-in ends to retain the handle to the housing when the handle is in the extended use position, but further the legs are configured to permit the handle to rotate from a horizontal extended position to the angled use position when extended.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2000Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Liisa A. Fink, John R. Hamilton, Kevin B. Miller
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Patent number: 6474025Abstract: A workstation is disclosed. The workstation includes a primary worksurface configured for rotation and coupled to a base configured for rotation, a seat for a user coupled to the base, and a secondary worksurface at least partially surrounding the primary worksurface. The primary worksurface is available to a user on rotation of the primary worksurface and the secondary worksurface is selectively available to the user on rotation of the primary worksurface. A workstation having a rotatable worksurface coupled to the base, a seat for a user coupled to the base, and a partition configured for attachment to the worksurface is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2000Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Frederick S. Faiks, Mitchell Niewiadomski
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Patent number: 6471294Abstract: A chair includes a flexible back shell, a back covering that covers at least a portion of a front surface of the back shell, and an adjustable lumbar device positioned between the back shell and the back covering. The adjustable lumbar device is flexible so that the lumbar device will flex to conform to a horizontal shape of the chair back shell, but is relatively stiff in a direction perpendicular to a front surface of the back shell, such that the lumbar device provides good lumbar support. The lumbar device is positioned between the back shell and the back covering for vertical height adjustment, and frictionally engages the same to retain its adjusted position. Further, the adjustable lumbar device includes rearwardly-extending protrusions that engage slots in the back shell to form a detent-like feature for holding a selected position, and further includes forwardly protruding tabs that act as handles for grasping the lumbar device for adjustment.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2000Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Arnold B. Dammermann, Kurt Heidmann, Bruce M. Smith, Michael W. Welsh
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Patent number: 6471312Abstract: A storage apparatus includes a storage unit defining a front opening, and a closure member configured to cover the front opening. The closure member is attached to the storage unit for movement between open, intermediate and closed positions. The storage apparatus further includes a dampening element operably coupled to the closure member and the storage unit. The dampening element provides enhanced resistance to the movement of the closure member during a final phase of the opening and closing movements of the closure member while not providing enhanced resistance during an initial phase of the opening and closing movements.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2000Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Jeffrey J. Coffey, Richard S. Hand, Theodore M. Haan, Russell T. Holdredge
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Patent number: 6463701Abstract: An information display system is disclosed. A work environment providing a work area and a workstation including the information display system are also disclosed. The information display system includes a track system adapted to attach to a mounting structure and a plurality of display panels coupled to the track system for movement with respect to the mounting structure. The display panels are adapted to present information selectively for display by pivotal and translating movement of the plurality of display panels. The track system may include at least one rail. The display panels may be cantilevered away from the track system at a vertical elevation to provide clearance below the display panels for a seated worker. The information display system may include a plurality of containers coupled to the track system for movement with respect to the mounting structure, with each of the plurality of containers is adapted to include at least one display panel.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1998Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Mark A. Baloga, Carl V. Forslund, III
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Patent number: 6460928Abstract: A back construction for a seating unit includes a back frame, and a compliant back having a forwardly-protruding lumbar support section that is characteristically flexible and bendable, such that the compliant back can be flexed to a plurality of different convex shapes. Top and bottom connections pivotally connect the compliant back to the back frame. An adjustable force-generating mechanism is operably attached to at least one of the compliant back and the back frame. The force-generating mechanism is constructed to provide an adjustable biasing force that adjustably biases the lumbar support section forwardly for optimal lumbar support for a seated user's back, but the force-generating mechanism characteristically provides the biasing force without forcing a shape change in the compliant back. A vertically adjustable lumbar support is slidably attached to the back shell.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2001Date of Patent: October 8, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Glenn A. Knoblock, Arnold B. Dammermann, Larry DeKraker, Kevin A. Ekdahl, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gardner J. Klaasen, II, James A. Perkins, Gordon J. Peterson, Edward H. Punches, Charles P. Roossien, David S. Teppo, Michael J. Yancharas
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Patent number: 6449909Abstract: An information display system is disclosed. A work environment providing a work area and a workstation including the information display system are also disclosed. The information display system includes a track system adapted to attach to a mounting structure and a plurality of display panels coupled to the track system for movement with respect to the mounting structure. The display panels are adapted to present information selectively for display by pivotal and translating movement of the plurality of display panels. The track system may include at least one rail. The display panels may be cantilevered away from the track system at a vertical elevation to provide clearance below the display panels for a seated worker. The information display system may include a plurality of containers coupled to the track system for movement with respect to the mounting structure, with each of the plurality of containers is adapted to include at least one display panel.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2000Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Mark A. Baloga, Carl V. Forslund, III
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Patent number: 6447080Abstract: A telescopingly adjustable furniture article is provided for filling an office space where the footprint dimensions of the office space are not known ahead of time or are likely to be periodically changed to different sizes. The furniture article includes a desk having a worksurface with ends, a support for supporting one of the ends, and a foot on the other end. A storage unit or cabinet having a top is provided. The foot adjustably rests on the top, so that the top supports the other end of the worksurface, but so that the furniture unit is horizontally adjustable to different locations partially under the worksurface. A Z-bracket interconnects the worksurface to the top of the cabinet to secure the relationship of the cabinet and the desk. The furniture article can advantageously be used by itself or in combination with a building wall or demountable architectural wall, or in combination with a partition system to define a plurality of non-uniformly dimensioned offices.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1999Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Alan E. Rheault, Mark W. Chamberlin, Samuel J. Ellison, George J. Simons
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Patent number: 6447067Abstract: An assembly includes a seating unit, and a pair of legs. The legs each engage and support a bottom of the seating unit, and include a protruding attachment member that slides mateably into a pocket in a rear of the seating unit. When the fasteners are installed, the protruding attachment member cannot be removed from the pocket. By this arrangement, the protruding attachment member and pocket form part of a retaining structure for retaining the leg to the seating unit. A back screen releasably fits between the leg and the back, and is retained by the protruding attachment member against the back. The screen can be shipped disassembled from the seating unit, and assembled on site to provide a privacy function while complimenting the chair's architectural appearance.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2001Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Otto N. Williams, Jon H. LeFors, Jess A. Sorel
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Patent number: 6442909Abstract: A knock-down portable partition includes a rigid panel frame having a central portion. The partition includes at least one cover panel covering at least a portion of the central portion of the rigid panel frame. Connectors detachably mount the cover panel on the panel frame to facilitate assembly and removal of the cover panel on the panel frame. The rigid panel frame includes at least two vertical posts having an upper end, a lower end, and opposite side faces. The opposite faces have at least two beam connection ports thereon positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the associated one of the posts. The panel frame also includes upper and lower beams extending generally horizontally between the vertical posts adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof, and interconnecting the vertical posts adjacent the connection ports. The panel frame includes quick-disconnect connectors such as movable lock members positioned on one of the posts and the beams adjacent the connection ports.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2001Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Michael L. Waalkes, Marcus K. Pressnell, Mark T. Slager, Michael R. Shields, Brian J. Kane, Robin Christopher, Dennis J. Boyle, Peter N. Skillman, Charles A. Seiber, Joseph Chang
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Patent number: D462548Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2000Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: James N. Ludwig, David M. Gresham, Karl H. Müller
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Patent number: D462777Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2001Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventor: Thomas M. Phifer
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Patent number: D463061Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2002Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventor: James N. Ludwig
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Patent number: D463601Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2002Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventor: James N. Ludwig
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Patent number: D463920Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2001Date of Patent: October 8, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Peter J. Pearce, Bruce M. Smith, Dale M. Groendal
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Patent number: D464160Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2000Date of Patent: October 8, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventor: James N. Ludwig
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Patent number: D464603Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2002Date of Patent: October 22, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventor: Warwick Mellor Whitley, II
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Patent number: D465049Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2002Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventor: James N. Ludwig
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Patent number: D465360Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2001Date of Patent: November 12, 2002Assignee: Steelcase Development CorporationInventors: Clifton J. Ratza, Trent A. Eekhoff