Patents Assigned to Steelcase Inc.
  • Patent number: 12376677
    Abstract: A work environment adjustment system includes multiple instances of controllable office equipment located within an office space, each instance associated with a specific office location and including an activator for controlling states of the instance, at least one presence sensor for detecting user presence within each space associated with each instance, and a master controller linked to each office equipment activator to control activation of each activator to control a current state of each instance. The master controller is programmed to perform the steps of receiving sensor signals from the at least a first presence sensor, determining user presence at each space associated with each instance, controlling states at each of the instances independent of user input when the space associated with the instance is vacant, and enabling user control of the state of each instance associated with a space that is occupied by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Paul Labrosse, Michael Xinjie Chu, Scott Sullivan
  • Patent number: 12375874
    Abstract: A system for use in a facility area including reservable spaces and common spaces and comprising a database storing space information, space map data and space scheduling information and including a user interface display screen mounted in a common space, a user location sensor and a processor linked to the databases and programmed to receive sensor signals and determine when a user is located within the sensing zone, the processor further programmed to generate and present a graphical facility area map representation of the facility area on the display screen and, upon detecting a user within the sensing zone, automatically identifying a destination space within the zone that the user likely intends to travel to and presenting an indication of the space on the graphical map indicating the location of the destination space within the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Patent number: 12371901
    Abstract: A furniture system includes vertical and horizontal frame members, and a connection assembly that includes a T-shaped slot located within the vertical frame member, a T-shaped tab extending from the horizontal frame member and configured to engage the at least one T-shaped slot, at least one locking slot located within the vertical frame member, a locking member configured to engage the locking slot, and a fastener configured such that when the fastener is secured to the locking member the T-shaped tab is driven into engagement with the T-shaped slot and the horizontal frame member is pulled toward the vertical member so as to connect the horizontal frame member to the vertical frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Goosen, David Eberlein, William Patrick Fricke
  • Patent number: 12368817
    Abstract: A system and method for creating a virtual world conferencing experience wherein a first set of real world emissive surfaces and content thereon is replicated on virtual world emissive surfaces where the virtual world emissive surfaces are juxtaposed in a virtual world instance at locations and in orientations that replicate the juxtapositions in the real world arrangement and where the virtual world instance is presented on a second set of real world emissive surfaces at a virtual world workstation where the second set of emissive surfaces are arranged differently than the first set of real world surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas de Benoist, Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Paul Noll, Terry West
  • Publication number: 20250213045
    Abstract: A seat assembly includes a base and a support platform spaced above the base. The support platform includes a pad having a hinge portion defining a flex region, wherein the pad is pivotable about the flex region. A link has a lower portion coupled to the base and an upper portion coupled to the pad, wherein the upper portion is pivotable with the pad about the flex region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2025
    Publication date: July 3, 2025
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Patent number: 12329290
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a structural lattice structure having a first stiffness, and a compressive lattice structure supported by the structural lattice structure and having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness. A skin lattice structure is supported by the compressive lattice structure, wherein the skin lattice structure is resistant to shear deformation in response to a normal force and is expandable in a direction transverse to the normal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Carl V. Forslund, III, John Hamilton, Kurt R. Heidmann, James Ludwig, Bruce Smith, Aaron Michael Porterfield, Sharon L. Tracy, Paul Noll
  • Publication number: 20250134260
    Abstract: A seating structure includes a shell having a central portion, opposite outer peripheral edges laterally spaced from opposite sides of the central portion, and at least one biasing array disposed between each of the opposite sides of the central portion and a respective outer peripheral edge. Each of the biasing arrays includes a plurality of spaced apart support members and at least one connector connecting adjacent support members within each array. The biasing array may include a plurality of biasing arrays, with at least one connector connecting adjacent biasing arrays. A second shell may be connected to the outer peripheral edges of the first shell, with an open space defined there between. Each of the opposite outer peripheral edges is independently deflectable in response to a load being applied to the second shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus Williams Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann
  • Publication number: 20250127305
    Abstract: A body support assembly includes a seat assembly and backrest assembly supported by a tilt control assembly. Methods of using and assembling the body support assembly are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2024
    Publication date: April 24, 2025
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, David Bodnar, James Ludwig, Nathan R. Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • Publication number: 20250101737
    Abstract: A panel assembly includes a vertical panel, an overhang panel and a curved transition panel disposed between the vertical panel and the overhang panel. A fabric layer may be applied to one or more of the various panels by way of a stay being engaged with fabric layer and inserted through an opening in the one or panels. A light assembly may be secured to the panel assembly with a mounting portion. A hook assembly includes vertical and horizontal flanges, with a magnet coupled to the horizontal flange and a hook connected to the vertical flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: John Mark Allen, William B. Bennie, Brian Bultsma, Rachel L. Dekker, Michael John Feldpausch, Anbazhagan Gandhi, James D. Houda, Trevor A. Knauf
  • Patent number: 12241297
    Abstract: An item of furniture includes a first and a second side wall, a rear wall, a base arrangement, and a cover arrangement which delimit a receiving space. An opening is located between the first and the second side wall and in a closed position is closable by a closure flap that includes a first and a second guide device. A first and a second suspension frame are arranged on an upper end face of the first and second side wall, respectively, and point in a direction of the cover arrangement. The first and second guide device are arranged in a region of a first and second side, respectively, of the closure flap and are in mechanical contact with the first and second suspension frame, respectively, over the entire movement path of the closure flap from the open position into the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Florian Fries
  • Patent number: 12238458
    Abstract: A method and system for optimizing conference session activities within a conference space, the system comprising at least a first sensor for sensing session characteristics and a processor receiving the sensed session characteristics and identifying a conference paradigm based on the sensed session characteristics, identifying an action sequence to perform as a function of the conference paradigm and performing the action sequence, wherein the action sequence results in automatic presentation of at least some information to at least a subset of conferees within the conference space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Noll
  • Patent number: 12226028
    Abstract: A chair assembly includes a base assembly, a seat assembly having a pair of side edges and a fore-to-aft extending longitudinal centerline, a back assembly movable between upright and reclined positions, and an arm assembly including an arm base extending from a first location between the side edges to a second location laterally outward of one of the side edges, wherein the arm base extends at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline and at an upward angle from the first location toward the second location, a support assembly supported by and extending upwardly from the arm base, and an armrest supported by the support assembly that is adjustable to support the armrest between a plurality of selected vertical positions, wherein the arm assembly and back assembly move at a different rate from one another as the back assembly is moved between the upright and reclined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: 12231810
    Abstract: A content sharing system for sharing digital content within a conference space, where specific zones within the space are associated with different stations, includes at least one large common emissive surface arranged for viewing by users within the space, at least a first sensor device located within the space for identifying locations of portable computing devices used by conferees within the space, and a processor linked to the emissive surface and the sensor device. The processor is programmed to determine the location of a portable computing device within the space, recognize that the portable computing device is within one of the specific zones associated a station within the space, and, for each portable computing device that is at a station within the conference space, establish a wireless communication link with the portable computing device and enable the portable computing device to share content on the common emissive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Darrin Sculley
  • Publication number: 20250049218
    Abstract: A chair assembly includes a base assembly, a seat assembly having a pair of side edges and a fore-to-aft extending longitudinal centerline, a back assembly movable between upright and reclined positions, and an arm assembly including an arm base extending from a first location between the side edges to a second location laterally outward of one of the side edges, wherein the arm base extends at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline and at an upward angle from the first location toward the second location, a support assembly supported by and extending upwardly from the arm base, and an armrest supported by the support assembly that is adjustable to support the armrest between a plurality of selected vertical positions, wherein the arm assembly and back assembly move at a different rate from one another as the back assembly is moved between the upright and reclined positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: 12213191
    Abstract: A system and method establishing control of affordances at a workstation. The method includes the steps of storing affordance preferences in a database for a plurality of portable affordance settings that may be present at a workstation, detecting a subset of affordances present within a first zone associated with the workstation, for each detected affordance in the subset, identifying an affordance setting in the database indicating a user preference, and automatically controlling settings of at least each of the detected affordances in the subset to match the user preferences for the detected affordances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Darrin Sculley, Bo Anderson, Rachel Anne Neiman, Brandon Buckingham
  • Patent number: D1059859
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Allen, William Bennie, Kaitlyn T. Gillmor
  • Patent number: D1063474
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Kaitlyn Gillmor
  • Patent number: D1071781
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan D. Vaughan, Robert J. Spiess
  • Patent number: D1073334
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Allen, William Bennie, Kaitlyn T. Gillmor
  • Patent number: D1085097
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Iacovoni, Giorgio Verduzio