Patents Assigned to Steelcase Inc.
  • BODY SUPPORT ASSEMBLY AND METHODS FOR THE USE AND ASSEMBLY THEREOF
    Publication number: 20210267375
    Abstract: A frame includes laterally spaced apart first and second support locations. A leaf spring has a longitudinal axis and extends between the first and second support locations. The leaf spring includes opposite first and second ends coupled to the frame along the longitudinal axis. A flexible shell is coupled to the frame at a third support location longitudinally spaced apart from the first and second support locations. The flexible shell is coupled to the leaf spring between the first and second support locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann
  • Curved display and curved display support
    Patent number: 11102857
    Abstract: An emissive surface assembly includes an emissive surface configuration having a substantially contiguous emissive surface on which visual content may be presented. The emissive surface configuration has emissive surface sections including at least a first substantially flat emissive surface section, at least first and second curved emissive surface sections that are curved about first and second non-parallel axis, the first curved section positioned adjacent a first edge of the first substantially flat emissive surface section, the second curved section adjacent a second edge of the first substantially flat emissive surface section, each of the curved and flat surface sections forming a portion of the substantially contiguous emissive surface, and a driver for presenting content on the substantially contiguous emissive surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventor: Mark A. Baloga
  • Template based content preparation system for use with a plurality of space types
    Patent number: 11100282
    Abstract: A system for use with different space types, each space type including emissive surfaces, each emissive surface controllable to present content within the space, the system comprising a database that includes a separate template for each space type, each template indicating surfaces associated with the space type, relative juxtapositions of the surfaces in the space and content types to be presented in each surface, a processor programmed to allow a user to select a space type, identify an associated space type template, identifying content types for each surface and storing the received content in a session specification for subsequent access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Mark Baloga, Terry D. West, Nicolas De Benoist, Paul Noll, Francis Gerard Graziano, Paul Siebert
  • Seating arrangement
    Patent number: 11096497
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes an upwardly-extending back arrangement movable between upright and reclined positions, and a seat arrangement that includes a first link member extending horizontally and having forward and rearward portions, a second link member spaced from the first link member, a third link member coupled to the first and second link members and substantially flexible along a majority of a length thereof, and a fourth link member operably coupled to the first and second link members, the fourth link member being substantially rigid along a majority of a length thereof, wherein the link members cooperate to form a four-bar linkage assembly, and wherein the seat arrangement moves in a rearward direction as the back arrangement is moved between the upright position and the reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt Heidmann, Bruce Michael Smith, Mark Spoelhof
  • Seating arrangement
    Patent number: 11083301
    Abstract: An arm assembly includes an arm support configured to support an arm of a seated user, an arm stalk extending downwardly from and supporting the arm support, an arm base telescopingly receiving the arm stalk between a first position and a second position and a bearing arrangement positioned between the arm stalk and the arm base. The bearing arrangement includes a bearing member configured to abut the arm base, and a biasing member configured to bias the bearing member from the arm stalk and into abutment with the arm base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Russell T. Holdredge, Nathan Brock
  • Space guidance and management system and method
    Patent number: 11085771
    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: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Directed audio system for audio privacy and audio stream customization
    Patent number: 11082771
    Abstract: A system includes an audio transducer. The audio output of the transducer may be directed at an operator. The directionality of the audio output may ensure privacy in audio delivery. Further, the directionality of the audio output may reduce the potential for other nearby individuals to be disturbed by the audio output. A directed audio system may control the content of the audio output. The content of the audio output may be configured for applications in individual operator workspaces, multiple-operator common spaces, shared-use spaces or a combination thereof. The directed audio system may customize the audio output in accord with a stored audio profile for the operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase, Inc.
    Inventors: Darrin Sculley, Mark Slager, Scott Wilson, Mark McKenna, Kirk Gregory Griffes
  • CHAIR ASSEMBLY WITH UPHOLSTERY COVERING
    Publication number: 20210227981
    Abstract: A chair includes a base structure, a seat support structure, a back frame comprising a front surface, a rear surface and a forwardly extending bottom portion pivotably connected to the base, a biasing member biasing the back frame from a reclined position toward an upright position, wherein the biasing member is located entirely forward a rearward most edge of the seat support structure, and a back shell comprising a forwardly extending bottom portion connected to the seat support structure, a front surface, a rear surface positioned in front of the front surface of the back frame, a pair of laterally spaced side portions defining an opening therebetween, and a top portion extending laterally between and connected to the side portions, wherein each of the side portions are exclusively connected to the back frame at a first location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Floor power distribution system
    Patent number: 11063411
    Abstract: A floor power distribution system that includes a power distribution junction assembly including a first housing configured to abut a floor surface, a pair of receptacle junction assemblies each including a second housing configured to abut the floor surface, and a pair of raceway assemblies each including an elongated raceway including a longitudinally extending channel, a pair of ramps each coextending with the elongated raceway on opposite sides thereof, each ramp including a proximate edge that engages the elongated raceway and having a first thickness, and a distal edge having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness, wherein the elongated raceway and the elongate ramp are configured to be located between the floor surface and a floor covering in an area frequented by foot traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Schneider, David K. Jones, Jamie Payne, Cody Jay Holstege
  • Seating components with laminated bonding material
    Patent number: 11058224
    Abstract: A seating support arrangement includes a seating frame, a cover member supported by the seating frame, the cover member having a first elastic modulus in a first direction, the cover member having an outer surface area and a support area that is less than the outer surface area and is configured to support a user, and a polymer film surface layer attached to the support area of the cover member such that the combination of the cover member in the support area and the surface layer has a second elastic modulus in the first direction that is greater than the first elastic modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James Nolan Ludwig, Bruce M. Smith, Carl V. Forslund, III, Christopher J. Norman, Gordon J. Peterson, Fredric Biddle, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • BODY SUPPORT ASSEMBLY AND METHODS FOR THE USE AND ASSEMBLY THEREOF
    Publication number: 20210204699
    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: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, David Bodnar, James Ludwig, Nate Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • SEATING ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
    Publication number: 20210177149
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a base member, and an integrally formed support member coupled to the base member and supporting a seat moveable from an upright position to a reclined position, wherein a portion of the support member is bendable as the seat moves from the upright position to the reclined position such that a first side of the support member is put in tension and a second side generally opposite the first side is put in compression, and wherein the first side includes a tensile substrate so that the first side has as higher modulus of elasticity than the second side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Michael J. Kemen
  • Upholstery systems and methods for forming a curved surface
    Patent number: 11034576
    Abstract: An upholstery system for forming a curved furniture surface includes two surfaces that form a corner, two planar elements that are each positioned on one of the two surfaces, and a plurality of contoured elements positioned between the two planar elements and along the corner. Each of the plurality of contoured elements includes a curved surface. The system also includes at least one piece of fabric that includes at least three sections, which are connected to each other in a series such that adjacent sections form a connection portion. The system further includes a plurality of clips positioned on each of the two surfaces. The at least three sections of the at least one piece of fabric are positioned over the planar elements and the plurality of contoured elements. The connected portion of adjacent sections of the at least one piece of fabric is connected to the plurality of clips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Smith, Ryan McGovern, Rolf Pascal Hien, Mark Spoelhof, Greg Opatik, Kade Roggentine
  • Inferred activity based conference enhancement method and system
    Patent number: 11006080
    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: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Noll
  • Virtual world method and system for affecting mind state
    Patent number: 11006073
    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: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas de Benoist, Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Paul Noll, Terry West
  • Virtual affordance sales tool
    Patent number: 10984597
    Abstract: A system and method for modeling visual and non-visual experiential characteristics of a work space environment, the system comprising at least a first emissive surface useable to view a virtual world (VW) representation, a processor that is programmed to perform the steps of (a) presenting a VW representation via the at least a first emissive surface, the VW representation including an affordance configuration shown in the VW representation, (b) model at least one non-visual experiential characteristic associated with an environment associated with the VW representation and (c) present at least some indication of the non-visual experiential characteristic to the system user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Goetzinger, Jr., Kyle R. Dhyne
  • Base
    Patent number: D917387
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James Ludwig, Hyun Yoo
  • Cart
    Patent number: D921322
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Charles Beasley, Penghao Shan, John M. Allen, Justin G. Beitzel, Alban Moriniere, William Bennie
  • Chair
    Patent number: D921409
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Bruce Smith, Mark Spoelhof, Kurt R. Heidmann, Pascal Hien
  • Chair
    Patent number: D921410
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Bruce Smith, Mark Spoelhof, Kurt R. Heidmann, Pascal Hien