Patents Assigned to Steelcase Inc.
  • Patent number: 11589672
    Abstract: A flip top table includes a leg assembly supporting an axle defining a rotation axis extending in a longitudinal direction. A strike plate is non-rotatably secured to the axle, with the strike plate having first and second circumferentially spaced and radially extending stop surfaces. A worksurface is rotatably supported on the axle and includes first and second circumferentially spaced stop surfaces. The worksurface is rotatable about the rotation axis between a use position and a stowed position. A latch assembly is coupled to and rotatable with the worksurface between the use and stowed positions. The latch assembly includes a lock bolt moveable in the longitudinal direction between a disengaged position, wherein the lock bolt is longitudinally displaced from the strike plate, and an engaged position, wherein the lock bolt engages the second stop surface of the strike plate when the worksurface is in the use position. An actuation mechanism is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Jamie Payne, Brian K. Synder, Sean M. Derrick, David K. Jones, David J. Battey, Ivan Colin, Christopher Gale Inman
  • Patent number: 11594865
    Abstract: A connection arrangement for a floor power distribution system includes a hub arrangement configured to distribute electrical power and including a hub housing and an electrical connector, the hub housing configured to abut a floor, and an adapter configured to engage the hub housing of the hub arrangement and configured to abut the floor, wherein at least a portion of the adapter is cantilevered over at least a portion of the hub housing, wherein the portion of the adapter that is cantilevered over the portion of the hub housing is vertically aligned with the electrical connector of the hub arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark A. Schneider, David K. Jones, Jamie Payne, Cody Jay Holstege
  • Patent number: 11583092
    Abstract: A backrest includes a primary frame having a pair of laterally spaced first uprights defining a first opening therebetween, a first front surface and a first rear surface. A secondary frame includes a pair of laterally spaced second uprights defining a second opening therebetween, a second rear surface facing the first front surface of the primary frame and a second front surface, wherein the secondary frame is coupled to the primary frame, and wherein at least portions of the first and second openings are aligned. A flexible shell overlies and is coupled to the second front surface of the secondary frame. The flexible shell includes a third rear surface visible through the aligned portions of the first and second openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Pascal Rolf Hien, Jeffrey A. Hall, John Colasanti, Michael Yancharas
  • Patent number: 11583082
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a rigid back frame, a flexible back shell coupled to the back frame and including a pair of vertical side portions and at least two strap portions extending laterally between the side portions and including a forwardly-facing surface configured to support a back of a seated user, the at least two strap portions including a lowermost strap portion, the lowermost strap portion configured to deflect a first distance when a rearwardly-directed force is exerted on the lowermost strap portion by a seated user, and a lumbar assembly supported from the back frame and configured to support the lumbar region of a back of a seated user, the lumbar assembly configured to deflect a second distance when the rearwardly-directed force is exerted on the lumbar assembly by a seated user, wherein the first distance and the second distance are substantially similar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon J. Peterson, Robert J. Battey, Mark Vander Veen
  • Patent number: 11561000
    Abstract: A lamp assembly includes a base, a support arm coupled to the base, a housing coupled to the support arm, a mirror supported by the housing, a light arrangement supported in the housing, wherein the base, the support arm, and the housing are reconfigurable between a first configuration where the housing is located vertically above the base and a reflective surface of the mirror is parallel with a worksurface, a second configuration where the housing is located vertically above the base and the reflective surface is perpendicular to the worksurface, and a third configuration where the housing is located at least partially rearward of the base and the reflective surface is substantially perpendicular to the worksurface. The lamp assembly may further include a support member configured to cooperate with the base to support a personal communication device, and a rotatable portion of the housing which controls a light intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Mark McKenna
  • Publication number: 20230016156
    Abstract: A lamp assembly includes a base, a support arm coupled to the base, a housing coupled to the support arm, a mirror supported by the housing, a light arrangement supported in the housing, wherein the base, the support arm, and the housing are reconfigurable between a first configuration where the housing is located vertically above the base and a reflective surface of the mirror is parallel with a worksurface, a second configuration where the housing is located vertically above the base and the reflective surface is perpendicular to the worksurface, and a third configuration where the housing is located at least partially rearward of the base and the reflective surface is substantially perpendicular to the worksurface. The lamp assembly may further include a support member configured to cooperate with the base to support a personal communication device, and a rotatable portion of the housing which controls a light intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventor: Mark McKenna
  • Patent number: 11553797
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a back arrangement movable between upright and reclined positions, a linkage arrangement including a first link member comprising a portion of a seat arrangement, a second link member supported on a base, flexibly resilient front link members extending between forward portions of the first and second link members and being integral with the second link member, and a rigid rear link member extending between rearward portions of the first and second link members including a separate piece from the first or second link members, wherein the rearward portion of the first link member extends laterally in a first plane when the back arrangement is upright, and laterally in a second plane when the back arrangement is reclined, where the second plane is angled with respect to the first plane, and is positioned farther away from the base when the back arrangement is reclined than when upright.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 11521355
    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: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Goetzinger, Jr., Kyle R. Dhyne
  • Patent number: 11510495
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a chair with a backrest and a hook assembly. The backrest includes a rear surface having an outwardly protruding rim. The hook assembly comprises a cover plate and a weldment, and the cover plate may include a hook being integrally formed on an exterior face. The hook assembly is configured to be securely coupled on or within the outwardly protruding rim of the backrest, and a secure coupling between the hook assembly and the backrest is formed via insertion of a fastening member, which is inserted through an apertures on a bottom surface of the cover plate, such that the fastener is aligned substantially parallel to the rear surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Robert Machin, Mark Schneider, David O. Morton, Ryan Jerome Ramos, Mark Spoelhof, Jamie Payne, Daniel George Parker
  • Publication number: 20220369817
    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: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Publication number: 20220361669
    Abstract: A cart assembly including a frame having a horizontal worksurface, a plurality of vertical support members extending upwardly from the horizontal worksurface and an upper rail spaced above the horizontal worksurface and connected to the vertical support members. The rail defines an opening at one end thereof. A screen is moveable between at least first and second positions. The screen is moveable through the opening and is supported in an interior space of the frame in the first position. The screen is disposed outside the interior space in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Allen, Charles Beasley, William Bennie, Justin G. Beitzel, Antonio Caballero, Robert Jeffers, Alban Moriniere, Penghao Shan
  • Patent number: 11500280
    Abstract: A system includes a view screen with polarized output. The view screen may include a projected view screen or writing-surface view screen. A window capable of blocking the polarized output at least in part cloaks the view screen to frustrate viewing of the view screen through the window. In some cases, the window includes an array of panels capable of blocking multiple polarizations. The array may disrupt multiple different polarized view screen outputs while maintaining transparency to unpolarized light. In some cases, the window capable of blocking polarized output may be paired with view screen cover that converts view screen output in an unblocked polarization to one of the one or more polarizations blocked by the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventor: Andrew Graham
  • Publication number: 20220354259
    Abstract: A body support assembly includes a moveable body support member coupled to a deflectable suspension material. Methods of using and assembling the body support assembly are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Patent number: 11490051
    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: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolas de Benoist, Francis Gerard Graziano, Mark Baloga, Paul Noll, Terry West
  • Publication number: 20220338637
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a seat portion, a back portion, a support member caused to move between first and second positions, and a back recline lock arrangement that includes an actuator, a lock member caused to move between a locked position when the actuator is in an engaged position where the lock member prevents the support member from moving from the first position toward the second position, and an unlocked position when the actuator is in a disengaged position, and wherein the actuator is configured to move from the disengaged position to the engaged position when the chair back is in the reclined position, and the lock member is prevented from moving from the unlocked position to the locked position until the back assembly is moved from the reclined position to the upright position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Russell T. Holdredge, Nathan Brock
  • Patent number: 11464341
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: D966721
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark McKenna, Kevin Gillhespy, Mark Spoelhof, Brett Willink
  • Patent number: D972322
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Patent number: D972323
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Patent number: D979260
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers