Patents Examined by James T. McCall
  • Patent number: 4968092
    Abstract: A high chair tray latch mechanism comprising a housing secured to the underside of a high chair tray with movable latches on the opposed side of said housing for engaging apertures in the arms of the chair. A bell crank is rotatably mounted centrally within the housing between the movable latches. First and second rigid rods are pivotally attached at one end to opposite arms of the bell crank and the first and second arms are pivotally attached at their other ends to their respective latches. The crank includes a spring which rotatably biases the crank in a direction to engage the latches with the holes in the arms of the chair. A cable is connected between the crank an a lever located on the underside of the forward part of the tray. Manual squeezing of the lever relative to the tray foreshortens the cable so as to rotate the crank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Spalding & Evenflo Companies, Inc.
    Inventor: Harry J. Giambrone
  • Patent number: 4949490
    Abstract: This invention is concerned with a reinforced panel device which is useful in the display and furniture arts. The reinforced panel device consist of a base and a header. By placement of the header on the base the various panel sections which make up the base are locked into a plumar relationship with each other. the base section of the reinforced panel device comprises a plurality of panel sections which are pivotly connected to each other. The header may comprise a single panel section or a plurality of panel sections which are pivotly connected to each other. The header may be permanently or detachably attached to the base. In accordance with the preferred embodiment the header is attached to the base via a connector plug having a camming end and a hook end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: Channel-Kor Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Melvin M. Miller
  • Patent number: 4921302
    Abstract: A structurally simple table and bench combination includes a rectangular planar table top pivotally connected to two pairs of legs, one pair of legs at one end of the table top being non-extensible, and the other pair of legs at the other end of the table top being extensible; and a bench defined by a pair of tubular sides extending outwardly from the non-extensible legs away from the extensible legs for receiving rods attached to the extensible legs, so that the extensible legs can be moved towards or away from the non-extensible legs while the extensible legs are retracted or extended to change the angle of inclination of the table top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Inventor: William E. Godwin
  • Patent number: 4919487
    Abstract: A chair structure is disclosed. The chair structure is provided with a chair seat section including first and second transversely spaced legs, a transverse cross brace fixed to and rigidly interconnecting the legs, first and second transversely spaced seat side support members having respective first and second end portions thereon, and a fabric extending between the seat side support members and forming a seat therebetween. The cross brace comprises an elongate member having a decorative outer side, first and second spaced apart end sections and an inner side. The inner side of the cross brace includes a support surface thereon for supporting the end portions of the seat side support members on the end sections of the elongate cross brace member, with the end portions of the seat side support members being substantially shielded from view, in front elevation, by the decorative outer side of the cross brace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Omni Products International, Inc.
    Inventor: Terence Gibbs
  • Patent number: 4919486
    Abstract: Herein disclosed is a vehicular seat which comprises a rectangular seatback frame; a side plate secured to one side lower portion of the seatback frame; a reclining device having a pivotal arm; two sets of bolts and nuts for detachably connecting the side plate and the pivotal arm; a hook member defined by one of the side plate and the pivotal arm; and a catch structure defined by the other of the side plate and the pivotal arm. The hook member is latchingly and detachably engaged with the catch structure when the side plate is secured to the pivotal arm by means of the bolts and nuts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isamu Chinomi, Yuji Tanaka
  • Patent number: 4919481
    Abstract: A chair has a pair of rodlike supports for contacting the ground, each of which have a first portion under the legs and seat which is curved to a first radius, and a second portion curved to a second radius different from said first radius. A flexible cover is mounted onto cross braces between the rodlike supports with the cover central portion being left hanging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1990
    Inventor: Edward A. Garabedian
  • Patent number: 4917438
    Abstract: An adjustable-width seating unit for a passenger-carrying vehicle has a pillar pivotally connected to its support frame to swing about a first axis substantially longitudinally disposed with respect to the seating unit, an armrest mounted on the pillar and rotatable relative to the pillar about a second axis, fixed relative to the pillar and substantially longitudinally disposed with respect to the seating unit. On swinging the pillar about the first axis the armrest may be moved between laterally-spaced positions and by rotating the armrest about the second axis its angular disposition relative to the seating unit may be maintained.A detent adjacent to the pivotal connection of the pillar to the frame locates the pillar positively but releasably in its respective positions and a detent adjacent to the rotational mounting of the armrest similarly locates the armrest in different angular positions relative to the pillar. The arrangement can be such that both detents may be released in a single action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: Flight Equipment & Engineering Limited
    Inventor: Arthur Morgan
  • Patent number: 4917436
    Abstract: A picnic table having attached bench seats around the periphery thereof with one segment of the bench seat being removable to enable access to the periphery of the table by a person occupying a wheelchair or a conventional chair. The picnic table surface is provided with an extension in the access area to extend the edge of the table radially outwardly to render it more accessible to a person occupying a wheelchair or chair. The bench seat component along a portion of the periphery of the chair is attached by bracket structures which enable it to be removed as a unit and stored in a convenient location to enable the wheelchair or chair to be inserted between the end portions of the bench seats that define an open area around the periphery of the table with the extension on the table surface being aligned with the open space defined by removal of the segment of the bench seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: Thom's Inc.
    Inventor: Howard L. Thom
  • Patent number: 4915448
    Abstract: An improved power driven lumbosacral backrest having a back engaging contour which is adjustable under power of manual operation to accommodate users' backs which vary widely in configuration and dimension. It has a contour defined by a spindle inserted between a foundation frame and resilient back support, the regulator spindle being adjustable along the back support and adapted to define a transverse plane of rigidity at the proper level and shape to provide comfortable support for the individual user's back. The backrest includes a pair of gear racks, a pair of gears and a series of rollers journaled to a shaft between the gears. A plurality of spaced apart flexible bands are trained over the rollers and gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Inventor: Robin L. Morgenstern
  • Patent number: 4915444
    Abstract: A three-way recliner chair in which a linkage system mounts a seat and backrest assembly to a stationary armrest frame for reclining movement between a generally upright or closed position, a TV position and advanced reclining positions beyond TV position. The chair is actuated to TV and reclining positions by pushing rearwardly off the armrests and against the backrest. The seat and backrest assemblies are mounted to front and rear carrier links which, in turn, are mounted by front and rear mounting links to the armrest frame. A sequencer link is pivotally connected between the front carrier link and the armrest frame to prevent relative movement between the seat and backrest when the chair is in the upright position. However, when the chair is moved towards TV position, the sequencer link will allow relative movement between the backrest and the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Inventor: Walter C. Rogers, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4915451
    Abstract: A seat belt system includes a cable for attachment of a seat belt buckle to a vehicle structure. The cable transmits forces from the buckle to the vehicle structure. The buckle has a base plate with a pair of facing channels. The cable has a loop intermediate its ends and parallel extending end portions. Opposite portions of the loop are located in the channels in the base plate. A member is attached to the base plate and located in the loop and has surface portions engageable with the loop. The channels retain the opposite portions of the loop against the member, and the member transmits forces acting on the buckle to the cable. An attachment plate connects the cable to the vehicle structure. The attachment plate has a channel with a bottom wall for receiving the end portions of the cable. A plurality of projections on the attachment plate clamp the end portions of the cable against the channel bottom wall to secure the cable to the attachment plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken M. Forget, Mark F. Gray
  • Patent number: 4915449
    Abstract: A chair comprises a base structure, a seat mounted on the base structure for pivoting about a transverse axis, travel limiting means which define the position of maximum rearward pivoting and the position of maximum forward pivoting of the seat, and resilient means which bias the seat towards its position of maximum rearward pivoting. The travel limiting means enable at least one of the end-of-travel positions to be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Pro-Cord S.r.l.
    Inventor: Giancarlo Piretti
  • Patent number: 4915450
    Abstract: A work station system (20) comprises a frame substructure (24) for holding aloft a horizontal axial shaft (74). A chair (22) is coupled to the shaft (74) by chair coupling member (90); a device carriage (27) is coupled to the shaft (74) by a carriage coupling member (92); and a footrest assembly (28) is coupled to the shaft (74) by a footrest coupling member (94). The chair (22), device carriage (27), and footrest assembly (28) are coupled to the shaft (74) to selectively pivot together about the shaft (74), and in such a manner that a constant spatial relationship is maintained between the chair (22) and the device carriage (27). The chair (22) is swivelly connected to the chair coupling member (90). The frame substructure (24) is situated substantially entirely on one side of a perpendicular bisector (78) dropped from the shaft (74) to a base (50). The frame substructure (24) includes axis elevating means (34) for elevating the shaft (74).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Inventor: Lloyd G. B. Cooper
  • Patent number: 4913494
    Abstract: A reclining apparatus comprises a back arm pivotally mounted to a holder plate and having a latch gear portion; a lower teeth section pivotally mounted to the holder plate and engaged with and disengaged from the latch gear portion to lock and unlock the back arm; a cam pivotally mounted to the holder plate and contacting the lower teeth section; a joining portion joined to the cam and an operating lever; and a device for moving the joining portion to locate the joining portion on the rear side of the holder plate when the lower teeth section is completely locked with the latch gear portion, and to locate at least a portion of the joining portion from the rear side of the holder plate to a visible place when the lower teeth section is imcompletely locked with the latch gear portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Fujikiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Isao Ikegaya
  • Patent number: 4913495
    Abstract: A seat for an automobile or the like includes a seat cushion; a seat back connected to the seat cushion, a space being formed within a lower portion of the seat back; a rod which is pivotably interposed between opposed side frames of the seat back and to one end of which a link plate is secured to an; a hip support secured intermedate portion of the rod and disposed within the space provided within the seat back; an operation handle provided upon one of the side frames; a pinion to which the rotation of the operation handle is transmitted by means of a brake mechanism; and a driven gear pivotably disposed upon onthe same axis as that of the rod and upon the aforenoted side frame for meshing engagement with the pinion, a pivoting end portion thereof being connected to a pivoting end portion of the link plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Shiroki Corporation
    Inventors: Youetsu Nagasaka, Akihiko Yatsushiro
  • Patent number: 4913497
    Abstract: A belt tightener for seat belts in vehicles comprises a device for moving the belt buckle in a belt-tightening sense and for locking the belt buckle at the end of the tightening movement, which device is activated by a so-called vehicle-sensitive system in response to an acceleration or deceleration in excess of predetermined critical values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Britax-Kolb GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Walter Knabel, Josef Mayer, Stephan Wentker
  • Patent number: 4913492
    Abstract: This invention provides a vehicle seat with improved reclining adjustments for operators. A recliner assembly (13) includes a recliner (34) supported between a rear tilt bracket (25) depending from the backrest assembly (11) and a front tilt bracket (29) depending from the front of seat assembly (12), the recliner assembly being disposed along the central longitudinal axis of the seat assembly and between the sides of the backrest assembly, whereby twisting of the backrest with respect to the seat is more effectively minimized and compensated for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Assignee: Sears Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: J. Scott Shovar
  • Patent number: 4913496
    Abstract: A chair comprises a ground supported frame having an upper planar surface. A recess portion is formed in the frame interrupting the upper surface. An L-shaped bracket has a first portion extending parallel to the surface and positioned within the recessed portion and a second portion extending upwardly therefrom generally transverse thereto. The first portion is secured within the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 3, 1990
    Inventor: George V. Oke
  • Patent number: 4911501
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a suspension mechanism (10) utilized to interconnect the seating portion (16) as well as the back supporting portion (18) of a chair assembly (12) to a pedestal assembly (14). A spring support (30) is fastened to the upper end portion of the pedestal assembly (14). At least one primary seat spring (40) is secured to the spring support (30) and extends generally upwardly and rearwardly therefrom to be secured to the underside of a seating portion (16). Preferably, the primary seat spring (40) comprises a pair of laterally spaced, leaf springs (40). Also secured to the spring support (30), and preferably between the pair of laterally spaced primary seat springs (40), is an interactive spring (60). The interactive spring (60) extends outwardly from the spring support (30) in generally parallel relation with the primary seat springs (40) to be disposed in a cantilevered fashion therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Harter Corporation
    Inventors: Lloyd B. Decker, Barron J. Gulliver, Steven S. Wogoman
  • Patent number: 4911498
    Abstract: An infant seat sun visor apparatus is set forth wherein a mounting yoke is secured in overlying relationship to an existing infant seat with a forward "U" shaped pivotally mounted sun visor pivotally mountable relative to the mounting yoke by a plurality of spring clamps formed with interacting serrated teeth to angularly position the visor relative to the yoke, as desired. The yoke is provided with a downwardly depending "T" shaped abutment member positionable rearwardly of the seat including a plurality of interiorly positioned friction pads to frictionally maintain the apparatus in position relative to the infant seat. Protective resilient molding is formed about the edges of the pivotally mounted visor to enhance protection of an infant. The sun visor apparatus of the instant invention enables the infant to be shaded from sun's rays while simultaneously limiting obstruction of vision of the infant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Inventors: Anthony H. Becher, Michelle E. Becher