Patents Examined by Laurie K. Cranmer
  • Patent number: 7878590
    Abstract: A chair includes a seat section, a back section and a spine support member. The back section includes a frame having an upper side, a lower side and lateral sides which form an opening, the lower side being in closer proximity to the seat section than the upper side. The back section further includes a material portion attached to the frame which extends across the opening. The back section has a front side and a back side with the front side in closer proximity to the seat section than the back side. The spine support member is attached to the back side of the back section and positioned against a rear of the material portion, the spine support member having an elongated shape with a major axis intersecting the upper and lower sides of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: B&B Innovators, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Ronald Bilak, Ronald Edward Bilak
  • Patent number: 7874618
    Abstract: The invention relates to a vehicle seat with a backrest (1) and a seat part (2a), wherein the seat part (2a) can be displaced in the forward and backward direction (4) with respect to a base frame (3, 11) and the backrest (1) has a lumbar spine region (14) which can be deformed in the forward and backward direction (13), wherein a rocker-like element (8) is provided which is arranged in the lumbar spine region (14) such that it can pivot about a horizontally running pivot axle (9), said rocker-like element extending at least partially along the longitudinal direction of the backrest, wherein the pivot axle (9) can be displaced together with the seat part (2a) in the forward and backward direction (4) and a pivotable section (8b) of the rocker-like element (8) is attached to the base frame (3, 11) in a backrest region of the base frame (3, 11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Grammer AG
    Inventors: Josef Kohl, Christian Erker
  • Patent number: 7874621
    Abstract: The seat depth adjustable motor vehicle seat comprises a first seat part, a second seat part and a longitudinal adjustment device interposed between the first seat part and the second seat part and allowing for displacement movement in a first seat direction of the first seat part relative to the second seat part. The seat further comprises a toothed rack connected to the second seat part and extending substantially in the first seat direction. A primary gear meshes with the toothed rack. A secondary gear is in rotating communication with the primary gear. A toothed bar extends substantially in a second seat direction and engages the secondary gear. A third seat part is slidably disposed in the second seat direction and is connected to the toothed bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: C. Rob. Hammerstein GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Gumbrich, Stefan Gebauer, Nils Magnus
  • Patent number: 7866746
    Abstract: The present invention can include a frame member which attaches the monitor panel at a back side of a vehicle seat, a skin member covering the vehicle seat, a pad member having a seat outer shape, the frame member is harder than the pad member, and the frame member is arranged at a back side of the vehicle seat in place of the pad member and covered by the skin member and the monitor panel is attached to the frame member through the skin member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toyotaka Watanabe, Takayuki Niwa, Nobuhiko Kazui, Masahiro Iwamoto, Satoshi Sugiyama, Kenji Obara, Naoki Mitsuoka, Hideyuki Yamanaka, Yuji Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 7862122
    Abstract: An un-automated lift assist for the physically challenged whereby a user may push against a pair of armrests causing a portion of the armrest to initially compress, and later rebound when the individual is transitioning from a seated to an upright position. The lift assist has two upright side members with armrests and a base member with a support panel that are placed between a removable cushion of a article of furniture and the support frame of the article of furniture, so that the in-situ cushion is between a seated individual and the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Linda Susan Shammas
  • Patent number: 7857387
    Abstract: A pneumatic lordosis support (1) consists of a cushion (3), which is integrated into the backrest (2) of a seat. Laterally of a vertical center line (7), the cushion encompasses horizontal connections (8) between a front side and a rear side of the cushion (3). The cushion (3) is composed of an air-tight flexible membrane. In the region of the vertical center line (7), the connections (8) encompass breaks. Vertically offset to the connections (8), the cushion (3) encompasses further central horizontal connections (10), which extend substantially across the region of the breaks in the connection (8). In the region where connections (8) and central connections (10) are located close to one another, reduced radii of the membrane lead to the occurrence of less stress than in the remaining cushions (3) and allow the spine of a user to dip into the cushion (3) more softly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Prospective Concepts AG
    Inventor: Daniel Habegger
  • Patent number: 7854476
    Abstract: A baby seat includes a seat shell equipped with a folding stand and straps for fastening to an adult chair, a seat back shell having two smoothly arched top protrusions at the top side to show the configuration of the head of an animal, two armrests connected between the seat back shell and the seat shell and a soft seat cushion configured to exhibit the configuration of an animal and divided into a seat back portion that carries a design and a seat portion, the seat cushion having a sleeve extended from the top side thereof for sleeving onto the seat back shell and two flexible tie cords respectively affixed to two opposite lateral sides thereof with stitches for insertion through insertion slots on the seat shell to tie the seat cushion to the seat shell, the sleeve having two curved portions fitting the smoothly arched top protrusions of the seat back shell to enhance positioning stability of the seat cushion on the seat back shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Inventor: Cheh-Kang Liu
  • Patent number: 7841657
    Abstract: A cushion adapted to be placed on a child safety seat is provided. The cushion has a head pad having a neck supporting portion protruding outwardly along the lower rim of the head pad; and a pair of head side supporting surfaces inclined upwardly toward the left/right end of the head pad; a back pad having a pair of body side supporting surfaces inclined upwardly toward the left/right end of the back pad; and a hip pad having a hip supporting surface inclined upwardly from the rear end of the hip pad toward the front end of the hip pad; and a pair of knee supporting surfaces inclined upwardly toward the left/right end of the hip pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Combi Corporation
    Inventors: Noriko Nishimoto, Shushi Hosoya, Masaharu Inoue, Momoe Kamei, Ryoichi Yumoto
  • Patent number: 7837269
    Abstract: An armrest, in particular for an office chair, preferably has a height-adjustable armrest column and an arm support positioned on the armrest column. In order to improve the operation of an armrest of this type, it is recommended that a multi-function bearing head disposed on the armrest column be fitted, with a rotational, longitudinal and lateral adjustment mechanism for the arm support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: BOCK1 GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hermann Bock
  • Patent number: 7837266
    Abstract: In the case of a transmission device (5) for a vehicle seat (1), in particular a motor vehicle seat, with at least one hub (7, 27, 27?, 27?) and a shaft (10) which interact in a form-fitting manner in order to transmit a torque, wherein the shaft (10) has a profile with m teeth (12) and the hub (7, 27, 27?, 27?) has a profile with a central opening with n receptacles (15, 15?), and wherein each receptacle (15, 15?) is designed for interaction with a tooth (12), the hub (7, 27, 27?, 27?) has n=2m receptacles (15, 15?) or n=2m?1 receptacles (15, 15?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: KEIPER GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ulrich Lehmann
  • Patent number: 7832798
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a ventilated seat with a valve sheet having one or more valve assemblies. The valve sheet maybe on a frame of the seat. The valve assemblies open in response to a force such as a force applied by an individual occupying the seat. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of thermally regulating a seat by occupying a seat with a valve sheet. By occupying the seat one or more valves assemblies open air moving though the open valve assemblies thermally regulates the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: W.E.T. Automotive Systems AG
    Inventors: Goran Bajic, Marinko Lazanja, Zoran Panic, Boris Zlotin, Peter Ulan, Vladimir Gerasimov, Vladimir Proseanik
  • Patent number: 7828387
    Abstract: A headrest storage recession of seat back in an upside-recessed-and-headrest-storage type of seat has, provided at the backward side thereof, an integral combination of a cover element and an upward extension of a back board disposed behind the seat back. Namely, the cover element is connected continuously with the back board upward extension, without any connection line therebetween. A thin hinge portion is defined in boundary between those cover element and upward extension, and the cover element is folded relative to such thin hinge portion and securely attached to the upward extension, thereby constituting a backward wall of the headrest storage recession.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisayuki Yoshizawa
  • Patent number: 7828388
    Abstract: An armrest for use with a motorized vehicle is provided comprising first and second substantially opposing surfaces elongated longitudinally along the vehicle's interior surface and extending laterally inward therefrom. The armrest also includes a substantially vertical wall portion extending from the inner periphery of the first and second surfaces. The first and second surfaces define a plurality of channels oriented substantially parallel to one another and elongated longitudinally relative to the vehicle, in either a parallel or oblique fashion relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The plurality of channels is configured to sustain substantial vertical loading and controllably deform under a predetermined threshold lateral crush load. In addition, the plurality of channels preferably includes one or more partitions within each of the channels that are oriented relative to one another to thereby create a load path for lateral loads imparted to the armrest assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 7828379
    Abstract: There is disclosed a vehicle seat provided with a system for facilitating relieving of fatigue of an occupant on the vehicle seat, the vehicle seat including a seat back, the system comprising an occupant's body-motion promoting means 6 provided in an interior of the seat back 1 for repeatedly locally pressing the occupant on the vehicle seat, to thereby promote blood circulation of the occupant, a lateral acceleration sensor 8 provided in the interior of the seat back 1 for detecting accelerations that are applied in right and left lateral directions relative to a vehicle, and an acceleration-distinction control circuit provided in the interior of the seat back 1 for causing the body-motion promoting means 6 to be maintained in a drivable state according when an acceleration detected by the lateral acceleration sensor 8 is in a predetermined value range, for causing drive of the body-motion promoting means to be once stopped when the lateral acceleration becomes an excessive value exceeding an upper limit of
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7823970
    Abstract: A vehicle seat has a seat cushion, a seat bag, a lock mechanism and a belt anchor. The seat cushion has a cushion frame. The seat bag has a back frame that is rotatably connected to the cushion frame. The lock mechanism is provided on each of the frames, and latch-connected to a striker at a vehicle side. The belt anchor is provided on one of the two frames, and is fastened with a seat belt. A force transmission structure is provided between the two frames, in which when the seat belt is pulled forward, so that a member between the belt anchor and the striker is deformed, a member at a side of the one frame pushes a member at a side of the other frame, thereby force is transmitted from the one frame side to the other frame side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Okuda, Osamu Fujimoto, Masatoshi Handa
  • Patent number: 7823966
    Abstract: A chair includes a base structure and a seat which is movably secured to the base structure. Connected to the seat is a backrest for swinging in a virtually wall-avoiding manner. A footrest is movable between a stowed position when not being used and an extended position when in use, wherein the footrest is disposed in the stowed position below the seat in approximate parallel relationship thereto and has a seat-distal surface provided with a padding. The footrest is connected to the seat by a swivel fitting which is constructed such that a movement of the backrest causes a movement of the footrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Ferdinand Lusch GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Christian Buchholz
  • Patent number: 7819473
    Abstract: A chair is provided that is designed so that the angle of the seat surface portion and the angle of the back surface portion are independent of each other and change, and a user can always take the optimum seated posture. The chair includes a base portion, a first link fixed to a seat and rotatably connected to the base portion, and a second link fixed to a seat back rest and rotatably connected to the first link. The chair also includes a first torque-generating mechanism that generates torque in accordance with the angle of the first link relative to the base portion; and a second torque-generating mechanism that generates torque in accordance with the angle of the second link relative to the first link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zenroh Fukai
  • Patent number: 7814716
    Abstract: A system for mounting a prefabricated construction unit in an aperture in a building structure comprises a plurality of clips. The clips have exterior ends adapted to be affixed to a frame of the construction unit and interior ends adapted to be affixed to the building structure. The exterior ends may be bent to provide deep grooves which receive a flange of the construction unit. The clips permit a construction unit to be installed without the need for a worker to insert fasteners through the flange from outside the building structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Inventor: Andrew M. Moffatt
  • Patent number: 7815259
    Abstract: An office chair is provided with includes a chair arm assembly on each opposite side thereof for supporting the arms of a user. The arm assemblies each include a latching assembly to permit adjustment of the height of an arm cap thereof while maintaining the arm cap at a selected elevation. The latch assembly is engageable with an inner liner provided within a support post. Further, the armrest assembly has a plurality of interconnected and relatively movable plates which permit adjustment of the angular orientation of the arm cap along with adjustment of the arm cap in the front-to-back direction and the side-to-side direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Haworth, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Fookes, Tracy Cook, Keith Shoemaker, Brian Gessler, Rick Roels
  • Patent number: 7806479
    Abstract: A pivoting joint for use in a task chair or the like provides an adjustable elastomeric coupling that permits multi-axis rocking of the seat pan with a restoring force that provides controlled stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Wisys Technology Foundation
    Inventors: Hans R. Jensen, Robert J. Jensen