Patents Examined by Rodney B. White
  • Patent number: 11834006
    Abstract: A vehicle seat console has at least one vehicle-side guide element and at least one seat-side guide element which is arranged parallel to the vehicle-side guide element. The vehicle seat console also has at least one longitudinal adjustment device which is acted upon by a drive device and is designed to produce a relative adjustment between the vehicle-side guide element and the seat-side guide element. A force-limiting device with a force-limiting element is provided between the longitudinal adjustment device and the vehicle-side guide element and/or between the longitudinal adjustment device and the seat-side guide element. The force-limiting element has a first deformation section which deforms under the effect of a force acting thereon above a specified force threshold. The force-limiting element has a second deformation section which is guided by a deflecting assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Huf, Sylvia Kleindl, Fabian Koehler, Robert Martin, Robert Painer, Martin Unger
  • Patent number: 11832734
    Abstract: A chair includes a seat, a backrest, and an elastic link. The seat supports a user's buttocks, wherein the backrest supports the user's back, the elastic link elastically connects a side portion of the seat to a side portion of the backrest, the seat includes a seat free end formed at a rear portion thereof without being connected to the backrest and the backrest includes a backrest free end formed at a lower portion thereof without being connected to the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI LIVART FURNITURE CO., LTD., JINWON CO., LTD., Studio Weber and Associates
    Inventor: Jeffrey Allen Weber
  • Patent number: 11825949
    Abstract: A chair that provides movement side-to-side about a first pivot axis positioned above the seat plane allows the user a wide range of dynamic movement, but does not require constant or excessive action on the part of the user to maintain a desired position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: Michael David Collier
  • Patent number: 11819130
    Abstract: A novel form of furniture where various types of seating arrangements which can be provided with interchangeable hexagon shaped cushions to achieve swivel chair, sofa and stool configuration. The assembly allows easy to assemble and disassemble structure where multiple configurations can be achieved with slide adjustments. The assembly allows enhanced air circulation, easy removal and placement of cushions, easy storage, interchangeable cushions and allows user to replace or service individual cushions without the need to replace the entire furniture piece. The cushions are also interchangeable for aesthetic choices where user can create different color combinations based on their aesthetic preference. Cushion units can be replaced to change its visual appearance without the need to replace the entire chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Inventor: James Piatt
  • Patent number: 11813787
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing suspension seating includes providing a blank to be used in a suspension member. The blank has a non-visible marker. The method also includes illuminating the non-visible marker with an excitation source. The non-visible marker becomes detectable when illuminated by the excitation source. The method further includes sensing the non-visible marker with a sensor. The sensor is configured to detect the non-visible marker when illuminated by the excitation source. The method also includes determining, by a controller, a characteristic of the blank using the non-visible marker. The controller is in communication with the sensor and configured to receive information related to the non-visible marker from the sensor. The method further includes adjusting the blank to achieve the desired characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: MILLERKNOLL, INC.
    Inventor: Ethan McGraw
  • Patent number: 11813968
    Abstract: An infant car seat includes a seat main body having a handle mount, a canopy unit operable to positionally cover the seat main body, and a handle mounted to the handle mount of the seat main body. The handle is rotatable relative to the handle mount about a mounting axis, and is operably connected to the canopy unit so that rotation of the handle relative to the handle mount drives the canopy unit to move relative to the seat main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: WONDERLAND SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Kyle S. Mason, Colin F. Eggert-Crowe
  • Patent number: 11812870
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a base, a seat and a backrest, with the backrest connected to the base with a torsion leaf spring. The torsion leaf spring may be configured with a plurality of fingers, and/or one or more flex regions. One or more struts may be connected between the seat or backrest and the base. In another aspect, the seat and/or backrest may be supported with one or more links that provide a counter-intuitive motion. In another aspect, a link may be coupled to a support with a flexible blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 11812871
    Abstract: A chair includes a back member and arm brackets. The back member is tapered toward an end that is adjacent to a seat. The arm brackets are attached under a bottom portion of the seat. Each arm bracket is adjustable to provide a seat clearance area for the seat when one or more of the arm brackets are adjusted up to approximately 90 degrees from an original upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Buzz Seating, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel O′Hara
  • Patent number: 11812866
    Abstract: A seating structure includes a frame, a carrier, and a suspension material. The frame includes first and second side frame members and first and second cross frame members forming a closed loop and defining an opening therebetween. The frame also includes a plurality of first attachment features on an outer perimeter of the frame. The carrier includes first and second side carrier members and first and second cross carrier members that form a closed loop. The carrier also includes a plurality of second attachment features on an inner perimeter of the carrier. The plurality of second attachment features engages the plurality of first attachment features to attach the carrier to the frame. The suspension material is attached to the carrier and extends over the opening in the frame to define a continuous seat and backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: MILLERKNOLL, INC.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, James Slagh, Brent Tracy, Michael D. Stanton, Sr.
  • Patent number: 11805918
    Abstract: A yoga or exercise stool may have a seat portion and a base portion; the base portion having window slot(s) formed in a front side, a rear side, or both; a handle slot formed at least in one side, such as the front side, at or near the top; horizontal gripping slot(s) formed in the left side, the right side, or both, at or near the top; and vertical gripping slot(s) formed in the left side, the right side, or both, at or near the bottom; advantageously four such slots being formed near the bottom corners of the left and right sides. A yoga stool also may have a base portion, and a seat portion on top of the base portion, wherein the seat portion has an internal firm support member such as a solid slat, and preferably softer material such as foam rubber surrounding the support member, at least on the left and right sides. The yoga stool may include opposed side elements joined by a rear element and front element with a removable top element that may be U-Shaped to allow for additional poses or exercises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: BOBO HOLDINGS INC.
    Inventor: Lou Lan
  • Patent number: 11805916
    Abstract: A modular attachment system may be provided with the ability to rapidly interchange different peripherals and accessories at different points where modular receivers have been installed. One or more modular receivers may include one or more quick-connect receptacles adapted to receive corresponding one or more quick connectors of one or more peripheral adapters to quickly connect and disconnect the modular peripheral adapters to facilitate rapid reconfiguration of chairs, desks, tables, or other furniture for different applications. A variety of peripherals and accessories can be attached to one or more modular peripheral adapters to create peripheral assemblies that can be rapidly interchanged by rapid connection to or disconnection from any installed modular housings to reconfigure furniture for different applications. The modular receivers may be attached to a desk, table, or other furnishings or manufactured as a part of office, computer, or gaming chairs, desks, tables, or other furnishings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Tecicity LLC
    Inventor: Marek Strosin
  • Patent number: 11805913
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, David Bodnar, James Ludwig, Nathan R. Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 11800933
    Abstract: This disclosure is directed to improved chair assemblies that can be integrated with various technologies, including heating, massaging technologies, cooling, and other technologies. Various portions of the chair assemblies include attachment structures that permit electronic assemblies to be attached and removed from the chair assemblies. The electronic assemblies can include electronics that facilitate heat therapy, massage therapy, and/or cooling therapy functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Exemplis LLC
    Inventor: Anthony Mazlish
  • Patent number: 11800936
    Abstract: An apparatus for mounting an attachment to a seat assembly including a seat mounted on a base includes a substantially planar, substantially rigid mounting plate configured to mount between the seat and the base, a first portion of the mounting plate engaging a plurality of threaded fasteners between the seat and the base, a second portion of the mounting plate extending beyond a perimeter of the seat, and an attachment attached to the second portion of the mounting plate such that the attachment does not interfere with a movement of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Inventor: Kevin Scott Neff
  • Patent number: 11800934
    Abstract: A piece of furniture, in particular a piece of seating furniture, has a base part on which a movable furniture part is pivotably mounted via at least one pivot fitting, wherein the at least one pivot fitting is fixed to the base part by means of a first lever and is fixed to the movable furniture part by means of a second lever which is arranged pivotably with respect to the first lever, and a method for assembling a piece of furniture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: HETTICH FRANKE GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Steffen Grathwol
  • Patent number: 11800932
    Abstract: A chair is provided with a seat support frame which may be comprised of at least two tubes spaced apart by a polymer connector. The seat support frame supports a foam cushion and the frame may be embedded in the foam and may include flexible supports across the support frame also embedded in the foam. A rigid panel has a cavity and the rigid panel is arranged adjacent an outer surface of said foam cushion with at least part of said foam cushion positioned within the cavity, wherein said rigid panel is affixed to said support frame and an inner surface of said rigid panel faces the outer surface of said foam cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Series International, LLC
    Inventor: Alvaro Mauricio Olarte
  • Patent number: 11787317
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a seat of which a seating comfort can be improved. The seat includes a seat cushion pad having an air passage formed inside and an air vent formed at an upper surface thereof, and is configured to allow air in the air passage to blow out through the air vent, wherein the seat cushion pad includes a pad body and a cover member which is disposed over the pad body to form the air passage between the pad body and the cover member and in which the air vent is formed, and a front end portion of the cover member extends downward over a front end portion of the pad body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuzaburo Abe, Sachio Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11786037
    Abstract: A seating device includes a seat body having a top seat supporting surface, a mounting base coupled at a bottom surface of the seat body, and two wing supports sidewardly extended from two sides of the seat body respectively, wherein each of the wing supports has a top buttock supporting surface upwardly and sidewardly extended from the top seat supporting surface of the seat body to a side tip of the wing support, and a bottom retention surface inclinedly and upwardly extended to the side tip of the wing support for reinforcing the wing support in a tilt up manner so as to prevent the wing support being sagged down when the wing support is pressured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Inventor: Chuanqi Liu
  • Patent number: 11786039
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Gordon J. Peterson, Nathan R. Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 11787063
    Abstract: An adjustable arm support for a surgical robotic system, the arm support comprising: a fixed armrest portion that is fixedly coupled to a console seat of the surgical robotic system; and an adjustable armrest portion that is adjustably coupled to the fixed armrest portion, the adjustable armrest portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Verb Surgical Inc.
    Inventors: Brent Michael Nobles, Joan Savall, Scott Anderson