Patents Examined by Stephanie Harris
  • Patent number: 6729691
    Abstract: A chair back is disclosed and includes a mesh material connected to a two-piece carrier, the carrier being deformable and stretchable. The carrier has a bottom edge including a groove and is engageable by tabs attached to a transverse member of a chair frame assembly. The upper ends of the carrier each includes an opening for receiving a spherical end portion of the upper end of the chair frame assembly. Engagement of the carrier with the chair frame assembly is accomplished by stretching the carrier and mesh between the transverse member and the spherical end portions. The chair back includes a lumbar support which is mounted to slide along the side edges of the carrier and along vertical supports of the chair frame assembly, the lumbar support causing the chair to tension forwardly. The chair back is pivotal under the influence of a chair user and is pivotally connected to the chair seat so as to cause the chair seat to also pivot in response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Hon Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus C. Koepke, Tim Coffield, Jay R. Michael, Matthew J. Phillips, Douglas A. Schroeder, Craig H. Schultz, Erik A. Steffensen
  • Patent number: 6709050
    Abstract: A folding chair with a front chair leg pivotally connected to a rear chair leg at a pivot point. The front leg has an elongated slide with a slide washer. A slide magazine having a U-shaped cross-section is movably disposed in the slide of the front chair leg. A bottom end of the slide magazine includes a fitting hole to receive a rear pivot shaft of the seat. The rear chair leg is pivotally connected to the front chair leg at the pivot point. The pivoting sections of the seat and front and rear chair legs are all hidden, with only the pivot point exposed. The chair is light and easy to operate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Inventor: Tsung-Chieh Huang
  • Patent number: 6702373
    Abstract: A system having a plurality of platforms for positioning control devices near an occupant of a chair. The system includes a first and second support shaft affixed to each side of a chair. A first side platform is affixed to the first support shaft. A second side platform is affixed to the second support shaft. A front platform is positioned in front of the chair. The front platform may be rotated away from the front of the chair by a pivot system which assists in moving the front platform. The system may also include two accessory platforms mounted adjacent each side platform. All the platforms may be adjustably positioned for the occupant of the chair. Computer and gaming control devices may be placed on top of the platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Inventor: Dennis D. Rossko
  • Patent number: 6698834
    Abstract: A seat connection mechanism having a saddle bracket portion and a pin portion is provided. The saddle bracket portion includes an inner pivot channel, an occupied position stop, an unoccupied position stop, and an outer surface which extends between the occupied and the unoccupied position stops. The pin portion includes a pivot pin and a stop pin protruding therefrom. The pivot and stop pins are positioned such that, and are spaced apart by a distance such that, when the pin portion is angled with respect to the saddle bracket portion at an insertion angle, the stop pin is positionable adjacent to the outer surface and the pivot pin is insertable into the inner pivot channel, and such that when the pin portion is angled with respect to the saddle bracket portion at an angle other than the insertion angle, the pivot pin is retained in the inner pivot channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Multiple LLC
    Inventor: Alvaro Mauricio Olarte
  • Patent number: 6679553
    Abstract: A chair includes a base having an adjustable column, a seat, and a back. An underseat assembly operably supports the seat and the back on the base. The underseat assembly includes a metal bottom support with a tapered socket shaped to engage the column, and includes a seat-supporting yoke constructed with a center section shaped to vertically engage the bottom support. Opposing side support sections include inwardly facing mounting sections that mateably engage a top of the center section. A retainer plate clamps the bottom support, yoke, and side support sections together. A link is operably attached to the side support sections and the back for supporting the back. The seat, the back, and underseat components are constructed for top down assembly without requiring that the chair be inverted during assembly, and they form a four-bar linkage with the link that supports synchronous movement of the seat and back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Gary L. Karsten
  • Patent number: 6676218
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to minimize the dependency of the vibration characteristic exhibited by the sheet-shaped supporting member supported by the metal springs on the added load. In a plurality of metal springs 41 to 44 supporting a sheet-shaped supporting member 30, a third metal spring 43 provided on the position to support the vicinity of the greater trochanter of the seated person is provided in a manner that an engagement portion with a frame member is positioned lower than the engagement portion with the sheet-shaped supporting member 30 when no load is applied. Accordingly, the feeling of something foreign created by such a third metal spring 43 can be reduced, and within a predetermined range of the added load, the third metal spring does not work functionally because respective engagement portions 43a and 43b take their positional relationship to be substantially horizontal in a static seating state, while it works functionally when the added load exceeds the above-described range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Etsunori Fujita, Seiji Kawsaki, Seiji Sesaki, Tatsuya Oda, Yuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 6676215
    Abstract: A seating apparatus for supporting a lower body region of an immobilized person for avoidance and relief of decubitus ulcers which provides regular intervals of seating pressure reduction below a predetermined seating pressure for a predetermined relief period. The seating apparatus includes a plurality of slats/cushions which may be displaced between a first support position wherein each of the slats/cushions is co-planar with a defined plane and a second displaced position wherein each of the slats/cushions is displaced a distance D from the defined plane for the predetermined relief period whereby capillary blood pressure is reduced below the predetermined seating pressure in the unsupported portion of the lower body region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: The Research Foundation of State University of New York
    Inventors: Mehendra C. Shah, Arthur A. Ezra
  • Patent number: 6676209
    Abstract: An apparatus for protecting seat material includes a reversible cover operable to protect a vehicle seat. The cover includes a first side, a second side coupled to the first side, and a storage compartment coupled to the first side and positioned along a upper portion of the reversible cover. The reversible cover further includes at least one support element coupled to the first side and the second side and operable to provide vertical support of the reversible cover. The reversible cover further includes a removable storage compartment that may be used internal and external to a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Inventors: Elizabeth M. Szabo, Karen M. Bolin
  • Patent number: 6676214
    Abstract: A lumbar support for a seat includes an archable pressure surface having an upper region and a lower region and a force actuator such as an electric motor. The force actuator is held in a housing. The actuator housing is fixedly attached to said archable pressure surface in a compact design. A force transmission element such as a cable is connected to at least one of the upper and lower regions of the pressure surface and the force transmission element is also connected to the actuator. When force is applied by the force actuator to the cable, the pressure surface arches from a substantially flat position to an arched position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: L & P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Robert McMillen, Edward J. L. Meszaros
  • Patent number: 6672671
    Abstract: A padding system for use in a vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a seat providing a pad comprising foam and having a border area. The system may also include at least one reinforcing section embedded in the border area of the foam. A method of manufacturing a padding element for use in a vehicle seat is also disclosed. The seat may include a reinforcement, a carrier at least partially surrounding the reinforcement, and a foam at least partially surrounding the carrier. The method may include foaming the reinforcement in a foaming mold. The method may also include clamping the reinforcement to at least one fastening bracket in the foaming mold. A mold for manufacturing a padding element for use in a vehicle is also disclosed. The mold may include a foaming mold comprising a sidewall and a bottom. The mold may also include at least one clamp in the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Olaf Stoschek
  • Patent number: 6669281
    Abstract: Pull rod-type foldable chair structure. A pull rod is telescopically inserted in the top end of the rear chair leg and pivotally connected with the front chair leg. When folding or unfolding the rear chair leg, the pull rod provides a pneumatic buffing effect. Two J-shaped lateral support boards are previously mounted on inner sides of the chair frame, whereby the seat can be directly assembled with the support boards by insertion. The back is assembled with the upper end of the front chair leg by engaging members. Therefore, the chair frame, the seat and the back can be quickly assembled. The transverse beam of the chair leg is equipped with elastic ground-contacting blocks. Therefore, the chair can be used on any floorboard made of any material such as wooden, plastic and stone floorboards. The ground-contacting block will not scrape the floorboard and the chair can be more stably placed on the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Inventor: Tsung-Chieh Huang
  • Patent number: 6669282
    Abstract: A chair comprising a base structure (22) bearing a seat (32), backrest (36), and a writing table (42) which can be moved between a lowered, inoperative, position, and a raised, operative, position. In the aforesaid lowered, inoperative, position, the table (42) is inclined with respect to a vertical plane (A) parallel to the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the chair, in such a way that two or more chairs of the same type can be set longitudinally against one another, with the tables of two adjacent chairs partially overlapping one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Pro-Cord SpA
    Inventor: Giancarlo Piretti
  • Patent number: 6663179
    Abstract: A backseat (10) has a seat cushion (11) and a seat back (14). The seat cushion (11) is divided into a movable block (12) and a stationary block (13). When turning forward the seat back (14) in the horizontal position to expand a luggage compartment (2), the stationary block (13) does not obstruct turning the seat back (14), and it is left unmoved and the movable block (12) normally set at a first position is shifted to a second position in front of and on a level below that of the first position. The movable block (12) does not obstruct the sliding and reclining operations of a front seat disposed in front of the backseat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hikaru Sunohara
  • Patent number: 6659547
    Abstract: An adjustable back rest for a motorcycle comprising a carrier assembly connected to the frame of the motorcycle, a back plate assembly pivotally attached to the carrier assembly and positionable at an inclination angle, and an extensible slide connected between the carrier assembly and the back plate assembly that extends or retracts to thereby adjust the inclination angle of the back plate assembly and then is secured in place to position the back plate assembly as desired. A pillion rest is attached to the back plate assembly and is angularly adjustable by positioning a plurality of bar links connected between the pillion rest and the back plate assembly. The carrier assembly can be positioned and secured to the motorcycle frame to provide back rest support for the driver, or it may be positioned and secured to a cargo carrier attached to the frame to provide back rest support for the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Inventor: David R. Petersen
  • Patent number: 6655738
    Abstract: In the case of a vehicle seat (1), in particular a motor vehicle seat, having a seat cushion (3), a backrest (5) and an articulated seat frame (9, 11, 21, 29, 31) with feet (11, 21) which are to be fastened releasably to the vehicle structure, it is possible for the vehicle seat (1) to be adjusted between at least one seat position, which is suitable for conveying a person, and a folded position. In order for the vehicle seat (1) to be transferred from the seat position into the folded position, after the feet (21) present in the region of the backrest (5) have been released, the backrest (5) executes a shifting movement in the direction of the seat cushion (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Joachim Kämmerer
  • Patent number: 6644752
    Abstract: A seat member 10 of the present invention is provided with a belt member 200 in the back side of each cushioning member, in which the belt member is held by engaging with an appropriate portion of a back frame 30 at its one end and with an appropriate portion of a seat frame 40 at the other end, is disposed in the vicinity of, at least, either right or left side of a sitting person in a direction along the longitudinal cross-section, and is designed to have the length in the overlapping area with the above-described cushioning members shorter than the length along an expanded state of the cushioning members in the same area and is designed to be made of a material having a higher stiffness than those of respective cushioning members. By disposing the belt member 200, when a person takes a seat, it becomes possible to support the waist of sitting person since a portion corresponding to the belt member is relatively bulged out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Delta Tooling Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhide Takata
  • Patent number: 6644730
    Abstract: A storage type seat for an automobile is provided with a seat cushion having at least one leg portion, a lock mechanism operable to engage and disengage the at least one leg portion with and from a vehicle body floor, a seat back that can be folded down to a seat face of the seat cushion, a link member that links the seat with the vehicle body floor, the vehicle body floor having a recessed storage portion formed therein to the rear of the seat, the link member allowing the seat cushion and the seat back that are in a folded state to be stored in the recessed storage portion when the seat is not used, and allows the seat cushion and the seat back in the folded state to be returned to an original position for use so that the leg portion is brought into engagement with the vehicle body floor, a release permission mechanism which permits the leg portion of the seat cushion to be released from the vehicle body floor only when the seat cushion and the seat back are in the folded state, and a standing permission me
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignees: Takashimaya Nippatsu Kogyo Co., Ltd., Shiroki Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadao Sugiura, Atsushi Ohsugi, Hidehiko Fujioka, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6644741
    Abstract: A synchrotilt mechanism for a chair to provide improved control over the relative but synchronized tilting of the back and seat during tilting. The chair back is supported on a rigid upright assembly including lower lever arms which project under the chair seat and are coupled at forward ends to a horizontal tilt shaft which is disposed under the front of the chair seat and is supported on a control housing fixed to the upper end of the base pedestal. A tension control mechanism is coupled between the tilt shaft and the control housing for normally urging the upright arrangement, and the chair back, into an upright position. The chair seat is movably supported on the lower lever arms by a support arrangement which permits the chair seat to pivot relative to the upright assembly about a generally transverse horizontal axis which is preferably slightly below the upper surface of the seat when the latter is in a nondeformed condition, i.e., the seat is not occupied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Haworth, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick C. Nelson, Manfred Kleinikel, Werner Härtel
  • Patent number: 6641219
    Abstract: An improvement in an apparatus used to retain a plastic guide that guides the post of a vehicle head restraint during vertical adjustment. The improved head restraint support tube formed from a flat sheet having two interlocking sides. The sheet formed into a tubular body that retains a plastic guide. The plastic guide used to guide the head restraint post within the hollow tube. The tubular body further having a necked down region with a smaller inner diameter when compared to the remainder of the tube to improve its retaining capability. Additionally, the improved head restraint support tube has a series of lances located at one or both ends to further retain the plastic guide and reduce lateral movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: E.R. Wagner Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Paul E. Meshke, Steven R. Koch, Alan Joseph Radue
  • Patent number: 6637826
    Abstract: A car seat for an infant or child including a seat body having a seat back and a seat pan for receiving an occupant thereon and at least one shoulder harness coupled to the seat body and being shaped and located to fit over the occupant and retain the occupant on the seat body. The car seat further includes a bracket coupled to the at least one shoulder harness. The at least one shoulder harness includes a sliding portion extending from a lower portion of the seat body to an upper portion of the seat body and being slidingly received through the bracket, and a bracket portion extending from the upper portion of the seat body to the bracket and being coupled to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Evenflo Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R. Takayama