Patents Examined by Stephanie N. Harris
  • Patent number: 7125080
    Abstract: A retractable armrest is disclosed for a foldable chair. The chair has a seat and a backrest with the backrest being pivotably mounted to the seat by a chair pivot for movement between an operating position and a folded position. A link pivotably operates between armrest and the seat for enabling the armrest to be rotated into the retracted position when the backrest is in the operating position. The link rotates the armrest from the extended position to the retracted position upon the backrest being moved from the operating position to the folded position. The foldable chair is suitable for use on a personal mobility vehicle such as a scooter, a power wheel chair, a foldable personal mobility vehicle or any other suitable chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Electric Mobility Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Jarema, III, Edward J. Dwyer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6955402
    Abstract: A fabric seat for a chair and a method and machine for manufacturing the fabric seat. The fabric seat comprises a seat frame that supports the outer circumference of a fabric material. The seat frame comprises grasping members that secure the fabric to the seat frame and retain the desired stretch in the fabric. The grasping members can be teeth. A cover is also provided, which is snapped onto the circumference of the seat frame, to trap the fabric and protect the user from the grasping members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Herman Miller Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas M. VanDeRiet, Daniel J. Raether, Jeff Weber, Todd D. Krupiczewicz, Robert G. Nyhuis, Timothy P. Coffield
  • Patent number: 6786541
    Abstract: A ventilated vehicle seat includes an imperforate foam air plenum member located in a foam cushion top. The air plenum member is assembled from a molded box-like foam member and an integrally molded cover. The air plenum has an air port for application of positive or negative pressure. The cover has apertures for air to pass into or out of the air plenum member. One preferred embodiment of the air plenum member includes an integrally molded portion that is assembled into an air conduit for said air port. The cover can have various sizes that are larger than the box-like member and can have inner and outer surface conformations to suit various purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Gregary A. Haupt, Jeff Montgomery, Gary Reynolds, Hilding Holcombe
  • Patent number: 6755473
    Abstract: A chair, or other office furniture device, includes a first and second support member. The first support member has a longitudinal extent and a fluid passageway formed within at least a portion thereof. A first piston, having a first and second end, is moveably disposed in the fluid passageway. The second support member is coupled to the first end of the first piston. A fluid supply is disposed in the fluid passageway and communicates with the second end of the first piston. A pressure is applied to the fluid supply. A fluid flow controller controls a flow of the fluid supply and is operable between at least an open and closed position, wherein the fluid supply is allowed to flow when the controller is in the open position and wherein the fluid supply is not allowed to flow when the controller is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Stewart D. Reed, James M. Schaddelee, George A. Miles, Steven B. Panse
  • Patent number: 6659555
    Abstract: A spring unit (11) for the weight setting of a chair (1), in particular an office chair, having a gas spring (12) and having a number of further spring elements (17, 18, 19; 27, 28) which can be connected up to the gas spring (12) individually or in combination. The spring unit (11) is expediently arranged between a seat carrier (7) connected to a rotary column (8) of the chair (1), and the seat (3), or a backrest link (4) which extends at least approximately parallel to said seat (3) and belongs to a backrest (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Koenig + Neurath AG
    Inventors: Rolf Scholz, Frank Weisser, Armin Sander, Martin Potrykus
  • Patent number: 6644744
    Abstract: An apparatus for reducing rattle in an automotive seat release mechanism includes a torsion spring applying both a rotational force and a linear force to a cross member operatively connecting a first release and a second release. The spring force biases the cross member toward the second release linearly, and biases the cross member in a first rotational direction to reduce rattle between the cross member and components connecting the cross member to the first and second releases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventor: Kurt Seibold
  • Patent number: 6631956
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a headrest support rod includes bending a cylindrical steel rod into a desired shape including first and second legs. The bent steel rod is then placed into an injection mold, and first and second plastic sleeves are injection molded over the first and second legs, respectively, to complete the headrest support rod. Accordingly, weight of the headrest support rod is minimized. Preferably, the first and second plastic sleeves include lock slots formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: André Ribeiro Mauro, Sergio Mitsuo Hatano
  • Patent number: 6582019
    Abstract: A tilt assembly comprising a tilt housing, a body support member pivotally attached to said tilt housing about a first horizontal axis and a spring mounted to said tilt housing at a second horizontal axis. The body support member is moveable between a first and second position. The second horizontal axis is adjustably moveable relative to the first horizontal axis. The spring biases said body support member at a first location when the body support member is in the first position and at a second location when the body support member is in the second position, with the second location being a greater distance from the first horizontal axis than the first location. A method for supporting a chair body support member is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Warren Insalaco, Neubert Nicolai, Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola E.M. Zwick, Roland R.O. Zwick
  • Patent number: 6547321
    Abstract: A folding chair has a seat, a first leg, a second leg, a first rod connected to the first leg and the second leg, a second rod connected to the first leg and the second leg, and a folding device. The folding device has a first joint and a second joint. The first joint has a guide channel, a circular aperture, and a slant round hole for receiving the first rod. The second joint has a post inserted in the guide channel, a hollow protruded block inserted in the circular aperture of the first joint, a round through aperture, and a slant circular hole for receiving the second rod. A bolt passes through the round through aperture of the second joint and the circular aperture of the first joint. A nut engages with the bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Inventor: Chung-Sen Wu
  • Patent number: 6367878
    Abstract: An armrest includes an armrest body, a veneer layer, and a pair of elongate decorative ribs. The armrest body is made of a wood material different from oak wood, extends in a longitudinal direction, and has lower, upper and opposing lateral surfaces. Each of the lateral surfaces is formed with a groove, planar and curved surface sections. The veneer layer is made of oak wood, and includes upper and lower veneer portions. The upper and lower veneer portions are fixedly attached to and cover the upper and lateral surfaces of the armrest body. Each of the decorative ribs is made of oak wood, extends in the longitudinal direction, and has a mounting section fixed in one of the grooves, and a protruding section protruding from the veneer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Inventor: Pei-Chiang Chung
  • Patent number: 6354662
    Abstract: A waistrest assembly comprises two adjusting seats securely attached to two lateral sides of a backrest, respectively, two connecting blocks, and a waistrest. Each adjusting seat includes a vertical guide slot. Each connecting block is snugly held in and slidable along an associated vertical guide slot. The waistrest comprises a support plate and a pad securely attached to a side of the support plate. The support plate includes a connecting portion in each of two ends thereof. A fastener is extended through an associated connecting block and an associated connecting portion to thereby secure the support plate and the connecting block together. The connecting blocks are movable in the vertical guide slots to thereby adjust a vertical position of the pad of the waistrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Inventor: Tung-Hua Su