Patents by Inventor Bruce M. Smith

Bruce M. Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11553797
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a back arrangement movable between upright and reclined positions, a linkage arrangement including a first link member comprising a portion of a seat arrangement, a second link member supported on a base, flexibly resilient front link members extending between forward portions of the first and second link members and being integral with the second link member, and a rigid rear link member extending between rearward portions of the first and second link members including a separate piece from the first or second link members, wherein the rearward portion of the first link member extends laterally in a first plane when the back arrangement is upright, and laterally in a second plane when the back arrangement is reclined, where the second plane is angled with respect to the first plane, and is positioned farther away from the base when the back arrangement is reclined than when upright.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 11259637
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a base, a back arrangement and a seat arrangement each supported by the base, the back arrangement movable between an upright position and reclined position, the seat arrangement including a stop member, a shell supported on the base and forming at least a portion of the seat arrangement, the shell including a first portion and second portion movable relative to the first portion, the shell configured such that a downward force exerted on the first portion by a seated user forces the back arrangement from the reclined position toward the upright position, and a tilt limiter coupled to the base and configured to engage the stop member at both the upright position and the reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 11058224
    Abstract: A seating support arrangement includes a seating frame, a cover member supported by the seating frame, the cover member having a first elastic modulus in a first direction, the cover member having an outer surface area and a support area that is less than the outer surface area and is configured to support a user, and a polymer film surface layer attached to the support area of the cover member such that the combination of the cover member in the support area and the surface layer has a second elastic modulus in the first direction that is greater than the first elastic modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James Nolan Ludwig, Bruce M. Smith, Carl V. Forslund, III, Christopher J. Norman, Gordon J. Peterson, Fredric Biddle, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Publication number: 20210052078
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a back arrangement moveable between upright and reclined positions, a linkage arrangement including a first link member comprising a portion of a seat arrangement, a second link member supported on a base, flexibly resilient front link members extending between forward portions of the first and second link members and being integral with the second link member, and a rigid rear link member extending between rearward portions of the first and second link members including a separate piece from the first or second link members, wherein the rearward portion of the first link member extends laterally in a first plane when the back arrangement is upright, and laterally in a second plane when the back arrangement is reclined, where the second plane is angled with respect to the first plane, and is positioned farther away from the base when the back arrangement is reclined than when upright.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Publication number: 20190133324
    Abstract: A seating support arrangement includes a seating frame, a cover member supported by the seating frame, the cover member having a first elastic modulus in a first direction, the cover member having an outer surface area and a support area that is less than the outer surface area and is configured to support a user, and a polymer film surface layer attached to the support area of the cover member such that the combination of the cover member in the support area and the surface layer has a second elastic modulus in the first direction that is greater than the first elastic modulus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: James Nolan Ludwig, Bruce M. Smith, Carl V. Forslund, III, Christopher J. Norman, Gordon J. Peterson, Fredric Biddle, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Publication number: 20190133327
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a base, a back arrangement and a seat arrangement each supported by the base, the back arrangement movable between an upright position and reclined position, the seat arrangement including a stop member, a shell supported on the base and forming at least a portion of the seat arrangement, the shell including a first portion and second portion movable relative to the first portion, the shell configured such that a downward force exerted on the first portion by a seated user forces the back arrangement from the reclined position toward the upright position, and a tilt limiter coupled to the base and configured to engage the stop member at both the upright position and the reclined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 10238215
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a seat assembly, a back assembly operably coupled to the seat assembly, and a headrest assembly coupled to the back assembly. The headrest assembly including a support arrangement pivotably coupled to the back assembly for pivoting movement about a first pivot axis, a headrest member pivotably coupled to the support arrangement for pivoting movement about a second pivot axis that is spaced from the first pivot axis, and a sliding arrangement coupling the headrest member to the support arrangement to allow sliding vertical adjustment of the headrest member with respect to the support arrangement along an arcuate path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon Jay Peterson, Robert J. Battey, Bruce M. Smith, John A. Colasanti, Frederic Biddle, Todd D. Krupiczewicz
  • Patent number: 10194750
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a seat arrangement that includes first, second, third and fourth link members coupled to one another, a back arrangement movable between an upright position and a reclined position and coupled to the seat arrangement such that the first link member moves between forward and rearward positions as the back arrangement is moved between the upright and reclined positions, and a stop arrangement including a stop link coupled to at least one of the first link member, the third link and the fourth link member such that the stop link moves with the associated link member as the back assembly moves between the upright and reclined positions, wherein travel of the stop link is limited with respect to the second link member thereby limiting a rearward movement of the back arrangement toward the reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 10182656
    Abstract: A seating support arrangement includes a seating frame arrangement, a flexible cover member supported by the frame arrangement and configured to support a seated user, a surface layer covering at least a portion of the cover member and including a first surface facing the cover member and a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first surface of the surface layer includes first portions attached to the cover member interspaced with second portions that are not attached to the cover member, and an elastically resilient control arrangement supported by the frame arrangement and positioned between the cover member and one of the second portions such that the control arrangement is free to move with respect to the cover member and the surface layer, wherein elastic deformation of the control arrangement changes the geometrical configuration of the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Smith, Carl V. Forslund, III, Christopher J. Norman, Gordon J. Peterson, Fredric Biddle, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, James Nolan Ludwig
  • Patent number: 10165861
    Abstract: A seating unit component assembly comprises a support component that includes a first surface adapted to abut a seated user, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first end surface, a second end surface opposite the first end surface, and a pair of side surfaces extending between the first and second end surfaces, and a cover having a plurality of sides that cooperate to form an interior space that receives the support component therein, wherein the cover includes a first portion comprising a non-fabric substantially flexible thermoplastic material covering at least a portion of at least one of the side surfaces of the support component, a second portion comprising a fabric covering at least a portion of the first surface and at least a portion of the first end surface of the support component, and a third portion comprising a substantially rigid overlay covering at least a portion of the second end surface and at least a portion of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Smith, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20180027973
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a seat arrangement that includes first, second, third and fourth link members coupled to one another, a back arrangement movable between an upright position and a reclined position and coupled to the seat arrangement such that the first link member moves between forward and rearward positions as the back arrangement is moved between the upright and reclined positions, and a stop arrangement including a stop link coupled to at least one of the first link member, the third link and the fourth link member such that the stop link moves with the associated link member as the back assembly moves between the upright and reclined positions, wherein travel of the stop link is limited with respect to the second link member thereby limiting a rearward movement of the back arrangement toward the reclined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, William Thomas Johnson, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Publication number: 20170245642
    Abstract: A seating unit component assembly comprises a support component that includes a first surface adapted to abut a seated user, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first end surface, a second end surface opposite the first end surface, and a pair of side surfaces extending between the first and second end surfaces, and a cover having a plurality of sides that cooperate to form an interior space that receives the support component therein, wherein the cover includes a first portion comprising a non-fabric substantially flexible thermoplastic material covering at least a portion of at least one of the side surfaces of the support component, a second portion comprising a fabric covering at least a portion of the first surface and at least a portion of the first end surface of the support component, and a third portion comprising a substantially rigid overlay covering at least a portion of the second end surface and at least a portion of the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Smith, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Patent number: 9681750
    Abstract: A seating unit component assembly comprises a support component that includes a first surface adapted to abut a seated user, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first end surface, a second end surface opposite the first end surface, and a pair of side surfaces extending between the first and second end surfaces, and a cover having a plurality of sides that cooperate to form an interior space that receives the support component therein, wherein the cover includes a first portion comprising a non-fabric substantially flexible thermoplastic material covering at least a portion of at least one of the side surfaces of the support component, a second portion comprising a fabric covering at least a portion of the first surface and at least a portion of the first end surface of the support component, and a third portion comprising a substantially rigid overlay covering at least a portion of the second end surface and at least a portion of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Smith, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Patent number: D781604
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Smith, Gordon Jay Peterson, Robert J. Battey, John A. Colasanti, Fredric Biddle
  • Patent number: D781605
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Smith, Gordon Jay Peterson, Robert J. Battey, John A. Colasanti, Fredric Biddle
  • Patent number: D932203
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James N. Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Bruce M. Smith, Mark William Spoelhof
  • Patent number: D942767
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce M. Smith, Robert J. Battey, Glen Oliver Löw, James N. Ludwig, Gordon J. Peterson, Russell Thomas Holdredge, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Nathan Robert Brock
  • Patent number: D972322
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Patent number: D972323
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Patent number: D979260
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers