Patents by Inventor Claudia Plikat

Claudia Plikat 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: 11330905
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: MILLERKNOLL, INC.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
  • Publication number: 20210037977
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
  • Patent number: 10856662
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
  • Patent number: 10820706
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
  • Publication number: 20200138195
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
  • Patent number: 10383446
    Abstract: A chair includes a base, a support element and a torsion element. The support element is coupled to the base and includes a seat region, a backrest region and a transition region connecting the seat region and the backrest region. The backrest region is reclinable relative to the seat region by way of elastic deformation of the support element. The torsion element is coupled to the base and to the backrest region. The torsion element controls the reclining of the backrest region relative to the seat region. The support element is exclusively connected to the torsion element above a lumbar region, wherein the backrest region can be inclined and/or twisted in relation to the seat region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: HERMAN MILLER, INC.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola E. M. Zwick, Roland R. O. Zwick
  • Publication number: 20180317658
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane includes different regions with different stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
  • Patent number: 10016060
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane has a first region with a first stiffness and a second region with a second stiffness. The second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John Fredric Aldrich
  • Patent number: 9840840
    Abstract: A partition system includes a plurality of wall elements merging one into another, wherein at least one wall element is designed as a stepped element, and wherein at least one wall element is designed as a corner element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick
  • Patent number: 9668580
    Abstract: A body support structure including a pair of laterally spaced apart supporting arms defining a gap therebetween, wherein each of the supporting arms includes an upper support having an upwardly extending upright and a forwardly extending seat support defining a seat part, and a lower support having an upwardly extending upright spaced apart from the upright of the upper support in a vertical plane. The uprights of the upper and lower supports define a backrest part. A pair of armrests each includes an upwardly extending portion connected to a respective one of the forwardly extending seat supports and a forwardly extending portion pivotally connected to the backrest part. A cross brace extends between and is coupled to the supporting arms proximate the pivotal connection. A flexible membrane extends between and is coupled to the supporting arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Andrew Keith Hector, John F. Aldrich
  • Publication number: 20170015026
    Abstract: A mold for forming an element molded from a particle foam, including for example expanded polypropylene foam, includes at least one visible exterior surface defined by the particle foam. The visible exterior surface is textured having a roughness depth of less than or equal to 1.00 mm and a plurality of vent interfaces each having a maximum width of less than or equal to 0.4 mm. Methods of molding the element, together with a mold and a method of making the mold, are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Janja Maidl, Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick
  • Patent number: 9510684
    Abstract: A chair includes a base, a support element and a torsion element. The support element is coupled to the base and includes a seat region, a backrest region and a transition region connecting the seat region and the backrest region. The backrest region is reclinable relative to the seat region by way of elastic deformation of the support element. The torsion element is coupled to the base and to the backrest region. The torsion element controls the reclining of the backrest region relative to the seat region. The support element is exclusively connected to the torsion element above a lumbar region, wherein the backrest region can be inclined and/or twisted in relation to the seat region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Carola E. M. Zwick, Roland R. O. Zwick
  • Publication number: 20160309893
    Abstract: A partition system includes various accessories that may be associated with a wall or base element. The accessories include without limitation a power strip, an adjustable shelf, various backdrops and a worksurface assembly. The wall element may be curved or linear in various embodiments. The wall element may include an upstanding wall or a channel, either or both of which are engaged by one or more accessories. In some embodiments, the accessories may be co-located at a single location, with one or more accessories accommodating the others with an expansion device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Janja Maidl
  • Patent number: 9474366
    Abstract: A partition system includes various accessories that may be associated with a wall or base element. The accessories include without limitation an adjustable shelf. The wall element may be curved or linear in various embodiments. The wall element may include an upstanding wall or a channel, either or both of which are engaged by one or more accessories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Janja Maidl
  • Patent number: 9457499
    Abstract: An element molded from a particle foam, including for example expanded polypropylene foam, includes at least one visible exterior surface defined by the particle foam. The visible exterior surface is textured having a roughness depth of less than or equal to 1.00 mm and a plurality of vent interfaces each having a maximum width of less than or equal to 0.4 mm. Methods of molding the element, together with a mold and a method of making the mold, are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Janja Maidl, Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick
  • Publication number: 20160201321
    Abstract: A partition system includes a plurality of wall elements merging one into another, wherein at least one wall element is designed as a stepped element, and wherein at least one wall element is designed as a corner element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick
  • Patent number: 9380867
    Abstract: A partition system includes various accessories that may be associated with a wall or base element. The accessories include without limitation a power strip, an adjustable shelf, various backdrops and a worksurface assembly. The wall element may be curved or linear in various embodiments. The wall element may include an upstanding wall or a channel, either or both of which are engaged by one or more accessories. In some embodiments, the accessories may be co-located at a single location, with one or more accessories accommodating the others with an expansion device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Janja Maidl
  • Patent number: 9303401
    Abstract: A partition system includes a plurality of wall elements merging one into another, wherein at least one wall element is designed as a stepped element, and wherein at least one wall element is designed as a corner element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick
  • Patent number: D758770
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick
  • Patent number: D776468
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick