Patents by Inventor David Bodnar

David Bodnar 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).

  • Publication number: 20240074586
    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: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, David Bodnar, James Ludwig, Nathan R. Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • 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: 11357329
    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: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, David Bodnar, James Ludwig, Nate Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • Publication number: 20220167747
    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: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, David Bodnar, James Ludwig, Nathan R. Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • Publication number: 20210204699
    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: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, David Bodnar, James Ludwig, Nate Brock, Mark Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 7568763
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base with a control housing, a back supported on the base for reclining movement, and a seat supported at least partially by a pivoting link on the base for synchronous movement with the back upon recline of the back. A back stop is operably mounted on a pair of parallel guide rods that extend transversely across the control housing for selective movement to a plurality of different positions where the back stop engages the link to limit movement of the seat and hence limit recline of the back to a plurality of selectable recline positions corresponding to the plurality of different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Adam C. Bedford, David A. Bodnar, Gary Lee Karsten, Robert J. Battey, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Patent number: 7341313
    Abstract: An armrest includes an armrest support and a subassembly supported thereon for vertical adjustment by a height adjustment device having a rotatable high-lead-angle threaded shaft, a mating nut, and a trigger. The shaft member is rotatable upon a vertical force being placed on the subassembly, and the trigger engages the shaft to prevent rotation and fix a selected height position. The subassembly includes a housing, an armrest cap, and a pair of swing arms pivoted to each of the housing and cap for adjustably supporting the armrest cap for rotational and translational horizontal movement. Horizontal adjustment is controlled by choice of materials, a frictional wave spring and dampener. Optionally, the armrest cap includes a keyhole slot and one of the links includes a configured protrusion shaped to selectively linearly slide along a long part of the slot . . . or rotate in the circular end of the keyhole slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: Adam C. Bedford, David A. Bodnar, Gary Lee Karsten
  • Patent number: 7234779
    Abstract: An armrest includes an armrest support and a subassembly supported thereon for vertical adjustment by a height adjustment device having a rotatable high-lead-angle threaded shaft, a mating nut, and a trigger. The shaft member is rotatable upon a vertical force being placed on the subassembly, and the trigger engages the shaft to prevent rotation and fix a selected height position. The subassembly includes a housing, an armrest cap, and a pair of swing arms pivoted to each of the housing and cap for adjustably supporting the armrest cap for rotational and translational horizontal movement. Horizontal adjustment is controlled by choice of materials, a frictional wave spring and dampener. Optionally, the armrest cap includes a keyhole slot and one of the links includes a configured protrusion shaped to selectively linearly slide along a long part of the slot . . . or rotate in the circular end of the keyhole slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: Adam C. Bedford, David A. Bodnar, Gary Lee Karsten
  • Publication number: 20070114827
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a reclineable back, a seat, and a control operably supporting the back and the seat on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a pair of flexible support members and a link that combine to operably support the seat and back for synchronous movement on the base upon recline. The flexible support member is stiff in a vertical direction for carrying a combined weight of the one component and of the seated user, but flexible in a horizontal direction to permit a swinging movement of its ends upon recline. The link is rigid and pivoted to the base for movement about a horizontal axis and also pivoted to the one component. By this arrangement, the flexible member and the link move the one component along a defined path during recline of the back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: David Bodnar, Adam Bedford, Kurt Heidmann, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: 7165811
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a reclineable back, a seat, and a control operably supporting the back and the seat on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a pair of flexible support members and a link that combine to operably support the seat and back for synchronous movement on the base upon recline. The flexible support member is stiff in a vertical direction for carrying a combined weight of the one component and of the seated user, but flexible in a horizontal direction to permit a swinging movement of its ends upon recline. The link is rigid and pivoted to the base for movement about a horizontal axis and also pivoted to the one component. By this arrangement, the flexible member and the link move the one component along a defined path during recline of the back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Bodnar, Adam C. Bedford, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary L. Karsten
  • Publication number: 20060238011
    Abstract: An armrest includes an armrest support and a subassembly supported thereon for vertical adjustment by a height adjustment device having a rotatable high-lead-angle threaded shaft, a mating nut, and a trigger. The shaft member is rotatable upon a vertical force being placed on the subassembly, and the trigger engages the shaft to prevent rotation and fix a selected height position. The subassembly includes a housing, an armrest cap, and a pair of swing arms pivoted to each of the housing and cap for adjustably supporting the armrest cap for rotational and translational horizontal movement. Horizontal adjustment is controlled by choice of materials, a frictional wave spring and dampener. Optionally, the armrest cap includes a keyhole slot and one of the links includes a configured protrusion shaped to selectively linearly slide along a long part of the slot . . . or rotate in the circular end of the keyhole slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Adam Bedford, David Bodnar, Gary Karsten
  • Publication number: 20060226691
    Abstract: An armrest includes an armrest support and a subassembly supported thereon for vertical adjustment by a height adjustment device having a rotatable high-lead-angle threaded shaft, a mating nut, and a trigger. The shaft member is rotatable upon a vertical force being placed on the subassembly, and the trigger engages the shaft to prevent rotation and fix a selected height position. The subassembly includes a housing, an armrest cap, and a pair of swing arms pivoted to each of the housing and cap for adjustably supporting the armrest cap for rotational and translational horizontal movement. Horizontal adjustment is controlled by choice of materials, a frictional wave spring and dampener. Optionally, the armrest cap includes a keyhole slot and one of the links includes a configured protrusion shaped to selectively linearly slide along a long part of the slot . . . or rotate in the circular end of the keyhole slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2006
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventors: Adam Bedford, David Bodnar, Gary Karsten
  • Publication number: 20060071522
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base with a control housing, a back supported on the base for reclining movement, and a seat supported at least partially by a pivoting link on the base for synchronous movement with the back upon recline of the back. A back stop is operably mounted on a pair of parallel guide rods that extend transversely across the control housing for selective movement to a plurality of different positions where the back stop engages the link to limit movement of the seat and hence limit recline of the back to a plurality of selectable recline positions corresponding to the plurality of different positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Inventors: Adam Bedford, David Bodnar, Gary Karsten, Robert Battey, Kurt Heidmann, Gordon Peterson
  • Patent number: 6932430
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a seat, a back, and a control operably supporting the seat and the back on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a spring providing a biasing supporting force to the back during recline, and further includes a booster mechanism for increasing the supporting force, and still further includes a stop member and a selector device for activating and deactivating the booster mechanism. The selector device is easily movable with a low effort that is independent from friction generated by internal components of the booster mechanism. The stop member is linearly slidably mounted atop a control housing for selectively engaging the booster mechanism and the link for movement between a disengaged position, a booster-engaged position, a partial-recline position, and a recline-prevented position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: Adam C. Bedford, Robert J. Battey, David A. Bodnar, Jonathan B. Hadley, Jeffrey A. Hall, Kurt R. Heidmann, Eric Johnson, Gary Lee Karsten, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Patent number: 6880886
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a seat, a back, and a control operably supporting the seat and the back on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a spring providing a biasing supporting force to the back during recline, and further includes a booster mechanism capable of increasing the supporting force, and still further includes a selector device for activating and deactivating the booster mechanism. The selector device is easily moveable with a low effort that is separated from and independent from any friction generated by internal components of the booster mechanism. In a narrower aspect, the control is powered, such as by an electrical or electromechanical device from a remote location. A back stop is attached to the selector device, for movement between a disengaged position, a partial-recline position, and a recline-prevented position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Bodnar, Adam C. Bedford, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary L. Karsten
  • Publication number: 20040245839
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a seat, a back, and a control operably supporting the seat and the back on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a spring providing a biasing supporting force to the back during recline, and further includes a booster mechanism capable of increasing the supporting force, and still further includes a selector device for activating and deactivating the booster mechanism. The selector device is easily moveable with a low effort that is separated from and independent from any friction generated by internal components of the booster mechanism. In a narrower aspect, the control is powered, such as by an electrical or electromechanical device from a remote location. A back stop is attached to the selector device, for movement between a disengaged position, a partial-recline position, and a recline-prevented position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: David A. Bodnar, Adam C. Bedford, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary L. Karsten
  • Publication number: 20040245827
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a seat, a back, and a control operably supporting the seat and the back on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a spring providing a biasing supporting force to the back during recline, and further includes a booster mechanism for increasing the supporting force, and still further includes a stop member and a selector device for activating and deactivating the booster mechanism. The selector device is easily movable with a low effort that is independent from friction generated by internal components of the booster mechanism. The stop member is linearly slidably mounted atop a control housing for selectively engaging the booster mechanism and the link for movement between a disengaged position, a booster-engaged position, a partial-recline position, and a recline-prevented position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Adam C. Bedford, Robert J. Battey, David A. Bodnar, Jonathan B. Hadley, Jeffrey A. Hall, Kurt R. Heidmann, Eric Johnson, Gary Lee Karsten, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20040051358
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a reclineable back, a seat, and a control operably supporting the back and the seat on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a pair of flexible support members and a link that combine to operably support the seat and back for synchronous movement on the base upon recline. The flexible support member is stiff in a vertical direction for carrying a combined weight of the one component and of the seated user, but flexible in a horizontal direction to permit a swinging movement of its ends upon recline. The link is rigid and pivoted to the base for movement about a horizontal axis and also pivoted to the one component. By this arrangement, the flexible member and the link move the one component along a defined path during recline of the back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: David A. Bodnar, Adam C. Bedford, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary L. Karsten
  • Patent number: 6554364
    Abstract: An armrest structure includes a support and a body rotatably mounted on the support. The support includes a pair of protrusions and the body includes a notched channel for receiving the protrusions. By rotating the body on the support, the protrusions are repositioned in the notched channel between selected stable use positions. The notches are located on both sides of the channel such that the body can be located in a first position with the first surface on the body facing generally upwardly for use, and a second position with the second surface on the body facing generally upwardly for use. By varying the surfaces on the body, and also the engagement of the protrusion with the notched channel, various spacial positions and functional surfaces can be selectively positioned for use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: Arnold B. Dammermann, David A. Bodnar, Michael L. Deimen, Thomas R. Hahn, Duane F. Nagel, Charles P. Roossien, David L. Rundhaug, David S. Teppo
  • Patent number: D562549
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventor: Jeffrey David Bodnar