Patents by Inventor Gary Karsten

Gary Karsten 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: 11812870
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a base, a seat and a backrest, with the backrest connected to the base with a torsion leaf spring. The torsion leaf spring may be configured with a plurality of fingers, and/or one or more flex regions. One or more struts may be connected between the seat or backrest and the base. In another aspect, the seat and/or backrest may be supported with one or more links that provide a counter-intuitive motion. In another aspect, a link may be coupled to a support with a flexible blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
  • Publication number: 20220369817
    Abstract: A chair assembly includes a base assembly, a seat assembly having a pair of side edges and a fore-to-aft extending longitudinal centerline, a back assembly movable between upright and reclined positions, and an arm assembly including an arm base extending from a first location between the side edges to a second location laterally outward of one of the side edges, wherein the arm base extends at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline and at an upward angle from the first location toward the second location, a support assembly supported by and extending upwardly from the arm base, and an armrest supported by the support assembly that is adjustable to support the armrest between a plurality of selected vertical positions, wherein the arm assembly and back assembly move at a different rate from one another as the back assembly is moved between the upright and reclined positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: 11464341
    Abstract: A chair includes a base structure, a seat support structure, a back frame comprising a front surface, a rear surface and a forwardly extending bottom portion pivotably connected to the base, a biasing member biasing the back frame from a reclined position toward an upright position, wherein the biasing member is located entirely forward a rearward most edge of the seat support structure, and a back shell comprising a forwardly extending bottom portion connected to the seat support structure, a front surface, a rear surface positioned in front of the front surface of the back frame, a pair of laterally spaced side portions defining an opening therebetween, and a top portion extending laterally between and connected to the side portions, wherein each of the side portions are exclusively connected to the back frame at a first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Publication number: 20220248856
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a base, a seat and a backrest, with the backrest connected to the base with a torsion leaf spring. The torsion leaf spring may be configured with a plurality of fingers, and/or one or more flex regions. One or more struts may be connected between the seat or backrest and the base. In another aspect, the seat and/or backrest may be supported with one or more links that provide a counter-intuitive motion. In another aspect, a link may be coupled to a support with a flexible blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 11304528
    Abstract: A chair assembly includes an arm assembly that includes an armrest supported by a vertically adjustable support assembly and an arm base, where the arm base extends at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the chair assembly, an upholstery arrangement including a ring member attached to a cover, where the ring member includes a plurality of reliefs having a width that reduces as the ring member is wrapped about a shell member of the chair assembly, and a control arrangement having a biasing member that moves through an arcuate path as the biasing member is adjusted between varying bias settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Gordon J. Peterson, Todd T. Andres, Gary Karsten, Richard Roslund, Jr., Pradeep Mydur, Nathan McCaughan, Kurt R. Heidmann
  • Publication number: 20210227981
    Abstract: A chair includes a base structure, a seat support structure, a back frame comprising a front surface, a rear surface and a forwardly extending bottom portion pivotably connected to the base, a biasing member biasing the back frame from a reclined position toward an upright position, wherein the biasing member is located entirely forward a rearward most edge of the seat support structure, and a back shell comprising a forwardly extending bottom portion connected to the seat support structure, a front surface, a rear surface positioned in front of the front surface of the back frame, a pair of laterally spaced side portions defining an opening therebetween, and a top portion extending laterally between and connected to the side portions, wherein each of the side portions are exclusively connected to the back frame at a first location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
  • Publication number: 20200345142
    Abstract: A chair assembly includes an arm assembly that includes an armrest supported by a vertically adjustable support assembly and an arm base, where the arm base extends at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the chair assembly, an upholstery arrangement including a ring member attached to a cover, where the ring member includes a plurality of reliefs having a width that reduces as the ring member is wrapped about a shell member of the chair assembly, and a control arrangement having a biasing member that moves through an arcuate path as the biasing member is adjusted between varying bias settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Gordon J. Peterson, Todd T. Andres, Gary Karsten, Richard Roslund, JR., Pradeep Mydur, Nathan McCaughan, Kurt R. Heidmann
  • Patent number: 9579241
    Abstract: A support arrangement having an activation mechanism to control the movement of wheels is provided. The support arrangement includes a platform, a chassis attached to the platform, a pair of wheel assemblies movably coupled to the chassis, and the activation mechanism. The pair of wheel assemblies are operable between a first state and a second state. The activation mechanism includes a track having a first stable position and a second stable position spaced along a length of the track, and a pin configured to travel along the track. Wheels are in the first state when the pin is in the first stable position and are in the second state when the pin is in the second stable position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Travis Spoor, Gary Karsten, David John Dekker, Jeffrey David Simon
  • Publication number: 20160022513
    Abstract: A support arrangement having an activation mechanism to control the movement of wheels is provided. The support arrangement includes a platform, a chassis attached to the platform, a pair of wheel assemblies movably coupled to the chassis, and the activation mechanism. The pair of wheel assemblies are operable between a first state and a second state. The activation mechanism includes a track having a first stable position and a second stable position spaced along a length of the track, and a pin configured to travel along the track. Wheels are in the first state when the pin is in the first stable position and are in the second state when the pin is in the second stable position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Travis Spoor, Gary Karsten, David John Dekker, Jeffrey David Simon
  • 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
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20050189807
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a frame, a seat, and a pair of armrests movably mounted to the frame for movement between forward and rearward positions. The armrests are biased into the forward position, and each armrest includes a device selectively retaining the armrest in the rearward position. Movement of the armrest releases the device such that the armrest moved to the forward position due to the bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Inventors: Christopher Norman, Gary Karsten
  • Publication number: 20030163894
    Abstract: A self-leveling glide assembly for use with a furniture leg includes a glide housing attached to a furniture leg, a recess formed in a bottom portion of the glide housing, and a pad member snap attached to the glide housing and positioned to engage a floor surface. The glide housing is self-leveling to accommodate uneven floor surfaces. The pad member and glide housing can be easily removed and replaced independently without having to replace the other. The pad member is repositionable between two opposing sides each having a wear surface that contacts the floor. The two opposing sides can either be made of the same material or of two different materials. In one embodiment the first side is made of a relatively hard material and the second side is made of a softer material than the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: David K. Jones, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: D907383
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: D907935
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: D947559
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten
  • Patent number: D947560
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten