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).
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Patent number: 12207737Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 7, 2023Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: STEELCASE INC.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
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Publication number: 20240349897Abstract: A tilt control system includes a spring adjuster and compression spring, which may be removed in an unstressed condition. The tilt control system may also include a variable back stop having curved transition surfaces between the stop surfaces. A lumbar compensator may be integrated into a backrest, which may be coupled with a quick release to the base and actuated by sliding engagement with the seat.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2024Publication date: October 24, 2024Applicant: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Kurt R. Heidmann, Russell T. Holdredge, Olukemi Chrissie Esi Johel, Gary Karsten, Nicholas Miles Krupansky, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
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Publication number: 20240138573Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2023Publication date: May 2, 2024Applicant: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
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Patent number: 11812870Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 9, 2022Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: STEELCASE INC.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
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Publication number: 20220369817Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2022Publication date: November 24, 2022Applicant: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
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Patent number: 11464341Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
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Publication number: 20220248856Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2022Publication date: August 11, 2022Applicant: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
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Patent number: 11304528Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 21, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Gordon J. Peterson, Todd T. Andres, Gary Karsten, Richard Roslund, Jr., Pradeep Mydur, Nathan McCaughan, Kurt R. Heidmann
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Publication number: 20210227981Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2021Publication date: July 29, 2021Applicant: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Todd T. Andres, Todd David Krupiczewicz, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson, Gary Karsten
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Publication number: 20200345142Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2020Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Robert J. Battey, Gordon J. Peterson, Todd T. Andres, Gary Karsten, Richard Roslund, JR., Pradeep Mydur, Nathan McCaughan, Kurt R. Heidmann
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Patent number: 9579241Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 1, 2015Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Travis Spoor, Gary Karsten, David John Dekker, Jeffrey David Simon
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Publication number: 20160022513Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 1, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Travis Spoor, Gary Karsten, David John Dekker, Jeffrey David Simon
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Publication number: 20070114827Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2007Publication date: May 24, 2007Inventors: David Bodnar, Adam Bedford, Kurt Heidmann, Gary Karsten
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Publication number: 20060238011Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2006Publication date: October 26, 2006Inventors: Adam Bedford, David Bodnar, Gary Karsten
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Publication number: 20060226691Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2006Publication date: October 12, 2006Inventors: Adam Bedford, David Bodnar, Gary Karsten
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Publication number: 20060071522Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2005Publication date: April 6, 2006Inventors: Adam Bedford, David Bodnar, Gary Karsten, Robert Battey, Kurt Heidmann, Gordon Peterson
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Patent number: D907383Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten
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Patent number: D907935Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: Steelcase Inc.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten
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Patent number: D947559Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: STEELCASE INC.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten
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Patent number: D947560Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: STEELCASE INC.Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Santiago Carral O'Gorman, Gary Karsten