Patents by Inventor James O. Kelley

James O. Kelley 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: 5272988
    Abstract: A desk includes a horizontal worksurface having a top surface, an underside, and a plurality of side edges. At least one vertical panel is positioned below said worksurface parallel to a side edge thereof. A top edge of the panel is lower than the underside of the worksurface to provide a clearance such that cables may be inserted therebetween at a desired location along the length thereof. A trough is positioned adjacent an inner surface of the panel and is substantially the same length as the panel. The trough includes an access opening therein and a back wall which is spaced apart from the panel and has a top edge adjacent the underside of the worksurface. In one aspect of the invention, the access opening is formed in the back wall of the trough and a flexible cover is attached thereto such that the access opening is substantially covered. The cover has a plurality of vertical slits which divide the cover into a plurality of flaps for the insertion of cables.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, Douglas M. DeHaan
  • Patent number: 5121698
    Abstract: A desk and spaced panels at the edge of the desk forming a half-wall are combined to make the space within the wall available for the storage of wires and equipment associated with devices in use on or adjacent the desk. The half-wall extends above the desk top, and has a slot traversed by the wires leading out to the devices. Brackets that also traverse the slot can be used to support the devices well above the desk surface. The inner panels forming the half-wall are adapted to support shelves under the desk. The brackets also can be mounted in a desk wherein the spaced panels at the surface of the desk, with the slot being formed in a horizontal surface in the desk. The brackets have adjustable support feet and can have cylindrical accessory supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Assignee: Sligh Furniture Co.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: 5106173
    Abstract: A work space management system including free-standing walls and a freestanding cabinet integrated into the wall system and separate from the wall system. The cabinet comprises side wall and back wall channels having vertically spaced openings therein and a connector means to mount the cabinet to a vertical frame member of the freestanding walls or to another cabinet through the indented channel openings. The cabinet further comprises rear frame members having vertically spaced openings for hanging shelving or other articles. The cabinet is also adaptable for having horizontal work accessory support rails. The sides of the cabinet are mounted onto a rigid framework. Wire management capability is provided in the cabinet to interface with wire management in the freestanding walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, Robert L. Beck, Jerry A. DeFouw, Andrew J. Kurrasch, George A. Williams, Geoffrey A. Hollington
  • Patent number: 5086597
    Abstract: A work space management system for dividing a room into separate work areas comprising a wall system having a rigid framework formed of rigid rectangular frames rigidly joined together at the edges thereof to form at least one work area with one side of at least one portion of the rigid framework defining a hallway wall. On the worker area side of the framework a plurality of modular primary tiles are removably hung on the rectangular frames and have a width corresponding to the width of the rectangular frame. On the hallway side of the framework, extended tiles are of a length which is a unit multiple greater than one of the width of a rectangular frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1992
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: 5038539
    Abstract: A work space management system for dividing a space into separate work areas comprising a wall system having a rigid framework formed of rigid rectangular frames rigidly joined together at the edges thereof to form at least one work area, wire management elements secured to the frames for communication and power wiring and a plurality of selectively relocatable modular tiles removably hanging on the frames. Some of the wire management elements are secured to the bottom or baseline of the frames and some of the wire management elements are removably secured to a waistline or midportion of at least some of the frames. The frames can extend to a waist height, a seated height, to a standing or full floor to ceiling height in a modular stepped fashion. Decorative and functional modular tiles are sized to fit on the frames to substantially cover the frames, and are independently and removably mounted thereto. The tiles are of equal height and of variable modular width to cover the frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: 5011240
    Abstract: A utility cart with front, back, side, top and bottom walls includes a housing having a pair of U-shaped frames spanning the front and back portions of the cart. Each of the U-shaped frames has a pair of upright legs joined by a bottom bight portion. At least two side wall segments form opposite sides of the cart. Each of the side wall segments has at side edges thereof frame-receiving openings shaped to receive legs of the U-shaped frame member. The side wall segments are spaced apart by the U-shaped frames with the legs of the U-shaped frames retained by the frame-receiving openings. The upper portions of the upright legs of each of the U-shaped frame members are joined together and drawers are slidably mounted to the side wall segments. Integrally molded glides are formed on the inner faces of the side wall segments. The drawers have glide flanges mounted on the sides cooperable with the molded glides slidably mounting the drawers on the glides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Milcare, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, Steven F. Goodman
  • Patent number: 4976502
    Abstract: A cabinet having a door moveable between a closed position, an open and partially pocketed position, and an open and fully pocketed position. The cabinet further comprises means for aligning the door relative to the cabinet side wall prior to moving the door into the cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1990
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, George A. Williams, Andrew J. Kurrasch, Geoffrey A. Hollington
  • Patent number: 4948205
    Abstract: A desk and a half-wall are combined to make the space within the wall available for the storage of wires and equipment associated with devices in use on or adjacent the desk. The half-wall extends above the desk top, and has a slot traversed by the wires leading out to the devices. Brackets that also traverse the slot can be used to support the devices well above the desk surface. The inner panels forming the half-wall are adapted to support shelves under the desk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Sligh Furniture Co.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: 4876835
    Abstract: A work space management system for dividing a space into separate work areas comprising a wall system having a rigid framework formed of rigid rectangular frames rigidly joined together at the edges thereof to form at least one work area, wire management elements secured to the frames for communication and power wiring and a plurality of selectively relocatable modular tiles removably hanging on the frames. Some of the wire management elements are secured to the bottom or baseline of the frames and some of the wire management elements are removably secured to a waistline or midportion of at least some of the frames. The frames can extend to a waist height, a seated height, to a standing or full floor to ceiling height in a modular stepped fashion. Decorative and functional modular tiles are sized to fit on the frames to substantially cover the frames, and are independently and removably mounted thereto. The tiles are of equal height and of variable modular width to cover the frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, William E. Stumpf, Frank A. Friedman
  • Patent number: 4826125
    Abstract: A folding easel wherein there is an articulated joint between the upper ends of the legs and a further articulated joint between support arms and a central leg. Each articulated joint includes a ball and socket arrangement with there being a loop of elastic cord extending through the legs and the ball and sockets to hold the parts together while functioning as a pivot member. The support arms are secured to the central leg utilizing a similar ball and socket and loop of elastic cord arrangement. An elastic cord also extends between outer ends of the support arms for holding the support arms in the operative state of the easel. The same elastic cord is utilized in association with headed members on lower portions of the legs to pull the lower portions of the legs together in the folded state of the easel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: D299758
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1989
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: RE32890
    Abstract: A frame connector system for connecting adjacent frames together to form a wall panel system for offices, for example, comprises rigid frames which have elongated stiles extending the length of opposite sides, each stile having an edge face with an indented channel running along the length and shaped to form a hollow rectangular channel with an abutting edge face of an adjacent frame stile. A rectangular elongated draw tube fits snugly within the rectangular channel between the stiles. A U-shaped draw nut on top of the draw tube has legs which fit within openings in the stiles and engage wedging surfaces on the stiles to draw the stiles tightly together as the draw tube is moved upwardly with respect to the stiles. A cap screw is threaded into the draw nut and engages tongues on the stile to provide a mechanical advantage in shifting the draw tube upwardly with respect to the stiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry A. DeFouw, James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: D300396
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1989
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, Castelli Clino T.
  • Patent number: D305691
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: D306909
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 27, 1990
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, Donald J. Staufenberg
  • Patent number: D307685
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: James O. Kelley, Clino T. Castelli
  • Patent number: D312175
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: D322875
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1991
    Assignee: Milcare, Inc.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: D325800
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Assignee: Milcare, Inc.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley
  • Patent number: D349200
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Sligh Furniture Co.
    Inventor: James O. Kelley