Patents by Inventor Michael L. De Pree
Michael L. De Pree 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: 6349907Abstract: A support assembly for supporting an object on a floor. The support assembly includes a leg member and a heel member mounted on said leg member. The heel member is adapted to engage the floor. A foot member is pivotally attached to the leg member. The foot member is adapted to pivot between an upright storage position and a lateral support position. When in the lateral support position, the foot member is adapted to engage the floor at a point spaced apart from the heel member. In a preferred embodiment, a cover is provided to conceal the foot member when placed in the upright storage position. In a preferred embodiment, the heel member comprises a height adjustable glide device that includes a base portion and a stem portion extending upwardly from the base portion. A shaft is disposed in the stem portion and operable engages an actuator disposed in a cavity formed in the base portion. The shaft operably engages the leg member to provide vertical adjustment of the leg member.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2000Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Geoff A. Hollington, Dean D. Achterhof, Michael L. De Pree, George A. Miles
-
Patent number: 6308922Abstract: A support assembly for supporting an object on a floor. The support assembly includes a support bracket releasably mounted to the leg member. The support bracket and leg member are adapted so as to permit the support bracket to be rotated between at least three positions relative to the leg member. In one preferred embodiment, one of the support bracket and leg member comprise a post member and the other of the support bracket and leg member comprises a socket shaped to receive the post member.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2000Date of Patent: October 30, 2001Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Geoff A. Hollington, Dean D. Achterhof, Eric Cammenga, Michael L. De Pree
-
Patent number: 6119989Abstract: A support assembly for supporting an object on a floor. The support assembly includes a leg member and a heel member mounted on said leg member. The heel member is adapted to engage the floor. A foot member is pivotally attached to the leg member. The foot member is adapted to pivot between an upright storage position and a lateral support position. When in the lateral support position, the foot member is adapted to engage the floor at a point spaced apart from the heel member. In a preferred embodiment, a cover is provided to conceal the foot member when placed in the upright storage position. In a preferred embodiment, the heel member comprises a height adjustable glide device that includes a base portion and a stem portion extending upwardly from the base portion. A shaft is disposed in the stem portion and operable engages an actuator disposed in a cavity formed in the base portion. The shaft operably engages the leg member to provide vertical adjustment of the leg member.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 1997Date of Patent: September 19, 2000Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: Geoff A. Hollington, Dean D. Achterhof, Cecil P. Craycraft, Michael L. De Pree, George A. Miles
-
Patent number: 5562469Abstract: There is disclosed an electrified wall panel system having a power distribution server locatable within a wall panel unit. The power distribution server has four receptacle module ports oriented in an H-shaped configuration in which a first receptacle port on a first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a first end of the wall panel unit, a second receptacle port on the first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a second end of the wall panel unit, a third receptacle port on a second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the first end of the wall panel unit, and fourth receptacle port on the second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the second end of the wall panel unit. First and second harnesses are each electrically connected at first ends thereof to the power distribution server, extend to opposite ends of the wall panel unit, and include connector ports on the second ends thereof for providing electrical interconnection of adjacent wall panel units.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 1995Date of Patent: October 8, 1996Assignee: Herman Miller Inc.Inventors: James H. Nienhuis, Jeffrey L. Clark, Michael L. De Pree
-
Patent number: 5214889Abstract: There is disclosed an electrified wall panel system having a power distribution server locatable within a wall panel unit. The power distribution server has four receptacle module ports oriented in an H-shaped configuration in which a first receptacle port on a first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a first end of the wall panel unit, a second receptacle port on the first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a second end of the wall panel unit, a third receptacle port on a second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the first end of the wall panel unit, and fourth receptacle port on the second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the second end of the wall panel unit. There is also disclosed an electrified wall panel system with wall panel connector interchangeably usable with the interconnection of two, three, and four wall panel units.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 1992Date of Patent: June 1, 1993Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: James H. Nienhuis, Jeffrey L. Clark, Michael L. De Pree, Robert L. Beck
-
Patent number: 5112240Abstract: There is disclosed an electrified wall panel system having a power distribution server locatable within a wall panel unit. The power distribution server has four receptacle module ports oriented in an H-shaped configuration in which a first receptacle port on a first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a first end of the wall panel unit, a second receptacle port on the first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a second end of the wall panel unit, a third receptacle port on a second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the first end of the wall panel unit, and fourth receptacle port on the second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the second end of the wall panel unit. First and second harnesses are each electrically connected at first ends thereof to the power distributon server, extend to opposite ends of the wall panel unit, and include connector ports on the second ends thereof for providing electrical interconnection of adjacent wall panel units.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1991Date of Patent: May 12, 1992Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: James H. Nienhuis, Jeffrey L. Clark, Michael L. De Pree, Robert L. Beck
-
Patent number: 5013252Abstract: There is disclosed an electrified wall panel system having a power distribution server locatable within a wall panel unit. The power distribution server has four receptacle module ports oriented in an H-shaped configuration in which a first receptacle port on a first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a first end of the wall panel unit, a second receptacle port on the first side of the wall panel unit opens toward a second end of the wall panel unit, a third receptacle port on a second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the first end of the wall panel unit, and fourth receptacle port on the second side of the wall panel unit opens toward the second end of the wall panel unit. First and second harnesses are each electrically connected at first ends thereof to the power distribution server, extend to opposite ends of the wall panel unit, and include connector ports on the second ends thereof for providing electrical interconnection of adjacent wall panel units.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1990Date of Patent: May 7, 1991Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.Inventors: James H. Nienhuis, Jeffrey L. Clark, Michael L. De Pree, Robert L. Beck