Patents by Inventor Paul Sprafke

Paul Sprafke 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: 8967711
    Abstract: A swivel joint for pivotably coupling a tray to a support element of a seating implement. The swivel joint includes a tubular inner structure arranged substantially coaxially with and non-rotatably connectable to the support element, and a mounting structure at least partially surrounding the tubular inner structure in a radial direction. The mounting portion is pivotable relative to the tubular inner structure and rigidly coupled to the tray. The tubular inner structure includes at least one opening extending in the peripheral direction between two angular positions, and the mounting structure has at least one projection which projects in a radial direction and engages with the at least one opening of the tubular inner structure. The swivel joint provides additional structural integrity to compensate for loads on the tray and also provides a pivoting point to allow the tray to move easily between positions of use and non-use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: VS Vereinigte Spezial Mobelfabriken GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Reinhard Weber, Paul Sprafke
  • Publication number: 20120146367
    Abstract: A swivel joint for pivotably coupling a tray to a support element of a seating implement. The swivel joint includes a tubular inner structure arranged substantially coaxially with and non-rotatably connectable to the support element, and a mounting structure at least partially surrounding the tubular inner structure in a radial direction. The mounting portion is pivotable relative to the tubular inner structure and rigidly coupled to the tray. The tubular inner structure includes at least one opening extending in the peripheral direction between two angular positions, and the mounting structure has at least one projection which projects in a radial direction and engages with the at least one opening of the tubular inner structure. The swivel joint provides additional structural integrity to compensate for loads on the tray and also provides a pivoting point to allow the tray to move easily between positions of use and non-use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: VS Vereinigte Spezialmobelfabriken GmbH
    Inventors: Reinhard Weber, Paul Sprafke
  • Patent number: 7731277
    Abstract: A seating implement has a base frame, a sitting surface, a back rest, and a tablet. The tablet is fastened to a support element provided on one side of the base frame by way of a linkage mechanism, so that the table can swivel between a substantially horizontal position of use and a position of non-use. The tablet is dimensioned to support a notebook computer and the support element has a section running in a substantially horizontal plane, on which the tablet is pivotally fastened by way of the linkage mechanism. The substantially horizontal section is oriented at an angle to the direction of the sitting surface, and the tablet can swivel about an axis substantially parallel to this section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: VS Vereinigte Spezialmoebelfabriken GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Reinhard Weber, Friedrich Korte, Paul Sprafke
  • Publication number: 20080203778
    Abstract: A seating implement has a base frame, a sitting surface, a back rest, and a tablet. The tablet is fastened to a support element provided on one side of the base frame by way of a linkage mechanism, so that the table can swivel between a substantially horizontal position of use and a position of non-use. The tablet is dimensioned to support a notebook computer and the support element has a section running in a substantially horizontal plane, on which the tablet is pivotally fastened by way of the linkage mechanism. The substantially horizontal section is oriented at an angle to the direction of the sitting surface, and the tablet can swivel about an axis substantially parallel to this section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: VS VEREINIGTE SPEZIALMOBELFABRIKEN GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Reinhard Weber, Friedrich Korte, Paul Sprafke