Patents by Inventor William E. Stumpf

William E. Stumpf 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: 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: 5004202
    Abstract: A shelving assembly having vertical standards and brackets thereon suspending shelves therebetween by telescopic mounting connectors telescopically fitted into and projecting from openings as in reinforcing beams recessed into the bottom of the shelves. The mounting connectors extend into openings in the brackets. These openings are in alternate pairs to allow the shelf to be in either of two positions, preferably horizontal or tilted diagonally. The connectors have peripheral grooves configured to interengage with the plate type brackets, there being three such grooves so they can support one end of one shelf on a bracket or the adjacent ends of two shelves on a common bracket. Glass shelves can be mounted on these book end brackets using socket shelf mounts having a receiving socket in a body, an outer shelf support surface, and a resilient clip for attachment to the shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Knape & Vogt Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: William E. Stumpf, Casey L. Carlson, Richard S. Knape, Walter L. Bessinger
  • Patent number: 5002248
    Abstract: A shelving assembly having vertical standards and brackets thereon suspending shelves therebetween by steel mounting pins projecting from channels in reinforcing beams recessed into the bottom of the shelves. The mounting pins extend into openings in the brackets. These openings, when in the form of recesses in the upper edge of the brackets, are configured with an overhand lip to prevent shelf tipping. These openings, when in bookend brackets are in alternate pairs to allow the shelf to be horizontal or tilted diagonally.The pins have a steel core, preferably jacketed with polymer having an integral peripheral flexible fin for a friction fit in the channels. These pins have peripheral grooves configured to interengage with plate type brackets. The pins have three such grooves so that they can serve to support one end of one shelf on the bracket or the adjacent ends of two shelves on a common bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Knape & Vogt Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Richard S. Knape, William E. Stumpf, Casey L. Carlson, Walter L. Bessinger
  • Patent number: 4966343
    Abstract: A shelving assembly having vertical standards and cantilever brackets, an elongated generally U-shaped cover over each standard, its legs being resiliently biased toward the standard, and there being a space extending in from the apex of the cover and straddled by flanges which integrally join a cross piece forming webs and vertically spaced slots generally coinciding with slots in the standard. The legs hold the cover on the standard. The bracket holds the cover vertically in place. The cover flanges laterally stabilize the bracket. Caps and collars project from the ends of the standards. The brackets have slotted shelving mounts fitted in upper edge recesses of the brackets, each mount having an upper adhesive pad and a vertical jack for temporarily holding a shelf up off the adhesive. The jacks are shiftable down under limited predetermined force to lower the shelf onto the adhesive for anchoring. A wire clip for guiding an electric wire is attachable to the standard by lug engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1990
    Assignee: Knape & Vogt Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Walter L. Bessinger, William E. Stumpf, Casey L. Carlson
  • 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: 4718716
    Abstract: A reclining chair (10) having a seat (12), backrest (14), side supports (16) and a reclining mechanism which includes a backrest bracket (34) rigidly affixed to the backrest (14) and pivotably mounted to a side support bracket (18), the side support bracket (18) being rigidly affixed to a side support (16). A seat support bracket (30) is rigidly affixed to the seat (12) and pivotably mounted to a side support bracket (18). A coupler link (40) has one end pivotably connected to the backrest bracket (34) and a second end pivotably connected to the seat support bracket (30). The axis of rotation of the backrest (14) is located so as to pass approximately through the hips of a chair occupant. Further, the linkages are so selected and arranged that the reclining motion and return motion take place by a horizontal translation of the center of gravity of the occupant to minimize the effort required to operate the reclining mechanism through its range of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Stumpf, Donald T. Chadwick, Bruce R. Gezon
  • Patent number: 4529247
    Abstract: A one-piece shell chair (10) includes an unitary integrally formed shell body (12) having a flexurally supported seat pan (14) and a flexurally supported backrest (16) defined in part by an H-shaped opening (20) in the shell body. The backrest (16) and the seat pan (14) resiliently flex as independent units in response to an occupant's body shape, size, posture and positioning. Integral, flexible straps join the backrest (16) to the seat pan (14) to permit resilient flexing of the backrest (16) with respect to the seat pan (14) about an axis through the occupant's hip joint to minimize shear between the backrest and the occupant's back during flexing movement of the backrest 16 with respect to the seat pan 14. The seat (12) is mounted to a tilt mechanism (28) which pivots the seat (12) about an axis forward and below the front edge (14a) of the seat pan (14) enabling the user's feet to remain stationary on the floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Stumpf, Donald T. Chadwick
  • Patent number: 4054317
    Abstract: A basic chair frame is disclosed consisting of a minimum number of interchangeable components including a seat/back frame member, a spindle attachment plate a seat shell and an anti-racking attachment for arm members. Because the several parts are reduced in design and construction to basic essentials by means of interchange of components the frame can be modified to adapt the chair to a variety of disparate uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1977
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: 4009856
    Abstract: A tilting chair support mechanism is provided including a spindle support, a pivotally mounted tilt plate and a spring acting between the support and the tilt plate biasing the plate into a forwardly tilted position. A stop latch carried on the tilt plate cooperates with one of a pair of socket-like stop shoulders on the rear face of an upstanding, spindle mounted stop finger whereby the maximum forwardly tilted position of the plate can be selectively adjusted depending upon the character of the user's activities while seated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1977
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard H. Wolters, William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: D289120
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald T. Chadwick, William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: D295347
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald T. Chadwick, William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: D296394
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1988
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald T. Chadwick, William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: D296623
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald T. Chadwick, William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: D298289
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Stumpf
  • Patent number: D299192
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald T. Chadwick, William E. Stumpf