With Anti-friction Means Patents (Class 297/261.3)
  • Patent number: 11812870
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary Karsten, Mark Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 10231546
    Abstract: A chair can include a chair back, or backrest, that is coupled to a base of a chair above a seat of the chair. A tilt mechanism can attach the backrest to the base at spaced apart locations. In some embodiments, the tilt mechanism can be configured so that the backrest rotates about multiple pivots as it reclines from an upright position to a reclined position to drive forward motion of the seat during recline of the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Knoll, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen Oliver Loew, Andrew Blair Hector
  • Patent number: 9743772
    Abstract: Self-adjusting furniture, seating, and accessories disclosed. When the user applies a force to the seating by shifting his or her center of gravity, the backrest and/or seat/bed portions of the seating/furniture move in response to the force to recline or adjust the seating/furniture or accessories. The user can return the seating to an upright position by again shifting his or her center of gravity. The angle of the backrest and/or seat/bed portions can vary relative to the ground as the user moves. Continuously varying the angle of both the backrest and seat/bed portions of the seating/furniture or accessories relative to the ground may improve a user's seating comfort, for example, by decreasing or negating the user's need to shift position on the seat when reclined or continuously responding the user's shift in position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: TROPITONE FURNITURE CO., INC.
    Inventor: Richard Rivera
  • Patent number: 8967716
    Abstract: An infant care apparatus capable of providing various swing motions is disclosed. The infant care apparatus includes a base, a sliding mount, and a seat frame. The base has a concave surface. The sliding mount has a convex surface matching with the concave surface and disposed opposite to the concave surface. The sliding mount slides above the concave surface by the convex surface. The seat frame is fixed on the sliding mount to be moved together with the sliding mount. Thereby, the seat frame together with the sliding mount can swing relative to the base in two dimensions. The infant care apparatus can provide various swing motions without any pendulum arm to child sitting thereon. Besides, the infant care apparatus can be assembled in a compact size facilitating transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Wonderland Nurserygoods Company Limited
    Inventor: Jonathan K. Mountz
  • Patent number: 7090240
    Abstract: A tiltable seating frame (10) for selectively positioning seating in a wheelchair, in which a seat platform (12) has opposing sides (18) that each extend to an arcuate distal edge (20) and each side defines an arcuate slot (22) parallel to the distal edge. A base (14) has opposing sides (70) that receive pairs of front and rear rollers (72, 74) on which the distal edges (20) travel. Each side (70) also receives a guide roller (76) attached intermediate and vertically spaced relative to the front and rear rollers (72, 74). The guide rollers (76) extend through the respective arcuate slot (22) of the seat platform (12), to guide the movement of the seat platform (12) relative to the base (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Plainsense Wheelchairs, Inc.
    Inventor: James B. Papac