Herman Miller, Inc.

Shelby Williams Industries, Inc.

Sub-zero Freezer Company, Inc.

Litton Business Systems, Inc.

Shepherd Products, U.s., Inc.

Other

Hartland Products Company, Inc.

Caruso; Jerome

Shelby Willliams Industries, Inc.

Jerome Carmel Caruso

Steven Jerome Caruso

Jack R Nyenhuis

Bruce Robert Gezon

Marc A Gierz

Philip F Hottmann

John Fredric Aldrich

Ludovic A Perl

Dean T Miller

Andrew Keith Hector

Christopher G Estkowski

Mark J Blahnik

Thomas William Granzow

Lennard V Lastuck

Allen L Wilkins

Richard Thomas Peek

Peter Barile, Sr

Michael H Estkowski

Benjamin Edinger

Larry J Krubsack

Chad D Aerts

Robert M Shane

Don E Minor

Ronald H Krubsack

Steven Caruso

Seat

A body support structure includes a support frame having at least first and second opposite side portions and defining an opening therebetween. A molded elastomeric member is connected to the first and second side portions and suspended over the opening. The molded elastomeric member includes a mechanical structure decoupling the molded elastomeric member in first and second directions such that the molded elastomeric member has different load bearing characteristics in the first and second directions, wherein the first direction is different than the second direction. A method for forming a load bearing structure is also provided.

Body support structure having a molded elastomeric member

A seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some of the web structures are spaced apart such that they define openings therebetween. Adjacent rows of said web structures are spaced or staggered.

Seating structure having flexible support surface

A seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some of the web structures are non-planar and at least some adjacent web structures are spaced apart such that they define openings therebetween. In another aspect, the seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and defining a support surface and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some adjacent web structures are spaced apart and shaped such that they define substantially non-circular openings therebetween when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support surface. A reinforced frame is also provided.

A seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some of the web structures are non-planar and at least some adjacent web structures are spaced apart such that they define openings therebetween. In another aspect, the seating structure includes a plurality of boss structures arranged in a pattern and defining a support surface and a plurality of web structures joining adjacent boss structures within the pattern. At least some adjacent web structures are spaced apart and shaped such that they define substantially non-circular openings therebetween when viewed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support surface.

Seating structure having flexible seating surface

A tiltable chair including a housing, a back support pivotally attached to the housing about a first horizontal axis and a seat support pivotally attached to the housing about a second horizontal axis. A leaf spring includes a first end engaging the housing and a second end biasing the back support and seat support in an upward direction. A fulcrum member is moveably supported in the housing and engages a bottom surface of the spring intermediate the first and second ends of the spring.

Chair

An adjustable armrest for a chair includes a housing having a cavity defined by a wall and a latch member slideably mounted in the cavity. The latch member includes a wedge shaped portion having a first and second surface forming a oblique angle between them. One of the first and second surfaces engages the wall of the housing at least when the latch is in the engaged position.

Adjustable armrest

An improved method of constructing seating surfaces, provides greater comfort through superior surface adjustments for a variety of users. The seating structure provides greater airflow to contact areas of the occupant's body, and is more efficient and economical to produce. The seating surface construction is comprised of a plurality of support sections, or bosses/platforms and of a plurality of web connectors interconnecting the support sections. The support sections, or bosses/platforms are more rigid than their corresponding web connectors.

Cellular chair construction

An adjustable backrest for a seating structure includes an upright having a rack. The backrest is moveably mounted on the upright. A pawl is pivotally mounted to the backrest about a pivot axis and is pivotable between an engaged position, wherein the pawl is engaged with the rack, and a disengaged position, wherein the pawl is disengaged from the rack. The pawl is further translatably mounted to the backrest, wherein the pawl is translatable relative to the backrest between at least a disabled position and an operative position. A spring biases the pawl into the engaged position when the pawl is in the operative position. A method of adjusting the height of the backrest is also provided.

Adjustable backrest

A tiltable chair including a housing, a back support pivotally attached to the housing about a first horizontal axis and a seat support pivotally attached to the housing about a second horizontal axis. A leaf spring includes a first end engaging the housing and a second end biasing the back support and seat support in an upward direction. A fulcrum member is moveably supported in the housing and engages a bottom surface of the spring intermediate the first and second ends of the spring. The chair also include an adjustable backrest and armrests slideably mounted on the back support, and a seat slideably mounted on the seat support. A tilt limiter is provided to limit the rearward tilting of the chair. A selector member includes indicia that indicates the setting of the tilt limiter so as to apprise the user of maximum available rearward tilt position of the chair.

Ganging chair

A stackable chair that is capable of being ganged with a further like chair in side-by-side relationship, including an upper frame adapted to receive and support a seating platform, and a backrest platform for supporting a user seated on the chair. The upper frame is attached to a lower frame having a left and right sides, each said having a pair of leg members connected underneath the lower frame, each of the leg members having a lower end to engage the supporting surface for the chair, and having an upper end. The right legs connect to a right frame member attached to the lower frame right side. The left legs connect to a left frame member attached to the lower frame left side. A left side and a right side coupling support extend respectively on top of left and right frame members. The left side coupling support includes a left extension having a coupling hook extending outward. The right side coupling support includes a right extension having a lower surface enclosing a downward opening slot aligned parallel with the right side frame member. In a ganged setup, the left coupling hook of one chair is insertable into the right slot of the second chair of a like chair. The ganged chairs, when disassembled, can be stacked vertically for ease of transfer. The chairs provide rigid connections and compact configurations when ganged or stacked.

Stackable side-by-side ganging chair

A vertical stacking leg-over-leg ganged chair is attachable side-by-side and includes an upper frame adapted to receive and support a seating platform, and a lower frame supporting the upper frame, and a backrest for supporting a user seated in the chair. The ganged chair includes a front pair of legs angled frontward, and a rear pair of legs angled rearward, each pair connected underneath the lower frame. The right legs are connected to a right frame member, and the left legs to a left frame member, with the left frame member being of a lesser length than the right frame member. In a side-by-side ganged setup, the wider spaced apart right legs of one ganged chair fit over the left legs of a second like chair, forming a single width leg unit on either side of the ganged chairs. Each upper portion of the left legs includes an elongated slot that accepts an elongated lug on the upper portion of each right leg, for connective support when chairs are attached horizontally. The configuration of legs, the angles of the legs, and the rearward angle of the backrest, allow the ganged chair to be stacked vertically for ease of transfer. The leg-over-leg structure allows connection side-to-side, providing a lesser overall width of chairs when in the ganged configuration.

Stackable leg-over-leg ganging chair

Growing community of inventors

Lake Forest, IL, United States of America

Jerome Carmel Caruso