Herman Miller, Inc.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Nessie Solutions, LLC

Matthew P Reed

Joseph D Ward

Timothy P Coffield

Jeffrey A Weber

John Fredric Aldrich

Ryan S Brill

Matthew Parkinson

Andrew J Kurrasch

Christopher C Hill

Douglas M VanDeRiet

James Slagh

Mark Allen Broome

Timothy A Hoogland

John Santose

Joe Brophy

Olek Berezecky

Constantine Fanourakis

Andrew Westrick

Nick Tonar

Foster Hovey

Nathan Arnold

Douglas Woodard

James D Slagh

Douglas M Vanderiet

Daniel S Sommerfield

A container deposit return system having a housing, a crushing assembly and a control system. The crushing assembly is positioned within the housing and has a first crushing wall and a second crushing wall spaced apart from the first crushing wall defining a crush cavity, and, a crushing wall movement assembly structurally configured to move the first crushing wall relative to the second crushing wall to direct the first crushing wall toward and away from the second crushing wall. The two crushing walls are configured crush a container that is positioned within the crush cavity. The control system having at least one imaging sensor, the imaging sensor configured to record an image the container before crushing and after crushing.

Container deposit return system

An elastomeric load bearing surface with different load support characteristics in different directions. In one embodiment, the surface includes an elastomeric membrane that is oriented in only a single direction, for example, by compression or stretching. In another embodiment, the surface includes mechanical structures, such as connectors, variations in thickness and apertures, that vary the load support characteristics in different directions. In another aspect, the present invention provides a multilayer load bearing surface in which the layers cooperate to provide a controlled force/deflection profile that is variable in different regions of the surface. In one embodiment, the upper layer includes a plurality of loosely connected nodes and a lower layer having a plurality of resilient elements that separately support each node.

Load bearing surface

A method of testing a seating structure includes disposing a seat engaging member on a seat and engaging a backrest material with an anthropometric surface of a back engaging member. The back engaging member is pivotally attached to the seat engaging member. A test device kit includes a plurality of seat engaging members having different flexibilities and a plurality of back engaging members having different anthropometric rear surfaces. Each of the back engaging members is pivotally connectable with each of the plurality of seat engaging members. A method of assembling a test device includes selecting a seat engaging member from a plurality of seat engaging members having different flexibilities and selecting a back engaging member having an anthropometric rear surface from a plurality of back engaging members each having a different anthropometric rear surface, and pivotally connecting the seat engaging member with the back engaging member.

Test device for seating structure

A suspended pixelated seating structure provides ergonomic, adaptable seating support. The suspended pixelated seating structure includes multiple cooperative layers to maximize global comfort and support while enhancing adaptation to localized variations in a load, such as in the load applied when a person sits in a chair. The cooperative layers each use independent elements such as pixels, springs, support rails, and other elements to provide this adaptable comfort and support. The suspended pixelated seating structure also uses aligned material to provide a flexible yet durable suspended seating structure. Accordingly, the suspended pixelated seating structure provides maximum comfort for a wide range of body shapes and sizes.

Suspended pixelated seating structure

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Matthew P Reed