The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 30, 1998
Filed:
Jun. 07, 1995
William E Stumpf, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Rodney C Schoenfelder, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Donald Chadwick, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Carolyn Keller, Holland, MI (US);
Timothy P Coffield, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Randy J Sayers, Belding, MI (US);
Jeffrey W Bruner, Greensboro, NC (US);
George A Miles, West Olive, MI (US);
Eric Cammenga, Holland, MI (US);
Philip Crossman, Grand Rapids, MI (US);
Herman Miller Inc., Zeeland, MI (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling the tilt range of a chair and the resistance to tilting of the chair including a torsion spring mounted to an axle, a tilt rate adjustment mechanism, a forward tilt limiter and a rearward tilt limiter. The tilt rate adjustment mechanism includes an outer sleeve member mounted to the spring. An arm extends radially outward from the sleeve and operably engages a block member threadably attached to a screw. A first and second gear member are actuated to rotate the screw so as to move the block member which thereby moves the arm a desired amount to adjust the initial return torque of the spring. The forward tilt limiter includes an arm extending outwardly from the axle. The arm operably engages a pivot member pivotally attached to a tilt control housing. The rearward tilt limiter also includes an arm extending outwardly from the axle. The arm operably engages a cam member pivotally attached to the tilt control housing.