Granted Patent B2

US 12,582,234 · App. 18/619,362 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Inventors: James Ludwig (Grand Rapids, MI); Nickolaus William Charles Deevers (Holland, MI); Kurt Heidmann (Grand Rapids, MI); Bruce Michael Smith (East Grand Rapids, MI); Mark Spoelhof (Grand Rapids, MI)

Assignee: Steelcase Inc.

A47C7/445A47C1/03277A47C3/20A47C3/22A47C5/12

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . A seating arrangement, comprising:

a flexibly resilient first shell member having a horizontally-extending first portion and a second portion extending upwardly from the first portion;

a flexibly resilient second shell member having a horizontally-extending first portion at least partially spaced from the first portion of the first shell member, and a second portion extending upwardly from the first portion of the second shell member and at least partially spaced from the second portion of the first shell member; and

at least one flexibly resilient first support member and a substantially rigid second support member extending between and supporting the first portion of the first shell member from the first portion of the second shell member such that the first portion of the first shell member, the first portion of the second shell member, the at least one first support member and the second support member cooperate to form a four-bar linkage arrangement such that the first portion of the first shell member is movable between a forward position and a rearward position; and

wherein the first portion of the first shell member is more flexible than the first portion of the second shell member, and wherein the at least one first support member is more flexible than the first portion of the second shell member.

2 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first support member comprises a substantially flat sheet.

3 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first support member and the second support member comprise a single, integral piece.

4 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first shell member and the second shell member comprises a polymer material.

5 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the at least one first support member is longer than the second support member.

6 . The seating arrangement of claim 5 , wherein the at least one first support member is located forwardly of the second support member.

7 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the second shell member is movable between an upright and a reclined position.

8 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly.

9 . A seating arrangement, comprising:

a support assembly configured to abut a floor surface;

an integral, one-piece support shell defining an upwardly-extending back portion configured to support a seated user, a substantially horizontally-extending seat portion configured to support the seated user and a curved transition portion extending between the back portion and the seat portion; and

a control member including a plurality of flexing regions and a plurality of support elements, where the seat portion of the one-piece support shell is supported by at least one of the plurality of support elements and at least one of the plurality of flexing regions both positioned entirely forwardly of a connection point between the support assembly and the control member, and by at least one of the plurality of support elements and at least one of the plurality of flexing regions both positioned entirely rearwardly of the connection point and forwardly of the curved transition portion, wherein the connection point is the only connection point between the control member and the support assembly.

10 . The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the control member that includes the at least one of the plurality of support elements positioned forwardly of the connection point and the at least one of the plurality of flexing regions positioned forwardly of the connection point comprises a single, integral piece.

11 . The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of support elements positioned forwardly of the connection point includes at least one of the plurality of flexing regions located forwardly of the connection point.

12 . The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the plurality of flexing regions comprises a region of reduced relative thickness.

13 . The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of support elements positioned rearwardly of the connection point is substantially rigid along a majority of a length thereof.

14 . The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the one-piece support shell includes a flex zone.

15 . The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly.

16 . A seating arrangement, comprising:

a support shell including a seat portion configured to support a seated user and a chair back portion configured to support a seated user, the seat portion having a front region and a rear region and the back portion having an upper region and a lower region, where the rear region of the seat portion is coupled to the lower region of the back portion; and

a control member including a front support and an attachment point for a second support that is a separate piece from the front support and that is less flexible than the front support, where the front support engages the support shell in the front region of the seat portion and the control member engages the back portion; and

wherein the control member is an integral, one-piece component including multiple flex regions configured to allow the support shell to move between an upright and reclined position.

17 . The seating arrangement of claim 16 , further comprising:

a support assembly configured to abut a floor surface, where the front support is located forwardly of a connection point between the support assembly and the control member.

18 . The seating arrangement of claim 17 , wherein the attachment point is located rearwardly of the connection point.

19 . The seating arrangement of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the multiple flex regions is located forwardly of the connection point.

20 . The seating arrangement of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the multiple flex regions is located rearwardly of the attachment point.

21 . The seating arrangement of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the multiple flex regions includes an area of reduced relative thickness.

22 . The seating arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the second support engages the support shell in the rear region of the seat portion.

23 . The seating arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (400)