IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,016,059
Granted Patent B2
US 10,016,059 · App. 14/707,776 · Granted Jul 10, 2018

Flexible substrate assembly and associated furniture using the same

Inventors: James R. Leonard (Holland, MI); William D. Blair (Holland, MI)
A47C7/14A47C1/02A47C1/121A47C4/02A47C5/12A47C7/004A47C7/28A47C7/285A47C7/566
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,016,059
App. No.
14/707,776
Granted
Jul 10, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A novel, flexible substrate assembly including a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs associated with at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the flexible substrate member. A chair assembly including a seat member, a back support member with an optional headrest, an optional left arm, an optional right arm, a floor-engaging base member which may form part of a frame assembly, a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side, and a novel, flexible substrate assembly, wherein the novel flexible substrate assembly comprises a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, and a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs associated with at least one of the inner and outer surfaces of the flexible substrate member.

Claims (27)

1. A flexible substrate assembly, comprising:

a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, wherein each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs include a length, a left end and a right end;

a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the flexible substrate member is over-molded onto at least a portion of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs such that the left end and the right end of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs are not over-molded with the flexible substrate member; and

wherein the flexible substrate assembly is flexible and articulable along a first axis that is orthogonal to the length of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, but non-flexible and non-articulable along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis.

2. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise ball ribs.

3. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise half-ball bottom ribs.

4. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise half-ball top ribs.

5. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise hook ribs.

6. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise block ribs.

7. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise slide ribs.

8. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise pin ribs.

9. The flexible substrate assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs comprise at least one of ball ribs, half-ball bottom ribs, half-ball top ribs, hook ribs, block ribs, slide ribs, pin ribs, and combinations thereof.

10. A chair assembly, comprising:

a seat member, a back support member with an optional headrest, an optional left arm, an optional right arm, a floor-engaging base member which may form part of a frame assembly, a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side;

a flexible substrate assembly, wherein the flexible substrate assembly comprises a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, wherein each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs include a length, a left end and a right end, and a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the flexible substrate member is over-molded onto at least a portion of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs such that the left end and the right end of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs are not over-molded with the flexible substrate member;

wherein the flexible substrate assembly is flexible and articulable along a first axis that is orthogonal to the length of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, but non-flexible and non-articulable along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;

wherein the seat member and the back support member comprise the flexible substrate assembly;

wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the seat member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate a front end thereof; and

wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the back support member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate an upper end thereof.

11. The chair assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the ribs comprise at least one of ball ribs, half-ball bottom ribs, half-ball top ribs, hook ribs, block ribs, slide ribs, pin ribs, and combinations thereof.

12. A chair assembly, comprising:

a seat member, a back support member with an optional headrest, an optional left arm, an optional right arm, a floor-engaging base member which may form part of a frame assembly, a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back side;

a flexible substrate assembly, wherein the flexible substrate assembly comprises a plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, wherein each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs include a length, a left end and a right end, and a flexible substrate member having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the flexible substrate member is over-molded onto at least a portion of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs such that the left end and the right end of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs are not over-molded with the flexible substrate member, and wherein the left end and the right end of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs are positioned within channels of guide plates;

wherein the flexible substrate assembly is flexible and articulable along a first axis that is orthogonal to the length of each one of the plurality of rigid or semi-rigid ribs, but non-flexible and non-articulable along a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;

wherein the seat member and the back support member comprise the flexible substrate assembly;

wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the seat member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate a front end thereof; and

wherein the flexible substrate assembly of the back support member is displaceable between a non-extended configuration and an extended configuration proximate an upper end thereof.

Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61990133 · May 8, 2014
Related Publication 20160022044A1 · Jan 28, 2016
Cited By (3)
US 12,207,737 US 12,329,290 US 12,433,417