HNI TECHNOLOGIES INC. Patent applications |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20140191546 | STACKING AND NESTING CHAIR - A stackable and nestable chair includes a seat assembly, a pair of rear legs spaced apart by a first distance, and a pair of front legs spaced apart by a second distance different than the first distance. The front legs and the rear legs mutually connected by a crossbar, and the seat assembly is supported by the crossbar when the seat is in an operable position. A plurality of casters are each attached to a bottom of each of the front and rear legs, wherein each caster includes a notch that is configured to couple with a leg of an adjacently stacked chair. | 07-10-2014 |
20140062154 | RESILIENT CHAIR INCORPORATING MULTIPLE FLEX ZONES - A reclining chair has a base coupled to a chair back. The chair back is adapted to recline from an upright position to a reclined position. To accommodate that reclining motion, the chair back includes a flex zone formed with notches extending through an inner portion of the flex zone. Those notches narrow as the chair back reclines from the upright position to the reclined position. The flex zone also includes an outer portion that is separated from the inner portion by a gap, the outer portion having one or more notches extending through the outer portion. Those notches also narrow as the chair back reclines from the upright position to the reclined position. | 03-06-2014 |
20130169014 | DYNAMIC CHAIR BACK LUMBAR SUPPORT SYSTEM - A chair back according to embodiments of the present invention includes a rigid support member for reclinable attachment to a base, a flexible frame member having a flexible frame and a mesh, the mesh at least partially spanning the frame, and a seat attachment member moving in synchronization with the rigid support member at a different rate than the rigid support member during reclining of the rigid support member, wherein a first portion of the flexible frame member is affixed to the rigid support member, wherein a second portion of the flexible frame member flexes freely, wherein the seat attachment member contacts at least part of the second portion of the flexible frame member, wherein the first portion moves with the rigid support member and the second portion moves with the seat attachment member such that a curvature of the second portion increases as the rigid support member reclines. | 07-04-2013 |
20130014456 | COMPOSITE HUTCH DOOR - A door as provided includes a one piece molded outer frame, a transparent panel, and a one piece molded inner frame, the inner and outer frames being coupled via a clip component and clip receiving component with the transparent panel secured therebetween. | 01-17-2013 |
20120112511 | ADJUSTABLE ARM FOR CHAIR - A chair arm adjustment device according to embodiments of the present invention includes an arm pad base slidably coupled to the arm support, the arm pad base sliding substantially horizontally in two degrees of freedom with respect to the arm support within a range of motion of the arm pad base with respect to the arm support, and an arm brake assembly coupled with the arm pad base, the arm brake assembly moveable between a locked position in which the arm brake assembly substantially inhibits movement of the arm pad base relative to the arm support and an unlocked position in which the arm brake assembly does not substantially inhibit movement of the arm pad base relative to the arm support, wherein the arm brake assembly moves from the unlocked position to the locked position at any position of the arm pad base within the range of motion. | 05-10-2012 |
20120024281 | THIN CHAMBER BURNER - Burner assemblies including panels (e.g., transparent panels) supported in a substantially parallel, closely-spaced relationship and gaskets and spacers sealing the space between the panels to form a perimeter seal and to define a plenum between the first and second panels with an inlet into the plenum and an outlet out of the plenum. | 02-02-2012 |
20110031793 | RECLINING CHAIR WITH ENHANCED ADJUSTABILITY - An adjustable reclining chair including a seat configured to support a user, a chair back, a base and a control mechanism mounted on the base. The control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat with the chair back located generally adjacent to the user's back when the user is seated upon the seat. The control mechanism including a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying the control mechanism's resistance to a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back in order to move the chair back rearward from an upright position. The resistance adjustment mechanism activated by the weight of the user when seated in the chair, such that easy adjustment of the resistance is facilitated with the chair in an upright position. The resistance adjustment mechanism including a resilient member placed under a load during reclining of the chair to provide resistance to the reclining force. | 02-10-2011 |
20100239990 | Vertical Manifold Burner - A gas burner assembly includes a first sheet, a second sheet, and a conduit. The first sheet has an inner face, an outer face, an upper portion, and a lower portion. The second sheet also has an inner face, an outer face, an upper portion and a lower portion. The first and second sheets are secured relative to one another such that the first and second sheets are separated by a gap that defines a manifold between the inner faces of the first and second sheets with an elongate opening between the upper portions of the first and second sheets, the opening forming an outlet from the manifold. The conduit is in communication with the manifold, the conduit being adapted for connection to a source of gas. | 09-23-2010 |
20100194160 | STACKING AND NESTING CHAIR - A stackable and nestable chair includes a seat assembly, a pair of rear legs spaced apart by a first distance, and a pair of front legs spaced apart by a second distance different than the first distance. The front legs and the rear legs mutually connected by a crossbar, and the seat assembly is supported by the crossbar when the seat is in an operable position. A plurality of casters are each attached to a bottom of each of the front and rear legs, wherein each caster includes a notch that is configured to couple with a leg of an adjacently stacked chair. | 08-05-2010 |
20100170496 | LIGHTING EFFECTS IN A HEATING APPLIANCE - A fireplace includes a first enclosure defining a combustion chamber and having a front that allows viewing within the combustion chamber, one or more back panels opposite the front, a plurality of side panels, a top panel, and a bottom panel. At least one of the one or more back panels and plurality of side panels includes a plurality of optically transmissive regions. A second enclosure includes a plurality of panels that are secured together to surround the plurality of side panels. A flame-generating element is disposed within the combustion chamber adjacent the bottom panel and is adapted to generate a flame. A lighting assembly between the first enclosure and the second enclosure is operable to project light onto portions of the second enclosure facing the first enclosure to passively illuminate an interior of the combustion chamber through the plurality of optically transmissive regions. | 07-08-2010 |
20100116953 | QUICK DISCONNECT BRACKET ASSEMBLY - A cantilever bracket assembly includes a case bracket having an elongated channel, a generally L-shaped mounting bracket and means for locking the case bracket to the mounting bracket. The L-shaped mounting bracket includes a first portion having a protrusion for attaching the mounting bracket to a vertical standard and a second portion slidable within the elongated channel of the case bracket. The case bracket is slidable between an unlocked position and a locked position relative to the mounting bracket. | 05-13-2010 |
20100038946 | SEAT DAMPER ASSEMBLY - A seat damper assembly for a chair includes a rubber element having a through hole and a bracket seat having a major surface with a raised portion around a perimeter of the major surface. A support bracket is configured to be coupled with the bracket seat such that the raised portion abuts an outer edge of the support bracket. A side of the support bracket opposite the bracket seat is shaped to receive a portion of a chair frame assembly. A fastener, disposed in the through hole in rubber element, is configured to couple with a seat pan to secure the seat damper relative to the seat pan. | 02-18-2010 |
20090183659 | PELLET STOVE - According to embodiments of the present invention, a pellet stove includes a firepot assembly with a bottom plate slideable along rails to move between a closed position during combustion in the firepot and an open position during ash removal. According to other embodiments, a firebox or combustion enclosure includes a plurality of airfoils formed on the inner and outer surfaces of the enclosure to facilitate heat exchange between exhaust gases flowing across the inner surface of the enclosure and air blown across the outer surface of the enclosure. According to some embodiments, the airfoils and enclosure are of integral unibody construction. According to yet other embodiments, a user sets parameters via a wall control unit, and a stove control unit receives the parameters and automatically controls fuel feed rate, ignition, convection blower, combustion blower, and/or firepot cleaning based on the one or more parameters. | 07-23-2009 |
20090165680 | TECHNOLOGY TROUGH - A conference table includes a technology trough assembly integrated into its worksurface. The technology trough includes one or more utility modules for providing customized utility connections to meet the users' requirements. The technology trough also includes sliding access panels that are flush with the worksurface of the table and that are adapted to slide along a horizontal plane between a closed and an open position over the utility modules such that do not interfere or obstruct visual or verbal communications between users. | 07-02-2009 |
20090165679 | TECHNOLOGY PORT - A conference table or other article of furniture includes one or more technology port assemblies integrated into its worksurface. The technology port assembly provides for one or more utility connections to be provided in the worksurface such that the utility connections are easily accessible to a group of users. The utility connections can be customized to meet the users' requirements. The technology port assembly includes a sliding access panel adapted to move between a closed position in which the utility connections are concealed to an open position in which the utility connections are exposed and accessible to the users. In the closed position, the sliding panel is substantially flush with an upper surface of the worksurface. In the open position, the sliding panel does not substantially protrude above an upper surface of the worksurface so as to not interfere or obstruct verbal or visual contact between the users. | 07-02-2009 |
20090151711 | FIREPLACE WITH EXHAUST HEAT EXCHANGER - A heat exchanger system and method for transferring heat from exhaust air from a fireplace to air to be delivered to a living space is described. Heated exhaust air is passed through a heat exchanger before exhaustion from the structure. The heat exchanger couples the exhaust duct and the intake duct and transfers otherwise unused heat from the waste products to the outside air to increase the overall efficiency of the heated product source. | 06-18-2009 |
20090033139 | ADJUSTABLE ARM REST FOR CHAIR - An adjustable armrest assembly for a chair includes a mounting member connected to the chair. The mounting member has an upper base. A first horizontal slide element is slidably mounted to the upper base and is adjustably slidable in a first direction with respect to the upper base. The first slide element is restrained after adjustment with respect to the upper base by frictional engagement between the upper base and the first slide element. A second horizontal slide element for slidably mounting to the first slide element is slidable in an arcuate path crossing the first direction. The second slide element is restrained after adjustment with respect to the first slide element by frictional engagement between the second slide element and the first slide element. | 02-05-2009 |
20080258514 | DESK AND CHAIR SET - A desk assembly and method of manufacturing the desk assembly. The desk assembly includes a frame supporting a top assembly. The frame includes two or more leg portions telescopically coupled to one another such that the top assembly is height adjustable. The top assembly is formed from a plastic molded base bonded to a high pressure laminate sheet to form a seamless panel. The seamless panel is straighted from a deformed state during the manufacturing process to a flat surface by adhering the panel to a substrate with adhesive and pressure. The top assembly may include an angled portion set off by a flowing arc to increase user comfort. The desk assembly may include a chair assembly integrally formed with the frame and one or more semi-transparent modesty panels. | 10-23-2008 |