US5765804A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pneumatic support colunm for a chair
Assignee: MillerKnoll Inc
•
Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 1998-06-16
•
Expires: 2015-06-07
Abstract
Abstract A vertically adjustable column for supporting a seat of a chair. The column includes an outer guide tube mounted to a support stand, an intermediate telescoping tube slidably positioned with the guide tube and an inner telescoping tube slidably positioned within the intermediate tube. An upper portion of the inner telescoping tube is connected to the seat. A gas spring includes a cylinder mounted within the inner tube, a piston rod extending outwardly from the cylinder and a control pin assembly mounted to an upper portion of the cylinder. The piston rod is connected to the guide tube and is extensible between a collapsed position in which the cylinder and inner tube are substantially within the intermediate tube and the intermediate tube is substantially within the guide tube, and a raised position in which a portion of the cylinder and inner tube extend outwardly from the intermediate tube and a portion of the intermediate tube extends outwardly from the outer guide tube.
Inventors
- 👤 William E. Stumpf
- 👤 Rodney C. Schoenfelder
- 👤 Donald Chadwick
- 👤 George A. Miles
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:34
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C45/00; B29C45/14; B29C45/14065; A; A47; A47C; A47C7/00; A47C7/02; A47C1/00; A47C1/02; A47C1/022; A47C1/03; A47C1/0303; A47C1/031; A47C1/032; A47C1/03205; A47C1/03238; A47C1/03255; A47C1/03261; A47C3/00; A47C3/20; A47C3/30; A47C5/00; A47C5/04; A47C5/06; A47C7/029; A47C7/14; A47C7/28; A47C7/282; A47C7/36; A47C7/40; B29C45/14631; B29K; B29K2713/00; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/44; B29L2031/443; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863; Y10T29/49867; Y10T29/4998; Y10T29/49998; Y10T403/00; Y10T403/32; Y10T403/32254; Y10T403/32467; Y10T403/32475; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/30; Y10T442/3008; Y10T442/3024
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A vertically adjustable column for supporting a seat of a chair, the column comprising: a guide tube mounted to a support stand, said guide tube comprising a first retaining member; an intermediate telescoping tube slidably positioned within the guide tube, said intermediate telescoping tube comprising an exterior shoulder and an interior shoulder at substantially the middle of the length of said intermediate tube, said exterior shoulder engaging said first retaining member when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the intermediate tube; an inner telescoping tube slidably positioned within the intermediate tube and comprising an upper portion thereof connected to a seat support member and a second retaining member engaging said interior shoulder of said intermediate tube when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the inner telescopic tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A vertically adjustable column for supporting a seat of a chair, the column comprising: a guide tube mounted to a support stand, said guide tube comprising a first retaining member; an intermediate telescoping tube slidably positioned within the guide tube, said intermediate telescoping tube comprising an exterior shoulder and an interior shoulder at substantially the middle of the length of said intermediate tube, said exterior shoulder engaging said first retaining member when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the intermediate tube; an inner telescoping tube slidably positioned within the intermediate tube and comprising an upper portion thereof connected to a seat support member and a second retaining member engaging said interior shoulder of said intermediate tube when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the inner telescopic tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The column of claim 1 further comprising a gas spring comprising a cylinder mounted within said inner telescopic tube and a piston rod extending from said cylinder in an axial direction and comprising an end connected to said guide tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
84 words
The column of claim 2 wherein the distance between a floor and a bottom of the guide tube is approximately one half inch and the height of the outer guide tube is approximately 81/2 inches to allow the seat support member to be lowered to a height of approximately 9 inches from the floor, and the stroke of the piston rod is approximately 7 inches to allow the seat support member to be raised to a height of approximately 16 inches from the floor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The column of claim 1 wherein said interior shoulder is positioned below said exterior shoulder.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The column of claim 1 wherein said first retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a top portion of said guide tube.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The column of claim 1 wherein said collar has an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the guide tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The column of claim 1 wherein said second retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a bottom portion of said inner telescopic tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The column of claim 1 wherein said first retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a top portion of said guide tube and said second retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a bottom portion of said inner telescopic tube.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The column of claim 1 wherein said exterior shoulder is at substantially the middle of the length of the intermediate tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
A vertically adjustable column comprising: a support stand; a guide tube; an intermediate telescoping tube slidably positioned within the guide tube; an inner telescoping tube slidably positioned within the intermediate tube and comprising an upper portion thereof connected to a support member; a frusto-conically shaped mounting member attached to the guide tube and mating with a frusto-conically shaped cavity formed in the support stand.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
A vertically adjustable column comprising: a support stand; a guide tube; an intermediate telescoping tube slidably positioned within the guide tube; an inner telescoping tube slidably positioned within the intermediate tube and comprising an upper portion thereof connected to a support member; a frusto-conically shaped mounting member attached to the guide tube and mating with a frusto-conically shaped cavity formed in the support stand.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The column of claim 10 further comprising a gas spring comprising a cylinder mounted within said inner telescopic tube and a piston rod extending from said cylinder in an axial direction and comprising an end connected to said guide tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The column of claim 10 wherein said mounting member fits within an upper portion of the cavity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The column of claim 10 wherein said mounting member fits within an upper portion of the cavity and a lower portion of the guide tube bears against an inner wall of the cavity at a lower portion thereof to securely mount the column to the support stand.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
72 words
The column of claim 13 wherein the support stand comprises a plurality of legs extending radially outward from a center portion thereof, said cavity being formed in said center portion and being further defined by a hub extending downwardly from the juncture of said legs, thereby providing lateral support for the bottom of the guide tube to allow said guide tube to be mounted in a lower position relative to a floor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The column of claim 10 wherein said mounting member is attached to an upper portion of the guide tube.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
The column of claim 10 wherein said guide tube comprises a bushing attached to a top portion thereof, and said intermediate tube comprises a lower bushing mounted to a lower portion thereof, said intermediate tube slidably bearing against the guide tube bushing, and said lower bushing slidably bearing against said guide tube.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
64 words
The column of claim 16 further comprising a spacer disposed between the guide tube and the intermediate tube and positioned between the guide tube bushing and the lower bushing of said intermediate tube, said spacer engaging said guide tube bushing and said lower bushing when said intermediate tube is in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of said intermediate tube.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
The column of claim 10 wherein said intermediate tube comprises an upper bushing mounted to an upper portion thereof, and said inner tube comprises a bushing mounted to a lower portion thereof, said inner tube slidably bearing against the upper bushing of said intermediate tube, and said bushing of said inner tube slidably bearing against said intermediate tube.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
73 words
The column of claim 18 further comprising a spacer disposed between the intermediate tube and the inner tube and positioned between the upper bushing of said intermediate tube and the bushing of said inner tube, said spacer engaging said upper bushing of said intermediate guide tube and said bushing of said inner tube when said inner tube is in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of said inner tube.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
230 words
The column of claim 10 wherein said guide tube comprises a bushing attached to a top portion thereof, said intermediate tube comprises a lower bushing mounted to a lower portion thereof and an upper bushing mounted to an upper portion thereof, and said inner tube comprises a bushing mounted to a lower portion thereof, said intermediate tube slidably bearing against the guide tube bushing, said lower bushing of said intermediate tube slidably bearing against said guide tube, said inner tube slidably bearing against the upper bushing of said intermediate tube, and said bushing of said inner tube slidably bearing against said intermediate tube, and a first spacer disposed between the guide tube and the intermediate tube and positioned between the guide tube bushing and the lower bushing of said intermediate tube, said first spacer engaging said guide tube bushing and said lower bushing when said intermediate tube is in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of said intermediate tube, and a second spacer disposed between the intermediate tube and the inner tube and positioned between the upper bushing of said intermediate tube and the bushing of inner tube, said spacer engaging said upper bushing of said intermediate guide tube and said bushing of said inner tube when said inner tube is in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of said inner tube.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
130 words
A vertically adjustable column for supporting a seat of a chair, the column comprising: a guide tube mounted to a support stand, said guide tube comprising a first retaining member; an intermediate telescoping tube slidably positioned within the guide tube, said intermediate telescoping tube comprising an exterior shoulder engaging said first retaining member when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the intermediate tube and an interior shoulder positioned below said exterior shoulder; an inner telescoping tube slidably positioned within the intermediate tube and comprising an upper portion thereof connected to a seat support member and a second retaining member engaging said interior shoulder of said intermediate tube when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the inner telescopic tube.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
130 words
A vertically adjustable column for supporting a seat of a chair, the column comprising: a guide tube mounted to a support stand, said guide tube comprising a first retaining member; an intermediate telescoping tube slidably positioned within the guide tube, said intermediate telescoping tube comprising an exterior shoulder engaging said first retaining member when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the intermediate tube and an interior shoulder positioned below said exterior shoulder; an inner telescoping tube slidably positioned within the intermediate tube and comprising an upper portion thereof connected to a seat support member and a second retaining member engaging said interior shoulder of said intermediate tube when in a raised position so as to limit the upward travel of the inner telescopic tube.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
40 words
The column of claim 21 further comprising a gas spring comprising a cylinder mounted within said inner telescopic tube and a piston rod extending from said cylinder in an axial direction and comprising an end connected to said guide tube.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The column of claim 21 wherein said exterior and interior shoulders are at substantially the middle of the length of the intermediate tube.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The column of claim 21 wherein said first retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a top portion of said guide tube.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The column of claim 21 wherein said second retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a bottom portion of said inner telescopic tube.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
40 words
The column of claim 21 wherein said first retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a top portion of said guide tube and said second retaining member comprises a collar mounted to a bottom portion of said inner telescopic tube.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-15 | 2001-12-15 | 2002-06-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-15 | 2005-12-15 | 2006-06-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-15 | 2009-12-15 | 2010-06-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |