Patents by Inventor Kelly M. Whalen
Kelly M. Whalen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11554695Abstract: A vehicle seat storage system includes a center passenger seat disposed between side passenger seats. The center seat includes a seat base and a seat back. A reclining mechanism mounted to one of side frame members of the seat base allows the seat back to move relative to the seat base. Seat anchors are disposed outwardly of the side frame members for securing a child seat. The center seat has a seating condition where the center seat is attached to a vehicle floor, and a stowed condition where the center seat is unattached from the floor with the seat back folded against the seat base. A vehicle interior sidewall includes a recessed portion configured to receive the center seat in the stowed condition. A lock mechanism provided in the recessed portion releasably engages the center seat when positioned in the recessed portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2020Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Inventors: Kelly M. Whalen, Eric D. Daume, Paul D. Nguyen, Michael J. Wilms, Ganesh Narayanan
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Publication number: 20220063459Abstract: A vehicle seat storage system includes a center passenger seat disposed between side passenger seats. The center seat includes a seat base and a seat back. A reclining mechanism mounted to one of side frame members of the seat base allows the seat back to move relative to the seat base. Seat anchors are disposed outwardly of the side frame members for securing a child seat. The center seat has a seating condition where the center seat is attached to a vehicle floor, and a stowed condition where the center seat is unattached from the floor with the seat back folded against the seat base. A vehicle interior sidewall includes a recessed portion configured to receive the center seat in the stowed condition. A lock mechanism provided in the recessed portion releasably engages the center seat when positioned in the recessed portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Kelly M. Whalen, Eric D. Daume, Paul D. Nguyen, Michael J. Wilms, Ganesh Narayanan
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Patent number: 8235459Abstract: A seat support assembly for supporting a vehicle seat on a floor panel member includes a cross member extending laterally across the floor panel member. Ends of the cross member are spaced laterally inward relative to side edges of the floor panel for providing ingress/egress areas between the ends and the side edges. A foam spacer member is complementarily received inside each of the ends of the cross member. Each of the foam spacer members is secured to the floor panel for transferring load forces from the cross member to the floor panel.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2010Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd..Inventors: Eric C. Wendling, Paul T. Aebker, Hiroaki Taniguchi, Grey B. Parker, Kelly M. Whalen, Eric D. Daume
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Publication number: 20110248522Abstract: A seat support assembly for supporting a vehicle seat on a floor panel member includes a cross member extending laterally across the floor panel member. Ends of the cross member are spaced laterally inward relative to side edges of the floor panel for providing ingress/egress areas between the ends and the side edges. A foam spacer member is complementarily received inside each of the ends of the cross member. Each of the foam spacer members is secured to the floor panel for transferring load forces from the cross member to the floor panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2010Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Eric C. Wendling, Paul T. Aebker, Hiroaki Taniguchi, Grey B. Parker, Kelly M. Whalen, Eric D. Daume
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Patent number: 7918508Abstract: A vehicle seat with an integral, retractable step. A generally hollow base is secured to a floor of a vehicle, the base having a pair of opposing, spaced-apart side walls. A generally horizontal seat cushion is attached atop the base. A generally vertical seatback is attached at a lower end to at least one of the floor, the base and the seat cushion. A step is coupled to the base, the step being selectively positionable between a stowed position, closing off an open base portion, and a deployed position wherein the step extends at least partially outwardly through the open base portion. In the deployed position the step is generally proximate a front surface of the seat cushion such that the front surface of the seat cushion forms a substantially closed step riser.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2009Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., LtdInventor: Kelly M. Whalen
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Publication number: 20100052396Abstract: A vehicle seat with an integral, retractable step. A generally hollow base is secured to a floor of a vehicle, the base having a pair of opposing, spaced-apart side walls. A generally horizontal seat cushion is attached atop the base. A generally vertical seatback is attached at a lower end to at least one of the floor, the base and the seat cushion. A step is coupled to the base, the step being selectively positionable between a stowed position, closing off an open base portion, and a deployed position wherein the step extends at least partially outwardly through the open base portion. In the deployed position the step is generally proximate a front surface of the seat cushion such that the front surface of the seat cushion forms a substantially closed step riser.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2009Publication date: March 4, 2010Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Kelly M. Whalen
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Patent number: 7621599Abstract: A vehicle seat with an integral retractable step. A generally hollow base is attached to a floor of a vehicle, the base having a pair of side walls. A generally horizontal seat cushion is attached atop the base. A generally vertical seatback is attached at a lower end to at least one of the floor, the base and the seat cushion. A step is slidably coupled to the base, the step being selectively positionable between a stowed position substantially within the base and a deployed position wherein the step extends at least partially outwardly from the base. In the deployed position the step is generally horizontally oriented and is configured to support the weight of an occupant of the seat during ingress and egress therefrom. In addition in the deployed position the step is generally proximate a front surface of the seat cushion such that the front surface of the seat cushion forms a substantially closed step riser.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2007Date of Patent: November 24, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., LtdInventor: Kelly M. Whalen
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Publication number: 20090058150Abstract: A vehicle seat with an integral retractable step. A generally hollow base is attached to a floor of a vehicle, the base having a pair of side walls. A generally horizontal seat cushion is attached atop the base. A generally vertical seatback is attached at a lower end to at least one of the floor, the base and the seat cushion. A step is slidably coupled to the base, the step being selectively positionable between a stowed position substantially within the base and a deployed position wherein the step extends at least partially outwardly from the base. In the deployed position the step is generally horizontally oriented and is configured to support the weight of an occupant of the seat during ingress and egress therefrom. In addition in the deployed position the step is generally proximate a front surface of the seat cushion such that the front surface of the seat cushion forms a substantially closed step riser.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2007Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventor: Kelly M. Whalen