Patents by Inventor Michael James Whitens

Michael James Whitens 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).

  • Publication number: 20170072889
    Abstract: A deployable device of a roof impact absorbing apparatus for a vehicle includes a bottom panel, a top panel opposite the bottom panel, and a cavity between the top panel and the bottom panel. The roof impact absorbing apparatus includes a headliner adjacent to the bottom panel, and an inflator in communication with the cavity. The deployable device is formed of a thermoplastic elastomer and is flexible relative to the headliner. During a rollover of the vehicle, the deployable device in the deployed position may reduce the amount of impact energy transferred to the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Whitens, Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 9587800
    Abstract: A molding of a vehicle is provided herein. The molding includes a cover panel portion mounted to a body panel of the vehicle. A carrier is disposed between the cover panel portion and the body panel, the carrier having an exposed portion configured to luminesce in response to light excitation. At least one light source is disposed inside the carrier and is configured to emit light for exciting the exposed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Michael James Whitens, Cornel Lewis Gardner, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Patent number: 9586552
    Abstract: A seat back for a vehicle includes a frame and a deployable device. The deployable device includes a back panel fixed to the frame, a front panel opposite the back panel, and a cavity between the back panel and the front panel. The seat back includes an inflator in communication with the cavity of the deployable device. The deployable device is formed of a plastic material. During a frontal impact of the vehicle, the deployable device may be inflated from an undeployed position to a deployed position to absorb impact from an occupant of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Whitens, Dean M. Jaradi, Iskander Farooq, Mohammed Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 9499090
    Abstract: An illumination system for a vehicle includes a rear spoiler with first and second photoluminescent portions disposed on the spoiler and at least one light source configured to emit an emission at a first wavelength. The first and second photoluminescent portions are configured to convert the first wavelength to at least a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Michael James Whitens
  • Patent number: 9475447
    Abstract: A seat back includes a frame and a deployable device mounted to the frame. The deployable device includes a back panel, a front panel opposite the back panel, and a cavity between the back panel and the front panel. An inflator is in communication with the cavity. A clip is fixed to the back panel and is engaged with the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Whitens, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, Iskander Farooq
  • Publication number: 20160195404
    Abstract: A server comprising a transceiver configured to communicate data with a remote vehicle computer system and a car-reservation system. The server further includes a processor configured to utilize the data to output a car-sharing social-graph, the car-sharing social-graph including a vehicle for sharing, a vehicle-location, a user-location, and a potential parking-spot for sharing the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Krishnaswamy Venkatesh PRASAD, Bryan Roger GOODMAN, Eric H. WINGFIELD, Michael James WHITENS
  • Patent number: 9315145
    Abstract: A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a retractable step in connection with a panel of the vehicle. The retractable step comprises a tread portion. A light source is disposed proximate the panel and is configured to emit a first emission having a first wavelength. A first photoluminescent portion is disposed on the tread portion and is configured to emit a second emission having a second wavelength in response to receiving the first emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Cornel Lewis Gardner, Michael James Whitens
  • Patent number: 9221367
    Abstract: A vehicle load floor assembly includes a vehicle seat that has a seatback that pivots between upright and stowed positions. A cargo floor extends rearward from the seat. A first panel pivotally couples with an upper portion of the seatback and pivots to a raised position away from the seatback in a forward stowed position. A second panel pivotally couples with the first panel and is pivotally deployable rearward to define a support surface together with the first panel that engages the cargo floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Michael James Whitens, Babak Shahmehri
  • Publication number: 20150175057
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The illumination apparatus comprises at least one light source disposed in a portion of a side mirror assembly of the vehicle. The light source is configured to emit an excitation emission at a first wavelength substantially along a side portion of the vehicle. The illumination apparatus further comprises a photoluminescent portion disposed on a surface of the vehicle. The excitation emission is configured to excite the photoluminescent portion to emit an output emission corresponding to a different color of light than the first excitation emission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Michael James Whitens, Paul Kenneth Dellock, James J. Surman
  • Publication number: 20150175060
    Abstract: A molding of a vehicle is provided herein. The molding includes a cover panel portion mounted to a body panel of the vehicle. A carrier is disposed between the cover panel portion and the body panel, the carrier having an exposed portion configured to luminesce in response to light excitation. At least one light source is disposed inside the carrier and is configured to emit light for exciting the exposed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Michael James Whitens, Cornel Lewis Gardner, Paul Kenneth Dellock
  • Publication number: 20150165963
    Abstract: A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a retractable step in connection with a panel of the vehicle. The retractable step comprises a tread portion. A light source is disposed proximate the panel and is configured to emit a first emission having a first wavelength. A first photoluminescent portion is disposed on the tread portion and is configured to emit a second emission having a second wavelength in response to receiving the first emission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Cornel Lewis Gardner, Michael James Whitens
  • Patent number: 9050913
    Abstract: A vehicle load floor includes a seatback pivotal to a stowed position. A cargo floor is rearward the seatback. A foldable panel assembly is movable between stored and deployed positions. The foldable panel assembly includes a first panel pivotally coupled with the seatback and a second panel coupled with the first panel. A hinge coupled between bottom surfaces of the first and second panels. The deployed position includes the seatback in the stowed position and top surfaces of the first and second panels defining a planar support surface spanning to the cargo floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Michael James Whitens, Juan Pablo Jimenez, Gian Carlo Morlet Ugalde, Aravinda Naraharisetti
  • Publication number: 20150151673
    Abstract: An illumination system for a vehicle includes a rear spoiler with first and second photoluminescent portions disposed on the spoiler and at least one light source configured to emit an emission at a first wavelength. The first and second photoluminescent portions are configured to convert the first wavelength to at least a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Michael James Whitens
  • Publication number: 20150138819
    Abstract: A vehicle illumination apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises at least one aperture disposed in a panel of the vehicle. A light source is disposed proximate the aperture and configured to emit a first emission having a first wavelength. A first photoluminescent portion is disposed proximate the panel substantially within the aperture and configured to emit a second emission having a second wavelength in response to receiving the first emission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Michael James Whitens, Cornel Lewis Gardner
  • Publication number: 20150084377
    Abstract: A vehicle load floor assembly includes a vehicle seat that has a seatback that pivots between upright and stowed positions. A cargo floor extends rearward from the seat. A first panel pivotally couples with an upper portion of the seatback and pivots to a raised position away from the seatback in a forward stowed position. A second panel pivotally couples with the first panel and is pivotally deployable rearward to define a support surface together with the first panel that engages the cargo floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Michael James Whitens, Babak Shahmehri
  • Patent number: 8936301
    Abstract: A vehicle load floor assembly includes a vehicle seat that has a seatback that pivots between upright and stowed positions. A cargo floor extends rearward from the seat. A first panel pivotally couples with a rear portion of the seatback and pivots to a raised position away from the seatback in the stowed position. A second panel couples with the first panel and is deployable rearward to engage the cargo floor with the first panel in the raised position to define a support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Michael James Whitens, Babak Shahmehri
  • Patent number: 8928336
    Abstract: A vehicle proximity switch and method are provided having sensitivity control based on a user selected sensitivity input. The switch includes a proximity sensor such, as a capacitive sensor, installed in a vehicle and providing a sense activation field. The proximity switch also includes control circuitry for processing the sense activation field to sense user activation of the switch by comparing the sense activation field to a threshold. The proximity switch further includes a user sensitivity input for receiving a user selected sensitivity input. The control circuitry controls sensitivity of the comparison based on the user selected sensitivity input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Stuart C. Salter, Cornel Lewis Gardner, Jeffrey Singer, Michael James Whitens
  • Patent number: 8894124
    Abstract: A load floor assembly for a vehicle includes a seatback that pivots between an upright position and a stowed position. A cargo floor extends rearward of the seatback, and a load panel is coupled with the cargo floor. The load panel moves between a rearward position and a forward position. In the forward position, the load panel extends over at least a lower portion of the seatback in the stowed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Michael James Whitens, Gian Carlo Morlet Ugalde
  • Publication number: 20140265418
    Abstract: A vehicle load floor assembly includes a vehicle seat that has a seatback that pivots between upright and stowed positions. A cargo floor extends rearward from the seat. A first panel pivotally couples with a rear portion of the seatback and pivots to a raised position away from the seatback in the stowed position. A second panel couples with the first panel and is deployable rearward to engage the cargo floor with the first panel in the raised position to define a support surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Michael James Whitens, Babak Shahmehri
  • Publication number: 20140265417
    Abstract: A vehicle load floor includes a seatback pivotal to a stowed position. A cargo floor is rearward the seatback. A foldable panel assembly is movable between stored and deployed positions. The foldable panel assembly includes a first panel pivotally coupled with the seatback and a second panel coupled with the first panel. A hinge coupled between bottom surfaces of the first and second panels. The deployed position includes the seatback in the stowed position and top surfaces of the first and second panels defining a planar support surface spanning to the cargo floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Bhavani Thota, Michael James Whitens, Juan Pablo Jimenez, Gian Carlo Morlet Ugalde, Aravinda Naraharisetti