Patents by Inventor Keith D. Foote

Keith D. Foote 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: 20220258669
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm, a mirror head and an electrically-operated actuator. The mounting arm includes a base mounting portion that is configured for attachment at an exterior side portion of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element sub-assembly. The actuator is secured at an actuator-mounting bracket of the mounting arm. With the mirror assembly mounted at an exterior portion of a side door of a vehicle, electrical operation of the actuator moves the mirror head to adjust a rearward view provided by the mirror reflective element to the driver of the vehicle viewing the mirror reflective element. A mounting post of the mounting arm passes through an opening of the mirror head that provides clearance between the mirror head and the mounting arm to allow movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm during electrical operation of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Darryl P. De Wind
  • Patent number: 11325535
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior side portion of a vehicle includes a mounting portion, a mirror head and an electrically-operated actuator. The mounting portion is configured for attachment at an exterior side portion of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element. The mirror head is attached at the electrically-operated actuator. With the mounting portion of the exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the exterior side portion of the vehicle, the electrically-operated actuator is electrically operable to move the mirror reflective element and the mirror casing together in tandem to vertically and horizontally adjust a field of view of a driver of the vehicle who is viewing the mirror reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Darryl P. De Wind
  • Publication number: 20220032847
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for mounting at a vehicle includes a base portion configured for attachment at a side of the vehicle, and a mirror head having a mirror reflective element, an attachment plate and an electrically-operable mirror actuator. The base portion extends through an aperture in the mirror head. The mirror actuator is attached at the attachment plate, which includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and that circumscribes and spans a perimeter circumferential edge of a glass substrate of the mirror reflective element. The mirror actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror head relative to the base portion. The aperture allows for movement of the mirror head relative to the base portion during operation of the mirror actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Robert L. Esser, Keith D. Foote, Darryl P. De Wind
  • Publication number: 20220009408
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a handle portion, a light transmitting cover element disposed at least partially along a length dimension of the handle portion, and an illumination module having an illumination source. When the illumination source is electrically powered, light emitted by the illumination source passes at least partially along the length dimension of the handle portion. With the exterior door handle assembly mounted at a door handle region of a vehicle door and when the illumination source is electrically powered, light that passes at least partially along the length dimension of the handle portion is viewable by a person viewing the handle portion of the exterior door handle assembly. When the illumination source is not electrically powered, the illumination source is covert to the person viewing the handle portion of the exterior door handle assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: David A. Dingman, Brett A. Gorby, Keith D. Foote
  • Publication number: 20210354628
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror reflector, a mirror back plate, and indicator element. The indicator element includes a housing and a light source. The indicator element is associated with a blind spot detection system of the vehicle and includes a diffuser that diffuses light emitted by the light source. An icon is established through a metallic reflector coating disposed at the glass substrate. The icon includes a light-transmitting aperture. When the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the vehicle, the icon is at an upper quadrant of the mirror reflective element. When the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the vehicle and when the light source is activated, the icon is illuminated and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20210323479
    Abstract: A vehicular lighted exterior rearview mirror system includes a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and a light module disposed thereat. The light module includes at least three forward illuminating illumination sources that, with the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the vehicle, are arranged spaced apart at the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly. With the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, the at least three forward illuminating illumination sources, when powered, emit light at least in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle. The light module includes a turn signal indicating illumination source and a light piping element. The light piping element guides light emitted by the turn signal indicating illumination source along the light piping element so as to emanate from the light module at an outboard portion of the mirror casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Keith D. Foote
  • Patent number: 11148596
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for mounting at a vehicle includes a mounting arm configured for attachment at an exterior portion of the vehicle, and a mirror head having a mirror casing, a mirror reflective element and a mirror actuator. The mounting arm is received through an aperture in the mirror casing and the mirror actuator is attached at the mounting arm inside the mirror casing. The mirror actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror reflective element and the mirror casing relative to the mounting arm. The aperture allows for movement of the mirror casing relative to the mounting arm during operation of the mirror actuator. A powerfold actuator may be operable to pivot the mirror head relative to the base portion between a folded or non-use position and an extended or use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Robert L. Esser, Keith D. Foote, Darryl P. De Wind
  • Patent number: 11130442
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a handle portion movable to open a vehicle door and an illumination module having an illumination source and a light guide that extends at least partially along the length of the handle portion. When the exterior door handle assembly is normally mounted at the door handle region of the vehicle door and when the illumination source is powered, the light guide is illuminated and the illumination is viewable by a person viewing the handle portion from outside the vehicle. The exterior door handle assembly may include an emblem or icon that is back lit by light emitted by a back-lighting illumination source of the exterior door handle assembly. The emblem or icon is visible to the person viewing from outside the vehicle when back lit by light emitted by the back-lighting illumination source but is covert when not back lit by such emitted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Dingman, Brett A. Gorby, Keith D. Foote
  • Patent number: 11077801
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror reflector, a mirror back plate, a heater pad and a blind spot indicator module. The heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the mirror back plate and has a light transmitting portion that is aligned with an aperture of the mirror back plate. The blind spot indicator module includes a body portion and a connector portion extending from the body portion. Light emitted by at least one light emitting diode of the blind spot indicator module passes through the light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting portion of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle who is driving the vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11052826
    Abstract: A vehicular lighted exterior rearview mirror system includes a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and a light module disposed thereat. The light module includes at least three illumination sources that, with the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the vehicle, are arranged spaced apart at the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly. With the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, the at least three illumination sources, when powered, emit light at least in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle. Responsive to activation by the driver of the user input of the equipped vehicle, any one or more of said illumination sources is electrically powered. Responsive to adjustment of the user input by the driver of the equipped vehicle, an intensity of illumination forward of the equipped vehicle provided by said light module is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Keith D. Foote
  • Publication number: 20210162928
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at a vehicle includes a mounting arm, an electrically operated actuator at one end of the mounting arm, an attachment portion at the other end of the mounting arm, and an exterior mirror head movable relative to the mounting arm via the actuator. The exterior mirror head includes an exterior mirror reflective element attached at an attachment plate of the exterior mirror head. The exterior mirror reflective element attached at the attachment plate moves in tandem with movement of the exterior mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the equipped vehicle operates the actuator. The attachment plate of the exterior mirror head includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate. No part of the exterior mirror head encroaches onto or overlaps the outermost side of the exterior mirror reflective element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Darryl P. De Wind, Eric S. Deuel, Justin E. Sobecki, Joseph R. Mambourg, Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20210155160
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: John T. Uken, Darryl P. De Wind, Keith D. Foote, Joseph M. Mambourg, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10913395
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle includes a mounting arm configured for attachment at the vehicle, a mirror head disposed at an end of the mounting arm and movable relative to the mounting arm, and an electrically operated actuator operable to move the mirror head relative to the mounting arm. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element that, when the actuator is electrically operated, moves in tandem with the mirror head. The actuator, with the mounting arm attached at the exterior portion of the vehicle, and when the actuator is electrically operated, moves the mirror head relative to the mounting arm to vertically and horizontally adjust a rearward field of view of a driver of the vehicle who is viewing the mirror reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Darryl P. De Wind, Eric S. Deuel, Justin E. Sobecki, Joseph R. Mambourg, Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 10906467
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head movably disposed at a movable portion that is movable relative to a non-movable portion configured for attachment at a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element fixedly attached at an attachment portion and fixed relative to the mirror casing. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the exterior portion of the vehicle. A first electrically-operated actuator has an axis of rotation when operated that moves the movable portion relative to the non-movable portion about a first axis, and a second electrically-operated actuator has an axis of rotation when operated that moves the mirror head relative to the movable portion about a second axis. The axis of rotation of the first electrically-operated actuator is non-orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the second electrically-operated actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: John T. Uken, Darryl P. De Wind, Keith D. Foote, Joseph M. Mambourg, Rodney K. Blank, Mark L. Larson, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20210016708
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element assembly. The mirror reflective element assembly includes a main reflective element backing plate and a main reflective element. The main reflective element includes a glass substrate having a mirror reflector coated at a surface thereof. The mirror reflector-coated glass substrate of the main reflective element is attached at the main reflective element backing plate. The mirror reflective element assembly includes an auxiliary reflective element backing plate and an auxiliary wide angle reflective element. The auxiliary wide angle reflective element is positioned on the auxiliary reflective element backing plate. The auxiliary reflective element backing plate is attached to the main reflective element backing plate via an attachment mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20200362602
    Abstract: A method for extending and retracting a handle of a door handle assembly for a door of a vehicle includes providing a door handle assembly having a base portion, a handle portion that is movably attached at the base portion, and an electrically operable actuator that operates to move the handle portion relative to the base portion. A control controls operation of the actuator to move the handle portion between a recessed position and a partially extended position. Responsive to detecting presence of an authorized user, a sensing system determines a motion vector of the user that is indicative of a direction that the user is moving relative to the vehicle. Responsive to determining that the determined motion vector is indicative of the user approaching the door of the vehicle, the control controls operation of the actuator to move the handle portion to the partially extended position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Keith D. Foote, Eric S. Deuel
  • Publication number: 20200353867
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for mounting at a vehicle includes a mounting arm configured for attachment at an exterior portion of the vehicle, and a mirror head having a mirror casing, a mirror reflective element and a mirror actuator. The mounting arm is received through an aperture in the mirror casing and the mirror actuator is attached at the mounting arm inside the mirror casing. The mirror actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror reflective element and the mirror casing relative to the mounting arm. The aperture allows for movement of the mirror casing relative to the mounting arm during operation of the mirror actuator. A powerfold actuator may be operable to pivot the mirror head relative to the base portion between a folded or non-use position and an extended or use position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Robert L. Esser, Keith D. Foote, Darryl P. De Wind
  • Publication number: 20200331395
    Abstract: A vehicular lighted exterior rearview mirror system includes a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and a light module disposed thereat. The light module includes at least three illumination sources that, with the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the vehicle, are arranged spaced apart at the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly. With the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, the at least three illumination sources, when powered, emit light at least in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle. Responsive to activation by the driver of the user input of the equipped vehicle, any one or more of said illumination sources is electrically powered. Responsive to adjustment of the user input by the driver of the equipped vehicle, an intensity of illumination forward of the equipped vehicle provided by said light module is adjusted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Keith D. Foote
  • Patent number: 10793068
    Abstract: A camera monitoring system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly with a video display screen disposed behind the interior mirror reflective element. The video display screen is operable to display video images derived at least in part from image data captured by at least one video camera of a plurality of video cameras of the equipped vehicle. Image data captured by at least a driver-side viewing video camera and a passenger-side viewing video camera is provided to an image processor and is processed by the image processor to detect vehicles present exterior of the equipped vehicle. Responsive at least in part to detection of another vehicle, video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the driver-side viewing video camera, a rear viewing video camera and/or the passenger-side viewing video camera are displayed by the video display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20200262353
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror reflector, a mirror back plate, a heater pad and a blind spot indicator module. The heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the mirror back plate and has a light transmitting portion that is aligned with an aperture of the mirror back plate. The blind spot indicator module includes a body portion and a connector portion extending from the body portion. Light emitted by at least one light emitting diode of the blind spot indicator module passes through the light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting portion of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle who is driving the vehicle and who is viewing said mirror reflective element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam