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).

  • Patent number: 9162624
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element attached at a mirror back plate, which includes a mirror actuator attaching portion established at the back plate by a plastic injection molding operation. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the mirror back plate. An indicator associated with a blind spot detection system has a light source that is activatable to emit light. When the mirror assembly is mounted at a side of a vehicle and with the light source activated, light emitted by the light source passes through a light diffuser and through an aperture of the mirror back plate and through a light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting window of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20150224934
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element attached at a mirror back plate, which includes a mirror actuator attaching portion established at the back plate by a plastic injection molding operation. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the mirror back plate. An indicator associated with a blind spot detection system has a light source that is activatable to emit light. When the mirror assembly is mounted at a side of a vehicle and with the light source activated, light emitted by the light source passes through a light diffuser and through an aperture of the mirror back plate and through a light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting window of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to provide a visual icon visible to a driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20150224930
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle includes a mounting arm, a mirror head attached at the mounting arm, an attaching element attached at a mirror reflective element, a shroud and a mirror actuator. The mounting arm is configured for attachment at an exterior portion of the vehicle. The shroud extends from the attaching element and is partially received in the mirror head. The mirror actuator is operable to adjust the attaching element and the mirror reflective element relative to the mirror head. The mirror reflective element is disposed outside of the mirror head and the shroud spans a gap between the mirror reflective element and the mirror head to substantially encase the attaching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Darryl P. De Wind
  • Patent number: 9102266
    Abstract: An exterior door handle assembly includes an illumination device and a handle portion movable to open a vehicle door. The illumination device includes at least one illumination source that, when actuated, emits light. The illumination device includes a lighting strip that is disposed at the handle portion, and the lighting strip extends at least partially along a length dimension of the handle portion. When the illumination source is actuated, the lighting strip is illuminated and the illumination is viewable at least partially along the length dimension of the handle portion by a person viewing the handle portion of the exterior door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door. When the illumination source is not actuated, the lighting strip may not be readily viewable by and discernible to a person viewing the handle portion of the exterior door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David A. Dingman, Brett A. Gorby, Keith D. Foote
  • Patent number: 9013288
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate. The mirror back plate includes an indicator unit mounting portion and a mirror actuator attaching portion established at a first side by a plastic injection molding operation. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and a second side of the mirror back plate. An indicator unit has a light source that is activatable to emit light and is mounted at the indicator unit mounting portion. Light emitted by the light source, when activated, transmits through an aperture of the mirror back plate and through a light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting window of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to be viewable by a driver of the vehicle equipped with the mirror assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20150103390
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element for a rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a glass substrate, an electrochromic film and a mirror reflector. The electrochromic film is provided as a pre-cut mirror shape film and is disposed at the glass substrate. The electrochromic film comprises an electrochromic polymer layer disposed between a front polymeric film and a rear polymeric film. The front polymeric film is disposed between the electrochromic polymer layer and the glass substrate and a transparent electrically conductive coating is disposed between the front polymeric film and the electrochromic polymer layer. An electrically conductive coating is disposed between the rear polymeric film and the electrochromic polymer layer. The polymeric films have respective overhang portions that extend outboard of any other portion of the electrochromic film at respective connecting regions for electrical connection to the electrically conductive coatings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Gregory A. Huizen
  • Publication number: 20150097955
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a non-movable portion, a movable portion and a mirror head. The non-movable portion is configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle and the movable portion is movable relative to the non-movable portion. The mirror head is movable relative to the movable portion, and a mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. A first actuator is operable to move the movable portion relative to the non-movable portion about a first axis and a second actuator is operable to move the mirror head relative to the movable portion about a second axis. The first and second actuators are cooperatively operable to move the movable portion about the first axis and to move the mirror head about the second axis, and the mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Darryl P. De Wind, Eric S. Deuel, Justin E. Sobecki, Joseph R. Mambourg, Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 8915601
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting portion mounted to a side of a vehicle, a mirror head portion, a reflective element fixedly attached at the mirror head portion, and an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of the mirror head portion relative to the mounting portion and about a generally horizontal pivot axis and a generally vertical pivot axis to adjust the mirror head portion and the reflective element relative to the side of the vehicle to which the mounting portion is mounted. The actuator may include a tilting drive system for tilting the mirror head portion about the generally horizontal pivot axis and the actuator may include a rotating drive system for rotating the mirror head portion about the generally vertical pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Joseph C. Snow
  • Publication number: 20140328072
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element assembly for a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a principal mirror element, a wide angle mirror element and an illumination element that at least partially circumscribes the wide angle mirror element. The illumination element emits illumination at least partially around the wide angle mirror element that is viewable by a person viewing the exterior rearview mirror assembly when the mirror assembly is disposed at a side of a vehicle. At least one of (i) the illumination element, responsive to determination that an ambient light level is below a threshold level, is operable to provide a light level that is less than about 100 candelas per square meter, and (ii) the illumination element, responsive to determination that an ambient light level is above a threshold level, is operable to provide a light level that is greater than about 200 candelas per square meter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20140327252
    Abstract: A handle assembly for a door of a vehicle includes a base portion and a handle portion movable relative to the base portion between a recessed position and a partially extended position. When at the partially extended position, the handle portion is manually movable outward from the base portion to open the vehicle door. A control is operable to control operation of a motor of an actuator to move the handle portion between the recessed position and the partially extended position. The control moves the handle portion from the recessed position to the partially extended position responsive to a trigger. The actuator provides a manual override that allows the user to manually move the handle portion relative to the base portion. Responsive to determination of a lockout condition, the control limits movement of the handle portion from the recessed position towards the partially extended position irrespective of the trigger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Keith D. Foote, Eric S. Deuel
  • Publication number: 20140320277
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate. The mirror back plate includes an indicator unit mounting portion and a mirror actuator attaching portion established at a first side by a plastic injection molding operation. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and a second side of the mirror back plate. An indicator unit has a light source that is activatable to emit light and is mounted at the indicator unit mounting portion. Light emitted by the light source, when activated, transmits through an aperture of the mirror back plate and through a light transmitting portion of the heater pad and through a light-transmitting window of the mirror reflector and exits the mirror reflective element to be viewable by a driver of the vehicle equipped with the mirror assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20140293169
    Abstract: A vehicular rearview minor assembly includes a mirror reflective element and a touch sensor device disposed behind a portion of the reflective element and operable to sense the presence of a person's finger at a touch zone of the reflective element proximate to the touch sensor device. A backlighting device is disposed behind the touch sensor device and is operable to backlight a portion of the touch sensor device. The touch sensor device includes a touch sensor substrate having a conductive trace established at a patterned conductive zone of the touch sensor substrate. When the backlighting device is activated, light emanating from the backlighting device passes through the patterned conductive zone of the touch sensor substrate and illuminates an icon so that the icon is viewable through the reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when the rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: 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: 20140285666
    Abstract: A vision system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at an exterior portion of a door of a vehicle, an imaging sensor having a field of view exterior the vehicle and a video display screen operable to display video images captured by the imaging sensor. The video display screen is disposed at an interior portion of the vehicle door at which the exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted. The exterior rearview mirror assembly and the video display screen may be part of a mirror and display module that is mountable at the vehicle door as a unit. The camera may be disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: David P. O'Connell, Kenneth C. Peterson, Keith D. Foote
  • Patent number: 8794774
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing, a reflective element, an auxiliary wide angle element and a back plate. The auxiliary wide angle element is disposed at the rear surface of a mirror substrate. A back plate mounting structure may establish a space at the mirror actuator that is sufficient for a portion of the auxiliary wide angle element to be disposed between a rear surface of the reflective element and the mirror actuator. The back plate may have at least one sealing element at least partially around a perimeter region of a wide angle element receiving portion of the back plate, and the sealing element may engage the rear surface of the mirror substrate when the back plate is attached to the reflective element and may limit intrusion of adhesive between the back plate and the mirror substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, Mitchell D. Burkhert, Tyson P. DeJonge, Hamid Habibi, Keith D. Foote, Donald S. Rawlings, Michael J. Baur
  • Patent number: 8786401
    Abstract: An extendable flush door handle assembly for a door or liftgate of a vehicle includes a base portion and a handle portion movably attached to the base portion. The handle portion is movable between a recessed position, where the handle portion is at least partially received in the base portion, and a partially extended position, where the handle portion extends partially outward from the base portion and is graspable by a user. The handle portion is moved from the recessed position to the partially extended position responsive to a trigger, such as a signal from a key fob or a passive entry system or a vehicle door unlock button or the like. The handle portion, when in its recessed position, is at least partially received in the base portion so as to be not readily graspable by a user until the handle portion is moved toward its partially extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Keith D. Foote, Eric S. Deuel
  • Patent number: 8786704
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a reflective element, a back plate disposed at a rear surface of the reflective element, a wide angle reflector element received in a receiving portion of the back plate. The reflective element has a first reflective coating disposed thereat and the wide angle reflector element has a curved rear surface with a second reflective coating disposed at the curved rear surface. An optical element or optical adhesive may be disposed between a front surface of the wide angle reflector element and the rear surface of the reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 8779937
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate. The back plate has an indicator mounting portion. An aperture is established through the back plate generally at the indicator mounting portion. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the back plate. The heater pad has a light transmitting portion generally aligned with the aperture of the back plate. A self-contained substantially sealed indicator is mounted at the indicator mounting portion and has a light source that is activatable to emit light. When an equipped exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at a side of a vehicle and with the light source activated, light emitted by the light source transmits through the aperture of the back plate and the light transmitting portion of the heater pad and exits the mirror reflective element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 8764256
    Abstract: A lighted exterior rearview mirror system of a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a light module disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The light module includes a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light. The illumination sources are individually controlled responsive to said the input to provide a customized illumination beam emanating from the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The system may include a control that is responsive to the user input to selectively individually energize the light emitting diodes, and the control may individually adjust a duty cycle of each of the light emitting diodes responsive to the user input. The light module may include a ground illumination light source, a backup light source and a turn signal indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Eric S. Deuel
  • Publication number: 20140028471
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate. The back plate has an indicator mounting portion. An aperture is established through the back plate generally at the indicator mounting portion. A heater pad is disposed between the mirror reflective element and the back plate. The heater pad has a light transmitting portion generally aligned with the aperture of the back plate. A self-contained substantially sealed indicator is mounted at the indicator mounting portion and has a light source that is activatable to emit light. When an equipped exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at a side of a vehicle and with the light source activated, light emitted by the light source transmits through the aperture of the back plate and the light transmitting portion of the heater pad and exits the mirror reflective element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Niall R. Lynam
  • Publication number: 20140002882
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing, a reflective element, an auxiliary wide angle element and a back plate. The auxiliary wide angle element is disposed at the rear surface of a mirror substrate. A back plate mounting structure may establish a space at the mirror actuator that is sufficient for a portion of the auxiliary wide angle element to be disposed between a rear surface of the reflective element and the mirror actuator. The back plate may have at least one sealing element at least partially around a perimeter region of a wide angle element receiving portion of the back plate, and the sealing element may engage the rear surface of the mirror substrate when the back plate is attached to the reflective element and may limit intrusion of adhesive between the back plate and the mirror substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Niall R. Lynam, Mitchell D. Burkhert, Tyson P. DeJonge, Hamid Habibi, Keith D. Foote, Donald S. Rawlings, Michael J. Baur