Patents by Inventor Kevin P. Benthem

Kevin P. Benthem 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: 11833965
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Donnelly Corporation
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, 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
  • 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: 20170166130
    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: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 9580017
    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: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam
  • 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
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20090040306
    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: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: DONNELLY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keith D. Foote, Kevin P. Benthem, Niall R. Lynam