Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60Q1/00—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor
  • B60Q1/26—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
  • B60Q1/2661—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic mounted on parts having other functions
  • B60Q1/2665—Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic mounted on parts having other functions on rear-view mirrors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60R1/00—Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
  • B60R1/12—Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
  • B60R1/1207—Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks with lamps; with turn indicators

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to an exterior rearview mirror for use on an automotive vehicle, and more particularly, to an exterior rearview mirror having an assist light operable between a plurality of illuminated positions in response to feedback from a vehicle controller.
• Automotive vehicles commonly include exterior rearview mirror assemblies for providing the driver of the vehicle view along the side and toward the rear of the vehicle.
• the exterior rearview mirror assemblies are typically mounted adjacent the driver's side door and passenger's side door of the vehicle.
• Conventional exterior rearview mirror assemblies commonly include a support base having a first end for fixedly securing the mirror assembly to the side of the vehicle and a second end for supporting a mirror housing.
• the mirror housing typically includes a hollow shell for supporting an articulating mirror pane.
• the mirror pane is adjustable to articulate about an axis for providing varying angles of view to the driver of the vehicle along the side and toward the rear of the vehicle.
• a light source in the mirror assembly for illuminating light adjacent the exterior of the vehicle.
• These light sources are frequently used to illuminate the rear of the vehicle so that the driver can see at night when looking into the mirror pane during parking of the vehicle.
• These light sources are also commonly used to provide signal lights within the mirror assembly, such as turn signal lights or brake lights.
• these light sources are also used to project a pattern of light on an area, such as the ground, adjacent the side of the vehicle to provide a lighted security zone to assist in entry and exit from the vehicle.
• Such light sources in rearview mirror assemblies are shown in US Patent Nos. 5,624,176 and 6,172,602 to Donnelly Corporation.
• an exterior rearview mirror assembly having an assist light that is operable between a plurality of illuminated positions in response to feedback from a vehicle controller to project light from the mirror assembly in a several different selective directions.
• the present invention relates to an exterior rearview mirror assembly for use on an automotive vehicle.
• the mirror assembly includes a support base having a first end adapted to mount the mirror assembly to the vehicle and an opposite second end.
• a mirror housing is operatively coupled to the support base.
• a reflective mirror pane is supported by the mirror housing for providing a reflected view from the vehicle.
• the mirror assembly further includes at least one light source mounted to one of the support base or the mirror housing for illuminating at least one array of light.
• An actuator is operatively connected to the light source for actuating and illuminating the light source to project the array of light in one of a plurality of discrete directions.
• the mirror assembly also includes a controller for controlling the actuator and illuminating the light source to project the array of light in a selective one of the plurality of discrete directions.
• Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an exterior rearview mirror assembly in an extended position according to the subject invention
• Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the mirror assembly in a folded position
• Figure 3 is a partially exploded and partially broken perspective view of a light source mounted to the mirror assembly according to the subject invention.
• Figure 4 is a logic control table of the operation of the mirror assembly.
• an exterior rearview mirror assembly for use with an automotive vehicle is generally shown at 10 in Figures 1 and 2.
• the mirror assembly 10 includes a support base 12 having a first end 14 and an opposite distal second end 16.
• the first end 14 is adapted to be fixedly secured to the side of a vehicle, such as an exterior A-pillar or door panel as depicted at 18.
• the support base 12 extends outwardly from the door panel 18 along a generally horizontal plane from the first end 14 to the second end 16.
• the mirror assembly 10 further includes a mirror housing 20 operatively coupled to the support base 12.
• the mirror housing 20 includes a hollow shell portion 22 having a front opening 24 and an extension arm portion 26 extending from the shell portion 22 and coupled to the support base 12.
• the arm portion 26 is coupled to the support base 12 by a power and/or manual pivot mechanism 28, as is conventionally known in the art and to one skilled in the art.
• the pivot mechanism 28 pivots the mirror housing 20 about the support base 12 between an extended use position, as shown in Figure 1, and a folded, or stowed, position as shown in Figure 2.
• the mirror assembly 10 also includes a mirror pane 30 operatively coupled to the mirror housing 20 by a swivel member 32.
• the mirror pane 30 is a reflex glass pane for providing a reflective view to the occupant of the vehicle.
• the swivel member 32 pivotally connects the mirror pane 30 to the mirror housing 20 for providing articulating, or pivotal, movement of the mirror pane 30 with respect to the mirror housing 20 in order to adjust the angular view through the mirror pane 30 from the vehicle as is commonly known to one skilled in the art.
• the mirror assembly 10 additionally includes at least one light source 34 mounted to the support base 12 for illuminating at least one source of light from the mirror assembly 10. It should be appreciated that the light source 34 may also be mounted to the mirror housing 20 without varying from the scope of the invention.
• the second end 16 of the support base 12 includes an inner wall 36, a rear wall 38 projecting outwardly from the inner wall 36, and an upper wall 40 interconnecting the inner wall 36 and the rear wall 38.
• the inner wall 36, rear wall 38, and upper wall 40 form a partial funnel-like structure on the second end of the support base 12.
• a hollow and transparent lens 42 is removably secured to the second end 16 of the support base 12 and covers the inner wall 36, rear wall 38 and upper wall 40.
• the lens 42 may be clear plastic, colored or include fresnel lenses imbedded therein for shaping light from the light source 34.
• the light source 34 further includes a plurality of light filaments 44, 46, 48.
• a first light filament 44 is fixedly secured to the inner wall 36, a second light filament 46 is secured to the rear wall 38 and a third light filament 48 is secured to the upper wall 40.
• the light filament may be an LED, as shown in Figure 3, or may include a bulb filament, or other known light-producing source.
• the light filaments 44, 46, 48 project an array of light in a discrete direction from the end of the support base 12. More specifically, the light filament 44 projects an array of light outwardly from the mirror assembly 10 and generally perpendicular from the side of the vehicle.
• the light filament 46 projects an array of light rearward toward the back or rear of the vehicle.
• the light filament 48 projects an array of light downwardly toward the ground adjacent the side of the vehicle.
• the mirror assembly 10 further includes an actuator 50 operatively connected to the light source 34 for actuating and illuminating the light source 34 to project the array of light in one of a plurality of discrete directions. More specifically, the actuator 50 is electrically connected to each of the light filaments 44, 46, 48 for actuating and illuminating each of the light filaments 44, 46, 48. When activated, the light filament 44, 46, or 48 projects an array of light in the respective discrete direction as described above.
• the actuator 50 of the preferred embodiment is a series of electrical circuits connected to each of the light filaments 44, 46, 48 for sending an electrical current to the light filament 44, 46, or 48 to actuate and illuminate the filament 44, 46, 48.
• the mirror assembly 10 also includes a controller, shown schematically at 52 in Figure 1, for controlling the actuator 50 and illuminating the light source 34 to ' project the array of light in a selective one of the plurality of discrete directions. That is, the controller 52 sends a signal to the actuator 50 to selectively actuate one of the light filaments 44, 46, or 48 to project the array of light in the respective discrete direction from the light filament 44, 46, or 48.
• the controller 52 receives input signals 54 from various components 56 of the vehicle and transmits an output signal 58 to the actuator 50 to selectively actuate and illuminate one of the light filaments 44, 46, or 48.
• the components 56 of the vehicle transmitting input signals 54 to the controller 52 may include one or more of the following: a vehicle "key fob" for locking and unlocking the doors of the vehicle, a sensor for indicating the open and closed state of the vehicle doors, a vehicle transmission, a vehicle transmission selector, and/or an ignition sensor.
• a control table 60 is shown illustrating the operation of the mirror assembly 10.
• the mirror housing 20 is in the folded position and the mirror pane 30 remains parked in its previously operator adjusted position, or "normal" position.
• the controller 52 sends a signal to the actuator 50 and activates the light source 34, or assist light, to an "ON" condition. More specifically, the light filament 44 is turned on and illuminated to direct light from the mirror assembly 10 to assist the operator in locating the vehicle. It should be appreciated that the controller 52 and actuator 50 may activate each of the light filaments 44, 46, and 48 to project additional light from the mirror assembly 10 if desired.
• the controller 52 sends a signal to the actuator 50 to switch the light source 34 from illuminating filament 44 to filament 48 to project light downwardly from the mirror assembly 10 toward the ground adjacent the side door of the vehicle to assist in ingress and egress to the vehicle.
• the light filament 48 is activated after a predetermined period of time, delta T, has elapsed, such as one or two minutes.
• delta T a predetermined period of time
• the assist light 34 is turn “OFF”.
• the pivot mechanism 28 may automatically pivot the mirror housing 20 from the folded position to the extended use position.
• the mirror housing 20 When the transmission component 56 is selected to a "DRIVE" position, the mirror housing 20 remains in the extended position and the light source 34 remains “OFF". If the operator places the vehicle transmission in the "REVERSE” selection, the mirror pane 30 may be powered to the downward viewing position and the controller 52 sends a signal to the actuator 50 to illuminated the light filament 46 to the "ON" position to assist the vehicle operator in viewing to the rear of the vehicle.
• the pivot mechanism 28 pivots the mirror housing 20 to the folded position and the light source 34 is turned “OFF”.
• the controller 52 may be program to control and actuate the pivot mechanism 28 for folding of the mirror housing 20, the articulation of the mirror pane 30 and the activation of the light source(s) 34, either independently, combined or as desired for various combinations.
• the invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Rear-View Mirror Devices That Are Mounted On The Exterior Of The Vehicle (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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Citations (2)

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• 2001
  • 2001-05-29 EP EP01939604A patent/EP1283786A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2001-05-29 AU AU2001265104A patent/AU2001265104A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-05-29 WO PCT/US2001/017295 patent/WO2001092059A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2001-05-29 CA CA002410487A patent/CA2410487A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (2)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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