Rearview mirror assembly for vehicle

• US 10,543,784 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2016
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sobecki, Justin E., Peterson, Kenneth C., De Wind, Darryl P., Mohan, Jake A., Steffes, Matthew V., Deuel, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdur, Rahman
• Application Number:
  US15/344,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20170050568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 359838, 359839, 359849, 359860, 359871, 359872, 359881, 359883, 359890, 359892
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/074 for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays

Abstract

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head and a light module disposed at a mirror casing. A blind zone indicator light emitting diode and a turn signal indicator light emitting diode are disposed at a single circuit board and are operable to emit light for a blind zone indicator and a turn signal indicator, respectively. The blind zone indicator and the turn signal indicator are disposed along a forward and sideward portion of the mirror casing, where the turn signal indicator is viewable and the blind zone indicator is not viewable along the forward and sideward portion of the mirror casing. When the blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated and when the exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the vehicle, the blind zone alert is viewable by the driver of the vehicle outboard of the mirror reflective element.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror head and a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a reflective element;

a light module disposed at said mirror casing, wherein said light module, when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is operable to (i) provide a blind zone alert viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle and (ii) provide a turn signal indication viewable by drivers of other vehicles at a side lane adjacent the equipped vehicle;

wherein said light module comprises a single circuit board;

wherein a blind zone indicator light emitting diode is disposed at said single circuit board and is operable to emit light for a blind zone indicator, and wherein the blind zone indicator, when said blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated, provides the blind zone alert;

wherein a turn signal indicator light emitting diode is disposed at said single circuit board and is operable to emit light for a turn signal indicator, and wherein the turn signal indicator, when said turn signal indicator light emitting diode is operated, provides the turn signal indication;

wherein said light module is disposed at and along a forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing;

wherein said turn signal indicator comprises a turn signal indicator light guide having a light receiving end at said turn signal indicator light emitting diode, and wherein said turn signal indicator light guide is disposed along said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing, and wherein the turn signal indication is viewable along said turn signal indicator light guide and said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing;

wherein said blind zone indicator comprises a blind zone indicator light guide having a light receiving end at said blind zone indicator light emitting diode, and wherein said blind zone indicator light guide is disposed along and behind said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing, and wherein the blind zone alert is not viewable along said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing; and

wherein, when said blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated and when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, the blind zone alert is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle at an end of said blind zone indicator light guide that is opposite the light receiving end of said blind zone indicator light guide and that is outboard of said reflective element.

2. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said blind zone indicator light guide directs light emitted by said blind zone indicator light emitting diode along and behind said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing so that emitted light directed by said blind zone indicator light guide is not viewable at said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing and so that the blind zone alert is viewable only at a rear portion of said mirror casing outboard of said reflective element.

3. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said single circuit board is disposed behind said mirror casing and separate from said reflective element.

4. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said blind zone indicator light guide is disposed behind said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing and separate from said reflective element.

5. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said turn signal indicator light guide, when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, directs light emitted by said turn signal indicator light emitting diode forward and sideward of the equipped vehicle.

6. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said turn signal indicator light guide is disposed at and along a light transmitting portion of said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing.

7. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said light transmitting portion of said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing comprises an aperture formed through said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing, and wherein a portion of said turn signal indicator light guide protrudes through said aperture.

8. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, comprising a ground illuminating turn signal indicator that, when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is operable to project a turn signal icon onto the ground at or near the side of the equipped vehicle in response to actuation of a turn signal of the equipped vehicle.

9. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, comprising a camera module disposed at said mirror head, and wherein said camera module is adjustably disposed at said mirror head and is adjustable to adjust the field of view of said camera module.

10. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, comprising a wide angle spotter mirror disposed at an upper outboard corner of said mirror head, and wherein said wide angle spotter mirror is integrally formed with an upper portion of said mirror casing of said mirror head.

11. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, comprising a powerfold actuator operable to pivot said mirror head relative to said mounting base between at least a park detent position, where said mirror head engages a park detent, and a drive detent position, where said mirror head engages a drive detent, and wherein, responsive to a user input, said powerfold actuator is operable to pivot said mirror head to the park detent position or the drive detent position, and wherein said mirror head engages one of said park detent and said drive detent to re-engage the detent before said mirror head moves relative to said mounting base.

12. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror head and a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a reflective element;

a light module disposed at said mirror casing, wherein said light module, when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is operable to (i) provide a blind zone alert viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle and (ii) provide a turn signal indication viewable by drivers of other vehicles at a side lane adjacent the equipped vehicle;

wherein said light module comprises a single circuit board;

wherein a blind zone indicator light emitting diode is disposed at said single circuit board and is operable to emit light for a blind zone indicator, and wherein the blind zone indicator, when said blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated, provides the blind zone alert;

wherein a turn signal indicator light emitting diode is disposed at said single circuit board and is operable to emit light for a turn signal indicator, and wherein the turn signal indicator, when said turn signal indicator light emitting diode is operated, provides the turn signal indication;

wherein said blind zone indicator and said turn signal indicator are disposed along a forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing;

wherein said turn signal indicator comprises a turn signal indicator light guide that is disposed along said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing and, at least when said turn signal indicator light emitting diode is operated, provides the turn signal indication that is viewable along said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing;

wherein said blind zone indicator comprises a blind zone indicator light guide that is disposed behind said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing so as to not be viewable through said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing; and

wherein, when said blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated, the blind zone alert is viewable at a rear portion of said mirror casing outboard of said reflective element and is not viewable along said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing.

13. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said blind zone indicator light guide directs light emitted by said blind zone indicator light emitting diode along and behind said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing so that the blind zone alert is viewable at said rear portion of said mirror casing outboard of said reflective element.

14. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said single circuit board is disposed at an end of said blind zone indicator light guide opposite another end of said blind zone indicator light guide that is at said rear portion of said mirror casing outboard of said reflective element.

15. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said turn signal indicator light guide, when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, directs light emitted by said turn signal indicator light emitting diode forward and sideward of the equipped vehicle.

16. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said turn signal indicator light guide is disposed at and along a light transmitting portion of said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing.

17. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said light transmitting portion of said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing comprises an aperture formed through said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing, and wherein a portion of said turn signal indicator light guide protrudes through said aperture.

18. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein, when said blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated and when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, the blind zone alert is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle outboard of said reflective element.

19. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror head and a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a reflective element;

a light module disposed at said mirror casing;

wherein said light module comprises a single circuit board;

wherein a blind zone indicator light emitting diode is disposed at said single circuit board and is operable to emit light for a blind zone indicator;

wherein a turn signal indicator light emitting diode is disposed at said single circuit board and is operable to emit light for a turn signal indicator;

wherein said blind zone indicator and said turn signal indicator are disposed along a forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing;

wherein said turn signal indicator comprises a turn signal indicator light guide and said blind zone indicator comprises a blind zone indicator light guide;

wherein said single circuit board is disposed at a first end of said blind zone indicator light guide opposite a second end of said blind zone indicator light guide that is at a rear portion of said mirror casing outboard of said reflective element;

wherein said turn signal indicator light guide is disposed along a light transmitting portion of said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing and, at least when said turn signal indicator light emitting diode is operated, is viewable along said light transmitting portion of said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing;

wherein said blind zone indicator light guide is disposed behind said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing so as to not be viewable through said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing;

wherein, when said blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated, said blind zone indicator light guide directs light emitted by said blind zone indicator light emitting diode at said first end of said blind zone indicator light guide along and behind said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing so as to be viewable at said second end of said blind zone indicator light guide at said rear portion of said mirror casing outboard of said reflective element;

wherein, when said turn signal indicator light emitting diode is operated and when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said turn signal indicator light guide directs light emitted by said turn signal indicator light emitting diode forward and sideward of the equipped vehicle; and

wherein, when said blind zone indicator light emitting diode is operated and when said mounting base of said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said blind zone indicator light guide directs light emitted by said blind zone indicator light emitting diode so as to be viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle at said rear portion of said mirror casing outboard of said reflective element.

20. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein said light transmitting portion of said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing comprises an aperture formed through said forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing, and wherein a portion of said turn signal indicator light guide protrudes through said aperture.