Vehicle side mirror assembly including sequentially lighted LED turn signal indicator
First Claim
1. A mirror assembly for a vehicle side mirror, said assembly comprising:
- a base plate having a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, said base plate including a plurality of holes extending therethrough;
a mirror glass mounted to the rearward facing surface of the base plate, said mirror glass including a reflective layer having a plurality of holes extending therethrough, said reflective layer holes being aligned with the base plate holes;
a plurality of LEDs mounted to the forward surface of the base plate, said LEDs being aligned with the holes in the base plate and the holes in the reflective layer so that illumination of the LEDs can be seen through the mirror glass; and
a control device, said control device causing the LEDs to be sequentially illuminated from an outermost pair of LEDs to an inner LED where a first pair of LEDs is illuminated, then a next pair of LEDs is illuminated in sequence towards the inner LED.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle side mirror assembly including a lighted turn signal indicator. The side mirror assembly is configured to replace an existing side mirror assembly for mounting to known mirror scalps. The mirror glass is mounted to a rearward facing surface of a base plate of the mirror assembly by a piece of two-sided tape or heater panel. A printed circuit board is mounted to a forward facing surface of the base plate within a suitably shaped cavity. LEDs mounted to the circuit board are aligned with holes in the base plate. The circuit board is inserted into the cavity from an opposite side of the base plate from the mirror glass. A cover is sonically welded to the base plate to cover the cavity and hold the circuit board therein. The LEDs are illuminated in a sequential manner starting with an outermost pair of LEDs to an inner most LED.
16 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A mirror assembly for a vehicle side mirror, said assembly comprising:
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a base plate having a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, said base plate including a plurality of holes extending therethrough;
a mirror glass mounted to the rearward facing surface of the base plate, said mirror glass including a reflective layer having a plurality of holes extending therethrough, said reflective layer holes being aligned with the base plate holes;
a plurality of LEDs mounted to the forward surface of the base plate, said LEDs being aligned with the holes in the base plate and the holes in the reflective layer so that illumination of the LEDs can be seen through the mirror glass; and
a control device, said control device causing the LEDs to be sequentially illuminated from an outermost pair of LEDs to an inner LED where a first pair of LEDs is illuminated, then a next pair of LEDs is illuminated in sequence towards the inner LED. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A mirror assembly for a vehicle side mirror, said assembly comprising:
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a base plate having a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, said base plate including a plurality of holes extending therethrough;
a mirror glass mounted to the rearward facing surface of the base plate, and a printed circuit board mounted within a cavity formed in the forward facing surface of the base plate, said base plate including a cover plate for holding the circuit board within the cavity, said printed circuit board including a plurality of LEDs mounted thereto, said LEDs being aligned with the holes in the base plate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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15. A mirror assembly for a vehicle side mirror, said assembly comprising:
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a base plate having a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, said base plate including a plurality of holes extending therethrough;
a mirror glass mounted to the rearward facing surface of the base plate;
a plurality of LEDs mounted to the forward surface of the base plate and being aligned with the holes in the base plate, said plurality of LEDs being outside the periphery of the mirror glass;
a lens mounted to the rearward facing surface of the base plate adjacent and outboard to the mirror glass, said lens covering the plurality of LEDs, wherein the illumination of the LEDs is visible through the lens; and
a control device, said control device causing the LEDs to be sequentially illuminated from an outermost pair of LEDs to an inner LED where a first pair of LEDs is illuminated, then a next pair of LEDs is illuminated in sequence towards the inner LED.
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22. A mirror assembly for a vehicle side mirror, said assembly comprising:
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a base plate having a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, said base plate including a plurality of holes extending therethrough positioned in a V-shaped configuration, said base plate including a first opening and a second opening, said base plate further including a device operable to engage a motor unit, said motor unit causing the mirror assembly to pivot;
a mirror glass mounted to the rearward facing surface of the base plate, and a printed circuit board mounted within a cavity formed in the forward facing surface of the base plate, said base plate including a cover for holding the circuit board within the cavity, said cover plate being secured to the forward facing surface of the base plate, wherein a wire electrically connected to the circuit board extends through the first opening in the cavity to the rearward facing surface of the base plate and then extends through the second opening from the rearward facing surface to the forward facing surface outside of the cavity, said printed circuit board including a plurality of LEDs mounted thereto, said LEDs being aligned with the holes in the base plate, said printed circuit board including a plurality of electrical components, said electrical components causing the LEDs to be sequentially illuminated from an outermost pair of LEDs to an inner LED. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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26. A method of assembling a vehicle side mirror, said method comprising:
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providing a base plate having a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, said forward facing surface including a cavity, said base plate including a series of holes arranged in a V-shape;
mounting a mirror glass to the rearward facing surface of the base plate; and
mounting a printed circuit board within the cavity, said printed circuit board including a plurality of LEDs mounted to the circuit board to be aligned with the holes in the base plate, said printed circuit board further including a plurality of electrical components operable to illuminate the LEDs.
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Specification