Vehicle mirror assembly that includes light unit

• US 20050141229A1
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Sakai, Takako
• Granted Patent: US 7,140,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators

Abstract

A mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an opening, a mirror housing having a window portion, a mirror unit positioned over the opening, and a light unit. The light unit includes a lamp lens positioned over the window portion, a light source arranged in the mirror housing at a position closer to a front side of the vehicle than the mirror unit, and a light distribution control unit for controlling light distribution so that light from the light source is distributed to a range from the outer side to the back side of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly that is attached on an outer surface of a vehicle, comprising:

a mirror housing of which a portion ranging from a front side to an outer side of the mirror housing is closed and a portion on a back side thereof is open, and that includes a window portion in at least a part of the outer side of the portion that is closed;

a mirror unit that is provided inside the mirror housing and is positioned in the portion that is open; and

a light unit that is provided inside the mirror housing and radiates light in a direction that is oblique to the outer surface of the vehicle where the mirror assembly is attached, wherein

the light unit includes

a lamp lens that is positioned in the window portion, the lamp lens having an outer surface that is substantially at same level as an outer surface of the mirror housing,

a light source that is arranged inside the mirror housing at a position that is closer to the front side than a position at which the mirror unit is arranged, and

a light-distribution control unit, provided in the lamp lens, for controlling light distribution so that light from the light source is distributed to a predetermined range covering from the outer side to the back side.

2. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light unit includes a turn lamp function.

3. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light unit includes a turn lamp function, and the light source is a light emitting diode having the turn lamp function.

4. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the mirror unit is tiltably mounted, and

the light source is arranged at a position that is closer to the front side than the mirror unit, the position outside a range in which the mirror unit is tilted.

5. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light unit has a unit configuration that includes

a lamp room that is formed with a lamp housing and the lamp lens, and

the light source arranged in the lamp room.

6. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the light distribution control unit is a prism that is integrally provided in the lamp lens.

7. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein in the portion that is closed, a portion ranging from a corner between the front side and the outer side to the outer side is a curved portion, and

the light source is arranged inside the curved portion at a position closer to the front side than the position at which the mirror unit is arranged.