Set of parts and assembling method for assembling a rear-view side mirror of a vehicle

• US 20050243568A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alejandro Rodriguez Barros, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Fernandez
• Original Assignee: Alejandro Rodriguez Barros, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Fernandez
• Inventors: Rodriguez Fernandez, Jose Manuel, Rodriguez Barros, Alejandro
• Granted Patent: US 7,258,471 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/123 with thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The invention relates to a rear-view mirror for vehicles, which consists of compatible, combinable and exchangeable modules such as: (A) and (B), or integrated (A+B), functional, signal, lighting and sensor modules, and structural (C), (D) and (E) modules; cover-housing, body-housing and support which may include functional modules. (A), (B) and (A+B) fulfill their function even if the rear-view mirror is folded. They use a multifocal light source of LED'"'"'s inserted into a flexible and orientable circuit and/or a mixed rigid-flexible circuit-combining LED'"'"'s+bulbs and other lighting elements, with variable optical and reflective means enabling more than one signal from one same transparent surface with direct light output, indirect-reflected light output and/or through intermediate optical light guides depending on the directions required in the front, the side, the back and the lateral ground for different commands, applications and safety signals.

Claims

1. A set of parts to be used in assembling a rear-view side mirror of a vehicle, comprising:

a housing (D) adapted to be attached to an outer surface of a vehicle, and defining a first opening and at least a second opening;

a mirror (50) adapted to be mounted in said first opening a cover (C, C1) adapted to be attached to said housing (D) covering said second opening, said cover (C, C1) including at least a translucent or transparent surface configured to permit the passage of light in several different directions;

a plurality of composable refracting, reflecting, emitting and/or receiving functional devices, each one adapted to be selected and installed in a predetermined position in an inner cavity defined in said cover (C, C1) for refracting, reflecting, emitting and/or receiving light in at least one predetermined direction through said translucent or transparent surface (1).

2. The set of parts according to claim 1, characterized in that the second opening is defined in a side bottom portion of the housing (D).

3. The set of parts according to claim 1, characterized in that said several different directions in which said translucent or transparent surface (1) permits the passage of light therethrough comprise two or more of the following:

forward direction, rearward direction, sideward direction, downward direction, and corresponding intermediate positions, in relation to the vehicle.

4. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that said plurality of functional devices includes one or more of the following:

gauge light emitting functional device, front and/or side position light emitting functional device, fog position light emitting functional device, intermittent light emitting functional device, and side downward courtesy light emitting functional device.

5. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that said plurality of functional devices includes an infrared light emitting and/or receiving functional device.

6. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that each of said plurality of functional devices is selected from the group consisting of:

light refracting element, light reflecting element, light emitting element, printed circuit board, or combinations thereof.

7. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that several devices of said plurality of functional devices share one or more of the following elements:

light refracting element, light reflecting element, light emitting element, or printed circuit board.

8. The set of parts according to claims 6 or 7, characterized in that said functional devices having shared elements form a multiple signal assembly combining an intermittent light with other functions complementary of the vehicle front signals.

9. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said plurality of functional devices comprises a combination of light emitting elements of different types, LEDs with different optical members (36) and/or different forms of chip and/or LEDs with multiple chips, and/or different shape of capsule (30) or different size, and/or with rectangular-shaped chip (34), or side-mounting LEDs (30-A) with a side light way out at approximately 90°

with respect to the base board of the support circuit, and/or LEDs with direct light way out associated with transparent light conducting bodies (150), and/or LEDs associated with bulb lamps, and/or LEDs associated with OLEs (N3) or electro-luminescent semiconductor substrates, for concentrating or dispersing light according to their function, or assuring the operation in part of the signal if one of said luminous elements fails.

10. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises one or more emitting and/or receiving elements selected from the group consisting of:

radio-frequency emitter and/or receiver, ultrasound emitter and/or receiver, temperature sensor, temporizer, or received signal analyzer circuit.

11. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said functional devices comprises single or multiple chip LED-type light emitters with an optical member integrated or intermediate between said emitter and the transparent surface (1), the luminous projection (32) of which comprises projecting light in a stereo radian sphere-sector with a vertical angle (D1) greater than +10°

and −

10°

, and an horizontal angle (D2) greater than said vertical angle (D1).

12. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said functional devices is adapted to emit a natural white light by means of a light source of the type of a bulb lamp and/or white LEDs, or by the simultaneous emission of three RGB chip LEDs red, green, blue, in a same multi-LED light emitter, or by means of three separate LEDs producing white light by combination of them, or other color light by combination of two of them.

13. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said functional devices includes a high-brightness light source integrating several LEDs or LEDs forming alternate groups on a support circuit in a same inner space of said cover (C, C1) cavity, said groups of chip LEDs or LEDs having several different characteristics of wavelength, shape and color, thereby permitting to emit light signals of different colors or multiple light signals through the translucent or transparent surface (1) with respective alternate and/or simultaneous, independent or joint operation, or with two light intensities for a same color by means of a resistor attenuator circuit (306).

14. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said functional devices includes a light emitting element in the form of a bulb lamp dyed in a color for at least one function and placed in a horizontal, vertical or intermediate position, in combination with a faceted parabolic reflector.

15. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said functional devices includes a light emitting element in the form of a single bulb lamp for two different functions, said bulb lamp being partially covered by a front mask with a filter of one color (3) and (3bis) for emitting light of said color in the forward direction, rearward direction or sideward direction, and disposed to emit white light in a side downward direction, the bulb lamp being associated with two different commands permitting the activation of the light bulb in two different ways.

16. The set of parts according to claim 15, characterized in that an inner surface of said mask acts in part as a parabolic reflector to reflect white light downwards.

17. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said functional devices includes a group of LEDs inserted in a rigid printed circuit board.

18. The set of parts according to claim 17, characterized in that said rigid printed circuit board is a metal and fiber composite printed circuit board (12A) wherein the LEDs of said group of LEDs are inserted having opposite orientations for emitting light in two wide-angled opposite directions (F1 and F2), one of them directly through the translucent or transparent surface (1) and the other indirectly via reflection on a reflecting surface (12).

19. The set of parts according to claim 18, characterized in that it includes a collimator distributing the light along a surface by a succession of aligned little reflecting surfaces (13).

20. The set of parts according to claim 18, characterized in that said reflecting surface (12) is totally or partially colored in any pale, dark, black, white, or metallized color, and/or is totally or partially chromium-plated with a pale or dark chromium-plating, or dyed, or varnished, and is shiny or matte (12-X).

21. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one of said functional devices includes a light emitting element adapted to emit light in a color different from white.

22. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one device of said plurality of functional devices comprises a light emitting element and a light-conducting transparent body adapted to conduct light from said light emitting element to an area of the translucent or transparent surface (1) not directly facing the light emitting element.

23. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that said translucent or transparent surface (1) includes a side end area (204) placed in a vertex of the rear-view side mirror, said side end area (204) being visible both from front and rear, as well as from the corresponding side of the vehicle.

24. The set of parts according to claim 23, characterized in that at least one device of said plurality of functional devices comprises a light emitting element adapted to emit light through said side end area (204) of the translucent or transparent surface (1).

25. The set of parts according to claim 23, characterized in that at least one device of said plurality of functional devices comprises a light emitting element and a light-conducting transparent body adapted to conduct light from said light emitting element to said side end area (204) of the translucent or transparent surface (1).

26. The set of parts according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises one or more configurations adapted to direct at least part of the light from the light emitting element through said side end area (204) in a rearward and (K1) direction in such a way that it does not affect the driver eyes, said one or more configurations being selected from a group consisting of:

a smooth rear outer face (66) in the side end area (204), or a distance (D1) from a rear outer face (66) of the side end area (204) to a rear outer edge of the housing (D), said distance defining a surface (N) separating an illuminated area (100) from a shaded area (200).

27. The set of parts according to claim 25, characterized in that it comprises one or more configurations adapted to direct at least part of the light from the light emitting element through said side end area (204) in a rearward and (K1) direction in such a way that it does not affect the driver eyes, said one or more configurations being selected from a group consisting of:

a smooth rear outer face (66) in the side end area (204),

a distance (D1) from a rear outer face (66) of the side end area (204) to a rear outer edge of the housing (D), said distance defining a surface (N) separating an illuminated area (100) from a shaded area (200),

a smooth inner reflection surface in said light-conducting transparent body adapted to orient and transmit light in a linear and direct way to a rear outer face (66) of the side end area (204),

a black inner surface in said light-conducting transparent body adapted to orient and transmit light in a linear and direct way to a rear outer face (66) of the side end area (204) and to absorb and control remanent light reflections,

an inner surface with prisms or lenses in said light-conducting transparent body adapted to orient and transmit light in a linear and direct way to a rear outer face (66) of the side end area (204) through a hollow passage formed between reflection elements (13) of a reflector (12) and the translucent or transparent surface (1), or

an inner surface with prisms or lenses (7) and (155) in said light-conducting transparent body (150) adapted to orient and transmit light in a linear and direct way to a rear outer face (66) of the side end area (204) through a solid passage integral of the translucent or transparent surface (1).

28. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one device of said plurality of functional devices comprises a light emitting element disposed to emit light through the translucent or transparent surface (1) and one or more configurations adapted to direct at least a part of the light from said light emitting element to a little window (51) placed in a shaded area (200) of the housing (D), said window (51) being visible by the driver (202) and acting as a control light for the light emitting element operation.

29. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one device of said plurality of functional devices comprises a light emitting element disposed to emit light through the translucent or transparent surface (1) and at least a light duct adapted to conduct a small part of the light from said light emitting element to a little window (51) placed in a shaded area (200) of the housing (D), said window (51) being visible by the driver (202) and acting as a control light for the light emitting element operation.

30. The set of parts according to claim 3, characterized in that at least one device of said plurality of functional devices is associated with an operation control indicator placed outside or inside the vehicle, said operation control indicator being selected from a group comprising:

a sound element (70); and

/or a mini-LED (00, 25, 25-A,

     30).

31. The set of parts according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises at least two holes (265, 266, 267, 560) in the housing (D) and/or the cover (C, C1) forming an air passageway between the interior and the exterior, said holes (265, 266, 267, 560) having an outer configuration defining a trap for restricting water ingress, one of said holes (265, 266, 267, 560) being placed in a lower position with respect to the other thereby defining a ventilation circuit for ventilating the housing (D).

32. The set of parts according to claim 1, characterised in that said cover (C, C1) comprises one single external, transparent and colourless surface (1) provided with a separator (77) configuration having at least one channel or level difference greater than 100 microns and/or an opaque over-injected band which reduces the transmittance and colouring of one signal light by 1% or more in the sector of the other signal in the case that the transmittance limiting machining does not exist.

33. A method for assembling a rear-view side mirror of a vehicle from a set of parts, comprising the steps of:

providing a housing (D) adapted to be attached to an outer surface of a vehicle, and defining a first opening and at least a second opening;

mounting a mirror (50) adapted to be mounted in said first opening;

attaching a cover (C, C1) to said housing (D) covering said second opening, said cover (C, C1) including at least a translucent or transparent surface configured to permit the passage of light in several different directions;

providing a plurality of composable refracting, reflecting, emitting and/or receiving functional devices, each one adapted to be selected and installed in a predetermined position in an inner cavity defined in said cover (C, C1) for refracting, reflecting, emitting and/or receiving light in at least one predetermined direction through said translucent or transparent surface (1);

selecting one or more functional devices from said plurality of functional devices; and

installing the selected functional devices by attaching them to the cover (C, C1) before attaching the cover (C, C1) to the housing (D).

34. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that it comprises attaching a non-transparent portion of the cover (C, C1) to a body constituting said translucent or transparent surface (1) by over-molding.

35. The method according to claim 33, characterized in that it comprises attaching a non-transparent portion of the cover (C, C1) to a body constituting said translucent or transparent surface (1) by reversible fastening means selected from a group consisting of clips or screws.