Exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles

• US 20050276058A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems Germany GmbH
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems Germany GmbH
• Inventors: Susca, Ovidiu Catalin, Romas, Vasile
• Granted Patent: US 7,510,311 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

An exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles. The exterior rearview mirror has a mirror housing with a mirror glass, which is mounted on a mirror glass support and is encompassed by a frame. The exterior rearview mirror is provided with signal lamps, area lights, and indicator lights that are situated in the mirror housing or in the mirror base. In order to permit a simple, inexpensive installation of a lamp into the exterior rearview mirror so that it does not take up much space, at least one lamp of a built-in light is accommodated in the frame. The lamp, which is fastened to the frame in a non-detachable way, can be accommodated in the frame in a simple, space-saving way and held there securely. The exterior rearview mirror is particularly suited for motor vehicles.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles, having a mirror housing with at least one mirror glass, which is mounted on a mirror glass support and is encompassed by a frame, accommodating at least one lamp of a built-in light.

2. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein an upper frame part encompasses the lamp.

3. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp is situated in a widened part and/or an add-on piece of the frame.

4. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the outside of the widened part constitutes an uninterrupted extension of the outside of the frame.

5. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the widened part and/or the add-on frame piece protrudes inward beyond the inner edge of the frame.

6. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp and/or a light exit surface for the light emitted from the lamp is situated in the section of the widened part and/or the add-on piece that protrudes beyond the inner edge of the frame.

7. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the widened part tapers inward from the frame in an approximately trapezoidal fashion.

8. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the lamp and/or the light window is/are provided on a longitudinal edge of the widened part and/or on the inner edge of the add-on piece.

9. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two lamps are provided next to each other on the frame.

10. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one, two or more lamps are provided on at least one frame section, preferably on one or more frame sections that are situated next to each other and/or opposite from each other.

11. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the widened part and/or the add-on piece has/have at least one opening for at least one light window.

12. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the widened part is of one piece with the frame.

13. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the add-on piece is fastened to the frame, preferably in a non-detachable way, such as by being glued, welded, or the like.

14. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the form of the add-on piece is adapted to the contour of the frame section to which it is fastened.

15. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp is an LED, an incandescent bulb, or the like.

16. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp is provided on a printed circuit board.

17. The mirror as recited in claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board is rigid and/or flexible.

18. The mirror as recited in claim 17, wherein the printed circuit board is embodied in the form of a foil.

19. The mirror as recited in claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board is provided with at least one, preferably several, plug terminals and/or cables.

20. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp and/or the built-in light is/are situated on the mirror glass support so that the light emitted by the lamp exits in the region of the outside of the mirror glass.

21. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the light emitted by the lamp is conveyed outward by at least one optical waveguide.

22. The mirror as recited in claim 21, wherein the optical waveguide adjoins the lamp and at least partially embraces the edge of the mirror glass.

23. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp is fastened, preferably by means of contact feet, to an edge section of the printed circuit board that protrudes beyond the mirror glass.

24. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp is situated behind a light window in the region above the mirror glass.

25. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the built-in light is accommodated in an installation space delimited by the frame and the mirror glass support.

26. The mirror as recited in claim 25, wherein the built-in in light is accommodated in the installation space, protected from corrosion and/or external influences.

27. The mirror as recited in claim 25, wherein the mirror glass support plate has a filling opening to permit sealing material to be introduced into the installation space.

28. The mirror as recited in claim 27, wherein the filling opening is provided on the frame, that extends approximately perpendicular to the mirror glass.

29. The mirror as recited in claim 27, wherein the filling opening is provided in an edge section of the mirror glass support plate that is recessed in relation to the mirror glass.

30. The mirror as recited in claim 29, wherein the edge section of the mirror glass support plate that is recessed in relation to the mirror glass transitions by means of a stepped intermediate section into a plate part that rests against the mirror glass.

31. The mirror as recited in claim 16, wherein the plug terminals of the printed circuit board protrude through openings in the mirror glass support plate.

32. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the light window and/or the optical waveguide is/are situated in the region between the mirror glass and the upright frame part of the frame.

33. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the lamp is provided on the side of the printed circuit board oriented away from the mirror glass.

34. The mirror as recited in claim 33, wherein the lamp adjoins the optical waveguide.

35. The mirror as recited in claim 21, wherein the optical waveguide has an approximately U-shaped or L-shaped cross-section.

36. The mirror as recited in claim 35, wherein one leg of the optical waveguide rests against the mirror glass.

37. The mirror as recited in claim 35, wherein the lamp protrudes into a recess at the end of the other leg of the optical waveguide.

38. The mirror as recited in claim 35, wherein the one leg of the optical waveguide constitutes the light window.

39. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the light window interacts with the upper frame part of the frame by means of a groove/spring connection.

40. The mirror as recited in claim 1, wherein the one leg of the optical waveguide protrudes into the opening of the widened part and/or the add-on piece of the frame.

41. The mirror as recited in claim 35, wherein the free, preferably widened, end of the longer leg of the L-shaped optical waveguide has a recess for the lamp.

42. The mirror as recited in claim 3, wherein the frame is interrupted in at least one region for the add-on piece.

43. The mirror as recited in claim 16, wherein the printed circuit board is equipped with electrical/electronic components.