Mirror/display assembly

• US 20070146560A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Plavetich, Richard, Cupit, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,066,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/837
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors

Abstract

An integrated mirror/display assembly includes a flip down display integrated with a rearview mirror. The mirror may be mounted to the display and the mirror/display is movable on a pivot between a retracted non-viewing position during normal vehicle operation and an extended viewing position when the vehicle is not in an operating mode.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a mounting frame; and

a monitor pivotally attached to the mounting frame, the monitor having a display and a mirror, the monitor movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the mirror is connected to the display to move with the display between the first retracted position and the second extended position.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein a mirror plane of the mirror and a display screen of the display are substantially perpendicular to one another.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the mirror plane substantially faces a rear of the vehicle when the monitor is in the retracted position, and wherein the display screen substantially faces the rear of the vehicle when the monitor is in the extended position

5. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the monitor is further rotatable when in the extended position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first pivotal motion.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 1, and further comprising:

a lockout detector electrically connected to the mirror assembly, the lockout detector to prevent movement of the monitor from the retracted position to the extended position when the mirror assembly is in use as a mirror.

7. A mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a display/mirror pivotally mounted to the housing, and movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position, the display/mirror comprising;

a display; and

a mirror, the mirror and the display mounted substantially perpendicular to each other, the mirror having a mirror plane that substantially faces a rear of the vehicle when the display/mirror assembly is in the retracted position, the display having a display screen that substantially faces the rear of the vehicle when the display/mirror assembly is in the extended position.

8. A mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a mounting frame;

a monitor pivotally attached to the mounting frame, the monitor having a display and a mirror, the monitor movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position;

an actuator connected to the monitor to actuate movement of the monitor between the first and the second positions; and

a lockout mechanism to monitor an external vehicle status signal to prevent movement of the monitor from the first position to the second position when the external vehicle status signal indicates that the vehicle is in a driving mode of operation.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the lockout mechanism monitors the vehicle through a connection to the vehicle ignition.

10. A mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a display pivotally mounted to the housing, and movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position; and

a mirror mounted to the housing, the mirror movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position, the mirror and the display mounted substantially perpendicular to each other, the mirror having a mirror plane that substantially faces a rear of the vehicle when the mirror is in its extended position and the display is in its retracted position, the display having a display screen that substantially faces the rear of the vehicle when the mirror is in its retracted position and the display is in its extended position.

11. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body having a windshield and a windshield frame; and

a mirror assembly having a housing mounted to the vehicle in a rearview mirror position, the assembly comprising;

a display pivotally attached to the mounting frame, the display having a display screen and a mirror, the display movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the mirror is connected to the display to move with the display between the first retracted position and the second extended position.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein a face of the mirror and the display screen of the display are substantially perpendicular to one another.

14. A method of operating a mirror/display assembly in a vehicle, the mirror/display assembly having a mounting frame and a monitor pivotally attached to the mounting frame, the monitor having a display and a mirror, the monitor movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position, the method comprising:

operating the mirror/display assembly in its retracted position as a rearview mirror when the vehicle is in a driving mode of operation; and

allowing pivoting of the mirror/display assembly to its extended position as a monitor only when the vehicle is in a non-driving mode of operation.

15. The method of claim 14, and further comprising:

monitoring the driving and non-driving modes of the vehicle with a lockout detector by monitoring a position of a key in the ignition of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, and further comprising:

providing an actuator operably connected to the lockout detector;

moving the mirror/display assembly to its extended position upon actuation of the actuator when the vehicle is in a non-driving mode of operation.