VEHICLE INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH ACTUATOR

• US 20100232045A1
• Filed: 05/24/2010
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Foote, Keith D., DeWard, Joshua L.
• Application Number:
  US12/786,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20100232045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/843
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

A rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a mounting structure, an electrical actuator and a reflective element. The mounting structure may be configured to be detachably mounted at an attachment element adhered to an inner surface of the vehicle windshield. The mounting structure is adjustable relative to the vehicle windshield to generally vertically adjust a nominal setting of a rearward field of view of the reflective element. The electrical actuator is operable to adjust the reflective element in order to vertically and horizontally adjust a rearward field of view of the reflective element. The interior rearview mirror assembly may include an imaging sensor having a forward field of view through the vehicle windshield. The forward field of view of the imaging sensor may not be adjusted when the electrical actuator adjusts the rearward field of view of the reflective element.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said rearview mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting structure, an electrical actuator, and a reflective element;

said mounting structure being configured to be detachably mounted at an attachment element adhered to an inner surface of the vehicle windshield;

said electrical actuator supported at said mounting structure with the weight of said electrical actuator being transferred to the vehicle windshield by the mounting of said mounting structure at the vehicle windshield;

wherein said mounting structure is adjustable relative to the vehicle windshield to generally vertically adjust a nominal setting of a rearward field of view of said reflective element;

wherein said electrical actuator is operable to adjust said reflective element in order to vertically and horizontally adjust a rearward field of view of said reflective element;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising an imaging sensor, said imaging sensor having a forward field of view through the vehicle windshield; and

wherein said forward field of view of said imaging sensor is not adjusted when said electrical actuator adjusts said rearward field of view of said reflective element.

2. The rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure is movable at the vehicle windshield so as to be generally vertically movable along the vehicle windshield to adjust said nominal setting of said reflective element.

3. The rearview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said mounting structure is generally vertically movable along the vehicle windshield via a motorized slide mechanism that moves said mounting structure generally vertically along an interior surface of the vehicle windshield.

4. The rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure comprises a pivot joint and wherein said reflective element is pivotable about said pivot joint to at least generally vertically adjust said nominal setting of said rearward field of view of said reflective element relative to the vehicle windshield.

5. The rearview mirror system of claim 4, wherein said pivot joint comprises at least two detents that correspond to at least two nominal settings.

6. The rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure comprises two pivot joints, and wherein said reflective element is pivotable about one of said pivot joints to at least generally vertically adjust said nominal setting of said rearward field of view of said reflective element relative to the vehicle windshield, and wherein said reflective element is adjustable about the other of said pivot joints via said electrical actuator.

7. The rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure is adjustable to generally vertically adjust said nominal setting of a rearward field of view of said reflective element in response to a user input.

8. The rearview mirror system of claim 7, wherein said user input comprises at least one of (a) a manual adjustment of said mounting structure, and (b) a motorized adjustment of said mounting structure.

9. The rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure is configured to support said electrical actuator so that said reflective element is oriented at a home orientation when said reflective element is at a nominal setting, said home orientation being at a first angle sidewardly toward the driver side of the vehicle and at a second angle downwardly so that said reflective element is angled relative to the vehicle to provide a rearward field of view to a typical driver of a vehicle when said mounting structure is mounted to the vehicle windshield and when said reflective element is at said home orientation.

10. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 9 including a control, said control being operable to control said actuator in response to an input.

11. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 10, wherein said control is operable to control said electrical actuator to set said reflective element to said home orientation in response to a first ignition cycle of the vehicle.

12. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 10, wherein said control is operable to control said electrical actuator to set said reflective element at least one memory orientation in response to said input.

13. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 12, wherein said input comprises one of a user actuatable input and a vehicle input.

14. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 9, wherein said first angle of said home orientation comprises a sideward angle of about 22 degrees toward a driver side of the vehicle relative to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle that extends along a direction of travel of the vehicle, and said second angle of said home orientation comprises a downward angle of about 4 degrees downward relative to a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

15. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1 including at least one exterior mirror assembly having an actuator and a reflective element mounted to said actuator.

16. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said interior rearview mirror assembly further comprises a housing attached at one of said mounting structure and the interior portion of the vehicle.

17. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 16, wherein said housing includes a bezel portion that at least partially surrounds said reflective element when said reflective element is mounted to said electrical actuator.

18. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 17, wherein said housing includes an opening for at least partially receiving said reflective element, said reflective element having said rearward field of view at said opening when mounted to said electrical actuator.

19. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure comprises a portion for detachably attaching to a mirror mounting button that is adhered to the inner surface of the vehicle windshield.

20. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mounting structure comprises a portion for detachably attaching to a pivot element that is attached to the inner surface of the vehicle windshield.

21. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance element.

22. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a frameless reflective element.

23. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said electrical actuator is operable to adjust said reflective element at least approximately 5 degrees from said nominal setting in at least two directions.

24. The vehicular rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said electrical actuator is operable to adjust said reflective element at least approximately 5 degrees from said nominal setting in a generally vertical direction and a generally horizontal direction.