MULTI-SIGNAL EXTERNAL REAR-VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLES

• US 20110001428A1
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alejandro Rodriguez Barros, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Fernandez
• Original Assignee: Alejandro Rodriguez Barros, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Fernandez
• Inventors: Rodriguez Barros, Alejandro, Rodriguez Fernandez, Jose Manuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,568,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/77
• 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 multi-signal exterior rear-view mirror assembly that includes:

• • a structural part forming a perimetric frame (Fr) defining the contour of a first opening towards the rear (Op1), which encompasses a main reflective plate glass (G1);
  • a second front opening (Op2) in an area opposite or adjacent to the main plate glass (G1),
  • a first light module (D1) suitable for emitting a first turn signal through the second opening (Op2) towards the front and towards the side, and
  • a second light module (D2, D2G) suitable for emitting a second turn signal towards the rear synchronized with the first turn signal for producing one and the same function, the second light module (D2, D2G) being independent in construction from the first light module (D1), and being located in a portion of the structural part (Fr) forming a perimetric frame or in a portion of an adjacent part.

Claims

1. A multi-signal exterior rear-view mirror assembly for a vehicle, of the type comprising:

a structural part forming a perimetric frame (Fr) defining the contour of a first opening towards the rear (Op1), with reference to the axis of travel of the vehicle (500) in its normal traveling direction, which encompasses a main reflective plate glass (G1);

at least one second front opening (Op2) or window for the passage of light in an outer wall of a casing or surrounding enclosure of said rear-view mirror assembly, in an area opposite or adjacent to said main plate glass (G1),

a first light module (D1) suitable for emitting at least one first turn signal through said second opening (Op2) or window provided with a translucent or transparent surface (1) for the passage of light, encompassing a light emitting extension at least in a horizontal plane between a direction (102F) towards the front and towards the side, with reference to said axis of travel of the vehicle in its normal traveling direction; and

a second light module (D2, D2G) suitable for emitting at least one second turn signal towards the rear, through another transparent or translucent surface (11), synchronized with said first turn signal for producing one and the same function, said second light module (D2, D2G) being independent in construction from the first light module (D1), and being located in a portion of said structural part (Fr) forming a perimetric frame or in a portion of a part of the rear-view mirror assembly adjacent to said structural part (Fr).

2. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said light modules (D1, D2, D2G) are electrically interconnected (iC) and controlled by a control system for emitting their respective light signals in unison or synchronously.

3. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first light module (D1) is an integrated multi-signal module having independent inner cavities for housing, in addition to a first light device (D1a) for emitting said turn signal, at least one second light device (D1b) and/or a third light device (D1c) suitable for emitting a fixed white light locating signal towards the front (FL) and in that the vehicle includes two rear-view mirror assemblies arranged at each side of the vehicle with their turn signals and locating signals operating simultaneously.

4. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second light device (D1b) and/or third light device (D1c) is suitable for emitting a fixed yellow light locating signal towards the side (SL) which operates simultaneously with another alike signal emitted from a rear-view mirror assembly arranged on another side of the vehicle.

5. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said structural part forming a perimetric frame (Fr), where said second light module (D2) is located, is a portion of the structural part (Cp) of said rear-view mirror assembly farthest from a bodywork (Car) of the vehicle.

6. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein a portion of said structural part forming a perimetric frame (Fr) or a casing cover (C, Cc) in a zone (Cp) adjacent to said perimetric frame (Fr) defines, at its outer, inner surface or in an area intermediate between said internal or external surface of said frame (FR), a recess (19) in which said second light module (D2) is at least in part housed.

7. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second light module (D2) abuts with a coupling area (49) of a portion of said structural part forming a perimetric frame (Fr) of said casing cover (C, Cc) adjacent to said perimetric frame.

8. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein said outer transparent or translucent surfaces (1, 11) are covers that are adjacent and placed one after another separated by an opaque wall (Cp) between the first light module (D1) and the second light module (D2), said opaque wall (Cp) covering part of the inner structure or interface (eiN) of at least one of said light modules (D1, D2).

9. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second light module (D2G) is attached in a zone located behind the main plate glass (G1) or of an auxiliary plate glass (G2) adjacent to said frame (Fr, FrG).

10. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 6 further comprising an opaque partition (Fri, Frg) at a height of said recess (19, 29) which substantially conceals, with respect to tangential vision (Tv) of eyes of a driver of the vehicle (Dv), the transparent or translucent surface (11), which serves as an outer transparent or translucent cover, through which the second light module (D2, D2G) emits the mentioned turn signal towards the rear the focal axis (Rb) of which is visible at eye points located behind the rear-view mirror and outside said vehicle (Rv).

11. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 10, wherein said opaque partition (Fri, FrG) has an exit for the light independent of the external translucent or transparent cover (11) by the way of an opening such as a small window (Sw), or a small extension (Swe) of the transparent or translucent cover which allows that at least one beam of light (dv, Rb) part of said light signal which is emitted to the rear by said light module (D2, D2G), to be seen at eye points (Rv) located behind the rear-view mirror and outside of the vehicle and or from the eyes of the driver of the vehicle (Dv).

12. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second light module (D2, D2G) is also suitable for emitting a light signal (WL) with a function independent from that of said turn signal, said independent function being a function of lighting, with any light color, an area (Da) of the bodywork (Car) on the door of said vehicle activated before the driver gets in or out of the vehicle by means of a remote control, automatically or when opening or closing the door.

13. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 3, wherein said second light device (D1b) and/or third light device (D1c) suitable for emitting said fixed white light locating light signal (FL) towards the front and/or said fixed yellow light signal (SL) to the side, uses a controlling circuit which stabilizes the current in each light source by means of digital or analog pulses with a cyclic on and off interval represented by zero and one, with a frequency greater than 20 Hz, such that it is perceived as a light that is switched on continuously for a human eye and or it allows to emit light at two different intensities.

14. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 13, wherein said second light device (D1b) and/or third light device (D1c) suitable for emitting said fixed white light locating light signal (FL) towards the front is suitable for emitting said light signal during the day when the vehicle starts and for no longer emitting or reducing its intensity automatically when switching on the general lights (L1) of said vehicle.

15. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said light modules includes a cooling system or a thermal interface (tiN) to evacuate the heat of said light sources comprising, at least one of the following elements, or a combination thereof:

a supporting printed circuit (20) with tracks that are widened around said LEDs (30).

thermal paths (22) traversing said supporting circuit (20) for transmitting the heat from a first face (20a) to a second face (20b), opposite said first face (20a),

a metal base (23) abutting with said second face (20b) of the supporting circuit (20), or with a partially flexible circuit or with interconnected plates, and

an additional inner cover (R) made of a metal or of a good heat conducting material, abutting with said metal base (23), having flaps (aR), or outer ventilation channels, and

at least an opening (Ai, Ai1, Ai2) with a device to capture water or a valve in order to equilibrate its internal or external atmosphere, in the external casing cover (C, Cc) in order to facilitate the flow of air.

16. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said light modules (D1, D1b, D1c, D2, D2G, D2a) comprises in its respective cavities technical means of a light emitting electro-optical interface (eiN, oiN) comprising at least one of the following elements, or a combination thereof:

reflective surfaces (12) that are metal-coated or of any color, including black;

reflective cavities comprising parabolas and having regular or irregular perimeters (iP) and their axes parallel or not;

flexible supporting circuits (20), partly flexible, rigid or of several associated and interconnected boards, or printed on one or two faces (20a, 20b), for direct light emission;

LEDs (30) inserted or assembled in equal or different positions normally or at an angle of 0°

to 90°

with respect to said supporting circuits of fiber (20), metal (23) or folded metal or the combination thereof;

at least one collimator (Co) or reflective surface having small associated facets, arranged for receiving the light emitted in a manner tangential almost parallel to said outer transparent or translucent cover (1, 11), and reflecting it axially for indirect emitting light;

light guides (GL) substantially parallel to the outer transparent surface for indirect light emission; and

optical devices, Fresnel-type optical devices or interpolated prisms (Opr) between the light emitters (30) and the outer transparent surface (1) for direct light emission, optical bodies integrated to said transparent surface (1) or integrated to said LED'"'"'s (30).

17. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said light devices occupying with its external transparent surface (1) one part of said external casing cover (C) has a part of said transparent (1a) protruding from the general profile line (CL) of said external casing (C) and outside of the volume of the surrounding casing (Vi) increasing the volume of said signal device the volume of the casing.

18. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 15, wherein at least in part in said front light devices (D1, D1a, D1b, D1c) a portion of the device or of the rear-view mirror assembly close to the outer transparent surface (1), is used as a protective surface (Rx) for protection against the outer incident light (Ob1) acting as a wing arranged above and close to at least an element of its electro-optical interface (eiN), and/or said elements of said electro-optical interface are at a depth in its housing cavities so that at least one is enclosed in the shadow (18) projected by a downwardly light external to said device.

19. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said second light module (D2, D2G) has integrated therein an operating indicator light (D2b) of a peripheral system of intercommunication or detection, emitting at least one beam (dv) of at least one light color or changing the light color, according to the state of said system it represents, with a direct view of said beam (dv) from eye points (Dv) of a driver of the vehicle.

20. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said light modules or devices (D1, D1a, D1b, D1c) which emits light towards the front-side (FL) of said vehicle is provided with a viewing camera (Cv) of any type, directed forwards-downwards, being complemented with the light emission of said light module (D1, D1b) to facilitate viewing in the viewing camera (Cv), even with infrared light emission to operate in any condition.

21. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 4 wherein at least one of said devices shares molds in bi-material, mounting or welding tools and interchangeable pieces that can be structural pieces and functional devices of a group comprising a transparent cover, support body, external frame, cover or external cap, circuits, common connector, common negative or a combination thereof providing sub-assemblies or modules with at least a function.

22. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 4 wherein the light devices are independent modules or at least one of them is independent from a sub-set of devices interconnected in a multi-signal module.

23. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 4, wherein a complementary casing cover including said front lateral devices (D1a, D1b and/or D1c) including its electro-optical interface (eiN) is an additional cover (Cc1, Cc2, Cc3) superimposed on the external casing cover of the rear-view mirror occupying an external volume (Ve) with regard to the internal volume (Vi) of the rear-view assembly.

24. The rear-view mirror assembly according to claim 23, wherein a light guide (GL) is attached and associated to the transparent surface (1) of the signal devices included in said additional cover, said light guide producing at least an internal reflection, independently of any reflector associated to any color, so that said internal reflection allowing the emission of light in at least a direction towards the front, side or rear with regard to the vehicle.