EXTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH ACTUATOR

• US 20110194203A1
• Filed: 02/09/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Snow, Joseph C., Foote, Keith D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,915,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/876
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/062 with remote control for adjusting position B60R1/0607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting portion mounted to a side of a vehicle, a mirror head portion, a reflective element fixedly attached at the mirror head portion, and an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of the mirror head portion relative to the mounting portion and about a generally horizontal pivot axis and a generally vertical pivot axis to adjust the mirror head portion and the reflective element relative to the side of the vehicle to which the mounting portion is mounted. The actuator may include a tilting drive system for tilting the mirror head portion about the generally horizontal pivot axis and the actuator may include a rotating drive system for rotating the mirror head portion about the generally vertical pivot axis.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting portion mounted to a side of a vehicle;

a mirror head portion adjustably mounted at said mounting portion;

a reflective element fixedly included at said mirror head portion and moving in tandem with said mirror head portion; and

an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion and about a generally horizontal pivot axis and a generally vertical pivot axis to pivotally adjust said mirror head portion and said reflective element relative to the side of the vehicle to which said mounting portion is mounted.

2. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said actuator comprises a tilting drive system for tilting said mirror head portion about said generally horizontal pivot axis and wherein said actuator comprises a rotating drive system for rotating said mirror head portion about said generally vertical pivot axis.

3. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said tilting drive system is operable to tilt said rotating drive system and said mirror head portion about said generally horizontal pivot axis.

4. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said tilting drive system and said rotating drive system are responsive to at least one user actuatable input that is actuatable by a driver of the vehicle to adjust a rearward field of view to the driver via adjustment of said reflective element about said generally horizontal and vertical pivot axes.

5. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said tilting drive system comprises a motor and a plurality of gears and wherein one of said gears engages a plurality of teeth disposed along a curved element and wherein, when said motor is operated, said one of said gears rotates to move along said curved element to impart tilting of said mirror head portion about said generally horizontal pivot axis.

6. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein said curved element is fixed relative to said mounting portion and said tilting drive system is disposed at a structure that tilts about said generally horizontal pivot axis when said motor is actuated.

7. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said rotating drive system comprises a motor and a plurality of gears and wherein one of said gears engages a plurality of teeth disposed along a ring element and wherein, when said motor is operated, said one of said gears rotates to move along said ring element to impart rotation of said minor head portion about said generally vertical pivot axis.

8. The exterior rearview minor assembly of claim 7, wherein said ring element is fixed relative to said mirror head portion and said rotating drive system is disposed at a structure that does not rotate about said generally vertical pivot axis when said motor is actuated.

9. The exterior rearview minor assembly of claim 1, wherein said actuator is at least partially disposed at said mounting portion.

10. An exterior rearview minor assembly for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting portion mounted to a side of a vehicle;

a mirror head portion adjustably mounted at said mounting portion;

a reflective element fixedly attached at an attachment portion of said mirror head portion and moving in tandem with said mirror head portion; and

an actuator having a first portion attached at said mounting portion and a second portion attached at said mirror head portion, wherein said actuator is operable to adjust said minor head portion relative to said mounting portion and relative to the side of the vehicle to which said mounting portion is mounted, wherein said actuator comprises a tilting drive system for tilting said minor head portion relative to said mounting portion and about a generally horizontal pivot axis and a rotating drive system for rotating said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion and about a generally vertical pivot axis.

11. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said tilting drive system and said rotating drive system are responsive to at least one user actuatable input that is actuatable by a driver of the vehicle to adjust a rearward field of view to the driver via adjustment of said reflective element about said generally horizontal and vertical pivot axes.

12. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said tilting drive system comprises a motor and a plurality of gears and wherein one of said gears engages a plurality of teeth disposed along a curved element and wherein, when said motor is operated, said one of said gears rotates to move along said curved element to impart tilting of said mirror head portion about said generally horizontal pivot axis.

13. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said rotating drive system comprises a motor and a plurality of gears and wherein one of said gears engages a plurality of teeth disposed along a ring element and wherein, when said motor is operated, said one of said gears rotates to move along said ring element to impart rotation of said mirror head portion about said generally vertical pivot axis.

14. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said actuator is at least partially disposed at said mounting portion.

15. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting portion mounted to a side of a vehicle;

a mirror head portion adjustably mounted at said mounting portion;

a reflective element fixedly attached at an attachment portion of said minor head portion and moving in tandem with said mirror head portion;

an actuator operable to adjust said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion and relative to the side of the vehicle to which said mounting portion is mounted, wherein said actuator comprises a tilting drive system for tilting said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion and about a generally horizontal pivot axis and a rotating drive system for rotating said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion and about a generally vertical pivot axis;

wherein said tilting drive system comprises a motor and a plurality of gears and wherein one of said gears engages a plurality of teeth disposed along a curved element of said actuator and wherein, when said motor is operated, said one of said gears rotates to move along said curved element to impart tilting of said mirror head portion about said generally horizontal pivot axis; and

wherein said rotating drive system comprises a motor and a plurality of gears and wherein one of said gears engages a plurality of teeth disposed along a ring element of said actuator and wherein, when said motor is operated, said one of said gears rotates to move along said ring element to impart rotation of said mirror head portion about said generally vertical pivot axis.

16. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said tilting drive system and said rotating drive system are responsive to at least one user actuatable input that is actuatable by a driver of the vehicle to adjust a rearward field of view to the driver via adjustment of said reflective element about said generally horizontal and vertical pivot axes.

17. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said actuator is at least partially disposed at said mounting portion.

18. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said actuator comprises an actuator module having (a) an upper end portion that is fixedly attached at said mirror head portion and (b) a lower end portion fixedly attached at said mounting portion, and wherein said actuator is operable to tilt and rotate said upper end portion relative to said lower end portion.

19. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said ring element is at said upper end portion and wherein said curved element is at said lower end portion.

20. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein said motor and said plurality of gears of said tilting drive system are disposed at said lower end portion and said motor and said plurality of gears of said rotating drive system are disposed at said upper end portion, and wherein said ring element and said curved element are disposed between said upper and lower end portions.