EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY

• US 20120092783A1
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lynam, Niall R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,267,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/864
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0006 with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/161 Gaskets; Spacers; Sealing of cells; Filling or closing of cells

Abstract

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket fixedly secured to the vehicle, a mirror casing secured to the bracket and defining a primary opening, and a single mirror support movably secured within the mirror casing disposed adjacent the primary opening. A primary mirror is fixedly secured to the single mirror support and disposed within the primary opening for providing a view rearward of the vehicle through a primary field of view, and a spotting mirror is fixedly secured to the single mirror support and disposed adjacent the primary mirror. The spotting mirror is defined by a single radius of curvature differing from the primary mirror such that the spotting mirror provides a second field of view rearward of the vehicle, such that the first field of view of the primary mirror overlaps the second field of view of the spotting mirror.

Claims

1. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising;

a bracket fixedly secured to the motor vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said bracket, said mirror casing defining a primary opening;

a single mirror support movably secured within said mirror casing disposed adjacent said primary opening;

a primary mirror fixedly secured to said single mirror support and disposed within said primary opening for providing a view rearward of the motor vehicle through a primary field of view; and

a spotting mirror fixedly secured to said single mirror support and disposed adjacent said primary mirror, said spotting mirror defined by a single radius of curvature differing from said primary mirror such that said spotting mirror provides a second field of view rearward of the motor vehicle, such that said first field of view of said primary mirror overlaps said second field of view of said spotting mirror.

2. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said single mirror support defines a primary portion for having said primary mirror fixedly secured thereto and a spotting portion for having said spotting mirror fixedly secured thereto.

3. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said primary portion of said single mirror support defines a primary plane that is substantially flat.

4. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said spotting portion of said single mirror support defines a spotting mirror support radius of curvature substantially equal to said single radius of curvature.

5. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spotting portion is forward of said primary plane.

6. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spotting portion is substantially rearward of said primary plane.

7-15. -15. (canceled)

16. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising;

a bracket fixedly secured to the motor vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said bracket, said mirror casing defining a primary opening;

a primary mirror disposed within said primary opening for providing a view rearward of the motor vehicle through a primary field of view, said primary mirror defining a primary plane;

a spotting mirror spaced apart from said primary mirror, said spotting mirror extending through a secondary plane different from said primary plane; and

a divider extending between said primary mirror and said spotting mirror to separate said primary and secondary mirrors visually.

17. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said spotting mirror is forward of said primary plane.

18. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said spotting mirror is rearward of said primary plane.

19. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising;

a bracket fixedly secured to the motor vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said bracket, said mirror casing defining a primary opening;

a single mirror support movably secured within said mirror casing disposed adjacent said primary opening;

a primary mirror fixedly secured to said single mirror support and disposed within said primary opening for providing a view rearward of the motor vehicle through a primary field of view;

a spotting mirror fixedly secured to said single mirror support and disposed adjacent said primary mirror, said spotting mirror defined by a single radius of curvature differing from said primary mirror such that said spotting mirror provides a second field of view rearward of the motor vehicle, such that said primary field of view of said primary mirror overlaps said second field of view of said spotting mirror; and

wherein said primary mirror comprises one of (a) a generally flat glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a generally flat polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto.

20. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said single mirror support defines a primary portion for having said primary mirror fixedly secured thereto and a spotting portion for having said spotting mirror fixedly secured thereto.

21. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 20 wherein said primary portion of said single mirror support defines a primary plane that is substantially flat.

22. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said spotting portion of said single mirror support defines a spotting mirror support radius of curvature substantially equal to said single radius of curvature.

23. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 22 wherein said spotting portion is forward of said primary plane.

24. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 22 wherein said spotting portion is substantially rearward of said primary plane.

25. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising;

a bracket fixedly secured to the motor vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said bracket, said mirror casing defining a primary opening;

a primary mirror disposed within said primary opening for providing a view rearward of the motor vehicle through a primary field of view, said primary mirror defining a primary plane;

a spotting mirror spaced apart from said primary mirror, said spotting mirror extending through a secondary plane different from said primary plane;

a divider extending between said primary mirror and said spotting mirror to separate said primary and secondary mirrors visually; and

wherein said primary mirror comprises one of (a) a generally flat glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a generally flat polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto.

26. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein said spotting mirror is forward of said primary plane.

27. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein said spotting mirror is rearward of said primary plane.

28. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising;

a bracket fixedly secured to the motor vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said bracket, said mirror casing defining a primary opening;

a single mirror support movably secured within said mirror casing disposed adjacent said primary opening;

a primary mirror fixedly secured to said single mirror support and disposed within said primary opening for providing a view rearward of the motor vehicle through a primary field of view;

a spotting mirror fixedly secured to said single mirror support and disposed adjacent said primary mirror, said spotting mirror defined by a single radius of curvature differing from said primary mirror such that said spotting mirror provides a second field of view rearward of the motor vehicle, such that said primary field of view of said primary mirror overlaps said second field of view of said spotting mirror;

wherein said spotting mirror is at an angle relative to said primary mirror; and

wherein said primary mirror comprises one of (a) a generally flat glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a generally flat polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto.

29. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 28 wherein said single mirror support defines a primary portion for having said primary mirror fixedly secured thereto and a spotting portion for having said spotting mirror fixedly secured thereto.

30. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 29 wherein said primary portion of said single mirror support defines a primary plane that is substantially flat.

31. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 30 wherein said spotting portion of said single mirror support defines a spotting mirror support radius of curvature substantially equal to said single radius of curvature.

32. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 31 wherein said spotting portion is forward of said primary plane.

33. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 31 wherein said spotting portion is substantially rearward of said primary plane.

34. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 28, wherein the second field of view of said spotting mirror is generally directed at least one of outwardly and downwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached to the motor vehicle.

35. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 28, wherein said spotting mirror is at an angle of at least about three degrees relative to said primary mirror.

36. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a motor vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising;

a bracket fixedly secured to the motor vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said bracket, said mirror casing defining a primary opening;

a primary mirror disposed within said primary opening for providing a view rearward of the motor vehicle through a primary field of view, said primary mirror defining a primary plane;

a spotting mirror spaced apart from said primary mirror, said spotting mirror extending through a secondary plane different from said primary plane;

wherein said spotting mirror is at an angle relative to said primary mirror;

a divider extending between said primary mirror and said spotting mirror to separate said primary and secondary mirrors visually; and

wherein said primary mirror comprises one of (a) a generally flat glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a generally flat polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto.

37. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 36 wherein said spotting mirror is forward of said primary plane.

38. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 36 wherein said spotting mirror is rearward of said primary plane.

39. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 36, wherein the second field of view of said spotting mirror is generally directed at least one of outwardly and downwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached to the motor vehicle.

40. :

An exterior rearview mirror assembly as set forth in claim 36, wherein said spotting mirror is at an angle of at least about three degrees relative to said primary mirror.