VEHICLE EXTERIOR MIRROR SYSTEM WITH LIGHT MODULE
First Claim
1. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
- a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly;
a light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, said light module comprising a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light at least in a generally forwardly direction with respect to a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system;
wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a user input operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle to provide an illumination beam emanating from said exterior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said light module further comprises at least one turn signal indicator illumination source and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source, at least responsive to an activation of a turn signal by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is operable to emit light at least in a generally sidewardly and rearwardly direction with respect to the equipped vehicle;
wherein said light module comprises a light piping element and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source is disposed at an inboard end of said light piping element and wherein said light piping element guides light emanating from said turn signal indicator illumination source along said light piping element and out an outboard end of said light piping element so that light emanating from said outboard end of said light piping element is viewable to a person viewing said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly from at least one of a side of the equipped vehicle and a rear of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein said inboard end of said light piping element is disposed inside of a mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and said outboard end of said light piping element is disposed outside of said mirror casing.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lighted exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and a light module disposed thereat. The light module includes a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light in a generally forwardly direction with respect to the vehicle. The light module includes at least one turn signal indicator illumination source that, at least responsive to an activation of a turn signal by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is operable to emit light in a generally sidewardly and/or rearwardly direction with respect to the vehicle. The light module includes a light piping element and the turn signal indicator illumination source is disposed at an inboard end of the light piping element and the light piping element guides light emanating from the turn signal indicator illumination source along the light piping element and out an outboard end of the light piping element.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
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a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly; a light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, said light module comprising a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light at least in a generally forwardly direction with respect to a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system; wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a user input operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle to provide an illumination beam emanating from said exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said light module further comprises at least one turn signal indicator illumination source and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source, at least responsive to an activation of a turn signal by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is operable to emit light at least in a generally sidewardly and rearwardly direction with respect to the equipped vehicle; wherein said light module comprises a light piping element and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source is disposed at an inboard end of said light piping element and wherein said light piping element guides light emanating from said turn signal indicator illumination source along said light piping element and out an outboard end of said light piping element so that light emanating from said outboard end of said light piping element is viewable to a person viewing said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly from at least one of a side of the equipped vehicle and a rear of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said inboard end of said light piping element is disposed inside of a mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and said outboard end of said light piping element is disposed outside of said mirror casing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
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a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly; a light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, said light module comprising a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light at least in a generally forwardly direction with respect to a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system; wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises at least four white light-emitting light emitting diodes; wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a user input operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle to provide an illumination beam emanating from said exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein a control is responsive to said user input to power all of said light emitting diodes responsive to said user input; wherein said light module further comprises at least one turn signal indicator illumination source and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source, at least responsive to an activation of a turn signal by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is operable to emit light at least in a generally sidewardly and rearwardly direction with respect to the equipped vehicle; wherein said light module comprises a light piping element and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source is disposed at an inboard end of said light piping element and wherein said light piping element guides light emanating from said turn signal indicator illumination source along said light piping element and out an outboard end of said light piping element so that light emanating from said outboard end of said light piping element is viewable to a person viewing said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly from at least one of a side of the equipped vehicle and a rear of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said inboard end of said light piping element is disposed inside of a mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and said outboard end of said light piping element is disposed outside of said mirror casing. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
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a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly; a light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, said light module comprising a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light at least in a generally forwardly direction with respect to a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system; wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises at least four light emitting diodes; wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a user input operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle to provide an illumination beam emanating from said exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said light module further comprises at least one turn signal indicator illumination source and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source, at least responsive to an activation of a turn signal by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is operable to emit light at least in a generally sidewardly and rearwardly direction with respect to the equipped vehicle; wherein said light module comprises a light piping element and wherein said turn signal indicator illumination source is disposed at an inboard end of said light piping element and wherein said light piping element guides light emanating from said turn signal indicator illumination source along said light piping element and out an outboard end of said light piping element so that light emanating from said outboard end of said light piping element is viewable to a person viewing said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly from at least one of a side of the equipped vehicle and a rear of the equipped vehicle; wherein said light piping element is disposed in front of said illumination sources, whereby light emanating from said illumination sources passes through said light piping element in a forward direction and light emanating from said turn signal indicator illumination source is guided in a sideward direction along said light piping element, wherein said light piping element includes a plurality of indication elements that illuminate when said turn signal indicator illumination source is activated so as to be viewable to a person viewing said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly from the front of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said light piping element includes at least one region that is devoid of said indication elements and wherein said at least one region is generally aligned with said illumination sources such that light emanating from said illumination sources passes through said at least one region of said light piping element; and wherein said inboard end of said light piping element is disposed inside of a mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and said outboard end of said light piping element is disposed outside of said mirror casing. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification