REAR-VIEW MIRROR FOR A VEHICLE WITH A SET OF INDICATOR LIGHTS

• US 20140091915A1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alejandro Rodriguez Barros
• Original Assignee: Alejandro Rodriguez Barros
• Inventors: Rodrguez Barros, Alejandro
• Granted Patent: US 9,102,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• 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 1/08 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 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators

Abstract

A rear-view mirror for a vehicle with a set of indicator lights,

It comprises a main mirror (G1) having a first field of view and a spotter mirror (G2) having a second field of view, placed at different levels and connected by a step or partition (St) and a first indicator light (Li1) in association with a light source (30), said indicator light issuing at least a light beam directed towards a driver eyes (Dv) intended to highlight or demarcate said spotter mirror (G2) making it easier the driver to focus on it in response of an action of the driver, detection of an approaching vehicle or a vehicle advancing, or in response to a turning maneuver without turning signalization and a second indicator light (Li2) activated in response to a light turn signal activator. The indicator lights (Li1) and (Li2) are located in said step of the spotter mirror, or near the frame of the mirror, in a shadow area (18a, 18b) so that the incident daylight (Ob1) or incident external light does not disturb the perception of said indicator lights (Li1), (Li2) by a driver.

Claims

1. A rear-view mirror for a vehicle with a set of indicator lights, comprising:

a mirror housing;

composed of structural parts, cover, frame and support fixed to the vehicle,

a first reflective element having a first field of view;

a second auxiliary reflective element or spotter mirror having a second field of view,

said first and second reflective elements being at different levels and connected by a step or partition;

a first indicator light in association with a light source, said indicator light issuing at least a light beam directed towards a driver eyes intended to highlight or demarcate said spotter mirror making it easier to focus on it, in response of an action of the driver, detection of an approaching vehicle or a vehicle that is advancing with indication of the lane, or in response to a turning maneuver without turning signalization;

wherein said first indicator light is located in said step of the spotter mirror in a shadow area so that the incident daylight or incident external light does not disturb the perception of said indicator light by the driver.

2. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1, wherein said demarcation of the spotter mirror is completed by a second indicator light placed at said step or in a zone of a support of the spotter mirror adjacent thereof and furthest away from the vehicle and said second indicator light being activated in response to a light turn signal activation.

3. A rear-view mirror according to claim 2 wherein said first and second indicator lights and placed at said step are located behind a respective hole in a recess of a wall of said step so that said indicator lights are protected against daylight or external light, being included a shadow area.

4. A rear-view mirror according to claim 2 wherein said rear-view mirror further including a light module providing a turn signal that can be seen at least from a rear external part of the vehicle along a direction parallel to an axis of travel of the vehicle and said second indicator light being activated in response to the activation by the driver of said light module, said second indicator light providing a light for a spotter mirror demarcation being at least in part in a distinctive color.

5. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1 wherein said first indicator light for indication of the spotter mirror is activated in a distinctive color in response to the activation of a blindzone object detector installed in a vehicle equipped with said rear-view mirror and suitable for detecting an approaching vehicle, and providing a sound indication to said driver within said equipped vehicle and said blindzone corresponding to the side covered by said mirror.

6. A rear-view mirror according to claim 2 wherein said first indicator light and said second indicator light are differentiated in color or flash intermittently with a different frequency.

7. A rear-view mirror according to claim 2 wherein said first and second indicator lights comprises at least a light source and an electro optical interface to distribute said light in a predetermined direction.

8. A rear-view mirror according to claim 7, wherein said second light indicator uses a light source providing said light turn signal.

9. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1 wherein said mirror housing comprises a structural part forming a frame defining the contour of a first opening towards the rear with reference to the axis of travel of the vehicle, and

said first opening encompassing said first and second reflective elements and said frame providing a shadow area caused by said daylight or external light at least around a part of said spotter mirror, and

said second indicator light is located at least partially within said shadow area.

10. A rear-view mirror according to claim 4, wherein said mirror housing further including at least one front opening encompassing a first light module suitable for emitting at least a turn signal through said front opening provided with a translucent or transparent surface for the passage of light directed at least in a horizontal plane towards the front and towards the side with reference to said axis of travel of the vehicle.

11. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1 wherein further comprising another light module, placed at said step which emits an auxiliary beam back and down on the side of the vehicle that do not bother directly or indirectly the driver'"'"'s eyes and provides illumination of a selected zone of the vehicle extending to a rear part of the vehicle.

12. A rear-view mirror according to claim 11, wherein said selected zone is any of a door area including an opening knob/handle or a lateral area encompassing a rear wheel.

13. A rear-view mirror according to claim 12 wherein further comprising at least another light module which emits an auxiliary beam back and down on the side of the vehicle, that do not bother directly or indirectly the driver'"'"'s eyes and providing illumination of a selected zone of the vehicle extending to a rear part of the vehicle, and

said first and second reflective elements forming a subassembly supported by at least a backing plate,

said another light module is located in a perimetrical zone of said subassembly or in the frame.

14. A rear-view mirror according to claim 13, wherein said selected zone is any of a door area including an opening knob/handle or a lateral area encompassing a rear wheel.

15. A rear-view minor according to claim 13, wherein said another light device is activated by a remote command, a closing door detector or by a signal from a reverse of the vehicle.

16. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1 wherein said first indicator light is obtained by an optical plate superimposed to the rear part of said spotter minor and said light source coupled to a light access edge of said plate.

17. A rear-view minor according to claim 16 wherein said optical plate has the face contacting with said rear part of said second auxiliary reflective element is opaque to the light.

18. A rear-view minor according to claim 16 wherein said optical plate is superimposed to the rear part of said spotter minor by an injection process in bi-material.

19. A rear-view minor according to claim 16 wherein a heater film is interposed between said optical plate and said back of said spotter minor.

20. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1 wherein said rear-view minor has a protective circuit for controlling and stabilizing electrical current feeding at least said light source providing said indicator light, said protective circuit being located outside said backing plate.

21. A minor assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first indicator light being activated by a sensor-switch-detector located in any door opening, said sensor being before or during the opening of the door.

22. A minor assembly according to claim 15 said reverse light working in conjunction with the reverse lights of the rear of the vehicle and are connected thereto by wire or radio frequency activation of a driver circuit which acts on said light device.

23. A minor assembly according to claim 1 wherein a subassembly including said first and second reflective elements is an autonomous unit suitable to replace any reflective element of a given vehicle minor.

24. A rear-view minor according to claim 1 wherein said first indicator light comprises differentiated portions of the perimeter of said spotter minor, surrounding said perimeter, to center a reflected image.

25. A minor assembly according to claim 23, said subassembly further including:

a heater,

a temperature sensor,

a radiofrequency antenna,

a video cameras, and

a sound emitting device.

26. A minor assembly according to claim 1 wherein it includes means for changing the color of said light source or its or frequency operating as intermittent light and providing said indicator lights allowing to perform different functions available using some of the same optical interface and the same light output surface on the perimeter of the spotter mirror but changing the color or frequency of said light source, said different functions comprising:

a witnessed turn signal operation,

a warning in response to detection of an object in a particular blindzone, or

a warning when opening the door.

27. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1, wherein it includes means for controlling the intensity of a light source providing said indicator light, so that it can be dimmed enough to not harm the driver'"'"'s eyes.

28. A rear-view mirror according to claim 2 wherein said first and second light indicator comprises an own independent source.

29. A rear-view mirror according to claim 7 wherein at least part of said optical interface (oiN) include painted portions.

30. A rear-view mirror for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror housing;

composed of structural parts, cover, frame and support fixed to the vehicle,

a first reflective element having a first field of view;

a second auxiliary reflective element or spotter mirror having a second field of view,

said first and second reflective elements being at different levels and connected by a step or partition;

an indicator light in association with a light source, said indicator light issuing at least a light beam directed towards the driver eyes intended to highlight said spotter mirror, in response of an action of the driver or detection of an approaching vehicle, a vehicle that is advancing with indication of the lane, or in response to a turning maneuver without turning signalization;

wherein said indicator light is located in an area of the perimeter of the spotter mirror shadowed by said frame so that the external light does not disturb to said indicator light.