VEHICULAR EXTERIOR SIDEVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM WITH EXTENDED FIELD OF VIEW

• US 20140327964A1
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Published: 11/06/2014
• 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 8,899,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/512
• 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 sideview mirror system includes an exterior sideview mirror assembly including a reflective element having a rearward field of view when attached to a side of an automobile. The reflective element includes has a plano reflective element and a separate auxiliary reflective element having a curvature. The plano reflective element and the auxiliary reflective element are supported adjacently at a backing plate element having a first support portion supporting the plano reflective element and a second support portion supporting the auxiliary reflective element. The auxiliary reflective element is positioned at an outboard portion of the reflective element assembly when the exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to the side of the automobile. When the exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the automobile, the field of view of the auxiliary reflective element overlaps with the field of view of the plano reflective element.

Claims

1. An exterior sideview mirror system suitable for use on an automobile, said exterior sideview mirror system comprising:

an exterior sideview mirror assembly adapted for attachment to a side of an automobile equipped with said exterior sideview mirror system;

said exterior sideview mirror assembly including a reflective element having a rearward field of view when attached to the side of the equipped automobile;

said reflective element attached to an electrically-operated actuator of said exterior sideview mirror assembly and movable by said actuator in order to position said rearward field of view to a driver-desired position when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile;

wherein said reflective element comprises a plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly, said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly comprising a plano reflective element having substantially unit magnification and a separate auxiliary reflective element having a curvature;

wherein said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element are supported at a backing plate element, said backing plate element mounting to said actuator such that movement of said backing plate element by said actuator simultaneously and similarly moves said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element;

wherein said backing plate element comprises a polymeric substrate that is formed as a single element by injection molding of a polymeric resin;

said backing plate element having a first support portion supporting said plano reflective element and a second support portion supporting said auxiliary reflective element;

wherein said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element of said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly are supported adjacently at said backing plate element in a side-by-side relationship and not superimposed with one reflective element on top of the other reflective element;

said auxiliary reflective element having a wide-angle field of view encompassing a blind spot in the side lane adjacent the side of the equipped automobile at which said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached and operated;

wherein said auxiliary reflective element is positioned at an outboard portion of said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to the side of the equipped automobile;

wherein at least one of said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element comprises one of (a) a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto;

wherein, when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile, the field of view of said auxiliary reflective element overlaps with the field of view of said plano reflective element;

wherein said exterior sideview mirror assembly comprises a driver-side exterior sideview mirror assembly;

wherein said second support portion of said backing plate element is configured such that said auxiliary reflective element supported thereat is tilted forwardly at an angle α

with respect to the X-axis of said plano reflective element supported at said first support portion of said backing plate element;

wherein α

is in the range from about 0.75 degrees to about 5 degrees;

wherein said second support portion of said backing plate element is configured such that said auxiliary reflective element supported thereat is tilted downwardly at an angle β

with respect to the Y-axis of said plano reflective element supported at said first support portion of said backing plate element; and

wherein β

is in the range from about 0.75 degrees to about 5 degrees.

2. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said second support portion of said backing plate element by at least one of an adhesive attachment and a mechanical attachment.

3. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 2, wherein said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said backing plate element at a location such that, when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile, at least a portion of said plano reflective element is disposed closer to that side of the equipped automobile than any portion of said auxiliary reflective element.

4. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 3, wherein said auxiliary reflective element comprises an aspherical mirror element.

5. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 3, wherein said auxiliary reflective element comprises a spherical mirror element.

6. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 5, wherein said plano reflective element comprises a polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto.

7. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 5, wherein said plano reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating.

8. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 7, wherein said auxiliary reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating.

9. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 1, wherein α

is at least about 1.25 degrees and wherein β

is at least about 1.5 degrees.

10. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 1, wherein the overall rearward field of view of said plano reflective element combined with said auxiliary reflective element is at least about 25 degrees, and wherein the overall rearward field of view of said plano reflective element combined with said auxiliary reflective element is less than about 50 degrees.

11. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 10, comprising a heater element operable to demist/deice the outmost surface of said auxiliary reflective element when said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said backing plate element.

12. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 1, wherein the principal axis of the rearward field of view of said auxiliary reflective element is angled and directed generally downwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the equipped automobile.

13. An exterior sideview mirror system suitable for use on an automobile, said exterior sideview mirror system comprising:

an exterior sideview mirror assembly adapted for attachment to a side of an automobile equipped with said exterior sideview mirror system;

said exterior sideview mirror assembly including a reflective element having a rearward field of view when attached to the side of the equipped automobile;

said reflective element attached to an electrically-operated actuator of said exterior sideview mirror assembly and movable by said actuator in order to position said rearward field of view to a driver-desired position when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile;

wherein said reflective element comprises a plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly, said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly comprising a plano reflective element having substantially unit magnification and a separate auxiliary reflective element having a curvature;

wherein said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element are supported at a backing plate element, said backing plate element mounting to said actuator such that movement of said backing plate element by said actuator simultaneously and similarly moves said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element;

said backing plate element having a first support portion supporting said plano reflective element and a second support portion supporting said auxiliary reflective element;

wherein said backing plate element comprises a polymeric substrate that is formed as a single element by injection molding of a polymeric resin;

wherein said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element of said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly are supported adjacently at said backing plate element in a side-by-side relationship and not superimposed with one reflective element on top of the other reflective element;

said auxiliary reflective element having a wide-angle field of view encompassing a blind spot in the side lane adjacent the side of the equipped automobile at which said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached and operated;

wherein said auxiliary reflective element is positioned at an outboard portion of said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to the side of the equipped automobile;

wherein at least one of said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element comprises one of (a) a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto;

wherein, when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile, said auxiliary reflective element has a rearward field of view with a principal axis and said plano reflective element has a rearward field of view with a principal axis and wherein the field of view of said auxiliary reflective element overlaps with the field of view of said plano reflective element;

wherein said exterior sideview mirror assembly comprises a driver-side exterior sideview mirror assembly;

wherein said second support portion is angled with respect to said first support portion whereby said principal axis of said rearward field of view of said auxiliary reflective element is angled downwardly and outwardly with respect to said principal axis of said rearward field of view of said plano reflective element when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile; and

wherein the overall rearward field of view of said plano reflective element combined with said auxiliary reflective element is at least about 25 degrees, and wherein the overall rearward field of view of said plano reflective element combined with said auxiliary reflective element is less than about 50 degrees.

14. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 13, wherein said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said backing plate element at a location such that, when said exterior mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile, at least a portion of said plano reflective element is disposed closer to that side of the equipped automobile than any portion of said auxiliary reflective element, and wherein said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said second support portion of said backing plate element by at least one of an adhesive attachment and a mechanical attachment.

15. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 14, wherein said plano reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating, and wherein said auxiliary reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating, and wherein said auxiliary reflective element comprises a spherical mirror element.

16. An exterior sideview mirror system suitable for use on an automobile, said exterior sideview mirror system comprising:

an exterior sideview mirror assembly adapted for attachment to a side of an automobile equipped with said exterior sideview mirror system;

said exterior sideview mirror assembly including a reflective element having a rearward field of view when attached to the side of the equipped automobile;

said reflective element attached to an electrically-operated actuator of said exterior sideview mirror assembly and movable by said actuator in order to position said rearward field of view to a driver-desired position when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile;

wherein said reflective element comprises a plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly, said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly comprising a plano reflective element having substantially unit magnification and a separate auxiliary reflective element having a curvature;

wherein said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element are supported at a backing plate element, said backing plate element mounting to said actuator such that movement of said backing plate element by said actuator simultaneously and similarly moves said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element;

said backing plate element having a first support portion supporting said plano reflective element and a second support portion supporting said auxiliary reflective element;

wherein said backing plate element comprises a polymeric substrate that is formed as a single element by injection molding of a polymeric resin;

wherein said plano reflective element and said auxiliary reflective element of said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly are supported adjacently at said backing plate element in a side-by-side relationship and not superimposed with one reflective element on top of the other reflective element;

said auxiliary reflective element having a wide-angle field of view encompassing a blind spot in the side lane adjacent the side of the equipped automobile at which said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached and operated;

wherein said auxiliary reflective element is positioned at an outboard portion of said plano-auxiliary reflective element assembly when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to the side of the equipped automobile;

wherein, when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile, the field of view of said auxiliary reflective element overlaps with the field of view of said plano reflective element;

wherein said exterior sideview mirror assembly comprises a driver-side exterior sideview mirror assembly;

wherein said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said second support portion of said backing plate element by at least one of an adhesive attachment and a mechanical attachment; and

wherein said plano reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a surface coated having a metallic reflector coating and wherein said auxiliary reflective element comprises a glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating, and wherein said auxiliary reflective element comprises a spherical mirror element.

17. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 16, wherein the overall rearward field of view of said plano reflective element combined with said auxiliary reflective element is at least about 25 degrees, and wherein the overall rearward field of view of said plano reflective element combined with said auxiliary reflective element is less than about 50 degrees.

18. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 17, comprising a heater element operable to demist/deice the outmost surface of said auxiliary reflective element when said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said backing plate element.

19. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 18, wherein the principal axis of the rearward field of view of said auxiliary reflective element is angled and directed generally downwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the equipped automobile.

20. The exterior sideview mirror system of claim 19, wherein said auxiliary reflective element is supported at said backing plate element at a location such that, when said exterior mirror assembly is attached to and operated at the side of the equipped automobile, at least a portion of said plano reflective element is disposed closer to that side of the equipped automobile than any portion of said auxiliary reflective element.