EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY

• US 20150224930A1
• Filed: 02/10/2015
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: De Wind, Darryl P., Foote, Keith D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,099,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/074 for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/076 yieldable to excessive external force and provided with an indexed use position B60R1/0617, B60R1/074 take precedence

Abstract

An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle includes a mounting arm, a mirror head attached at the mounting arm, an attaching element attached at a mirror reflective element, a shroud and a mirror actuator. The mounting arm is configured for attachment at an exterior portion of the vehicle. The shroud extends from the attaching element and is partially received in the mirror head. The mirror actuator is operable to adjust the attaching element and the mirror reflective element relative to the mirror head. The mirror reflective element is disposed outside of the mirror head and the shroud spans a gap between the mirror reflective element and the mirror head to substantially encase the attaching element.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting arm configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly;

a mirror head attached at said mounting arm;

an attaching element attached at a mirror reflective element;

a shroud extending from said attaching element and partially received in said mirror head;

a mirror actuator operable to adjust said attaching element and said mirror reflective element relative to said mirror head, wherein said mirror actuator adjusts said mirror reflective element, said attaching element and said shroud in tandem relative to said mirror head; and

wherein said mirror reflective element is disposed outside of said mirror head and said shroud spans a gap between said mirror reflective element and said mirror head to substantially encase said attaching element.

2. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror head is movably attached at said mounting arm.

3. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein an open end of said mirror head receives said shroud therein.

4. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said open end of said mirror head has a smaller profile than said mirror reflective element.

5. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mounting arm extends generally laterally and horizontally outward from the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle.

6. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror head houses at least one accessory that is disposed in a mirror casing of said mirror head and behind said mirror reflective element.

7. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a frameless mirror reflective element.

8. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein said frameless mirror reflective element has a glass substrate having a rounded front perimeter along a perimeter circumference of a front surface of said glass substrate, and wherein, with said frameless mirror reflective element attached at said attaching element and with said shroud at least partially received in said mirror head, said rounded front perimeter of said glass substrate is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said exterior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle.

9. An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting arm configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly;

a mirror head comprising a mirror casing, a mirror reflective element and an actuator;

wherein said mounting arm is received through an aperture in said mirror casing and wherein said actuator is attached at said mounting arm inside said mirror casing;

wherein said actuator is operable to adjust said mirror reflective element and said mirror casing relative to said mounting arm, and wherein said aperture allows for movement of said mirror casing relative to said mounting arm during operation of said actuator; and

a gasket disposed at said aperture of said mirror casing to limit intrusion of contaminants into said mirror casing.

10. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said mirror head houses at least one accessory that is disposed in said mirror casing of said mirror head and behind said mirror reflective element.

11. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a frameless mirror reflective element.

12. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said frameless mirror reflective element has a glass substrate having a rounded front perimeter along a perimeter circumference of a front surface of said glass substrate, and wherein, with said frameless mirror reflective element attached at said actuator, said rounded front perimeter of said glass substrate is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle.

13. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said mirror casing includes an outboard portion that overlaps an outboard edge of said mirror reflective element.

14. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 13, wherein said outboard portion of said mirror casing supports a turn signal indicator.

15. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said actuator includes a base portion that is fixedly mounted at said mounting arm, and wherein said actuator, when operated to adjust said mirror reflective element, adjusts said mirror reflective element and said mirror casing in tandem and relative to said mounting arm.

16. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said actuator includes a mirror attachment portion that is attached at a mirror back plate at a rear surface of said mirror reflective element.

17. An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting arm comprising a base end configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly;

a mirror head comprising a mirror casing, a mirror reflective element and an actuator;

wherein said mounting arm comprises an actuator end configured for attachment to said actuator;

wherein said actuator includes a base portion that is fixedly mounted at said actuator end of said mounting arm;

wherein said actuator includes a mirror attachment portion that is attached at a mirror back plate at a rear surface of said mirror reflective element;

wherein said mounting arm is received through an aperture in said mirror casing and wherein said base portion of said actuator is attached at said actuator end of said mounting arm inside said mirror casing;

a gasket disposed at said aperture of said mirror casing to substantially close said aperture between said mounting arm and said mirror casing to limit intrusion of contaminants into said mirror casing;

wherein said actuator is operable to adjust said mirror reflective element and said mirror casing relative to said mounting arm, and wherein said aperture and said gasket allow for movement of said mirror casing relative to said mounting arm during operation of said actuator; and

wherein said actuator, when operated to adjust said mirror reflective element, adjusts said mirror reflective element and said mirror casing in tandem and relative to said mounting arm.

18. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein said mirror head houses at least one accessory that is disposed in said mirror casing of said mirror head and behind said mirror reflective element.

19. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein said mirror casing includes an outboard portion that overlaps an outboard edge of said mirror reflective element, and wherein said outboard portion of said mirror casing supports an indicator.

20. The exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, comprising a travel stop disposed at one of (i) said actuator end of said mounting arm and (ii) an attachment plate at the rear of said mirror reflective element, said travel stops limiting movement of said mirror reflective element and said mirror casing relative to said mounting arm.