CROSS VIEW MIRROR WITH LIGHT SOURCE, SENSING DEVICE AND/OR CAMERA

• US 20180304817A1
• Filed: 04/09/2018
• Published: 10/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Inventors: Englander, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 11,897,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• 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 1/083 Anti-glare mirrors, e.g. "day-night" mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/10 Front-view mirror arrangements; specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; Periscope arrangements , i.e. optical devices using combinations of mirrors, lenses, prisms or the like specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; for viewing traffic-lights B60R1/005; Other mirror arrangements giving a view from above or under the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A cross-view mirror for a vehicle includes a mirror assembly having a convex mirror lens providing a field of view for a driver of the vehicle and a support affixed to said mirror lens. The mirror lens includes a reflective portion reflecting light from outside of the mirror lens and a transparent portion configured to allow light to pass through the mirror lens to an area outside of the mirror lens. A light source is mounted to the mirror assembly to emit light through the transparent portion of the mirror lens. The light source is configured to illuminate the field of view provided by said mirror lens. In some embodiments, a sensor or camera detects/captures movement/images in front of the vehicle or to a side/rear of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle mirror comprising:

a mirror assembly comprising a mirror unit and a support for the mirror unit, wherein the mirror unit provides a field of view for a driver of the vehicle;

a light source mounted to the mirror assembly and configured to illuminate the field of view provided by the mirror unit; and

a sensor detecting movement in front of the vehicle or to a side of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle mirror of claim 1, wherein the light source is mounted to the mirror unit or the support for the mirror unit of the mirror assembly.

3. The vehicle mirror of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of lamps.

4. The vehicle mirror of claim 1, wherein an orientation of the light source is automatically adjustable to illuminate the field of view provided by the mirror unit or manually adjustable by the driver of the vehicle to illuminate the field of view provided by the mirror unit.

5. The vehicle mirror of claim 1, further comprising a motor for controlling adjustments to an orientation of the light source.

6. The vehicle mirror of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a school bus, and wherein the illuminated field of view is an area in front or to the side of the school bus.

7. The vehicle mirror of claim 1, further comprising an element mounted to the light source for providing an alert to the driver of the vehicle in response to the detection of movement by the sensor including a visual or audible alert to the driver of the vehicle in response to the detection of movement by the sensor.

8. A cross-view mirror for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror assembly comprising a convex mirror lens providing a field of view for a driver of the vehicle and a support affixed to said mirror lens, said mirror lens comprising a reflective portion for reflecting light from outside of said mirror lens and a transparent portion configured to allow light to pass through from behind of said mirror lens to an area outside of said mirror lens; and

a light source mounted to said mirror assembly to emit light through said transparent portion of said mirror lens, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate the field of view provided by said mirror lens.

9. The cross-view mirror of claim 8, wherein said light source is mounted to one of said support affixed to said mirror lens and said mirror lens.

10. The cross-view mirror of claim 9, further comprising a bracket mounted to said light source and to said support, said bracket aligning an orientation of said light source with respect to said transparent portion of said mirror lens.

11. The cross-view mirror of claim 8, wherein said light source comprises a plurality of light sources positioned behind said mirror lens of said mirror assembly to emit light through a plurality of transparent portions of said mirror lens, wherein the light sources are configured to illuminate the plurality of fields of view provided by said mirror lens.

12. The cross-view mirror of claim 11, wherein said plurality of transparent portions comprises first and second transparent portions and wherein said plurality of light sources comprises corresponding first and second light sources, wherein said first light source emits light through said first transparent portion to illuminate an area in front of the vehicle, and wherein said second light source emits light through said second transparent portion to illuminate an area to a side of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle mirror of claim 8, wherein said light transparent portion of said mirror lens comprises an opening in said mirror lens.

14. The vehicle mirror of claim 13, wherein said light source extends from behind said mirror lens at least partially through said opening in said mirror lens.

15. The vehicle mirror of claim 8, wherein said mirror assembly further comprises a drain hole extending through at least one of said mirror lens and said support affixed to said mirror lens, said drain hole configured to allow liquid to drain from within said mirror assembly.

16. A cross-view mirror for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror assembly comprising a convex mirror lens providing a field of view for a driver of the vehicle and a support affixed to said mirror lens, said mirror lens comprising a reflective portion for reflecting light from outside of said mirror lens and a transparent portion configured to allow light to pass through from behind of said mirror lens to an area outside of said mirror lens;

a light source mounted to said mirror assembly to emit light through said transparent portion of said mirror lens, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate the field of view provided by said mirror lens; and

a sensor detecting movement in front of the vehicle or to a side of the vehicle.

17. The cross-view mirror of claim 16, wherein said light source is mounted to one of said support affixed to said mirror lens and said mirror lens.

18. The cross-view mirror of claim 17, further comprising a bracket mounted to said light source and to said support, said bracket aligning an orientation of said light source with respect to said transparent portion of said mirror lens.

19. The cross-view mirror of claim 16, wherein said light source comprises a plurality of light sources positioned behind said mirror lens of said mirror assembly to emit light through a plurality of transparent portions of said mirror lens, wherein the light sources are configured to illuminate a plurality of fields of view provided by said mirror lens.

20. The cross-view mirror of claim 16, wherein an orientation of the light source is automatically adjustable to illuminate the field of view provided by the mirror unit or manually adjustable by the driver of the vehicle to illuminate the field of view provided by the mirror unit.

21. The cross-view mirror of claim 16, further comprising a motor for controlling adjustments to an orientation of the light source.

22. The cross-view mirror of claim 16, wherein the vehicle is a school bus, and wherein the illuminated field of view is an area in front or to the side of the school bus.