Anti-dazzle device for a rearview mirror of a motor vehicle

• US 4,634,835 A
• Filed: 08/01/1985
• Issued: 01/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho 1 AZA NODA OAZA Toyota Oguchi-Cho Niwa-Gun Aichi Japan
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, E. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa J.
• Application Number:
  US06/761,569
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 219/219, 219/200, 219/201, 219/202, 219/203, 219/548, 350/351, 350/331 R, 350/331 T
• US Class Current: 349/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/845 specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors

Abstract

An anti-dazzle device for a rearview mirror of a motor vehicle, wherein a mirror face member is provided with an electric heater and a film layer containing a heat-sensitive color-changing material which becomes not transparent when it is heated by the heater, whereby the mirror face member can be easily prevented from being dazzled by the activation of the heater.

Claims

1. An anti-dazzle device for a rearview mirror of a motor vehicle having a driver'"'"'s seat positioned adjacent the rearview mirror and a headlight lighting circuit comprising:

a mirror member having a reflective mirror layer;

a heat sensitive color-changing film layer applied across the reflective mirror layer;

an electric heater attached to the mirror member for providing heat energy to the heat sensitive film layer, the heat sensitive, color changing layer being transparent or at least so dim a color that light can easily pass through the layer at normal ambient temperatures of the mirror member, while it becomes translucent or so dark a color that light can hardly pass through when it is heated by the heater;

a power source for the heater;

operating switch means provided adjacent the driver'"'"'s seat for activiating the electric heater; and

a contact circuit connected to the power source and connectable to the operating switch means to enable the electric heater at the option of a driver, the operating switch means being operatively connectable to one of the contact circuit and the headlight lighting circuit at the option of the driver.

2. An anti-dazzle device for a rearview mirror of a motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat-sensitive color-changing material is a cholesteric liquid crystal material.

3. An improved rearview mirror for a driver of a motor vehicle having headlights comprising:

a support surface;

a reflective surface operatively attached to the support surface;

a layer of a color changing material operatively connected to the support surface and interposed between the reflective surface and the driver, the color changing material having the characteristic of a relatively narrow range of temperature in which the color changing material will change color;

means for controlling the change of color including an electrical heater;

a source of power; and

a headlight circuit means for connecting the source of power to the head lights and the means for controlling the change of color is connected with the headlight circuit to be activated when the headlights are turned on.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the layer of color changing material is applied directly on the reflective surface.

5. The invention of claim 3 wherein the layer of color changing material is applied directly on the support surface.

6. The invention of claim 3 wherein the color changing material is a cholesteric liquid crystal dispersion paint having micro-capsules dispersed in an epoxy resin.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the paint changes color at approximately 40°

C.

8. The invention of claim 3 wherein the means for controlling includes an electrical resistance heater attached to the support surface.