Electric rearview mirror device for a vehicle

• US 4,986,646 A
• Filed: 07/12/1989
• Issued: 01/22/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Hayashi, Kazunari, Wakiya, Tadashi, Hamamoto, Tadanao
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafer, R. D.
• Application Number:
  US07/378,803
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 350/604, 350/606, 350/626, 350/637, 350/605, 350/632, 350/633, 350/634, 350/636, 318/466, 318/468, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 359/873
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/351 the positional error is used to control continuously the servomotor according to its magnitude
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4062 Monitoring servoloop, e.g. overload of servomotor, loss of feedback or reference
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36463 Manual switch to drive motor to wanted position, store, memorize position
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37094 Hall sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42288 Limit, stop drive current if axis obstructed, blocked, force against stop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42321 Wrong direction or sign of measured value, eventually stop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45185 Auto mirror

Abstract

The electric rearview mirror system comprising a position sensor which outputs a position signal showing the rotational position of the mirror body, memory device which stores the position signal from the position sensor at a prescribed sampling period, and a motor control circuit which judges the rotational direction of the mirror body based on the change with time of the position signal stored in the memory device and turns off the motor when the judged direction of the motor is opposite to the rotational direction of the mirror body due to the mirror driving mechanism.

Claims

1. An electric rearview mirror system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a housing supported by said vehicle;

a mirror body mounted turnably in said housing;

means for driving said mirror body in a selected turning direction, said mirror body driving means having spring means connected to said mirror body for absorbing a rotational force of said mirror driving means;

means for detecting a position of said mirror body;

means for storing an output of said position detecting means at a predetermined sampling period; and

means for controlling said mirror body driving means, said controlling means having means for stopping the operation of said mirror driving means whenever an incremental turning of said mirror body is detected in a direction opposite said selected turning direction, said incremental turning being caused by a recoil of said spring means.

2. The electric rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mirror body driving means comprises:

a first motor turning said mirror body along a vertical direction with respect to said vehicle;

a second motor turning said mirror body along a horizontal direction with respect to said vehicle;

a first gear plate rotated by said first motor, said first gear plate having an opening and a first spring;

a second gear plate rotated by said second motor, said second gear plate having an opening and a second spring;

a first gear rod threadably engaged with said first spring, said first gear rod moving in an axial direction of said first gear plate, said first gear rod being connected to said mirror body; and

a second gear rod threadably engaged with said second spring, said second gear rod moving in an axial direction of said second gear plate, said second gear rod being connected to said mirror body;

wherein a rotational force of said first and second motors are absorbed by a sliding of said first and second springs so as to override thread ridges of said first and second gear rod, respectively.

3. The electric rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mirror body driving means is disposed within said housing.

4. The electric rearview mirror system of claim 1, further comprising means for operating said mirror body driving means, said operating means being provided in a vehicle compartment.

5. The electric rearview mirror system of claim 1, wherein said mirror body position detecting means comprises a Hall IC.

6. The electric rearview mirror system of claim 1, further comprising means for automatically turning said mirror body to a position stored in said storing means.

7. The electric rearview mirror system of claim 1, further comprising a constant voltage power supply circuit connected to a battery of said vehicle, said constant voltage power supply circuit supplying a power voltage to said electric rearview mirror system.

8. An electric rearview mirror system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a housing supported by said vehicle;

a mirror body mounted turnably in said housing;

means for driving said mirror body in a selected turning direction, said driving means having

a first motor turning said mirror body along a vertical direction with respect to said vehicle,

a second motor turning said mirror body along a horizontal direction with respect to said vehicle,

a first gear plate rotated by said first motor, said first gear plate having an opening and a first spring,

a second gear plate rotated by said second motor, said second gear plate having an opening and a second spring,

a first gear rod threadably engaged with said first spring, said first gear rod moving in an axial direction of said first gear plate, said first gear rod being connected to said mirror body, and

a second gear rod threadably engaged with said second spring, said second gear rod moving in an axial direction of said second gear plate, said second gear rod being connected to said mirror body,

wherein a rotational force of said first and second motors are absorbed by a sliding of said first and second springs so as to override thread ridges of said first and second gear rod, respectively;

means for detecting a position of said mirror body;

means for storing an output of said position detecting means at a predetermined sampling period; and

means for controlling said mirror body driving means, said controlling means having means for stopping the operation of said mirror driving means whenever an incremental turning of said mirror body is detected in a direction opposite said selected turning direction.