Integrated warning light and rear-view mirror

• US 5,660,457 A
• Filed: 11/07/1995
• Issued: 08/26/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Lyons, Harold W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/556,735
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 362/83.1, 362/80, 362/83.3, 362/61, 362/223, 362/219, 340/471, 340/472, 340/473, 340/468, 340/469, 359/871, 359/872, 359/873, 359/874
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators

Abstract

A warning light is integrated with a fixed position, externally mounted rear-view mirror, the warning light having a housing which forms an aerodynamically contoured extension of the mirror. A light head is received by the housing such that, when the housing is engaged by the rear-view mirror, the light head assembly means generally faces towards the front of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A warning light for integration with a fixed position, externally mounted rear-view mirror of a vehicle, the vehicle having a front and a rear and a pair of lateral sides which extend between the front and rear, the rear-view mirror including a mirror adjustably supported within a non-adjustable mirror casing, the mirror casing having an open side through which the mirror may be viewed, the mirror casing open side including an edge portion which circumscribes the periphery of the mirror, the mirror casing open side generally facing in the same direction as the vehicle rear, the warning light comprising:

housing means for supporting a light head, said housing means having oppositely disposed leading and trailing ends, said housing means trailing end being sized and shaped to engage the edge portion of the mirror casing, said housing means defining an aerodynamically contoured forward extension of an engaged mirror casing edge portion, said housing means having a generally concave interior which faces an engaged rear-view mirror casing and cooperates therewith to define a space therebetween; and

a light head, said light head being supported from said housing means leading end such that light provided thereby will be radiated generally in the direction of forward travel of the vehicle on which the rear-view mirror is mounted, said light head including;

a selectively energizable high intensity light source;

reflector means for intercepting and redirecting at least some of the light emitted by said source, said reflector means having a generally concave reflective surface;

lens means for directing light emitted by said source including light reflected from said reflector means, said lens means cooperating with said reflective surface of said reflector means to define a chamber; and

means for supporting said light source in said chamber.

2. A warning light as recited in claim 1 wherein said light head means comprises a wide angle warning light.

3. A warning light as recited in claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a linear flash tube.

4. A warning light as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

latch means for affixing said housing means to the casing of the mirror.

5. A warning light as recited in claim 4 wherein said light head at least in part projects through said housing means into said space between said housing means and the mirror casing.

6. A warning light as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

latch means for affixing said housing means to the casing of the mirror assembly.

7. A warning light as recited in claim 6 wherein said latch means extend between said housing means and the mirror casing through said space.

8. A warning light as recited in claim 7 wherein said latch means each comprise a resilient arm which engages an opening in the mirror casing.

9. A warning light as recited in claim 8 wherein said light head at least in part projects through said housing means into said space between said housing means and the mirror casing.

10. A warning light as recited in claim 1 wherein said light head at least in part projects through said housing means into said space between said housing means and the mirror casing.

11. An integrated rear-view mirror and warning light for use on emergency vehicles, such vehicles having a front and a rear and a pair of lateral sides which extend between the front and rear, said assembly comprising:

a rear-view mirror subassembly, said mirror subassembly including;

a mirror;

a mirror casing, said casing defining a non-adjustable housing having an open side, said casing having a boundary region which extends about the periphery of said open side, said open side generally facing in the same direction as the vehicle rear;

means for adjusting the position of said mirror, said mirror being supported from said adjusting means, said adjusting means being mounted in said casing so as to place said mirror within said casing defined housing; and

support arm means for affixing said casing means to a lateral side of a vehicle; and

a warning light subassembly affixed to said mirror subassembly, said warning light subassembly including;

housing means for supporting a light head, said housing means having oppositely disposed leading and trailing ends, said housing means trailing end being sized and shaped to engage said boundary region of said mirror casing, said housing means defining an aerodynamically contoured forward extension of said boundary region, said housing means having a generally concave interior which faces and is in part spaced from said mirror casing;

a light head, said light head being supported from said housing means leading end such that light provided thereby will be radiated generally in the direction of forward travel of a vehicle on which said rear-view mirror assembly is mounted, said light head including;

a selectively energizable high intensity light source;

reflector means for intercepting and redirecting at least some of the light emitted by said source, said reflector means having a generally concave reflective surface;

lens means for directing light emitted by said source including light reflected from said reflector means, said lens means cooperating with said reflective surface of said reflector means to define a chamber; and

means for supporting said light source in said chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said housing means includes:

a housing, said housing at its said trailing end having a size and a shape commensurate with at least a part of said mirror casing boundary region; and

latch means engaging said mirror casing for attaching said housing to said casing.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said casing is provided with plural locking apertures and wherein said latch means includes arms which extend from said housing and engage respective of said locking apertures.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said latch means arms are resilient and urge said housing against said casing boundary region.