Interior rearview mirror for motor vehicles

• US 5,680,263 A
• Filed: 06/30/1995
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Werner, Kusuma, Djuanarto
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US08/497,650
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 359/601, 359/838, 359/871, 359/872, 340/825.22, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.31, 341/176, 455/71, 455/95, 455/99, 455/151.2, 455/161.1, 455/161.2
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror for motorized vehicle has a mirror support and a mirror housing pivotably connected to the mirror support. A mirror glass is mounted in the mirror housing. A part of a garage door opener is mounted within the mirror housing.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror for motorized vehicles, said rearview mirror comprising:

a mirror support;

a mirror housing pivotably connected to said mirror support;

said mirror housing comprising a housing portion, a mirrorglass holder connected to said housing portion and a cap-shaped receiving member detachably connected to said housing portion opposite said mirrorglass holder;

said receiving member completing said housing portion and said mirrorglass holder to form said mirror housing;

a mirror glass mounted in said mirrorglass holder of said mirror housing;

a garage door opener positioned within said receiving member of said mirror housing; and

said receiving member being transmissive to signals emitted by said garage door opener.

2. A rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said signals are radio signals.

3. A rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said garage door opener is programmable.

4. A rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said garage door opener comprises a transmitter and a receiver.

5. An interior rearview mirror for motorized vehicles, said rearview mirror comprising:

a mirror support;

a mirror housing pivotably connected to said mirror support;

said mirror housing comprising a housing portion, a mirrorglass holder connected to said housing portion and a cap-shaped receiving member detachably connected to said housing portion opposite said mirrorglass holder;

said receiving member completing said housing portion and said mirrorglass holder to form said mirror housing;

a mirror glass mounted in said mirrorglass holder of said mirror housing;

a garage door opener positioned within said receiving member of said mirror housing;

wherein said garage door opener comprises a transmitter and a receiver, said receiving member being transmissive to signals emitted by said garage door opener; and

wherein said garage door opener further comprises a microcomputer and wherein said transmitter and said receiver are connected to said microcomputer.

6. A rearview mirror according to claim 5, further comprising a decoder connected between said microcomputer and said receiver.

7. A rearview mirror according to claim 5, further comprising an encoder connected between said microcomputer and said transmitter.

8. A rearview mirror according to claim 5, further comprising signal lines with which said microcomputer is connected to said transmitter and said receiver for setting the operating signal frequency of said garage door opener.

9. A rearview mirror according to claim 5, further comprising:

a decoder connected between said microcomputer and said receiver;

an encoder connected between said microcomputer and said transmitter;

signal lines with which said microcomputer is connected to said decoder and said encoder for controlling said decoder and said encoder.