Rearview mirror with lighting assembly

• US 5,813,745 A
• Filed: 10/31/1994
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, Craig M., Vanderhoof, Troy I., Hutzel, Barry W., Fant, Howard W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US08/332,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 362/80, 362/83.1, 362/135, 362/140, 362/294, 362/373, 362/74
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/20 for lighting specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments; mounted on specific fittings of passenger or driving compartments lighting for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators

Abstract

A rearview mirror with lighting assembly for use in a vehicle, has a molded case adapted to support lights for illuminating portions of the vehicle interior, to support electrical switches, wiring, and electrical connectors, to support optical lenses for directing light, and to support a mirror element. The case includes ventilation around the lenses, past the lights, and out of the case for dissipating heat from the lighting. The electrical switches and connectors are mounted into the case. A preferred light arrangement provides illumination of areas below and outwardly of the case ends with targeted lighting areas in the lap areas of persons seated in the front seats of the vehicle, without allowing light to be directed toward the vehicle windshield or instrument panel to cause glare. A resilient sealing material is adhered to the back of the lens element for sealing with the case to prevent or minimize the emission of uncontrolled, stray light from the case. The sealing material is preferably adhered to the mirror element by an adhesive carrier layer which preferably also provides an antiscatter function for the mirror element in the event of breakage.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a mirror element;

a case supporting and retaining said mirror element;

said mirror element having a viewing surface and a rear surface opposite to said viewing surface;

a lamp compartment, said lamp compartment being inside said assembly;

said case having a bottom portion and an opening in said bottom portion, said compartment being positioned rearwardly of said mirror element, said opening also being positioned rearwardly of said mirror element and having a periphery and an edge defining said periphery of said opening;

a lamp located in said compartment and adapted to project light through said opening; and

ventilation means for removing heat from said compartment, said ventilation means positioned rearwardly of said mirror element and including an air passageway in communication with said compartment along at least a portion of said periphery of said opening, and at least one vent hole in communication with said compartment, said at least one vent hole being spaced from said air passageway at another location on said case, said ventilation means providing a ventilation passageway through said air passageway, through said compartment, and through said at least one vent hole;

said lamp including a reflector, a light bulb positioned between said reflector and said opening, at least one bulb holder mounted adjacent said reflector for holding said light bulb, and a lens positioned in said opening, said air passageway extending around at least a portion of said lens.

2. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said opening through said bottom portion of said case defines a reference plane and wherein said reflector is adapted to reflect light at an acute angle to said reference plane.

3. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said reflector is a curved member with a changing radius of curvature along at least one axis.

4. The assembly defined in claim 1 wherein said air passageway extends through said opening in said bottom portion of said case, said at least one vent hole being spaced upwardly on said case from said air passageway and opening.

5. The assembly of claim 1 including a second vent hole in communication with said compartment adjacent said one vent hole whereby said ventilation passage extends through both said vent holes.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said one vent hole and said second vent hole are parallel slots extending through said case.

7. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, a back wall, and a perimeter sidewall thereabout defining an interior space within said case, said sidewall having a top portion and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element supported and retained in said case, said mirror element being opposite said interior space from said back wall;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through said opening;

a lamp located in said compartment and adapted to project light through said opening, said lamp including a reflector, a light bulb positioned between said reflector and said opening, at least one bulb holder mounted adjacent said reflector for holding said light bulb, and a lens positioned in said opening;

said reflector being a curved member with a changing radius of curvature along at least one axis;

ventilation means for removing heat from said compartment, said ventilation means providing an air passage through said opening, through said compartment, and through at least one vent hole in said case, said vent hole being spaced from said opening at another location on said case;

said reflector having a front edge away from said back wall of said case and having a back edge near said back wall and wherein said radius of curvature progressively lengthens from said front edge to said back edge.

8. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, a back wall, and a perimeter sidewall thereabout defining an interior space within said case, said sidewall having a top portion and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element supported and retained in said case, said mirror element being opposite said interior space from said back wall;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through said opening;

a lamp located in said compartment and adapted to project light through said opening;

ventilation means for removing heat from said compartment, said ventilation means providing fluid communication with said compartment and defining a ventilation passage through said opening, through said compartment, and through at least one vent hole in said case, said vent hole being spaced upwardly from said opening at another location on said case; and

a light maze between said compartment and said vent hole.

9. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, a back wall, and a perimeter sidewall thereabout defining an interior space within said case, said sidewall having a top portion and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element supported and retained in said case, said mirror element being opposite said interior space from said back wall;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through said opening;

a lamp located in said compartment and including a lens positioned in said opening such that light is projected through said lens and said opening;

ventilation means for removing heat from said compartment, said ventilation means including a space in said sidewall bottom portion, said space extending around at least a portion of said lens, and at least one vent hole spaced from said opening at another location on said case, said ventilation means providing an air passage through said space, through said compartment, and through said at least one vent hole in said case.

10. The assembly defined in claim 9 wherein said vent hole extends through at least one of said backwall and said perimeter sidewall.

11. The assembly defined in claim 10 further including a light maze between said compartment and said vent hole.

12. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having a first opening therethrough, said case also having at least a second opening spaced from said first opening,

a mirror element supported and retained by said case;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through each of said first opening and said second opening, said case defining an air passage extending through said first opening, said compartment, and said second opening;

a lamp in said compartment and including a lens positioned in said first opening such that light is projected through said lens and said first opening; and

said first opening defining a space extending around at least a portion of said lens.

13. The assembly defined in claim 12 wherein said lamp also includes a reflector, a light bulb positioned between said reflector and said first opening, and at least one bulb holder mounted adjacent said reflector for holding said light bulb.

14. The assembly defined in claim 13 wherein said case further includes at least one of a backwall and a perimeter sidewall, said perimeter sidewall extending about at least a portion of said backwall.

15. The assembly defined in claim 13 further including a light maze between said compartment and said second opening.

16. The assembly of claim 12 including a third opening in communication with said compartment and adjacent said second opening whereby said ventilation passage extends through both said second and third openings.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein said second and third openings are parallel slots extending through said case.

18. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles, said assembly having an interior and an exterior, said assembly further comprising:

a mirror element;

a case supporting and retaining said mirror element;

a light compartment, said light compartment being inside said assembly;

said case having a bottom portion and an opening to said assembly exterior in said bottom portion;

lamp located in said light compartment, said lamp including a lens in said opening through which light from said lamp passes;

an air inlet in communication with said light compartment and extending through said opening around a portion of said lens; and

an air exhaust ventilation hole in said case at a position spaced from said opening and extending to said assembly exterior and communicating with said light compartment, whereby said assembly defines a ventilation passage extending through said air inlet, said light compartment and said air exhaust ventilation hole.

19. The assembly of claim 18 including a second air exhaust ventilation hole adjacent said air exhaust ventilation hole.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein said air exhaust ventilation holes are parallel slots extending through said case.

21. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element supported and retained by said case;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through said opening;

a lamp in said compartment and adapted to project light through said opening;

an air inlet in communication with said compartment and extending through said opening for ventilation of said compartment;

an air exhaust in communication with said compartment, said air exhaust defining at least one hole which extends through said case for ventilation of said compartment;

said air inlet defining a space in said bottom portion, said compartment defining an interior area around at least a portion of said lamp in said compartment;

said space being in communication with said interior area for ventilation of said compartment;

said case also having a back wall and a perimeter side wall, said perimeter side wall extending about at least a portion of said back wall, and wherein said air exhaust extends through at least one of said back wall and said perimeter side wall, said case also including a light maze between said air exhaust and said compartment.

22. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having a first opening therethrough, said case also having at least a second opening spaced from said first opening;

a mirror element supported and retained by said case;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through each of said first opening and said second opening, said case defining an air passage extending through said first opening, said compartment, and said second opening;

a lamp located in said compartment and adapted to project light through said first opening; and

a light maze between said compartment and said second opening.

23. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element supported and retained by said case;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through said opening;

a lamp in said compartment and adapted to project light through said opening;

an air inlet in communication with said compartment and extending through said opening for ventilation of said compartment;

an air exhaust in communication with said compartment, said air exhaust defining at least one hole which extends through said case for ventilation of said compartment;

said air inlet defining a space in said bottom portion;

said compartment defining an interior area around at least a portion of said lamp in said compartment;

said space being in communication with said interior area for ventilation of said compartment;

said case also having a back wall and a perimeter side wall, said perimeter side wall extending about at least a portion of said back wall, and wherein said air exhaust extends through at least one of said back wall and said perimeter side wall;

said lamp including a reflector, a light bulb positioned between said reflector and said opening, at least one bulb holder for holding said light bulb, and a lens positioned in said opening.

24. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having an exterior surface on the outside of said case, and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element supported and retained by said case;

a wall defining a compartment within said case, said compartment being in communication with the outside of said case through said opening;

a lamp in said compartment, and adapted to project light through said opening;

an air inlet in communication with said compartment and extending through said opening for ventilation of said compartment;

an air exhaust in communication with said compartment, said air exhaust defining at least one hole which extends through said case for ventilation of said compartment; and

a light maze between said air exhaust and said compartment.

25. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having a back wall and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element in said case;

a first compartment wall defining a first compartment on said case;

a first lamp in said first compartment, said lamp adapted to direct light therefrom through said opening;

a first ventilation hole in communication with said first compartment in said back wall of said case;

a second ventilation hole in communication with said first compartment, said second ventilation hole being spaced from said first ventilation hole at another portion of said case;

whereby a first ventilation passage is defined from said first ventilation hole, through said first compartment, to said second ventilation hole;

said case having a top portion;

said first ventilation hole being closer to said bottom portion than to said top portion.

26. The assembly of claim 25 wherein said second ventilation hole is located in at least one of said top portion and said back wall.

27. The assembly of claim 25 wherein said case includes a second compartment wall defining a second compartment therewithin having a second lamp therein;

said case back wall having a second first ventilation hole in communication with said second compartment and spaced from said first ventilation hole; and

a second second ventilation hole in communication with said second compartment and spaced from said second ventilation hole, whereby a second ventilation passage is defined from said second first ventilation hole, through said second compartment, to said second second ventilation hole.

28. The assembly of claim 25 wherein said first lamp includes a light bulb and a reflector for reflecting light from said light bulb through said opening in said bottom portion;

said reflector being mounted in said first compartment on said back wall.

29. The assembly of claim 25 including a second wall in said first compartment;

said second wall being on said case back wall and positioned between said first ventilation hole and said opening in said bottom portion.

30. The assembly of claim 29 wherein said second wall is U-shaped and has portions extending upwardly on either side of said first ventilation hole.

31. The assembly of claim 25 including a third ventilation hole in communication with said first compartment and adjacent said second ventilation hole, said second and third ventilation holes including parallel slots extending through said case.

32. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a case having a back wall and a bottom portion, said bottom portion having an opening therethrough;

a mirror element in said case;

a wall defining a compartment on said case;

a lamp in said compartment, said lamp adapted to direct light therefrom through said opening;

said mirror element having a viewing surface and a rear surface opposite said viewing surface and including a sealing layer on said rear surface which engages said wall defining said compartment to prevent light from passing between said wall and mirror element;

said case including at least one ventilation hole in communication with said compartment to provide ventilation of said compartment, and a light maze between said compartment and said ventilation hole to allow ventilation and reduce light leakage through said ventilation hole.

33. The assembly of claim 32 including a second ventilation hole in communication with said compartment and spaced from said one ventilation hole whereby a ventilation passage is formed through said compartment from said one ventilation hole to said second ventilation hole.

34. The assembly of claim 33 wherein said one ventilation hole includes a portion of said opening in said bottom portion.

35. The assembly of claim 33 wherein said one ventilation hole is in said case back wall.

36. The assembly of claim 35 including a second wall within said compartment on said case back wall, said second wall being positioned between said one ventilation hole and said opening in said bottom portion.

37. The assembly of claim 33 wherein said case includes a top portion;

one of said one and said second ventilation holes being in said top portion.

38. The assembly of claim 33 wherein said second ventilation hole includes a series of parallel slots extending through said case.

39. The assembly of claim 32 wherein said sealing layer is a layer of resilient foam.

40. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a mirror element;

a mirror case for housing said mirror element, said mirror case having a top surface, a bottom surface and a back surface;

a first driver lamp and a first light opening in said bottom surface passing light from said first lamp out of said mirror case, and a second passenger lamp and a second light opening in said bottom surface passing light from said second lamp out of said mirror case;

a first air ventilation passageway including a first ventilation opening in said back surface of said mirror case and a first ventilation hole spaced from said first ventilation opening in said mirror case;

a second air ventilation passageway including a second ventilation opening in said back surface of said mirror case and a second ventilation hole spaced from said second ventilation opening in said mirror case;

said second lamp being mounted at an angle to said first lamp such that said first lamp directs light generally downwardly and out of said mirror case while said second lamp directs light generally downwardly and away from the light from said first lamp and out of said case;

each of said first and second light openings including a lens.

41. The mirror assembly of claim 40 wherein said assembly is adapted for use in a vehicle having a seat in which a passenger may sit, the passenger having a lap area extending from the waist to the knees when the passenger is sitting, said second lamp directing light generally to the lap area of a passenger when seated in the vehicle.

43. The mirror assembly of claim 40 wherein at least one of said lenses is recessed into said bottom surface of said mirror case.

44. The mirror assembly of claim 43 wherein both of said lenses are recessed into said bottom surface of said mirror case.

45. The mirror assembly of claim 40 wherein each of said lenses is one of a transparent glass element and a transparent plastic element.

46. The mirror assembly of claim 45 wherein each of said lenses is a transparent plastic element.

47. The mirror assembly of claim 46 wherein each of said lenses is formed from molded plastic.

48. The mirror assembly of claim 47 wherein each of said lenses is formed from polycarbonate.

49. The mirror assembly of claim 40 wherein at least one of said lenses is a Fresnel lens.

50. The mirror assembly of claim 49 wherein each of said lenses is a Fresnel lens.

51. The mirror assembly of claim 40 wherein said assembly is adapted for use in a vehicle in which a driver and passenger may be located and has a front from which the mirror element is viewed;

said assembly including first and second electrical switches, said first switch being electrically connected to said first lamp, said second switch being electrically connected to said second lamp, said switches being accessible to the driver and passenger of the vehicle visibly and physically from said front of said assembly.

52. The mirror assembly of claim 51 wherein said assembly includes a bezel forming said front of said mirror case, said switches being accessible through apertures in said bezel.

53. The mirror assembly of claim 52 wherein said switches are located centrally and below said mirror element.

54. The mirror assembly of claim 40 wherein at least one of said first and second ventilation holes includes a series of parallel slots extending through said mirror case.

55. The mirror assembly of claim 54 wherein each of said first and second ventilation holes includes a series of parallel slots extending through said mirror case.

56. The mirror assembly of claim 40 wherein said first ventilation hole and said second ventilation hole are in said top surface.

42. The mirror assembly of claim 92 wherein said first lamp directs light directly downward.

57. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a mirror element;

a mirror case for housing said mirror element, said mirror case having a top surface, a bottom surface and a back surface;

a first driver lamp and a first light opening in said bottom surface passing light from said first lamp out of said mirror case, and a second passenger lamp and a second light opening in said bottom surface passing light from said second lamp out of said mirror case;

a first air ventilation passageway including a first ventilation opening in said back surface of said mirror case and a first ventilation hole spaced from said first ventilation opening in said mirror case;

a second air ventilation passageway including a second ventilation opening in said back surface of said mirror case and a second ventilation hole spaced from said second ventilation opening in said mirror case;

said second lamp being mounted at an angle to said first lamp such that said first lamp directs light generally downwardly and out of said mirror case while said second lamp directs light generally downwardly and away from the light from said first lamp and out of said case;

at least one of said lamps being connected to an electrical circuit enabling said one lamp to be illuminated when a vehicle door is opened.

58. A rearview mirror assembly for vehicles comprising:

a mirror element;

a mirror case for housing said mirror element, said mirror case having a top surface, a bottom surface and a back surface;

a first driver lamp and a first light opening in said bottom surface passing light from said first lamp out of said mirror case, and a second passenger lamp and a second light opening in said bottom surface passing light from said second lamp out of said mirror case;

a first air ventilation passageway including a first ventilation opening in said back surface of said mirror case and a first ventilation hole spaced from said first ventilation opening in said mirror case;

a second air ventilation passageway including a second ventilation opening in said back surface of said mirror case and a second ventilation hole spaced from said second ventilation opening in said mirror case;

said second lamp being mounted at an angle to said first lamp such that said first lamp directs light generally downwardly and out of said mirror case while said second lamp directs light generally downwardly and away from the light from said first lamp and out of said case;

said mirror element being a prismatic mirror element having a reflective layer on its rear surface;

said assembly also including a day/night actuator for moving between a high reflectivity day position and a reduced reflectivity night position.