Rearview mirror assembly

• US 5,820,245 A
• Filed: 04/12/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Donnelly Engineering GmbH (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mousseau, Rick, Lawlor, Patrick J., Desmond, John P., McCormack, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spark, Matthew J.
• Application Number:
  US08/634,333
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 362/74, 362/80, 362/80.1, 362/83.3, 362/83.1, 362/61, 362/135, 362/140, 359/604
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/258 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/13 Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles

Abstract

A rearview mirror for vehicles includes a mirror case, a reflective element, a support for mounting the assembly on a vehicle, at least one lamp assembly having a reflector member which substantially directs light in a predetermined direction in the vehicle, and a circuit board mounted within the mirror case and having at least one holder for holding a light source which projects into the reflector member. A lens provides shaping and directing properties for light emitting from different areas of the reflector and includes a prescription region which focuses light from the reflector member to a particular target area of the vehicle, and a second region having a prescription different from said first prescription region.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror case including a reflective element;

a support for mounting said rearview mirror assembly on a vehicle;

at least one lamp assembly having a light source and a reflector member to substantially direct light in a predetermined direction in the vehicle;

said rearview mirror assembly further including;

a circuit board mounted within said mirror case, said circuit board having at least one holder which holds said light source such that said light source projects into said reflector member; and

a lens including at least two regions for passing light, one of said regions being a first prescription region which focuses light directed from said reflector member to a particular target area of the vehicle, and a second region having a prescription different from said first prescription region, said lens providing shaping and directing properties for light emitting from different areas of said reflector member.

2. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lens is a twin prescription lens.

3. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflector member has an aperture for receiving said light source.

4. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light source is a bulb.

5. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 4 wherein said bulb projects downwardly into said reflector member.

6. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 5 wherein said bulb projects downwardly at an inclined angle.

7. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said circuit board has a driver'"'"'s side bulb holder and a passenger side bulb holder.

8. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflector member is removably mounted within said mirror case.

9. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflector member has at least one resilient flange for engaging a complementary flange in said mirror case to releasably mount said reflector member in said mirror case.

10. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lens has a selected opaque area to reduce illumination in predetermined areas.

11. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said circuit board has mounted thereon at least one switch.

12. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflective element is actuatable between at least two reflective conditions.

13. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflective element is an electro-optic rearview mirror element.

14. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 13 wherein said electro-optic rearview element is an electrochromic element.

15. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 14 wherein a resilient means abuts a rear surface of said reflective element.

16. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 14 wherein a shock absorbing means abuts a rear surface of said reflective element.

17. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 16 wherein said shock absorbing means comprises a layer of foam material adhered to a rear surface of said reflective element.

18. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein said foam material comprises a cross-linked polyethylene foam.

19. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 18 wherein said foam material has an adhesive rear surface.

20. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 19 wherein said circuit board is attached to said adhesive rear surface.

21. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflective element has a variable reflective condition;

said circuit board containing an electrical circuit for controlling said reflective condition of said reflective element.

22. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 21 including driver'"'"'s side and passenger side lamp assemblies;

said circuit board having a first electrical switch for controlling said reflective condition of said reflective element and second and third electrical switches for controlling said driver'"'"'s side and passenger side lamp assemblies.

23. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lamp assembly is disposed on a bottom region of the mirror case.

24. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 including a first and a second lamp assembly.

25. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 24 wherein said first and second lamp assemblies comprise a driver'"'"'s side lamp assembly and a passenger side lamp assembly respectively.

26. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein an electrical spring contact is provided to electrically connect said circuit board to said reflective element.

27. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 26 including a flat electrical terminal on said circuit board;

said spring contact abutting said flat electrical terminal on said circuit board.

28. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflector member comprises a metalised reflector member.

29. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle as claimed in claim 28 wherein said reflector member further comprises said lens mounted on said reflector member.