Integrated warning light and rear-view mirror

• US 5,851,064 A
• Filed: 11/05/1996
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• 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:
  US08/743,993
• Time in Patent Office: 777 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 method of signalling the presence of an emergency vehicle, the vehicle having a forwardly facing front end which defines a plane and oppositely disposed lateral sides which extend rearwardly from said front end, said method comprising the steps of:

integrating a high intensity, wide-angle warning light with each one of a pair of non-adjustable position rear-view mirror assemblies, each of the warning lights including a reflector, the rear-view mirror assemblies each having a peripheral region which extends about a rearwardly facing opening thereof, each of the rear-view mirror assemblies further having a mirror which is viewed through the rearwardly facing opening of the rear-view mirror assembly, each of said steps of integration including;

providing a support for a warning light, the support defining a housing having an access opening at a first end thereof and an oppositely disposed second end;

engaging the second end of the support with the peripheral region of one of the rear-view mirror assemblies, the warning light support being smoothly tapered from the first end thereof to the second end thereof to thereby define an aerodynamic three-dimensional shape having a minimum cross-sectional area at the first end, the support projecting forwardly from the peripheral region of the mirror assembly toward said plane and terminating at the first end of the support whereby the support forms an aerodynamically shaped extension of the engaged mirror assembly; and

affixing the warning light to the first end of the support, the step of affixing including partially recessing the warning light reflector in the housing defined by the support by extending the reflector through the access opening at the first end of the support defined housing, the step of affixing positioning the warning light such that the reflector faces generally in the direction of said plane;

mounting one of the integrated mirror assemblies and warning lights on each of the lateral sides of the vehicle; and

causing the warning lights to periodically provide pulses of high intensity light.

2. A method of signalling the presence of an emergency vehicle, the vehicle having a forwardly facing front end which defines a plane and oppositely disposed lateral sides which extend rearwardly from said front end, said method comprising the steps of:

integrating a high intensity, wide-angle warning light with each one of a pair of non-adjustable position rear-view mirror assemblies, the warning lights each including a reflector, a lens and a light source, the rear-view mirror assemblies each having a peripheral region which extends about a rearwardly facing opening thereof, each of the rear-view mirror assemblies further having a mirror which is viewed through the rearwardly facing opening of the rear-view mirror assembly, each of said steps of integration including;

selecting the reflector, lens and light source of the warning light to provide a light dispersion pattern having a horizontal angle which exceeds 90°

;

providing a support for the warning light, the support defining a housing having an access opening at a first end thereof and an oppositely disposed second end;

engaging the second end of the support with the peripheral region of one of the rear-view mirror assemblies, the warning light support being smoothly tapered from the first end thereof to the second end thereof to thereby define an aerodynamic three-dimensional shape having a minimum cross-sectional area at the first end, the support projecting forwardly from the peripheral region of the mirror assembly toward said plane and terminating at the first end of the support whereby the support forms an aerodynamically shaped extension of the engaged mirror assembly; and

affixing the warning light to the first end of the support;

mounting one of the integrated mirror assemblies and warning lights on each of the lateral sides of the vehicle; and

causing the warning lights to periodically provide pulses of high intensity light.

3. A method of signalling the presence of an emergency vehicle, the vehicle having a forwardly facing front end which defines a plane and oppositely disposed lateral sides which extend rearwardly from said front end, said method comprising the steps of:

integrating a high intensity, wide-angle warning light with each one of a pair of non-adjustable position rear-view mirror assemblies, the warning lights each including a reflector, a lens and a light source, the mirror assemblies each having a peripheral region which extends about a rearwardly facing opening thereof, each of the rear-view mirror assemblies further having a mirror which is viewed through the rearwardly facing opening of the rear-view mirror assembly, each of said steps of integrating including;

selecting the reflector, lens and light source of the warning light to provide a light dispersion pattern having a horizontal angle which exceeds 90°

;

providing a support for the warning light, the support defining a housing having an access opening at a first end thereof and an oppositely disposed second end;

engaging the second end of the support with the peripheral region of one of the rear-view mirror assemblies, the warning light support being smoothly tapered from the first end thereof to the second end thereof to thereby define an aerodynamic three-dimensional shape having a minimum cross-sectional area at the first end, the support projecting forwardly from the peripheral region of the mirror assembly toward said plane and terminating at the first end of the support whereby the support forms an aerodynamically shaped extension of the engaged mirror assembly;

affixing the warning light to the first end of the support in registration with the access opening at the first end of the support defined housing, the step of affixing including extending the reflector of the warning light through the access opening to thereby partially recess the reflector in the housing, the step of affixing further including positioning the warning light such that the reflector faces generally in the direction of said plane;

mounting one of the integrated mirror assemblies and warning lights on each of the lateral sides of the vehicles; and

causing the warning lights to periodically provide pulses of high intensity light.