Vehicle blind spot mirror

• US 6,193,380 B1
• Filed: 04/20/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raymond A. Jacobs
• Original Assignee: Raymond A. Jacobs
• Inventors: Jacobs, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/294,579
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 359/838, 359/841, 359/843-844, 359/871-877, 340/901, 340/903, 340/904
• US Class Current: 359/843
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/025 comprising special mechanical means for correcting the field of view in relation to particular driving conditions, e.g. change of lane; scanning mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

An angularly adjustable side view mirror mounted upon a first vehicle is normally positioned to display to the driver reflections of the area at the side and rear of the vehicle. The mirror is temporarily angularly adjusted by a motor, out of its normal position into a temporary position which displays to the driver a following vehicle that is momentarily located in the first vehicle'"'"'s side blind spot area. The motor angularly turns the mirror a predetermined amount from its pre-set normal position to its pre-determined temporary position and then back to its normal position in response to signals from a detector. The detector senses the presence of a following vehicle in the blind spot area and, consequently, activates the motor to move and hold the mirror in the temporary blind spot area viewing position while the vehicle is located therein.

Claims

1. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror comprising:

a mirror turnably mounted within a support housing formed for attachment to a side of a first vehicle, with said mirror being angularly adjustable by a vehicle driver into a normal viewing position for normally displaying to the vehicle driver reflections of a blind spot area located rearwardly and to a side of the first vehicle;

a motor connected to the mirror for turning and angularly adjusting the mirror so as to angularly adjust the mirror relative to the driver to a temporary viewing position for reflecting an image of the blind spot area of the first vehicle;

a detector system mounted on the vehicle and including a sensor which senses a momentary presence of a following vehicle in the side blind spot area of the first vehicle;

said detector system emitting a first motor actuating signal upon sensing said following vehicle in the blind spot area for causing the motor to angularly turn the mirror from its normal viewing position to said temporary viewing position which displays to the driver a reflection of the following vehicle occupying the blind spot area;

and said detector system emitting a second motor activating signal to the motor to cause the motor to angularly return the mirror to its normal viewing position after the detector system senses that the following vehicle is no longer in the blind spot area of the first vehicle.

2. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 1 and including said detector system comprising a sensing signal emitter for emitting a sensing beam and a sensing signal receiver for receiving a return reflection of the emitted sensing beam with said sensing beam being focused into the blind spot area of the first vehicle for contacting a following vehicle located in that blind spot area and reflecting the sensing beam back to the receiver and, in the absence of a vehicle in the blind spot area, said sensing beam dissipating beyond said predetermined blind spot area.

3. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 2, and said signal beam being selected from a conventional type article sensing signal selected from a group comprising of an infrared light beam, an ultra-sonic type beam, a sonartype beam, a radar type beam or a laser beam, which signal beam is substantially continuously directed into the side blind spot area of the first vehicle.

4. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 3, and said mirror being operable by the vehicle driver to turn the mirror into a normal, rear viewing position and, alternatively, into a blind spot area viewing position;

and said detector including a memory device for establishing each such position, and said detection system including a control for said motor to cause the motor to automatically return to the temporary or normal positions from the opposite position when signaled by a detection signal indicating the presence or absence of the following vehicle in the blind spot area.

5. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 4, including said sensor being mounted upon a side portion of the body of the first vehicle and directing its emitted detection signal generally transversely outwardly of the first vehicle towards a following vehicle which is at least partially along side of the first vehicle in the blind spot of the first vehicle.

6. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 4, and including said sensor being mounted in the mirror support housing and normally directing its signal rearwardly along the side of the first vehicle into the blind spot of the first vehicle and detecting forwardly directed reflections of said detecting signal received from a vehicle in the area of the blind spot of the first vehicle.

7. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 4, and including said sensor having an air pressure measuring device included therein for sensing changes in air pressure along the side of the first vehicle at the blind spot area and, thereby, detecting the presence of a following vehicle in the blind spot of the first vehicle by measuring predetermined changes in the air pressure between the two vehicles.

8. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 4, and including a driver alarm device located within the first vehicle, with said alarm device displaying an alarm signal to the driver when the detector system senses a following vehicle in the blind spot area of the first vehicle.

9. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as set forth in claim 8, and including said signal device comprising a lamp connected to the detector system and displaying a visible light to the drives in response to the sensor detecting a vehicle in said blind spot area.

10. A vehicle blind spot viewing mirror as defined in claim 8 and said alarm device comprising an audible sound emitter connected to the detector.

11. A side view mirror for a vehicle having a mirror moveably mounted upon a housing for angular adjustment by a vehicle driver for viewing a side rear area of a first vehicle, with said mirror being self-adjustable temporarily into a position which displays to the driver a following vehicle which is momentarily in a blind spot area of the first vehicle, comprising;

a detector system which includes a sensor which emits a sensor signal beam rearwardly along the side of the vehicle and a receiver which detects reflections of that signal beam bounced off a following vehicle which is momentarily in the blind spot area of the first vehicle and which actuates a motor operatively connected to the mirror for turning the mirror to an angle which displays a reflection of the following vehicle to the driver;

said detection system including a memory device which remembers an initial viewing position of the mirror and an angular position in which the mirror reflects the following vehicle located in the blind spot area and which limits the movement of the mirror to such positions when turned by the motor;

whereby the driver of the first vehicle pre-sets the initial position of the mirror for normal side and rear view visibility and pre-sets the angular position of the mirror for displaying a following vehicle in the blind spot area when detected by the sensor;

with said sensor signal beam being of an intensity to dissipate beyond the vehicle blind spot area.

12. A mirror as defined in claim 11 and including the sensor signal being selected from one of a laser beam, ultra-sonic type beam, infrared light beam, sonar type beam which beam is focused into the side blind spot area of the first vehicle.

13. A mirror as defined in claim 12 and including said sensor being positioned on a mirror housing and substantially continuously emitting a detection signal beam focused into the side blind spot area of the first vehicle notwithstanding changes in position of the mirror.

14. A side view mirror for a vehicle having a mirror moveably mounted upon a housing for angular adjustment by a vehicle driver for viewing a side rear area of a first vehicle, with said mirror being self-adjustable temporarily into a position which displays to the driver a following vehicle which is momentarily in a blind spot area of the first vehicle, comprising;

a detector system which includes a sensor which emits a sensor signal beam transverse to the side of the vehicle and a receiver which detects reflections of that signal beam bounced off a following vehicle which is momentarily in the blind spot area of the first vehicle and which actuates a motor operatively connected to the mirror for turning the mirror to an angle which displays a reflection of the following vehicle to the driver;

said detection system including a memory device which remembers an initial viewing position of the mirror and an angular position in which the mirror reflects the following vehicle located in the blind spot area and which limits the movement of the mirror to such positions when turned by the motor;

whereby the driver of the first vehicle pre-sets the initial position of the mirror for normal side and rear view visibility and pre-sets the angular position of the mirror for displaying a following vehicle in the blind spot area when detected by the sensor;

with said sensor signal beam being of an intensity to dissipate beyond the vehicle blind spot area.