Memory mirror system for vehicle

• US 6,698,905 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Whitehead, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/572,008
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 359/604, 359/605, 359/606, 359/843, 359/872, 359/877, 359/265, 359/267
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/087 with remote or automatic control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks

Abstract

A vehicle memory mirror system of the present invention includes a housing and an actuator. The housing includes a mirror casing and a support, which mounts the mirror casing to the vehicle. The weight of the actuator is directly distributed to the vehicle via the support so that the interior rearview mirror assembly of the memory mirror system exhibits improved vibration characteristics and, further, is positioned such that the mirror assembly has increased capacity for housing a variety of accessories and/or devices. A reflective element is incorporated in the casing and provides a rearward field of view when the mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle, with the actuator providing adjustment for the rearward field of view. In one form, the actuator is substantially positioned exteriorly of the mirror casing and engages a portion of the casing to adjust the position of the casing and the reflective element about the one or more axes.

Claims

1. A vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system, said interior rearview memory mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a generally cup-shaped mirror casing having a reflective element and a back wall, said mirror casing having an exterior surface defining an exterior surface of said mirror casing, and said reflective element being spaced from said back wall and having a vibration performance;

said interior rearview mirror assembly further comprising a support being adapted to mount to a vehicle;

an electrical actuator located exteriorly of said mirror casing and engaging said mirror casing to provide adjustment of said mirror casing about one or more axes, said actuator including an extendable positioning member, said positoning member engaging said mirror casing whereby extension and retraction of said positioning member adjusts said mirror casing about said one or more axes, said reflective element being adjusted about said one or more axes in tandem with said mirror casing adjustment, said support supporting said electrical actuator whereby the weight of said electrical actuator is borne by said support to improve the vibration performance of said reflective element.

2. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 1, said reflective element being spaced from said back wall to thereby define a cavity therebetween for containing one or more electrical components.

3. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 2, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

4. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 2, wherein said reflective element comprises a variable reflectance element.

5. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said actuator engages said back wall to adjust the position of said casing and said reflective element about said one or more axes.

6. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said actuator is positioned in an interior portion of said support.

7. The vehicular interior rearviews memory mirror system according to claim 6, wherein said actuator includes an actuator housing, at least a portion of said actuator housing being positioned in said interior portion of said support.

8. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according claim 1, wherein said reflective element is supported by said mirror casing.

9. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said actuator further includes a pivot member, said mirror casing having a first socket for receiving said pivot member to define at least one axis of rotation of said mirror casing about said support and a second socket for engaging said positioning member to couple said positioning member to said mirror casing whereby extension and retraction of said positioning member adjusts said mirror casing about said at least one axis.

10. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said actuator is coupled to at least one control module of a mirror memory system.

11. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 10, wherein said at least one control module comprises a mirror-based control module, said mirror-based control module positioned in said interior of said support, said mirror-based control module being coupled to a vehicle-based control module of said memory mirror system.

12. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

13. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 1, wherein said reflective clement comprises a variable reflectance element.

14. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 11, wherein said actuator further includes a housing, said positioning member extending and retracting from said housing.

15. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said actuator includes a pivot member, said back wall mounted to said pivot member whereby said mirror casing pivots about said pivot member of said actuator.

16. A vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system, said interior rearview memory mirror system comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly;

said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising a generally cup-shaped mirror casing having a reflective element and a back wall, said mirror casing having an exterior surface defining an exterior surface of said mirror casing, and said reflective element being spaced from said back wall and having a vibration performance;

said interior rearview mirror assembly further comprising a support being adapted to mount to a vehicle, wherein said support comprises a tubular member, said tubular member being adapted to fixedly mount to a vehicle windshield;

an electrical actuator located exteriorly of said mirror casing and engaging said mirror casing to provide adjustment of said mirror casing about one or more axes, said reflective element being adjusted about said one or more axes in tandem with said mirror casing adjustment, said support supporting said electrical actuator whereby the weight of said electrical actuator is borne by said support to improve the vibration performance of said reflective element.

17. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 16, wherein said actuator includes an extendable positioning member, said positioning member engaging said mirror casing whereby extension and retraction of said positioning member adjusts said mirror casing about one or more axes.

18. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 16, wherein said tubular member extends from adjacent said mirror casing to the vehicle windshield to thereby define a cavity.

19. The vehicular interior rearview memory mirror system according to claim 18, wherein said cavity houses said electrical actuator.