Side mirror cover and cover lamp to be used therefor

• US 6,769,798 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Esam S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Esam S.p.A.
• Inventors: Mishimagi, Kazuharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Guiyoung
• Application Number:
  US10/187,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20030193815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/511, 362/522, 362/548, 362/498
• US Class Current: 362/522
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/235 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/00 Light sources with three-dimensionally disposed light-generating elements

Abstract

A side mirror cover for allowing flickering or illumination of lamps to be visible from relatively a wide range is provided. The side mirror cover has a mirror cover body and a cover lamp. The lamp has a lamp housing having plural light emitting elements and a translucent lamp cover for covering the elements. The housing has a curved first corner section for closing up a part of the through hole and a first principal portion for closing up the remainder thereof. The lamp cover has a second corner section facing the first corner section and a second principal portion facing the first principal portion. The light emitting elements include first LEDs and second LEDs for emitting light toward the front and the side of the vehicle, respectively. The inner surface of the lamp cover has a projected portion facing the second LED, and the inner surface of the second corner section has concavities and convexities for reflecting light.

Claims

1. A vehicle side mirror cover comprising:

a mirror cover body for covering at least the convex surface of a side mirror body of a vehicle, said vehicle having a widthwise extremity corresponding to the width of the main body of the vehicle;

wherein said mirror cover body is formed with a laterally elongated through hole extending transverse to said mirror cover body and having an outer end at the position corresponding to the said widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle; and

a cover lamp adapted to fit into said through hole to substantially close said through hole;

wherein said cover lamp comprises;

a lamp housing mounted on said mirror cover body;

wherein said lamp housing includes;

 

a curved first corner section for substantially closing the portion of said through hole corresponding to the widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle; and

 

a first principal portion continuing from said curved first corner section for closing the remainder of said through hole;

a plurality of light emitting elements adapted to fit within said lamp housing; and

wherein said plurality of light emitting elements comprise;

 

one or more first LED or LEDs provided on said first principal portion for emitting light toward the front of the vehicle, said one or more first LED or LEDs being configured to pass said emitted light through said second principal portion; and

 

one or more second LED or LEDs provided on said first principal portion and facing said projected portion for emitting light toward the side of the vehicle by passing through said second corner section and for emitting light from the outer end of said second corner section toward the backside of the vehicle by passing through said projected portion and said second corner section toward the outer end of the widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle;

a translucent lamp cover mounted on either one or both of said lamp housing and said mirror cover body for covering said plurality of light emitting elements;

wherein said translucent lamp cover includes;

a second corner section opposed to said curved first corner section;

a second principal portion continuing from said second corner section and opposed to said first principal portion; and

a projected portion provided on the inner surface of said translucent lamp cover.

2. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 1, wherein:

said projected portion formed on the inner surface of said translucent lamp cover faces toward said one or more second LED or LEDs; and

said second corner section is formed with concavities and convexities oriented in parallel with the vertical direction and aligned continuously in the direction of width of the vehicle on the inner surface thereof, so that light from said one or more first LED or LEDs passes through said second principal portion and is emitted toward the front of the vehicle, and light from said one or more second LED or LEDs passes through the said projected portion and said second corner section toward the widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle, reflects on the concavities and convexities on the inner surface of said second corner section, and is emitted from said second corner section toward the front and the side of the vehicle and simultaneously from the outer end of said second corner section toward the backside of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 1, wherein:

said projected portion formed on the inner surface of said translucent lamp cover faces toward said one or more second LED or LEDs; and

said second corner section is formed with the concavities and convexities oriented in parallel with the vertical direction and aligned continuously in the direction of width of the vehicle on the inner surface thereof, so that light from said one or more first LED or LEDs passes through said second principal portion and is emitted toward the front of the vehicle, and light from said one or more second LED or LEDs passes from said projected portion through said second principal portion and said second corner section toward the widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle, reflects on the concavities and convexities on the inner surface of said second corner section, and is emitted from said second corner section to the front and the side of the vehicle and simultaneously from the outer end of said second corner section toward the backside of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 3, wherein:

said plurality of light emitting elements is mounted on a support and is accommodated in said lamp housing; and

a first light reflector is provided on the surface of said support facing toward said translucent lamp cover.

5. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 3, wherein a curved second light reflector is provided on said first corner section of said lamp housing.

6. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 3, wherein:

said cover lamp is fabricated by adhering said peripheral edge of the translucent lamp cover to the peripheral edge of said lamp housing;

said lamp housing is formed with a recessed groove defined by the outer end portion of said first corner section and the outer end portion of said second corner section in the adhered state, which is capable of being fitted on the peripheral edge of said through hole, and is formed with a flange having a mounting hole at the inner end of said first principal portion;

said mirror cover body is formed with a boss at the peripheral edge of said through hole; and

said translucent cover lamp is mounted on said mirror cover body by fitting said recessed groove onto the peripheral edge of said through hole, passing a screw through said mounting hole and screwing the same into said boss.

7. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of light emitting elements is mounted on a support and is accommodated in said lamp housing; and

a first light reflector is provided on the surface of said support facing toward said translucent lamp cover.

8. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 1, wherein a curved second light reflector is provided on said first corner section of said lamp housing.

9. A vehicle side mirror cover according to claim 1, wherein:

said cover lamp is fabricated by adhering the peripheral edge of said translucent lamp cover to the peripheral edge of said lamp housing;

said lamp housing is formed with a recessed groove defined by the outer end portion of said first corner section and the outer end portion of said second corner section in the adhered state, which is capable of being fitted on the peripheral edge of said through hole, and is formed with a flange having a mounting hole formed at the inner end of said first principal portion;

said mirror cover body is formed with a boss at the peripheral edge of said through hole; and

said translucent cover lamp is mounted on said mirror cover body by fitting said recessed groove onto the peripheral edge of said through hole, passing a screw through said mounting hole and screwing the same into the said boss.

10. A cover lamp to be fitted from the backside of a mirror cover body into a laterally elongated through hole wherein said through hole extends transverse to said mirror cover body;

wherein said mirror cover body is adapted for covering the convex surface of a side mirror body on a vehicle, and is formed with through hole having an outer end at the position corresponding to the widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle;

wherein said cover lamp comprises;

a lamp housing mounted on said mirror cover body along the peripheral edge of said through hole for substantially closing said through hole and provided with a plurality of light emitting elements; and

a translucent lamp cover adhered on lamp housing for covering plurality of light emitting elements;

wherein the lamp housing includes;

a curved first corner section for substantially closing the portion of said through hole corresponding to the widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle; and

a first principal portion continuing from said curved first corner section for closing the remainder of said through hole;

wherein said translucent lamp cover includes;

a second corner section opposed to said first corner section;

a second principal portion continuing from said second corner section and opposed to said first principal portion; and

a projected portion provided on the inner surface of said translucent lame cover;

wherein said plurality of light emitting elements includes;

one or more first LED or LEDs provided on said first principal portion for emitting light toward the front of the vehicle by passing through said second principal portion; and

one or more second LED or LEDs provided on said first principal portion and facing said projected portion for emitting light toward the side of the vehicle by passing through said second corner section and for emitting light from the outer end of said second corner section toward the backside of the vehicle by passing through said projected portion and said second corner section toward the outer end widthwise extremity of the main body of the vehicle.

11. A cover lamp according to claim 10, wherein:

the one or more second LED or LEDs is provided on the first principal portion on the side of said second corner section, LED; and

said second corner section is formed with the concavities and convexities oriented in parallel with the vertical direction and aligned continuously in the direction of the width of the vehicle on the inner surface thereof for reflecting light from said one or more second LED or LEDs toward the front and side of the vehicle.

12. A cover lamp according to claim 10, wherein:

said one or more second LED or LEDs is provided on said first principal portion on the side opposite from said second corner section; and

said second corner section is formed with the concavities and convexities oriented in parallel with the vertical direction and aligned continuously in the direction of width of the vehicle on the inner surface thereof for reflecting light from said one or more second LED or LEDs toward the front and side of the vehicle.

13. A cover lamp according to claim 12, wherein:

said plurality of light emitting elements is mounted on a support and is accommodated in said lamp housing; and

a first light reflector is provided on the surface of the said support facing toward said translucent lamp cover.

14. A cover lamp according to claim 12, wherein a curved second light reflector is provided on said first corner section of said lamp housing.

15. A cover lamp according to claim 12, wherein:

said lamp housing is formed with a recessed groove, said recessed groove which is capable of being fitted on the peripheral edge of said through hole is defined by the outer end portion of said first corner section and the outer end portion of said second corner section in a state in which the peripheral edge of said lamp housing and the peripheral edge of said lamp cover are adhered; and

said lamp housing is formed with a flange, said flange having a mounting hole formed at the inner end of the said first principal portion.

16. A cover lamp according to claim 10, wherein:

said plurality of light emitting elements is mounted on a support and is accommodated in said lamp housing; and

a first light reflector is provided on said surface of the support facing toward the translucent lamp cover.

17. A cover lamp according to claim 10, wherein a curved second light reflector is provided on said first corner section of said lamp housing.

18. A cover lamp according to claim 10, wherein:

said lamp housing is formed with a recessed groove, said recessed groove which is capable of being fitted on the peripheral edge of said through hole is defined by the outer end portion of said first corner section and the outer end portion of said second corner section in a state in which the peripheral edge of said lamp housing and the peripheral edge of said lamp cover are adhered; and

said lamp housing is formed with a flange, said flange having a mounting hole formed at the inner end of said first principal portion.