Outside mirror with blinker light for vehicles

• US 7,025,486 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2003
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Inventors: Lang, Heinrich, Seiboth, Wolfgang, Hecht, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAYNE, SHARON E
• Application Number:
  US10/408,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004841A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 362/546, 362/545, 362/248, 362/494, 362/509, 362/510, 362/511, 362/520, 362/223, 362/224, 362/240, 362/244, 362/311, 362/326, 362/337, 362/800, 359838-884
• US Class Current: 362/546
• 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: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A light assembly for a vehicle mirror is provided. The light assembly in one aspect has a light directing arrangement attached to a transparent pane, which directs a light beam into a specified zone, controls a color of the light beam and controls an intensity of the light. In another aspect, a pane is provided having similar attributes and a water drain and drip edge.

Claims

1. A light assembly for a vehicle mirror comprising:

a housing with an illumination source therein configured to transmit a light beam;

a pane carried by the housing through which the light is transmitted out of said housing; and

a light director disposed proximate said pane including a first series of strips carried on a first major surface of said pane and a second series of strips carried on a second of said pane major surface opposite the first major surface, wherein said first series of strips are disposed parallel with and offset from said second series of strips on opposing surfaces of said pane to define openings allowing said light beam to be directed into a specified angular zone.

2. The light assembly as in claim 1, wherein the pane is transparent and adapted to transmit a defined range of wavelengths from said illumination source.

3. The light assembly as in claim 1, wherein the pane includes a transparent part and said strips are imprinted on said pane to provide an opaque part to block light transmission.

4. The light assembly as in claim 1, wherein the illumination source is one of an LED, a fluorescent tube, an incandescent bulb, and combinations thereof operatively associated with a reflector aligned to radiate light from the illumination source in the direction of the specified angular zone.

5. The light assembly as in claim 1 wherein, the specified zone is from about 5 degrees to about 60 degrees relative to a direction of vehicle travel.

6. The light assembly as in claim 1, wherein the illumination source is substantially aligned with the means for directing the light beam such that the light beam emanates along a bisector of a specified zone.

7. The light assembly as in claim 1, wherein the housing defines one of a water drain, a drip edge and combinations thereof.

8. A light assembly for a vehicle mirror comprising:

a housing with an illumination source therein configured to transmit a light beam;

a pane carried by said housing through which the light is transmitted out of said housing;

a light director disposed adjacent the pane including a plurality of opaque slats laterally spaced to provide a plurality of openings for passing light; and

,

said slats including angled surfaces defining said openings for directing light from said illumination source through said pane into a specified angular zone.

9. The light assembly as in claim 8, wherein the specified zone is from about 5 degrees to about 60 degrees relative to a direction of vehicle travel.

10. A light assembly for a vehicle mirror comprising:

a housing with an illumination source therein configured to transmit a light beam;

a pane carried by said housing through which the light is transmitted out of said housing; and

a light director operatively associated with the pane having a prismatically shaped arrangement including an opaque area configured to direct the light beam into a specified angular zone.

11. The light assembly as in claim 10, wherein the light director is formed by the pane.

12. The light assembly as in claim 11, wherein the prismatically shaped arrangement of the light detector includes at least one prismatic unit having a first side generally facing the illumination source inside the housing, a second side disposed outside the housing facing normal to the direction of beam radiation, and a third side adjacent the second side providing the opaque area to prevent light transmission in an undesired direction.

13. The light assembly as in claim 10, wherein the specified zone is from about 5 degrees to about 60 degrees relative to a direction of vehicle travel.

14. A light assembly for a vehicle mirror comprising:

an opaque mirror housing carrying an illumination source therein configured to transmit a light beam;

a mirror pane carried by said mirror housing having a reflective coating;

a transparent pane mounted in said housing adjacent said mirror pane so that said light beam exits said housing through said transparent pane; and

a holographic light director carried by said transparent pane directing the light beam from the illumination source though said pane and into a specified angular zone.