Rear view mirror assembly

• US 7,048,420 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Arakawa, Kuniaki
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US10/726,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/476, 362/498, 362/543, 362/544, 362/545, 362/540, 362/541, 340/472, 340/475, 340/425.5, 340/463, 340/465
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 29/00 Adaptations or arrangements of mirrors for use on cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/056 characterised by control means

Abstract

A turn indicator light and a position light are provided for a rear mirror assembly mounted in a vehicle body. A light body for the turn indicator light is a filament light bulb and a light body for the position light is a light emitting diode. Positioning the lights in the rear mirror permits the width of the vehicle to be more recognizable. The turn indicator light and the position light are provided with individual light bodies, respectively, for allowing independent service to be performed with respect to each light.

Claims

1. A rear view mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror housing adapted for mounting on a vehicle body;

a mirror mounted to face rearwardly on the vehicle body; and

a turn indicator light and a separate position light mounted in the housing in positions separate from the mirror and projecting light outwardly from the vehicle body in a forward direction, said mirror housing including;

a first lens for covering said turn indicator light for enabling illumination therethrough; and

a second lens for covering said position light for enabling illumination therethrough,

wherein the first lens is larger than the second lens, and

wherein a side of the first lens abuts against a side of the second lens so that a substantial part of peripheries of the first and second lenses adjoin each other.

2. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein a light body of said turn indicator light is a filament light bulb and a light body of said position light is a light emitting diode, wherein the filament light bulb is mounted at an acute angle with respect to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the vehicle body being on a two-wheeled motor vehicle.

3. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said position light is kept OFF while said turn indicator light is flashing OFF and ON for direction indication.

4. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 2, wherein said position light is kept OFF while said turn indicator light is flashing OFF and ON for direction indication.

5. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of said light emitting diodes is provided for providing illumination.

6. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, and further including a base member for mounting the turn indicator light and the separate position light within the mirror housing, wherein the base is disposed on a forward side of the mirror housing and the mirror is disposed on a rearward side of the mirror housing.

7. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 6, wherein the base includes a wall surface disposed between the turn indicator light and the separate position light, said wall surface forming a reflector surface reflecting light from the turn indicator light forwardly.

8. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first lens is provided for covering said turn indicator light and the separate position light, and further including a sealing member operatively mounted between the mirror housing and the first lens for providing a water tight closure.

17. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, and since the peripheries of the first and second lenses adjoin each other, the illumination from the turn indicator light is able to pass through the second lens.

18. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the illumination from the turn indicator light is able to pass through both the first lens and the second lens.

9. A rear view mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror housing having a forward surface and a rearward surface;

a mirror mounted relative to said rearward surface of the mirror housing for viewing in a rearward direction; and

a turn indicator light and a separate position light mounted relative to said forward surface of the mirror housing for selectively providing illumination out of the mirror housing in a forward direction, the mirror and the lights being separate from each other, said mirror housing including;

a first lens for covering said turn indicator light for enabling illumination therethrough;

a second lens for covering said position light for enabling illumination therethrough; and

a base attached to the mirror housing,

wherein the first lens is larger than the second lens and

wherein a side of the first lens and a side of the second lens fit into a common groove that a substantial part of peripheries of the first and the second lenses adjoin each other.

10. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 9, wherein a light body of said turn indicator light is a filament light bulb and a light body of said position light is a light emitting diode, wherein the filament light bulb is mounted at an acute angle with respect to a mirror surface longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, the vehicle body being on a two-wheeled motor vehicle.

11. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 9, wherein said position light is kept OFF while said turn indicator light is flashing OFF and ON for direction indication.

12. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 10, wherein said position light is kept OFF while said turn indicator light is flashing OFF and ON for direction indication.

13. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of said light emitting diodes is provided for providing illumination.

14. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 9, wherein the turn indicator light and the separate position light are mounted on the base within the mirror housing.

15. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 14, wherein the base includes a wall surface disposed between the turn indicator light and the separate position light, said wall surface forming a reflector surface reflecting light from the turn indicator light forwardly.

16. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first lens is provided for covering said turn indicator light and the separate position light, and further including a sealing member operatively mounted between the mirror housing and the first lens for providing a water tight closure.

19. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 9, and since the peripheries of the first and second lenses adjoin each other, the illumination from the turn indicator light is able to pass through the second lens.

20. The rear view mirror assembly according to claim 9, wherein the illumination from the turn indicator light is able to pass through both the first lens and the second lens.