Outside mirror system

• US 7,248,423 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2006
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Horii, Takayoshi, Teraoka, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US11/339,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 359/726, 359/727, 359/831, 359/833, 359/850, 359/855, 359/857, 359/861, 359/872
• US Class Current: 359/833
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators

Abstract

A transparent member has a light incident surface formed in such a manner as to be oriented downwards, a light emitting surface formed in such a manner as to be oriented towards a driver M and a reflecting mirror surface having a reflecting member integrally attached thereto which is formed into a convex surface relative to the driver on an opposite side to the light emitting surface. The light incident surface is formed into the shape of an integrally angled concave surface. The light emitting surface is formed into the shape of an externally angled convex surface. The reflecting mirror surface includes a central convex mirror surface portion which is oriented further downwards at a central portion of the reflecting mirror surface.

Claims

1. An outside mirror system comprising:

a mirror which reflects a rearward view relative to a vehicle; and

a transparent member which reflects an outside downward view relative to the vehicle, wherein

the transparent member has a light incident surface which is formed so as to be oriented downwards, a light emitting surface which is formed so as to be oriented towards a driver and a reflecting mirror surface which has a reflecting member integrally attached thereto on an opposite side to the light emitting surface and is formed into a convex surface relative to the driver.

2. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light emitting surface is formed into the shape of an externally angled convex surface.

3. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the light incident surface is formed into the shape of an internally angled concave surface.

4. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the reflecting mirror surface includes at a central portion thereof and a central convex mirror surface portion which is oriented further downwards than end portions thereof.

5. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 2, wherein assuming that a radius of the central portion of the reflecting mirror surface is Rm and a radius of the end portions thereof which continue to the central portion is R, the radius R is made larger than the radius Rm.

6. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light incident surface is formed into the shape of an internally angled concave surface.

7. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the reflecting mirror surface includes at a central portion thereof and a central convex mirror surface portion which is oriented further downwards than end portions thereof.

8. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 6, wherein assuming that a radius of the central portion of the reflecting mirror surface is Rm and a radius of the end portions thereof which continue to the central portion is R, the radius R is made larger than the radius Rm.

9. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the reflecting mirror surface includes at a central portion thereof and a central convex mirror surface portion which is oriented further downwards than end portions thereof.

10. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 9, wherein assuming that a radius of the central portion of the reflecting mirror surface is Rm and a radius of the end portions thereof which continue to the central portion is R, the radius R is made larger than the radius Rm.

11. An outside mirror system as set forth in claim 1, wherein assuming that a radius of the central portion of the reflecting mirror surface is Rm and a radius of the end portions thereof which continue to the central portion is R, the radius R is made larger than the radius Rm.