Power telescoping vehicle mirror assembly

• US 7,287,867 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Inventors: Wellington, Jason Kingsley, Dickson, James Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US10/494,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20040246608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841, 359/843, 359/864, 359/865, 359/872, 359/881, 359/877
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing

Abstract

A power telescoping vehicle mirror assembly (10) comprising a bracket (12) mountable to a vehicle, a mirror head (15), telescopically mounted to the bracket (12), a mirror (16) mounted to the head (15), a power telescope motor mechanism (30) for telescopically moving the head (15) with respect to the bracket (12), a position controller for controlling the extent to which the mirror head (15) extends with respect to the vehicle, a switch operable by a driver of the vehicle, the switch providing a signal to the position controller, and an input means for providing the position controller with a set point, wherein upon actuation of the switch, the head (15) telescopically moves with respect to the bracket (12) from a retracted position to a partially extended position determined by the set point. In an other embodiment, a spotter mirror, and a spotter mirror motor mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the spotter mirror with respect to the mirror head is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A power telescoping vehicle mirror assembly comprising:

a bracket mountable to a vehicle;

a mirror head telescopically mounted to the bracket;

a mirror pivotally mounted to the head, said mirror head includes a spotter mirror and a main mirror, the spotter mirror having a wider field of view than the main mirror, and at least one of said mirrors is pivotably mounted to said mirror head;

a main mirror adjusting motor mechanism for adjusting the angular position of the main mirror with respect to the head;

a power telescope motor mechanism for telescopically moving the head with respect to the bracket between a retracted position and an extended position;

a switch operable by a driver of the vehicle, the switch providing a signal to actuate the power telescope motor mechanism;

a position sensor for sensing the telescopic position of the mirror head with respect to the bracket; and

a compensating controller, the compensating controller controlling the angular position of the main mirror with respect to the head in response to the telescopic position of the head as sensed by the position sensor.

2. A power telescoping vehicle mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the angle between the normal axis of the main mirror and the longitudinal axis of the vehicle increases as the mirror head extends away from the bracket.

3. A power telescoping vehicle mirror assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein the increase is such that a continually acceptable field of view is presented to the driver without the need for manual adjustment of the angular position of the main mirror with respect to the head.

4. A vehicle external mirror assembly comprising:

a bracket mountable to a vehicle;

a mirror head mounted to the bracket;

a main mirror mounted to the head;

a spotter mirror mounted to the head, the spotter mirror having a wider field of view than the main mirror;

a spotter mirror motor mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the spotter mirror with respect to the head;

wherein when the vehicle is placed in a reversed gear, the orientation of the spotter mirror is automatically adjusted to assume an orientation that provides a different field of view for reversing;

a power telescope motor mechanism for telescopically moving the head with respect to the bracket;

a position controller for controlling the extent to which the mirror head extends with respect to the vehicle;

a switch operable by a driver of the vehicle, the switch providing a signal to the position controller; and

an input for providing the position controller with a set point;

wherein upon actuation of the switch, the head telescopically moves with respect to the bracket from a retracted position to a partially extended position determined by the set point;

a position sensor for sensing the telescopic position of the mirror head with respect to the bracket; and

a compensating controller, the compensating controller controlling the angular position of the main mirror with respect to the head in response to the telescopic position of the head as sensed by the position sensor.

5. A vehicle external mirror assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the angle between the normal axis of the main mirror and the longitudinal axis of the vehicle increases as the mirror head extends away from the bracket.

6. A vehicle external mirror assembly as claimed in claim 5 wherein the increase is such that a continually acceptable field of view is presented to the driver without the need for manual adjustment of the angular position of the main mirror with respect to the head.

7. A vehicle external mirror assembly comprising:

a bracket mountable to a vehicle;

a mirror head mounted to the bracket;

a main mirror mounted to the head;

a spotter mirror mounted to the head, the spotter mirror having a wider field of view than the main mirror;

a spotter mirror motor mechanism for adjusting the orientation of the spotter mirror with respect to the head;

a power telescope motor mechanism for telescopically moving the head with respect to the bracket;

a position controller for controlling the extent to which the mirror head extends with respect to the vehicle;

a switch operable by a driver of the vehicle, the switch providing a signal to the position controller; and

an input for providing the position controller with a set point,

wherein upon actuation of the switch, the head telescopically moves with respect to the bracket from a retracted position to a partially extended position determined by the set point;

a position sensor for sensing the telescopic position of the mirror head with respect to the bracket; and

a compensating controller, the compensating controller controlling the angular position of the main mirror with respect to the head in response to the telescopic position of the head as sensed by the position sensor.

8. A vehicle external mirror assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the angle between the normal axis of the main mirror and the longitudinal axis of the vehicle increases as the mirror head extends away from the bracket.

9. A vehicle external mirror assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein the increase is such that a continually acceptable field of view is presented to the driver without the need for manual adjustment of the angular position of the main mirror with respect to the head.