Exterior mirror for motor vehicle

• US 7,360,908 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Visiocorp Patents S.a.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Visiocorp Patents S.a.r.l.
• Inventors: Dumont, Daniel, Duroux, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/602,923
• Time in Patent Office: 2,860 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841, 359/843, 359/872, 359/877
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/074 for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle

Abstract

An exterior rear view mirror for a vehicle has a housing pivotally mounted on a base for angular movement about a first pivot axis and an electric motor for causing such movement. A controller operates the motor at either of two different speeds. The controller includes a counter for counting the number of revolutions of the output shaft of the motor so as to determining the angle through which the housing has been moved, thus enabling the housing to be restored to its original position by causing the motor to perform the same number of revolutions in the opposite direction.

Claims

1. An exterior rear view mirror for a vehicle comprising:

a base for mounting on a vehicle body;

a housing pivotally mounted on said base for angular movement about a first pivot axis;

at least one rib integrally formed within the interior of said housing;

a carrier contained within said housing and pivotally mounted to said at least one rib for pivoting about a second axis;

a reflective member mounted on said carrier;

a mounting member connected to said at least one rib and contained within said housing;

an electric motor mounted on said mounting member, said electric motor having an output shaft selectively operable to cause angular movement of said housing about said first pivot axis at a first discrete speed and at a second discrete speed;

a controller adapted to control the electric motor to selectively drive said housing about said first pivot axis either at said first discrete speed or at said second discrete speed which is faster than said first discrete speed; and

wherein said exterior mirror further includes a counter for counting the number of revolutions of said electric motor.

2. The exterior mirror of claim 1, wherein said carrier further includes at least one bracket journalled on a shaft, said shaft being mounted on said at least one rib, and forming said second pivot axis.

3. The exterior mirror of claim 1, wherein when said housing is moved from a deployed position to a parked position, the controller will command the electric motor to rotate the housing about the first pivot axis positioning said housing in a folded position adjacent the side of the vehicle against a stop, and the counter will count the number of revolutions performed by the motor.

4. The exterior rear view mirror of claim 3, wherein when the housing is to be returned to the deployed position from the parked position, the controller will command the electric motor to rotate the housing about the first pivot axis from the parked position to the deployed position, and the controller will command the electric motor to rotate the same number of revolutions compared to when the housing was moved from the deployed position to the parked position, thereby moving the housing to the deployed position.