Rearview mirror for a vehicle

• US 7,404,654 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Donnelly GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Magna Donnelly GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Lueftner, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US11/141,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20050270789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/135, 362140-144, 362/520, 362/540
• 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: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays

Abstract

A rearview mirror (01) for a vehicle with a partly transparent reflective element (03) for observing the traffic behind has at least one signaling mechanism with light-emitting lighting device (05, 07) provided on the rear side of the reflective element (03). The light of the signaling mechanism is radiated at a specific angle of radiation in a predominant direction (13, 14), so that the lighting strength on the front side of the reflective element (03) depends on the viewing angle relative to the predominant direction (13, 14). An optical convergent lens (11), which collects the light signals of the lighting device (05, 07) and deflects them in the direction of the predominant direction (13, 14), is arranged between the lighting device (05, 07) and the reflective element (03).

Claims

1. A rearview mirror for a vehicle, the rearview mirror comprising:

a reflective element for observing the traffic behind;

a signaling mechanism with light-emitting lighting means provided on a rear side of the reflective element, the light of the signaling mechanism radiating at a specific angle of radiation in a predominant direction so that the lighting strength on the front side of the reflective element depends on the viewing angle relative to the predominant direction, said light-emitting lighting means having a defined center point and a lighting means optical axis, said lighting means optical axis extending through said center point; and

an optical convergent lens having a defined optical central axis, said optical convergent lens having a domed outside surface disposed opposite said lighting means, said lighting means optical axis extending parallel to said optical central axis at a spaced location therefrom such that said optical central axis of said convergent lens does not extend through said center point of said lighting means, whereby said lighting means is located at a position offset from said optical central axis of said optical convergent lens, said optical convergent lens collecting the light signals of the lighting means and deflecting them in the direction of the predominant direction, said optical convergent lens being arranged between the lighting means and the reflective element.

2. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-emitting lighting means is designed as a semiconductor component forming a light-emitting semiconductor diode.

3. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical convergent lens comprises several convergent lenses formed by plural lenticular or domed shapings on the outside of a transparent plate.

4. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein arranged between the lighting means and the reflective element is an opaque masking element, which has openings in the region of the convergent lenses.

5. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signaling mechanism radiates light including red light, in the predominant direction, so that maximum illumination strength is achieved when the front side of the reflective element is viewed from the driving position.

6. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signaling mechanism radiates light including yellow light, in the predominant direction, so that maximum illumination strength is achieved when the front side of the reflective element is viewed from a position behind the vehicle and/or to the side of the vehicle.

7. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein several substantially point lighting means are arranged along the contours of a warning and/or reference signal on the rear side of the reflective element.

8. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 7, wherein the warning and/or reference signal is in the form of an arrow and/or triangle and or stroke.

9. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 8, wherein the brightness of the light radiated by the signaling mechanism is in the region of over 1500 cd/m² by day.

10. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 8, wherein the brightness of the light radiated by the signaling mechanism is in the region of 100 to 300 cd/m² by night.

11. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brightness of the light radiated by the signaling mechanism can be changed depending on the measuring result of a sensor, with which the lighting ratios can be measured in the surrounding area.

12. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rearview mirror is designed as an outside rearview mirror.

13. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rearview mirror is designed as an internal rearview mirror.

14. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a transparent plate located between said optical convergent lens and said light-emitting lighting means.

15. A vehicle rearview mirror comprising:

a reflective element for the driver to observe traffic behind the vehicle;

a signaling mechanism with a light-emitting element provided on a rear side of the reflective element, said light-emitting element having a defined center point and a defined light-emitting element axis extending through said center point, the light of the signaling mechanism radiating at a specific angle of radiation in a predominant direction with respect to said light-emitting element axis so that a lighting strength, as viewed from the front side of the reflective element, depends on the viewing angle relative to the predominant direction; and

an optical convergent lens having a defined central optical axis, said optical convergent lens having a curved surface, said optical convergent lens collecting the light of the lighting element and deflecting some of the light into the direction of the predominant direction, said optical convergent lens being arranged between the lighting element and the reflective element, said light-emitting element being disposed opposite said curved surface of said optical convergent lens such that said light-emitting element axis is parallel to said optical central axis of said optical convergent lens, whereby said optical central axis does not intersect said center point of said light-emitting element.

16. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 15, wherein the lighting element is a light-emitting semiconductor diode and the convergent lens is configured rotationally symmetrically to an optical central axis that does not run through the center point of the lighting element.

17. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 15, said optical convergent lens and several additional convergent lenses are formed by plural lenticular or domed shapings on the outside of a transparent plate and said lighting element is a light-emitting semiconductor diode arranged with several additional light-emitting semiconductor diodes relative to said lenses.

18. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 17, further comprising an opaque masking element arranged between said light-emitting semiconductor diodes and the reflective element, wherein openings are located in the region of the convergent lenses.

19. The rearview mirror as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a transparent plate located between said optical convergent lens and said lighting element.

20. A vehicle rearview mirror comprising:

a reflective element for the driver to observe traffic behind the vehicle;

a warning mechanism with a first light-emitting element provided on a rear side of the reflective element, said first light-emitting element having a defined first light-emitting element axis, the light of the warning mechanism radiating at a specific angle of radiation in a first predominant direction so that a first lighting strength, as viewed from the front side of the reflective element, depends on the viewing angle relative to the first predominant direction such that said warning mechanism is viewable only by a driver in the vehicle;

a signaling mechanism with a second light-emitting element provided on a rear side of the reflective element, said second light-emitting element having a defined second light-emitting element axis, the light of the signaling mechanism radiating at a specific angle of radiation in a second predominant direction so that a second lighting strength, as viewed from the front side of the reflective element, depends on the viewing angle relative to the second predominant direction such that said signaling mechanism is viewable only by the traffic behind the vehicle; and

a first optical convergent lens having a defined first central optical axis, said first light-emitting element axis being parallel to said first central optical axis, said first optical convergent lens having a curved surface, said first optical convergent lens collecting the light of the first lighting element and deflecting some of the light into the direction of the first predominant direction, said first optical convergent lens being arranged between the first lighting element and the reflective element, said first light-emitting element being disposed opposite said curved surface of said first optical convergent lens such that said first light-emitting element is located at a position offset from said optical central axis of said first optical convergent lens;

a second optical convergent lens having a defined second central optical axis, said second light-emitting element axis being parallel to said second central optical axis, said second optical convergent lens having a curved surface, said second optical convergent lens collecting the light of the second lighting element and deflecting some of the light into the direction of the second predominant direction, said second optical convergent lens being arranged between the second lighting element and the reflective element, said second light-emitting element being disposed opposite said curved surface of said second optical convergent lens such that said second light-emitting element is located at a position offset from said optical central axis of said second optical convergent lens.