Dimmable rearview assembly having a glare sensor

• US 7,543,946 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2004
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Walser, Jeremy A., Tuttle, Darin D., Stam, Joseph S., Bechtel, Jon H., Ockerse, Harold C., Rumsey, Wayne J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amari; Alessandro
• Assistant Examiner(s): Consilvio; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/833,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 359601-603, 359265-275, 250/216, 250/239
• US Class Current: 359/604
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0407 Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. manifolds, windows, holograms, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0411 using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0422 using light concentrators, collectors or condensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0474 Diffusers cavities G01J2001/0481
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/42 using electric radiation detectors optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/46 using a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0076 for use with a detector G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0215 the surface having a regular structure
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0221 the surface having an irregular structure G02B5/0226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details

Abstract

A rearview assembly of the present invention may include a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle, a rearview element disposed in the housing for providing an image to the driver of the rearward view from the vehicle, and a glare sensor positioned to receive light from passing through the rearview element. The glare sensor may be a surface-mounted to a circuit board. An optional secondary optical element may be disposed between the rearview element and the glare sensor. The optional secondary optical element may have an anamorphic lens for providing different fields of view horizontally versus vertically.

Claims

1. A rearview assembly for use in a vehicle, said rearview assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;

a rearview element disposed in said housing for providing an image to the driver of the rearward view from the vehicle, said rearview element comprising a reflective surface, wherein a substantially transparent window is formed in said reflective surface; and

a glare sensor subassembly mounted behind said window in said rearview element so as to sense light passing through said window of said rearview element, said glare sensor subassembly comprising a non-imaging glare sensor device and a secondary optical element positioned between said glare sensor device and said rearview element, said secondary optical element comprising a component providing a lens function, wherein said glare sensor device comprises;

a support structure;

a sensing circuit mounted on said support substrate for sensing light and generating an electrical output signal in response thereto; and

an encapsulant encapsulating said sensing circuit on said support structure, said encapsulant being configured to define a lens portion for focusing incident light onto an active surface of said sensing circuit, and a light collector portion surrounding the lens portion for collecting and redirecting light that is not incident on the lens portion onto the active surface of said sensing circuit, wherein said light collecting portion includes a parabolic surface.

2. The rearview assembly of claim 1, wherein said parabolic surface redirects incident light towards said sensing circuit by total internal reflection.

3. A rearview assembly for use in a vehicle, said rearview assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to the vehicle;

a rearview element disposed in said housing for providing an image to the driver of the rearward view from the vehicle; and

a glare sensor device mounted behind said rearview element so as to sense light passing through said rearview element, said glare sensor device comprising;

a support structure;

a sensing circuit mounted on said support substrate for sensing light and generating an electrical output signal in response thereto; and

an encapsulant encapsulating said sensing circuit on said support structure, said encapsulant being configured to define a lens portion for focusing incident light onto an active surface of said sensing circuit, and a light collector portion surrounding the lens portion for collecting and redirecting light that is not incident on the lens portion onto the active surface of said sensing circuit, wherein said light collecting portion includes a parabolic surface.

4. The rearview assembly of claim 3, wherein said support structure is a portion of a lead frame.

5. The rearview assembly of claim 4, wherein said portion of the lead frame includes at least two leads electrically coupled to said sensing circuit, and wherein said leads are retained by said encapsulant.

6. The rearview assembly of claim 3, wherein said lens portion is elliptical.

7. The rearview assembly of claim 6, wherein said light collecting portion includes an annular light receiving surface that lies in a plane perpendicular to the major axis of said elliptical lens portion and is disposed around said elliptical lens portion.

8. The rearview assembly of claim 3, wherein said parabolic surface redirects incident light towards said sensing circuit by total internal reflection.

9. The rearview assembly of claim 3 and further comprising a secondary optical element mounted between said glare sensor device and said rearview element.