Electrically activatable light blocking cover for vehicle mirrors

• US 8,248,680 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Control Solutions Incorporated (ADAMA Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Control Solutions Incorporated (ADAMA Ltd.)
• Inventors: Brown, Alyn, Wiff, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAHLE, MAHIDERE S
• Application Number:
  US12/533,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20110026091A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 359/245, 359/265, 359/267.15, 359/291, 359/296, 359601-604, 359/606, 359/630, 372/45.01, 372/96, 372/99, 348/E9.027
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/157 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/02 reflective

Abstract

A cover for use in connection with a mirror of a vehicle is provided. The cover is provided with a lens having an electrically activatable material. The lens is positioned in front of the vehicle mirror. The electrically activatable material prevents the reflectivity of visible light off the mirror of the vehicle when the electrically activatable material is set to a light inhibiting state. A coupling device electrically couples the electrically activatable material to an electrical power source. An actuation device is adapted to set the electrically activatable material of the lens to the light inhibiting state in response to user operation such that the lens prevents the reflectivity of visible light off the mirror to reduce the observability of the vehicle mirror.

Claims

1. A cover for use in connection with a mirror of a vehicle, comprising:

a lens configured to be positioned in front of the vehicle mirror, the lens having an electrically activatable material in which the electrically activatable material blocks visible light directed towards the vehicle mirror such that the electrically activatable material prevents the visible light from being reflected off of the vehicle mirror when the electrically activatable material is set to a light inhibiting state;

a coupling device configured to electrically couple, at least in part, the electrically activatable material to an electrical power source; and

an actuator configured to set the electrically activatable material of the lens to the light inhibiting state in response to user operation such that the lens prevents reflection of the visible light off of the vehicle mirror to reduce observability of the vehicle mirror.

2. The cover of claim 1 wherein the electrically activatable material of the lens is an electro chromatic material.

3. The cover of claim 2 wherein the electrochromatic material comprises at least one layer of electrochromatic film.

4. The cover of claim 3 wherein the at least one layer of electrochromatic film is affixed to at least one layer of a transparent material of the lens.

5. The cover of claim 3 wherein the electrochromatic film is disposed between layers of transparent material of the lens.

6. The cover of claim 3 wherein the lens is housed in a bezel configured to be removably affixed to the vehicle mirror.

7. The cover of claim 1 wherein the vehicle mirror is a military combat vehicle mirror or a security vehicle mirror and wherein the electrically activatable material comprises at least one of:

(a) suspended particle device (SPD) material;

(b) liquid crystal display (LCD) material; and

(c) phase dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs).

8. The cover of claim 7 wherein the electrically activatable material is configured to block out substantially all ambient light from reflecting off the mirror when the electrically activatable material is set to the light inhibiting state.

9. The cover of claim 7 wherein the electrically activatable material is configured to selectively pass light of a particular spectrum to the mirror for reflection and block out light at wavelengths outside of the spectrum.

10. The cover of claim 7 wherein the electrically activatable material is configured to selectively pass infrared light to be reflected off the mirror while the electrically activatable material blocks visible light directed towards the mirror.

11. The cover of claim 10 wherein the electrically activatable material selectively passes light ranging from 700 nanometers to 1200 nanometers.

12. The cover of claim 1 wherein the lens is held in a bezel of the cover and wherein the bezel is configured to be releasably secured over the vehicle mirror.

13. The cover of claim 12 wherein the bezel comprises at least one rim adapted for snap-on securement of the bezel to the vehicle mirror.

14. The cover of claim 12 wherein the bezel is releasably securable to a back housing containing the vehicle mirror by a plurality of releasably securable clips or straps.

15. The cover of claim 1 wherein the electrically activatable material becomes opaque upon being electrically energized and the electrically activatable material becomes transparent upon being electrically de-energized.

16. The cover of claim 15 wherein the electrically activatable material becomes electrically energized upon reaching a voltage potential threshold such that the lens does not allow the reflectivity of ambient light off the vehicle mirror when the electrically activatable material is electrically energized.

17. The cover of claim 15 wherein the electrically activatable material is configured to block ambient light from reflecting off the mirror upon being electrically energized.

18. The cover of claim 1 wherein the electrically activatable material becomes opaque upon being electrically de-energized and the electrically activatable material becomes transparent upon being electrically energized.

19. The cover of claim 18 wherein the electrically activatable material becomes electrically de-energized upon removal of a voltage potential threshold such that the lens does not allow the reflectivity of ambient light off the vehicle mirror when the electrically activatable material is electrically de-energized.

20. The cover of claim 18 wherein the electrically activatable material is configured to block ambient light from reflecting off the mirror upon being electrically de-energized.

21. The cover of claim 1 wherein the actuator is positioned at a control panel within the vehicle and wherein the actuator comprises at least one of:

(a) a switch;

(b) panel touch screen;

(c) button; and

(d) sensor.

22. The cover of claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises at least one of:

(a) a hardwired switch;

(b) a software switch; and

(c) wireless control.

23. The cover of claim 1 wherein the electrical power source comprises vehicle power and wherein the vehicle power is coupled with a control panel of the vehicle.

24. The cover of claim 1 wherein the electrical power source comprises a vehicle battery and wherein the vehicle battery is coupled with a control panel of the vehicle.

25. The cover of claim 1 wherein the electrical power source comprises an accessory battery and wherein the accessory battery is coupled with the control panel, the control panel is configured to re-charge the accessory battery based on conditions of a vehicle battery.

26. A mirror cover kit comprising:

a bezel substantially sized and shaped to fit over a mirror mounted on a vehicle;

a lens having an electrically activatable material that blocks visible light directed towards the mirror such that the electrically activatable material prevents the visible light from being reflected off of the mirror when the electrically activatable material is set to a light inhibiting state;

a coupling device configured to electrically couple, at least in part, the electrically activatable material to an electrical power source;

an actuation device configured to activate the electrically activatable material of the lens and prevent reflection of the visible light off of the vehicle mirror to reduce observability of the vehicle mirror; and

a mounting device for mounting and affixing the bezel over a housing of the mirror of the vehicle.

27. The mirror cover kit of claim 26 wherein the mounting device further comprises clips or straps.

28. The mirror cover kit of claim 26 wherein the electrically activatable material comprises at least one layer of electrochromatic film and wherein the electrochromatic film is disposed between layers of transparent material of the lens.

29. A method of utilizing a cover to reduce the observability of a mirror of a vehicle, comprising:

positioning a lens in front of the vehicle mirror, the lens having an electrically activatable material in which the electrically activatable material blocks visible light directed towards the vehicle mirror such that the electrically activatable material prevents the visible light from being reflected off of the vehicle mirror when the electrically activatable material is set to a light inhibiting state;

electrically coupling, at least in part, the electrically activatable material with an electrical power source; and

switching the electrically activatable material of the lens from a light passing state to a light inhibiting state such that, in the light inhibiting state, the lens prevents reflection of the visible light off of the vehicle mirror to reduce observability of the vehicle mirror.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the electrically activatable material further comprises at least one layer of electrochromatic film.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising positioning the at least one layer of electrochromatic film between layers of transparent material of the lens.

32. The method of claim 29 further comprising placing the lens in a bezel configured to be removably affixed to the vehicle mirror.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the vehicle mirror is a military combat vehicle mirror or a security vehicle mirror and wherein the electrically activatable material comprises at least one of:

(a) suspended particle device (SPD) material;

(b) liquid crystal display (LCD) material; and

(c) phase dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs).

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising blocking out substantially all ambient light from reflecting off the mirror when the electrically activatable material is set to the light inhibiting state.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising selectivity passing light of a particular spectrum to the mirror for reflection and blocking out light at wavelengths outside of the spectrum.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising selectively passing infrared light to be reflected off the mirror and blocking out visible light while the electrically activatable material blocks visible light directed towards the mirror.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising selectively passing light ranging from 700 nanometers to 1200 nanometers through the lens.

38. The method of claim 29 further comprising holding the lens in a bezel of the cover and releasably securing the bezel over the vehicle mirror.

39. The method of claim 38 further comprising releasably securing the bezel to a back housing containing the vehicle mirror by a plurality of securable clip or straps.

40. The method of claim 29 further comprising electrically energizing the electrically activatable material such that the electrically activatable material becomes opaque, and de-energizing the electrically activatable material such that electrically activatable material becomes transparent.

41. The method of claim 29 further comprising electrically de-energizing the electrically activatable material such that the electrically activatable material becomes opaque, and electrically energizing the electrically activatable material such that the electrically activatable material becomes transparent.

42. The method of claim 29 wherein the electrical power source comprises vehicle power and further comprising coupling the vehicle power with a control panel of the vehicle.

43. The method of claim 29 wherein the electrical power source comprises a vehicle battery and further comprising coupling the vehicle battery with a control panel of the vehicle.

44. The method of claim 29 wherein the electrical power source comprises an accessory battery and further comprising coupling the accessory battery with a control panel, and re-charging the accessory battery based on conditions of a vehicle battery.