Automatically adjusting side mirror assembly for a vehicle

• US 8,285,457 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: International Truck Intellectual Property Co. LLC (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Askew, Gerald W
• Primary Examiner(s): CONSILVIO, MARK J
• Application Number:
  US13/097,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20120275039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 701/49, 359/841
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0612 by electrically actuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0617 foldable along the vehicle, e.g. in case of external force applied thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens

Abstract

An automatically adjusting side mirror assembly for a vehicle having an eye gaze detection system has a mirror subassembly, a support bracket, an actuator mechanism and a biasing mechanism. The mirror subassembly has a first and second position. The second position aligns the mirror subassembly generally parallel to the vehicle in order to provide better aerodynamics. The support bracket connects to the vehicle. The mirror subassembly is connected to the support bracket. The actuator mechanism and the biasing mechanism each connects to the mirror subassembly. The actuator mechanism has a first and second position corresponding to the first and second position of the mirror subassembly. The actuator mechanism is in electrical communication with the eye gaze detection system to position the mirror subassembly to the first position in response to an output of the eye gaze detection system. The biasing mechanism biases the mirror subassembly to the first position.

Claims

1. An automatically adjusting side mirror assembly for a vehicle, the automatically adjusting side mirror assembly comprising:

an eye gaze detection system;

a mirror subassembly having a first position and a second position, the second position aligning the mirror subassembly generally parallel to the vehicle;

a support bracket connected to the vehicle, the mirror subassembly being connected to the support bracket; and

an actuator mechanism connected to the mirror subassembly, the actuator mechanism having a first position and a second position corresponding to the first position and the second position of the mirror subassembly, the actuator mechanism being disposed in electrical communication with the eye gaze detection system to position the mirror subassembly to the first position in response to an output of the eye gaze detection system indicating that an operator of the vehicle is looking toward the mirror subassembly and to position the mirror subassembly to the second position in response to an output of the eye gaze detection system indicating that an operator of the vehicle is not looking toward the mirror subassembly.

2. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a biasing mechanism connected to the mirror subassembly, the biasing mechanism adapted to bias the mirror subassembly to the first position.

3. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the actuator mechanism is coupled to the support bracket.

4. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises an electric motor.

5. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a solenoid.

6. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

7. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, further comprising a heating device attached to the actuator mechanism.

8. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the first position aligns the mirror subassembly to generally provide a view towards a back end of the vehicle.

9. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the mirror subassembly further comprises at least two vertical mirror slats.

10. The automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the mirror subassembly further comprises at least two horizontal mirror slats.

11. A vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly comprising:

an eye gaze detection system;

a controller disposed in electrical communication with the eye gaze detection system and configured to receive an output signal of the eye gaze detection system;

an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly having a mirror subassembly and a support bracket, the mirror subassembly having a first position and a second position, the mirror subassembly being connected to the support bracket, the second position aligning the mirror portion generally parallel to the vehicle; and

an actuator mechanism connected to the mirror subassembly, the actuator mechanism having a first position and a second position corresponding to the first position and the second position of the mirror subassembly, the actuator mechanism being disposed in electrical communication with the controller to position the mirror subassembly to the first position in response to an output of the controller indicating that an operator of the vehicle is looking toward the mirror subassembly and to position the mirror subassembly to the second position in response to an output of the controller indicating that an operator of the vehicle is not looking toward the mirror subassembly.

12. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

a biasing mechanism connected to the mirror subassembly, the biasing mechanism biasing the mirror subassembly to the first position.

13. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the actuator mechanism is coupled to the support bracket.

14. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises an electric motor.

15. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a solenoid.

16. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the biasing mechanism comprises a spring.

17. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, further comprising a heating device attached to the actuator mechanism.

18. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the first position aligns the mirror subassembly to generally provide a view towards a back end of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the mirror subassembly further comprises at least two vertical mirror slats.

20. The vehicle having an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the mirror subassembly further comprises at least two horizontal mirror slats.

21. A method of operating an automatically adjusting side mirror assembly for a vehicle having an eye gaze detection system, the method comprising:

determining whether a vehicle operator is attempting to use the automatically adjusting side mirror assembly by utilizing the eye gaze detection system;

positioning a mirror subassembly of the automatically adjusting side mirror assembly to a first position from a second position when the eye gaze detection system determines the vehicle operator is attempting to use the automatically adjusting side mirror assembly, wherein the first mirror subassembly position generally provides a view toward a back end of the vehicle and the second mirror subassembly position is generally parallel to the vehicle.