Device for viewing front-lateral area of vehicle

• US 8,545,071 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2010
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Uematsu, Hiroshi, Kishimoto, Yuya, Mugikura, Norio, Hosobe, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US13/375,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20120075879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 362/540, 362/494, 359/832, 359/850
• 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: B60Q 1/381 with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/10 Front-view mirror arrangements; specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; Periscope arrangements , i.e. optical devices using combinations of mirrors, lenses, prisms or the like specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; for viewing traffic-lights B60R1/005; Other mirror arrangements giving a view from above or under the vehicle

Abstract

Provided is a device for viewing a front-lateral area of a vehicle. A front-lateral viewing device (16) comprises a mirror body (41) of a door mirror (21), a mirror housing (42), a first reflection mirror (22) which is provided in the mirror (42) and which reflects a desired range from a front area to a lateral area with respect to a side portion (55) of a vehicle body, and a second reflection mirror (23) which reflects light from the first reflection mirror (22) toward a vehicle occupant. The mirror housing (42) has a recess (111) where a front surface (108) is inwardly recessed. The first reflection mirror (22) is provided in the recess (111). A blinker (14) is provided at a position spaced from an outer end (95) of the first reflection mirror (22) at a predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A device for viewing a front-lateral area of a vehicle, comprising:

a door mirror attached to a door forming part of a side portion of a vehicle body;

a first reflection mirror, provided to the door mirror, for reflecting a desired range from a front area to a lateral area with respect to a side portion of the vehicle body; and

a second reflection mirror for reflecting light from the first reflection mirror toward a vehicle occupant,

characterized in that the door mirror has a mirror body and a mirror housing for accommodating and holding the mirror body, and the mirror housing has a recess which is inwardly recessed, the first reflection mirror being provided in the recess and disposed so as to be deeper in than an outer edge of the recess.

2. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 1, wherein the recess has a tapered wall part formed so as to widen in the direction in which the first reflection mirror reflects the desired range.

3. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 1, wherein the door mirror has a blinker, the blinker is disposed so that an inside end of the blinker is positioned farther to the outside than an outside end of the first reflection mirror, and the blinker extends from a front surface to an outside surface of the mirror housing.

4. The front-lateral area viewing device according to claim 2, wherein the tapered wall part has a chamfered portion formed in an edge.

5. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 3, wherein the blinker has a light-guiding plate which diminishes the amount of light when light passes through.

6. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 5, wherein the blinker has a light source and the light-guiding plate, the light source is disposed in an end portion of the blinker, and the light-guiding plate is disposed so as to extend from the position where the light source is disposed toward an inner side of the mirror housing.

7. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 1, wherein the first reflection mirror is a convex mirror, and the recess is formed with a depth such that the first reflection mirror is positioned farther to the rear of the vehicle than a front end of the mirror housing.

8. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 1, wherein the mirror housing has a top curved portion formed to be curved from a center distal end to a top side portion and a bottom curved portion formed to be curved from the center distal end to a bottom portion, and the first reflection mirror is provided to the bottom curved portion.

9. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 1, wherein the mirror housing has a center peak positioned farthest toward the front of the vehicle in a vertical center and a bottom curved portion formed so as to curve from the center peak to a bottom portion, and the first reflection mirror is provided to the bottom curved portion.

10. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 1, wherein the door mirror has a blinker, the blinker is disposed so that a bottom end of the blinker is positioned higher than a top end of the first reflection mirror, and the blinker extends from a front surface to an outside surface of the mirror housing.

11. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 10, wherein the blinker has a light-guiding plate which diminishes the amount of light when light passes through.

12. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 11, wherein the blinker has a light source and the light-guiding plate, the light source is disposed in an end portion of the blinker, and the light-guiding plate is disposed so as to extend from the position where the light source is disposed toward an inner side of the mirror housing.

13. A device for viewing a front-lateral area of a vehicle, comprising:

a door mirror, attached to a door, for forming part of a side portion of a vehicle body;

a first reflection mirror, provided to the door mirror, for reflecting a desired range from a front area to a lateral area with respect to a side portion of a vehicle body; and

a second reflection mirror for reflecting light from the first reflection mirror toward a vehicle occupant,

characterized in that the first reflection mirror is provided so as to reflect at least part of the side portion of the vehicle body, and

the side portion of the vehicle body has a blinker in a region inside the range reflected in the first reflection mirror, and shielding means for shielding light that is emitted from the blinker and directed toward the first reflection mirror.

14. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 13, wherein the blinker has a radiation angle of radiating light within a range of 15°

upward and 15°

downward relative to a horizontal line along the door, and the shielding means is disposed in a position which does not interfere with the radiation angle.

15. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 13, wherein the shielding means is a light-blocking plate which extends along the blinker and which blocks light directed from the blinker toward the first reflection mirror.

16. The front-lateral area viewing device of claim 13, wherein the side portion of the vehicle body includes a front fender, and the shielding means includes:

an open portion opening toward the rear of the vehicle in the front fender; and

support means which connects to the open portion, is positioned in an inner side of the front fender and supports the blinker.

17. A device for viewing a front-lateral area of a vehicle, comprising:

a door mirror attached to a door forming part of a side portion of a vehicle body;

a first reflection mirror, provided to the door mirror, for reflecting a desired range from a front area to a lateral area with respect to a side portion of a vehicle body; and

a second reflection mirror for reflecting light from the first reflection mirror toward a vehicle occupant,

characterized in that the first reflection mirror is provided so as to reflect at least part of the side portion of the vehicle body, and the side portion of the vehicle body has a blinker in a region outside the range reflected in the first reflection mirror.