Exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle

• US 9,663,027 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: FICO Mirrors SA (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hellin Navarro, Sergio, Ruiz Ortega, Nestor, Novella, Maria Luisa, Montero Foix, Carles, Pujadas Beltran, Josep, Lopez Galera, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snyder, Zachary J
• Application Number:
  US14/184,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20150232020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• 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: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/30 characterised by reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/50 Waterproofing

Abstract

An exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle has a reflecting element, a clamping plate, a first adhesive element fixing the reflective element to the clamping plate, and a watertight illumination module. The watertight illumination module has a printed circuit board arranged within the watertight illumination module at an angle of 1 to 90 degrees relative to the clamping plate, at least one light emitting diode arranged on the printed circuit board, an inner reflective surface having a reflectivity coefficient of at least 30% and at least partially exposed to the light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode, and an outer portion with at least one hole with a sealing element engaged therein.

Claims

1. An exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a reflecting element with a multidimensional image;

a clamping plate;

a first adhesive element fixing the reflective element to the clamping plate; and

a watertight illumination module;

wherein the watertight illumination module is detachably attached to the first adhesive element and wherein the watertight illumination module further comprises;

an inner portion with an inner reflective surface with a reflectivity coefficient of at least 30%, the inner reflective surface at least partially exposed to the light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode,

a printed circuit board arranged within the inner portion at an angle of 1 to 90 degrees relative to the clamping plate, wherein a first side of the printed circuit board rests on the watertight illumination module and a second side opposite the first side does not rest on the watertight illumination module,

at least one light emitting diode arranged on the printed circuit board, and

an outer portion with at least one hole with a sealing element engaged therein.

2. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is arranged in an outermost part of the inner portion and the inner reflective surface is comprised in an innermost part of the inner portion.

3. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflecting element has a metalized first surface.

4. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflecting element has a metalized second surface.

5. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the watertight illumination module is detachably attached directly to the first adhesive element by a second adhesive element.

6. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first adhesive element is of the heating type.

7. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner reflective surface of the watertight illumination module is provided with a random structure.

8. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner reflective surface of the watertight illumination module is provided with a textured structure.

9. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner reflective surface is a metalized surface.

10. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sealing element is a plastic grommet.

11. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multidimensional image is provided on the second surface of the reflective element.

12. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multidimensional image is provided on the first surface of the reflective element.

13. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a light diffusing film disposed between the reflective element and the watertight illumination module.

14. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a reflective layer opaque to ambient light but transmissive to the light emitted by the watertight illumination module, having a thickness comprised between 1 nm and 1 μ

m and located between the multidimensional image and the watertight illumination module.

15. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reflecting layer is monolayer.

16. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the reflective layer is multilayer.

17. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the multidimensional image is provided on the first surface of the reflective element, and the reflective layer is provided at least partially on the second surface of the reflective element.

18. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a light diffusing film disposed between the reflective element and the watertight illumination module, wherein the reflective layer is provided on the light diffusing film.

19. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the watertight illumination module emits light indirectly through a reflective element by means of the at least one light emitting diode.

20. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the watertight illumination module has at least one cable connecting the printed circuit board with a connector, the at least one cable traversing the sealing element.

21. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 20, wherein the at least one cable is fixed to the clamping plate by at least one clip.

22. The exterior rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the watertight illumination module has an integrated connector.

23. An exterior rear view minor assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a reflecting element with a multidimensional image;

a clamping plate;

a first adhesive element fixing the reflective element to the clamping plate; and

a watertight illumination module, wherein the watertight illumination module is detachably attached to the first adhesive element and wherein the watertight illumination module further comprises;

at least one light emitting diode arranged on a circuit board at an angle of 1 to 90 degrees relative to the clamping plate, wherein the circuit board has a first surface facing the reflecting element and a second surface opposite the first, and wherein the at least one light emitting diode is arranged on the second surface of the circuit board;

an inner portion with an inner reflective surface with a reflectivity coefficient of at least 30%, the inner reflective surface at least partially exposed to the light emitted by the at least one light emitting diode such that light emitted from the at least one LED impinges on the inner reflective surface and reflects away therefrom, and

an outer portion with at least one hole with a sealing element engaged therein.