Instantly switchable see-through vehicular rear-view mirror

• US 9,827,911 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peteris Alberts Cers
• Original Assignee: Peteris Alberts Cers
• Inventors: Cers, Peteris Alberts
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERRY, EUNCHA P
• Application Number:
  US15/155,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20160334617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 359236
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/15 based on an electrochromic effect

Abstract

An adjustable rearview mirror that is designed to quickly transition between transparent and reflective states. The apparatus is configured to resemble traditional rearview mirrors used in vehicles. The apparatus includes a window mount, a pivoting connection arm, and a user controlled mirror panel. The window mount connects the rearview mirror to the windshield of a vehicle. The pivoting connection arm enables a user to reposition the rearview mirror at will. The user controlled panel can be placed into a reflective or a transparent state based on user input. A user is able to gain a relatively unhindered view of traffic through a vehicle windshield.

Claims

1. An electronically-controlled transitioning panel for a rearview mirror comprises:

a control unit;

a boom;

a mirror frame;

a control panel;

a transition panel;

the control unit comprises a microprocessor, a housing, and a window attachment mechanism;

the transition panel comprises an adjustable optical blind, a front transparent pane, and a back transparent pane;

the microprocessor being mounted within the housing;

the window attachment mechanism being mounted adjacent to the housing;

a first end of the boom being pivotably and adjacently connected to the housing;

the mirror frame being pivotably and adjacently connected to a second end of the boom, opposite to the housing;

the transition panel being perimetrically connected around the mirror frame;

the control panel being integrated into the mirror frame;

the adjustable optical blind being positioned in between the front transparent pane and the back transparent pane;

the control panel being electronically connected to the microprocessor; and

the microprocessor being electronically connected to the transition panel.

2. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a display device;

the display device being integrated into the housing; and

the display device being electronically connected to the microprocessor.

3. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

at least one environmental sensor;

the at least one environmental sensor being integrated into the mirror frame; and

the at least one environmental sensor being electronically connected to the microprocessor.

4. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the at least one environmental sensor further comprises a photodetector; and

the photodetector being positioned adjacent to the first transparent pane.

5. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a first adjustable opacity pane;

the first adjustable opacity pane being positioned between the front transparent pane and the adjustable optical blind; and

the first adjustable opacity pane being electronically connected to the microprocessor.

6. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

a second adjustable opacity pane;

the second adjustable opacity pane being positioned between the back transparent pane and the adjustable optical blind; and

the second adjustable opacity pane being electronically connected to the microprocessor.

7. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the adjustable optical blind comprises a plurality of micro-blinds and a transparent base pane;

each of the plurality of micro-blinds comprises a fixed terminal, a piezoelectric blind body, and a reflective coating;

the plurality of micro-blinds being distributed across the transparent base pane;

the fixed terminal being adjacently connected to the transparent base pane;

the piezoelectric blind body being adjacently connected to the fixed terminal, opposite to the transparent base pane;

the reflective coating being superimposed onto the piezoelectric blind body, opposite to the fixed terminal; and

the piezoelectric blind body being electrically connected to the microprocessor, through the fixed terminal.

8. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 7 comprises:

the piezoelectric blind body being a continuous strip; and

the continuous strip for each of the plurality of micro-blinds being positioned parallel to each other.

9. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 7 comprises:

the piezoelectric blind body being a series of tabs; and

the series of tabs for each of the plurality of micro-blinds being positioned parallel to each other.

10. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 7 comprises:

wherein the plurality of micro-blinds is in a closed configuration;

the piezoelectric blind body being positioned parallel to the transparent base pane; and

the reflective coating being oriented towards the front transparent pane.

11. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 7 comprises:

wherein the plurality of micro-blinds is in an open configuration; and

the piezoelectric blind body being coiled towards the fixed terminal.

12. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the adjustable optical blind comprises a plurality of slats, a plurality of reflective coatings, a first slat support, a second slat support, and an actuation mechanism;

each of the plurality of slats being pivotably and adjacently connected to the first slat support;

each of the plurality of slats being pivotably and adjacently connected to the second slat support, opposite to the first slat support;

the plurality of slats being oriented parallel to each other;

the first actuation mechanism being integrated through the first slat support;

each of the plurality of slats being operatively coupled to the first actuation mechanism, wherein the actuation mechanism actuates the plurality of slats between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

the first actuation mechanism being electronically connected to the microprocessor; and

each of the plurality of reflective coatings being superimposed onto a corresponding slat from the plurality of slats.

13. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 12 comprises:

wherein the plurality of slats is in a closed configuration;

the plurality of slats being positioned parallel to the front transparent pane;

the plurality of slats being positioned coplanar to each other; and

each of the plurality of reflective coatings being oriented towards the front transparent pane.

14. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 12 comprises:

wherein the plurality of slats is in an open configuration; and

each of the plurality of slats being positioned perpendicular to the front transparent pane.

15. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 1 comprises:

the adjustable optical blind comprises a plurality of slats, a plurality of reflective coatings, a first slat support, a second slat support, a first actuation mechanism, and a second actuation mechanism;

each of the plurality of slats being slidably and adjacently connected to the first slat support;

each of the plurality of slats being slidably and adjacently connected to the second slat support, opposite to the first slat support;

the plurality of slats being oriented parallel to each other;

the first actuation mechanism being integrated through the first slat support;

the second actuation mechanism being integrated through the second slat support;

each of the plurality of slats being operatively coupled to the first actuation mechanism and the second actuation mechanism, wherein the first actuation mechanism and the second actuation mechanism actuates the plurality of slats between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

the first actuation mechanism and the second actuation mechanism being electronically connected to the microprocessor; and

each of the plurality of reflective coatings being superimposed onto a corresponding slat from the plurality of slats.

16. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 15 comprises:

the first actuation mechanism and the second actuation mechanism each comprise a plurality of actuation tracks;

each of the plurality of actuation tracks comprises a semicircular track and an oblong-shaped pin;

the oblong-shaped pin comprises a pair of major vertices;

the semicircular track comprises a first track end and a second track end;

the first track end and the second track end being magnetically dipolar to each other;

the pair of major vertices being magnetically dipolar to each other;

the oblong-shaped pin being engaged along the semicircular track;

the oblong-shaped pin for each of the plurality of actuation tracks of the first actuation mechanism being adjacently connected to the corresponding slat; and

the oblong-shaped pin for each of the plurality of actuation tracks of the second actuation mechanism being adjacently connected to the corresponding slat.

17. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 15 comprises:

wherein the plurality of slats is in a closed configuration;

the plurality of slats being positioned parallel to the front transparent pane;

the plurality of slats being positioned coplanar to each other; and

each of the plurality of reflective coatings being oriented towards the front transparent pane.

18. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 15 comprises:

wherein the plurality of slats is in an open configuration; and

each of the plurality of slats being positioned perpendicular to the front transparent pane.

19. The electronically-controlled transitioning panel for the rearview mirror as claimed in claim 6 comprises:

the second adjustable opacity pane being at least one supplementary adjustable optical blind;

the at least one supplementary adjustable optical blind being positioned between the back transparent pane and the adjustable optical blind; and

the at least one supplementary adjustable optical blind being electronically connected to the microprocessor.