Mirror assembly and method of reducing wind noise throb

• US 10,099,619 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Barnes, III, Nolen Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US15/411,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20180208118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 359841, 359877, 359843, 359871, 359900
• CPC Class Codes: B60B 1/06 Wheels with compression spokes wheels of high resiliency B60B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 1/2097 means to prevent rattling of vehicle windows anti-rattling means for vehicle doors E05F7/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks

Abstract

A mirror assembly includes a support arm, a mirror housing carried on the support arm and a mirror body held in the housing. A dynamic surface is provided on the support arm. A control module is configured to displace the dynamic surface between a home position and a deployed position. In the deployed position a wind stream flowing over the dynamic surface is redirected and wind noise throb is reduced.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly, comprising:

a support arm;

a mirror housing carried on said support arm;

a mirror body held in said mirror housing;

a dynamic surface on said support arm; and

a control module configured to displace said dynamic surface vertically between a home position and a deployed position.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said control module includes a controller and an actuator controlled by said controller.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said actuator includes a drive motor, a pinion driven by said drive motor and a gear rack carried on said dynamic surface wherein said pinion engages said gear rack.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said controller is configured to displace said dynamic surface between said home position to said deployed position in response to data input respecting window position status.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein said controller is configured to displace said dynamic surface between said home position and said deployed position in response to data input respecting sound pressure within a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle on which said mirror assembly is carried.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said controller is configured to displace said dynamic surface between said home position and said deployed position in response to data input respecting sound pressure within a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle on which said mirror assembly is carried.

7. A method of reducing wind noise throb associated with a window of a motor vehicle, comprising:

displacing, by actuator, a dynamic surface on a support arm of a mirror assembly from a home position to a deployed position whereby a wind stream flowing over said dynamic surface is redirected and wind noise throb is reduced;

controlling operation of said actuator with a controller; and

configuring said controller to displace said dynamic surface into said deployed position in response to said window being open.

8. The method of claim 7, including monitoring, by a window position status monitoring device, a current position of said window;

and

sending window position status data from said window position status monitoring device to said controller.

9. The method of claim 7, including configuring said controller to displace said dynamic surface into said deployed position in response to (a) said window being open and (b) sound pressure in a passenger compartment of said motor vehicle exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

10. The method of claim 9, including monitoring, by window position status monitoring device, a current position of said window;

and

sending current window position status data from said window position status monitoring device to said controller.

11. The method of claim 10, including monitoring, by sound pressure monitoring device, current sound pressure in the passenger compartment of said motor vehicle;

and

sending current sound pressure data from said sound pressure monitoring device to said controller.

12. The method of claim 7, including configuring said controller to displace said dynamic surface into said deployed position in response to (a) said window being open and (b) speed of said motor vehicle exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

13. The method of claim 12, including monitoring, by window position status monitoring device, a current position of said window;

and

sending window position status data from said window position status monitoring device to said controller.

14. The method of claim 13, including monitoring, by motor vehicle speed monitoring device, current speed of said motor vehicle;

and

sending current speed data from said motor vehicle speed monitoring device to said controller.

15. The method of claim 7, including configuring said controller to displace said dynamic surface into said home position in response to said window being closed.

16. The method of claim 7, including configuring said controller to displace said dynamic surface into said home position in response to a transmission of said motor vehicle being placed into park.

17. The method of claim 7, including configuring said controller to displace said dynamic surface into said home position in response to an ignition of said motor vehicle being turned off.