Vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly with actuator

• US 10,189,409 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mohan, Jake A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beatty, Collin X
• Application Number:
  US15/482,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20170210294A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 359604, 359606
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/025 comprising special mechanical means for correcting the field of view in relation to particular driving conditions, e.g. change of lane; scanning mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/087 with remote or automatic control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/04 using prisms only
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13318 Circuits comprising a photodetector
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/153 Constructional details

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element disposed at a housing. The housing and the reflective element are tandemly and pivotally adjustable about a mounting structure mounted at an interior portion of the vehicle to provide a desired rearward field of view to a driver of the vehicle. A user input is actuatable by the driver of the vehicle. A motorized actuator is operable responsive to actuation of the user input to tilt the reflective element and the housing in tandem about a horizontal axis. Responsive to actuation of the motorized actuator responsive to the user input, the motorized actuator tandemly tilts the reflective element and the housing about the horizontal axis to orientate an outermost front surface of the reflective element more towards the driver or more away from the driver.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting structure configured for mounting at an interior portion of a vehicle;

wherein the interior portion of the vehicle is at an interior surface of a windshield of the vehicle;

a housing;

a frameless reflective element disposed at said housing;

wherein, with said mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, said housing and the frameless reflective element are tandemly and pivotally adjustable about said mounting structure via a single ball joint to provide a desired rearward field of view to a driver of the vehicle;

wherein said single ball joint allows for manual adjustment of said housing and the frameless reflective element in tandem about said mounting structure;

a user input actuatable by the driver of the vehicle when said mounting structure is mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle and when the driver is driving the vehicle;

a motorized actuator operable responsive to actuation of said user input;

wherein said motorized actuator is operable to tilt the frameless reflective element and said housing in tandem about a horizontal axis; and

wherein, responsive to actuation of said motorized actuator responsive to said user input, said motorized actuator tandemly tilts the frameless reflective element and said housing about the horizontal axis to orientate an outermost front surface of the frameless reflective element more towards the driver or more away from the driver.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said motorized actuator comprises (i) an actuator body that houses at least one motor and (ii) an adjustment plate that is adjustable relative to said actuator body via actuation of said at least one motor, and wherein said actuator body is mounted at said mounting structure, and wherein said adjustment plate is disposed at the rear of the frameless reflective element.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said user input comprises a touch sensor.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said motorized actuator is operable to tilt the frameless reflective element and said housing in tandem about the horizontal axis from a nominal position of the frameless reflective element.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein said motorized actuator is operable to tilt the frameless reflective element and said housing in tandem about the horizontal axis from a nominal position of the frameless reflective element by an angle in a range from 2 degrees to 4 degrees.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the frameless reflective element comprises a frameless electrochromic reflective element, and wherein a metallic perimeter band is disposed around a perimeter of the frameless reflective element.

7. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting structure configured for mounting at an interior portion of a vehicle;

wherein the interior portion of a vehicle is at an interior surface of a windshield of the vehicle;

a housing;

a frameless electrochromic reflective element disposed at said housing;

wherein, with said mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, said housing and the frameless electrochromic reflective element are tandemly and pivotally adjustable about said mounting structure via a single ball joint to provide a desired rearward field of view to a driver of the vehicle;

a user input actuatable by the driver of the vehicle when said mounting structure is mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle and when the driver is driving the vehicle;

a motorized actuator operable responsive to actuation of said user input;

wherein said motorized actuator is operable to tilt the frameless electrochromic reflective element and said housing in tandem about a horizontal axis; and

wherein, responsive to actuation of said motorized actuator responsive to said user input, said motorized actuator tandemly tilts the frameless electrochromic reflective element and said housing about the horizontal axis to orientate an outermost front surface of the frameless electrochromic reflective element more towards the driver or more away from the driver.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein a perimeter region of the outermost front surface of the frameless electrochromic reflective element that circumscribes the frameless electrochromic reflective element is exposed.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said housing comprises a bezel portion that circumscribes a perimeter region of the outermost front surface of the frameless electrochromic reflective element.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein said motorized actuator is operable to tilt the frameless electrochromic reflective element and said housing in tandem about the horizontal axis from a nominal position of the frameless electrochromic reflective element by an angle in a range from 2 degrees to 4 degrees.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said user input comprises a touch sensor.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said touch sensor is disposed at said housing.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein said single ball joint allows for manual adjustment of said housing and the frameless electrochromic reflective element in tandem about said mounting structure.