Vehicle exterior mirror system with light module
First Claim
1. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
- a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element;
a turn signal light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at a side of a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system, said turn signal light module is at least in part disposed at a portion of said mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly that faces forward in a direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said turn signal light module comprises a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light;
wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises at least three illumination sources that, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, are arranged horizontally at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources, when powered, emit light in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle;
wherein said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises an inboard illumination source, an outboard illumination source and at least one intermediate illumination source disposed between said inboard illumination source and said outboard illumination source;
wherein said inboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is closer to the side of the equipped vehicle than said at least one intermediate illumination source and said outboard illumination source;
wherein said outboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is farther from the side of the equipped vehicle than said inboard illumination source and said at least one intermediate illumination source;
wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a turn signal indicator system operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive to activation by the driver of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, said illumination sources are sequentially powered in an outward direction to provide an appearance of an outward moving light;
wherein the sequential powering of said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises sequential powering of individual illumination sources from said inboard illumination source of said turn signal light module to said outboard illumination source of said turn signal light module; and
wherein, responsive to activation of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, light emanates from said turn signal light module at an outboard portion of said mirror casing so as to be viewable to a driver of another vehicle that is at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) sideward of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lighted exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly and a turn signal light module disposed thereat. The light module includes at least three illumination sources that, with the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the vehicle, are arranged horizontally at the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly. The at least three illumination sources are operable to emit light in a forward direction with respect to the vehicle. Responsive to activation by the driver of the turn signal indicator system of the vehicle, the illumination sources are sequentially powered in an outward direction to provide an appearance of an outward moving light, and light emanates from the turn signal light module at an outboard portion of the mirror casing so as to be viewable to a driver of another vehicle sideward and rearward of the equipped vehicle.
167 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
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a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element; a turn signal light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at a side of a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system, said turn signal light module is at least in part disposed at a portion of said mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly that faces forward in a direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said turn signal light module comprises a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light; wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises at least three illumination sources that, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, are arranged horizontally at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources, when powered, emit light in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle; wherein said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises an inboard illumination source, an outboard illumination source and at least one intermediate illumination source disposed between said inboard illumination source and said outboard illumination source; wherein said inboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is closer to the side of the equipped vehicle than said at least one intermediate illumination source and said outboard illumination source; wherein said outboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is farther from the side of the equipped vehicle than said inboard illumination source and said at least one intermediate illumination source; wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a turn signal indicator system operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to activation by the driver of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, said illumination sources are sequentially powered in an outward direction to provide an appearance of an outward moving light; wherein the sequential powering of said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises sequential powering of individual illumination sources from said inboard illumination source of said turn signal light module to said outboard illumination source of said turn signal light module; and wherein, responsive to activation of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, light emanates from said turn signal light module at an outboard portion of said mirror casing so as to be viewable to a driver of another vehicle that is at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) sideward of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
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a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element; a turn signal light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at a side of a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system, said turn signal light module is at least in part disposed at a portion of said mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly that faces forward in a direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said turn signal light module comprises a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light; wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises at least four illumination sources that, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, are arranged horizontally at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said at least four illumination sources comprises at least four amber light-emitting light emitting diodes; wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said at least four horizontally arranged illumination sources, when powered, emit light in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle; wherein said at least four horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises an inboard illumination source, an outboard illumination source and at least two intermediate illumination sources disposed between said inboard illumination source and said outboard illumination source; wherein said inboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is closer to the side of the equipped vehicle than said at least two intermediate illumination sources and said outboard illumination source; wherein said outboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is farther from the side of the equipped vehicle than said inboard illumination source and said at least two intermediate illumination sources; wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a turn signal indicator system operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle; wherein a control is responsive to the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle to selectively individually energize said at least four horizontally arranged illumination sources; wherein, responsive to activation by the driver of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, said illumination sources are sequentially controlled by the control in an outward direction to provide an appearance of an outward moving light; wherein the sequential controlling of said at least four horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises sequential controlling, by the control, of individual illumination sources from said inboard illumination source of said turn signal light module to said outboard illumination source of said turn signal light module; and wherein, responsive to activation of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, light emanates from said turn signal light module at an outboard portion of said mirror casing so as to be viewable to a driver of another vehicle that is at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) sideward of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A lighted exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
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a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror casing and a reflective element; a turn signal light module disposed at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at a side of a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior rearview mirror system, said turn signal light module is at least in part disposed at a portion of said mirror casing of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly that faces forward in a direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said turn signal light module comprises a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light; wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises at least three illumination sources that, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, are arranged horizontally at said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly; wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources, when powered, emit light in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle; wherein said turn signal light module comprises a light-transmitting cover, and wherein said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources are disposed behind said light-transmitting cover and operable to emit light that passes through said light-transmitting cover; wherein said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises at least three amber light-emitting light emitting diodes; wherein said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises an inboard illumination source, an outboard illumination source and at least one intermediate illumination source disposed between said inboard illumination source and said outboard illumination source; wherein said inboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is closer to the side of the equipped vehicle than said at least one intermediate illumination source and said outboard illumination source; wherein said outboard illumination source, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is farther from the side of the equipped vehicle than said inboard illumination source and said at least one intermediate illumination source; wherein said illumination sources are controlled responsive to a turn signal indicator system operable by a driver of the equipped vehicle normally operating the equipped vehicle; wherein, responsive to activation by the driver of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, said illumination sources are sequentially powered in an outward direction to provide an appearance of an outward moving light; wherein the sequential powering of said at least three horizontally arranged illumination sources comprises sequential powering of individual illumination sources from said inboard illumination source of said turn signal light module to said outboard illumination source of said turn signal light module; and wherein, responsive to activation of the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, light emanates from said turn signal light module at an outboard portion of said mirror casing so as to be viewable to a driver of another vehicle that is at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) sideward of the equipped vehicle and (ii) rearward of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification