Full display rearview device

• US 10,807,535 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2018
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Minikey, Jr., Danny L., Fish, Jr., Richard T., Hamlin, Bradley R., Lisowski, Michael F., Hallack, Jason D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Deherrera, Kristina M
• Application Number:
  US16/143,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20190023185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• Field of Search: 359630, 359265-275, 359277, 359245-247, 359254, 359242, 345 49, 345105, 345107, 248817, 248474, 248479, 438929
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0612 by electrically actuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/087 with remote or automatic control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens

Abstract

A display mirror assembly having a mount operably coupled to a vehicle interior. The mount includes one of a ball and a socket extending forwardly therefrom. An engagement plate is pivotally coupled with the mount via the other of a ball and a socket extending rearwardly from the engagement plate. The engagement plate includes a first support member and a second support member pivotally coupled to the first support member. A carrier plate is operably coupled with the engagement plate. The carrier plate supports a rear housing on a rear portion thereof. A glass element is operably coupled with the carrier plate. A display module is configured to be turned to an on state and an off state. An actuator device is disposed on a bottom surface of the housing and is operably coupled with the glass element. The actuator device is adjustable to tilt the glass element.

Claims

1. A display mirror assembly comprising:

a mount configured to be operably coupled to an interior of a vehicle;

a carrier plate;

a mounting member disposed between the mount and the carrier plate and operably connecting the carrier plate and the mount;

a front shield attached to the carrier plate, the front shield having a generally ring shape forming an opening;

a display module disposed between the carrier plate and the front shield, the display module including a display viewable through the opening of the front shield;

a glass element connected to the front shield, and the display module is viewable through the glass element; and

a rear housing including a cavity in which the front shield, the carrier plate, and the display module are at least partially disposed;

wherein, the carrier plate and the front shield are configured to shield the display module from radio frequency electromagnetic radiation; and

wherein, the carrier plate bears the weight of the display mirror assembly on the mount and the front shield does not.

2. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the mount including one of a ball and a socket;

and

the mounting member having the other of the ball and a socket.

3. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the mount configured to be coupled to a windshield of the vehicle.

4. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the carrier plate and the front shield comprising stamped steel.

5. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the display module further including an optic stack, an optic tray, a main printed circuit board, and a heat sink.

6. The display mirror assembly of claim 5,

wherein, the display, the optic stack, the main printed circuit board, and the heat sink are so ordered from the front shield toward the carrier plate.

7. The display mirror assembly of claim 5,

the display module further including a secondary printed circuit board electrically connected with the main printed circuit board, the secondary printed circuit board having a width that extends along a top edge of the display.

8. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the glass element including a border that incorporates an edge treatment to conceal the front shield from view.

9. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the display module further including a main printed circuit board that is in electrical communication with the glass element.

10. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the glass element being adhered to the front shield.

11. The display mirror assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

an adjustable actuator device that selectively tilts the glass element in a first direction or a second direction, such that in the first direction the glass element is in an off-axis position and in the second direction the glass element is in an on-axis position.

12. The display mirror assembly of claim 11,

adjusting the actuator device additionally changes an on/off state of the display, such that when the actuator device is adjusted to tilt the glass element to the off-axis position, the actuator device turns the display off.

13. The display mirror assembly of claim 11,

adjusting the actuator device moves the carrier plate, and the rear housing moves with the carrier plate.

14. The display mirror assembly of claim 1,

the glass element including an outer perimeter;

and

the front shield including an outer surface that is generally coextensive with the outer perimeter of the glass element.

15. The display mirror assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a glare sensor disposed to a rear side of an optic tray of the display module.

16. The display mirror assembly of claim 15,

the glare sensor receiving light through a light pipe that extends outside of the rear housing.

17. A display mirror assembly comprising:

a front shield including a front side;

a glass element adhered to the front side of the front shield;

a display, an optic stack, and an optic tray attached to the front shield;

a main printed circuit board attached to the optic tray and electro-optically connected to the glass element;

a secondary printed circuit board attached to a heat sink forming a subassembly that is attached to the optic tray;

a carrier plate attached to the front shield so as to encapsulate the display, the optic stack, the optic tray, the main printed circuit board, and the secondary printed circuit board between the carrier plate and the front shield, the carrier plate operably connected to a mount that is configured to be attached to a windshield of a vehicle, the carrier plate and not the front shield bearing the weight of the display mirror assembly on the mount; and

a rear housing attached to a rear portion of the carrier plate.

18. The display mirror assembly of claim 17,

the secondary printed circuit board attached to the heat sink with a thermally conductive adhesive.

19. The display mirror assembly of claim 17 further comprising:

a glare sensor provided on a rear side of the optic tray.

20. A display mirror assembly comprising:

a mount operably coupled to a vehicle interior;

a carrier plate operably coupled with the mount, the carrier plate (i) having a rear portion, (ii) at least partially bearing the weight of a rear housing on the rear portion, and (iii) bearing the weight of the display mirror assembly on the mount;

a glass element operably coupled with the carrier plate;

an optic stack disposed behind the glass element;

a display configured to be turned to an on state and an off state; and

an actuator device operably coupled with the glass element, wherein the actuator device is adjustable to tilt the glass element in one direction, thereby moving the glass element to an off-axis position which approximately simultaneously changes the on/off state of the display, and wherein the actuator device is also adjustable to tilt the glass element in another direction, thereby moving the glass element to an on-axis position which approximately simultaneously changes the on/off state of the display.