Rearview mirror

• US 20030011905A1
• Filed: 07/09/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Suyama, Terumasa
• Granted Patent: US 6,746,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/838
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems

Abstract

A rearview mirror is located between a driver'"'"'s seat and a front passenger'"'"'s seat. The rearview mirror includes a housing, a reflector, and an interface. The housing includes a front surface facing the driver'"'"'s seat, a rear surface at the opposite side of the front surface, and a slot at a part closer to the driver'"'"'s seat than the passenger'"'"'s seat. A recording medium is attached to and removed from the interface by moving the recording medium along a predetermined moving axis. The interface performs at least one of reading of data from the medium and writing of data to the medium. The predetermined moving axis is inclined relative to the width direction of the housing such that the predetermined moving axis approaches the center in the width direction of the housing from the front surface toward the rear surface.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror located between a driver'"'"'s seat and a front passenger'"'"'s seat in a front section of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, the rearview mirror comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing includes a front surface facing the driver'"'"'s seat, a rear surface at the opposite side of the front surface, and a slot at a part of the housing closer to the driver'"'"'s seat than the passenger'"'"'s seat, wherein the slot receives a recording medium that stores predetermined data;

a reflector attached to the front surface of the housing; and

an interface located in the housing, wherein the recording medium is attached to and removed from the interface by moving the recording medium along a predetermined moving axis, wherein the interface performs at least one of reading of data from the recording medium and writing of data to the recording medium, and wherein the predetermined moving axis is inclined relative to the front surface of the housing such that the predetermined moving axis approaches toward the center of the housing.

2. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the slot is formed on at least one side of the housing facing the driver'"'"'s seat such that a driver can see at least a part of the slot when facing the reflector.

3. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the slot is formed on more than one side of the housing.

4. The rearview mirror according to claim 3, wherein the slot is formed on the front surface and a lower surface of the housing.

5. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the slot is a first slot, and the rearview mirror further includes a second slot, wherein the second slot is located at a part of the housing closer to the front passenger'"'"'s seat than the driver'"'"'s seat.

6. The rearview mirror according to claim 5, wherein the interface is a first interface, and the rearview mirror further includes a second interface, which corresponds to the second slot.

7. The rearview mirror according to claim 6, wherein the first slot and the second slot are substantially symmetric with respect to a plane that passes through the center of the housing, and wherein the first interface and the second interface are substantially symmetric with respect to said plane.

8. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, further comprising a cover, wherein the cover selectively covers the slot.

9. The rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined moving axis is inclined by thirty degrees with respect to the front surface of the housing.

10. A rearview mirror located between a driver'"'"'s seat and a front passenger'"'"'s seat in a front section of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, the rearview mirror comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing includes a front surface facing the driver'"'"'s seat, a rear surface at the opposite side of the front surface, and a slot at a part of the housing closer to the driver'"'"'s seat than the passenger'"'"'s seat, wherein the slot receives a recording medium that stores predetermined data;

a reflector attached to the front surface of the housing; and

an interface located in the housing to correspond to the slot, wherein the interface includes a mount portion, to which the recording medium is detachably attached, wherein the mount portion is inclined relative to the surface of the reflector such that the mount portion approaches the center of the housing.

11. The rearview mirror according to claim 10, wherein the slot is formed on at least one side of the housing facing the driver'"'"'s seat such that a driver can see at leant a part of the slot when facing the reflector.

12. The rearview mirror according to claim 10, wherein the slot is formed on more than one side of the housing.

13. The rearview mirror according to claim 12, wherein the slot is formed on the front surface and a lower surface of the housing.

14. The rearview mirror according to claim 10, wherein the slot is a first slot, and the rearview mirror further includes a second slot, wherein the second slot is located at a part of the housing closer to the front passenger'"'"'s seat than the driver'"'"'s seat.

15. The rearview mirror according to claim 14, wherein the interface is a first interface, and the rearview mirror further includes a second interface, which corresponds to the second slot.

16. The rearview mirror according to claim 15, wherein the first slot and the second slot are substantially symmetric with respect to a plane that passes through the center of the housing, and wherein the first interface and the second interface are substantially symmetric with respect to said plane.

17. The rearview mirror according to claim 10, further comprising a cover, wherein the cover selectively covers the slot.

18. The rearview mirror according to claim 10, wherein the mount portion is inclined by thirty degrees with respect to the surface of the reflector.