Power adjust rear view mirror

• US 20070183068A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nissan Technical Center North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kozlowski, Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/346,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20070183068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/877
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

A power-adjust rear view mirror system. The power-adjust rear view mirror system includes a power-adjust mechanism structure coupled to a mirror structure both of which are located within a vehicular passenger compartment. One or more control pads include operating devices that, when actuated, cause the power-adjust mechanism structure to manipulate the vertical pitch and horizontal pitch position of the mirror structure.

Claims

1. A power-adjust rear view mirror system, comprising:

a power-adjust mechanism structure coupled to a mirror structure, wherein the power-adjust mechanism structure and the mirror structure are located within a passenger compartment of a vehicle; and

one or more operating devices that, when activated, actuate the power-adjust mechanism structure to manipulate a position of the mirror structure relative to a vehicle operator.

2. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 1, wherein,

the power-adjust mechanism structure includes a sleeve portion received by and attached to an attachment feature, wherein said attachment feature is connected to a support structure, wherein the support structure is connected to one of an inboard surface of a front windshield or a headliner of the vehicle.

3. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 1, wherein the power-adjust mechanism structure includes a vertical pitch mechanism and a horizontal pitch mechanism.

4. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 3, wherein the vertical pitch mechanism and horizontal pitch mechanism each include a motor coupled to a drive mechanism, wherein each motor receives signals initiated from the one or more operating devices or a saved position signal setting stored in a memory.

5. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more operating devices are mounted to a control pad located remotely from the mirror structure.

6. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 5, wherein the control pad is located proximate an arm rest in the passenger compartment.

7. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more operating devices are mounted to two control pads.

8. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 1, wherein the mirror structure includes a mirror and a frame.

9. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 8, wherein the one or more operating devices are mounted to a control pad attached to the mirror structure.

10. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 9, wherein the control pad is connected to the frame.

11. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more operating devices include respectively associated printed indicia, and wherein when one of said one or more operating devices is activated, the power-adjust mechanism structure manipulates the position of the mirror structure.

12. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 11, wherein said power-adjust mechanism structure manipulates a pitch of the mirror structure along a vertical arc, about a first axis X and along a horizontal arc about a second axis Y.

13. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 1, further including:

a memory that stores vertical and horizontal pitch position data associated with a position of the mirror structure.

14. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 13, wherein the one or more operating devices are mounted to a control pad, and wherein the one or more operating devices further include a program switch, that, when activated, causes data representative of a vertical pitch position and horizontal pitch position of the mirror structure to be stored in the memory.

15. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 14, wherein the control pad includes a memory switch, that, when activated, causes the mirror structure to be manipulated to a vertical pitch position and horizontal pitch position consistent with a previously stored vertical and horizontal pitch position of the mirror structure.

16. A power-adjust rear view mirror system, comprising:

power-adjusting means for adjusting a mirror located within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, and

operating means, interacting with the power-adjusting means, for manipulating a vertical pitch and a horizontal pitch position of the mirror relative to a vehicle operator.

17. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 16, wherein the operating means is mounted to a control pad located remote from the mirror.

18. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 16, wherein the mirror is accompanied with a frame.

19. The power-adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 16, further including:

storing means for storing position data associated with the vertical pitch position and the horizontal pitch position of the mirror.

20. The power adjust rear view mirror system according to claim 16, wherein said power adjust means further includes at least one pitch mechanism having a motor coupled between a drive mechanism and a motor interface.