INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRATED INDICATOR SYMBOL

• US 20120068839A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Campbell, Douglas C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,180,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays

Abstract

This invention relates to interior rearview mirror assemblies for vehicles and to interior rearview mirror assemblies without a frame or bezel having inputs corresponding to elements representing a symbol. The symbols are located behind a reflective element and not visible until activated by selection of the corresponding input or other means.

Claims

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

a reflective element;

a mirror housing to support the reflective element;

at least one user input disposed on the mirror to operate at least one symbol disposed behind the reflective element.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol is illuminated by at least one illumination source when activated.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the reflective element is transflective such that the at least one symbol is visible upon activation and hidden upon deactivation.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the at least one symbol is activated by at least one of the following conditions:

selection of the at least one user input, starting an ignition of the vehicle, opening of a vehicle door, status of the headlamps, user activated feature and sensing user movement.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein an intensity of the at least one illumination source is dependent on at least one of sensitivity of ambient light, status of the headlamps, and intensity of vehicle dashboard lighting.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one symbol is a single indicator.

7. The mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one symbol is located such that it illuminates a portion of an edge of the reflective element.

8. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol is a single symbol that corresponds to each of the at least one user inputs.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein for each of the at least one user inputs there is a corresponding at least one symbol.

10. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol is a multi-color symbol configured to indicate various functions corresponding to a controllable device actuated by the at least one user input.

11. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one symbol is a reconfigurable display.

12. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one illumination source is at least one of:

a light emitting diode, organic light emitting diode, inorganic light emitting diode, electroluminescent light emitting junction, element and multiple elements.

13. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the reflective element is not supported by a bezel.

14. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the symbols are configured to illuminate for a predetermined or user selectable amount of time.

15. The mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein the conditions to activate the at least one symbol are defined by a user.

16. A mirror system of a vehicle, comprising:

an interior rearview mirror assembly including a reflective element, a mirror housing to support the reflective element, at least one user input disposed on the mirror to operate at least one symbol disposed behind the reflective element, wherein

the reflective element is a transflective element such that the at least one symbol is visible upon activation and hidden during deactivation.

17. The mirror system of claim 16, wherein the at least one symbol is illuminated by at least one illumination source when activated.

18. The mirror system of claim 17, wherein the at least one symbol is activated by at least one of:

selection of the at least one user input, starting an ignition of the vehicle, opening of a vehicle door, status of the headlamps, user activated feature and sensing user movement.

19. The mirror system of claim 18, wherein the reflective element is transflective such that the at least one symbol is visible upon activation and hidden upon deactivation.

20. The mirror system of claim 19, wherein an intensity of the at least one illumination source is dependent on at least one of sensitivity of ambient light, status of the headlamps, and intensity of vehicle dashboard lighting.

21. The mirror system of claim 19, wherein the at least one symbol is a single indicator.

22. The mirror system of claim 19, wherein the at least one symbol is located such that it illuminates a portion of an edge of the reflective element.

23. The mirror system of claim 16, wherein the at least one symbol is a single symbol that corresponds to each of the at least one user inputs.

24. The mirror system of claim 16, wherein for each of the at least one user inputs there is a corresponding at least one symbol.

25. The mirror system of claim 16, wherein the at least one symbol is a multi-color symbol configured to indicate various functions corresponding to a controllable device actuated by the at least one user input.

26. The mirror system of claim 16, wherein the at least one symbol is a reconfigurable display.

27. The mirror system of claim 17, wherein the at least one illumination source is at least one of:

an light emitting diode, organic light emitting diode, electroluminescent light emitting junction, element and multiple elements.

28. The mirror system of claim 16, wherein the reflective element is not supported by a bezel.

29. The mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein the symbols are configured to illuminate for a predetermined or user selectable amount of time.

30. The mirror assembly of claim 18, wherein the conditions to activate the at least one symbol are defined by a user