Apparatus for detecting the direction of light for dazzle-free mirrors

• US 4,669,826 A
• Filed: 02/13/1985
• Issued: 06/02/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Itoh, Hiroshi, Hara, Kunihiko, Fukada, Tsuyoshi, Suzuki, Yasutoshi, Ohmi, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, David
• Application Number:
  US06/701,224
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 350/338, 350/331 R, 350/278-284
• US Class Current: 359/604
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/088 using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors

Abstract

In a vehicle having an interior room mirror and a pair of exterior right and left side mirrors, a single photo sensor is provided for detecting an intensity of light incident from the rear of the vehicle. A driving circuit drives both the room mirror and the side mirrors into a dazzle-free condition in common when the photo diode detects the intensive rear light. Alternatively two photo sensors are provided for detecting not only the intensity of the rear light but also direction of the rear light and both the room mirror and one of the right and left side mirrors are driven into the dazzle-free condition in accordance with both the intensity and direction of the rear light.

Claims

1. An apparatus for driving an interior room mirror and a pair of exterior right and left side mirrors of a vehicle comprising:

rear light detecting means for detecting an intensity and for detecting whether the direction of light incident generally from the rear of the vehicle is incident from the right, left or center of said vehicle; and

driving means for driving both said interior room mirror and one of said exterior right and left side mirrors substantially simultaneously into dazzle-free operation in accordance with the intensity and direction of the rear light detected by said rear light detecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rear light detecting means includes a pair of photo sensors one of which is arranged to detect light incident from only directly behind and rear right of the vehicle and the other of which is arranged to detect light incident from only directly behind and rear left of the vehicle.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said rear light detecting means comprises a casing provided with a pair of slits facing the rear of the vehicle and encasing said photo sensors therein.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said photo sensors are positioned behind said slits respectively, and toward a point central between said slits.