Rear view mirror position control device of automobile

• US 4,727,302 A
• Filed: 03/24/1986
• Issued: 02/23/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Shiro, Mizuta, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Keane, Patrick C.
• Application Number:
  US06/843,066
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 318/568, 318/567, 318/466-468, 350/637, 350/632, 350/633, 350/634
• US Class Current: 318/567
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/025 comprising special mechanical means for correcting the field of view in relation to particular driving conditions, e.g. change of lane; scanning mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/023 for transmission of signals between vehicle parts or subsystems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36463 Manual switch to drive motor to wanted position, store, memorize position
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45185 Auto mirror

Abstract

A mirror position control device for use in an automobile has mirror angle adjusting motors for adjusting the angle of the mirror to a position previously determined by an individual driver, a memory unit for storing the angles of the mirror desired by each of a plurality of drivers, an angle detector for detecting the actual angle of the mirror, and a control unit for comparing the actual angle as detected by the angle detector with the predetermined angle of an individual driver stored in the memory unit and for applying a control signal to the mirror angle adjusting motors to adjust the angle of the mirror to the optimum angle suited for the individual driver.

Claims

1. An automatic driving position control device, comprising:

seat position adjusting means for adjusting the position of a driver'"'"'s seat of an automobile;

seat detecting means for detecting the actual position of the seat;

mirror angle adjusting means for adjusting the angle of a rearview mirror of an automobile;

mirror detecting means for detecting the actual angle of the mirror;

memory means including a first memory part for storing a first optimum seat position and first optimum angle setting of the mirror for forward driving, and a second memory part for storing a second optimum angle setting of the mirror for reverse driving, for each of a plurality of drivers;

first driving position selection means for selecting a driving position of the seat and rearview mirror for forward driving, including outputting data stored in said first memory part;

second driving position selection means for selecting a driving position of the rearview mirror for reverse driving, including outputting data stored in said second memory part; and

a control unit, operated in response to said first selection means or said second selection means, selectively, having setting means for setting an optimum seat position and angle of the rearview mirror for a selected driver by reading out an optimum seat position and mirror angle setting stored in said first memory part or second memory part, respectively, comparing the optimum seat position and angle setting to the actual seat position and mirror angle detected by the seat and mirror detecting means, and outputting a control signal to said seat position adjusting means and mirror angle adjusting means to bring the actual seat position and angle of the mirror in correspondence to the optimum seat position and mirror angle setting.

2. A mirror position control device according to claim 1, wherein said mirror angle adjusting means includes a pair of vertically-arranged operation levers one of which is coupled to an electric motor and another pair of horizontally-arranged operation levers one of which is coupled to another electric motor.

3. A mirror position control device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is an encoder coupled to said electric motor for detecting rotation thereof.

4. A mirror position control device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means is a photo sensor responsive to movement of said operation levers.

5. A mirror position control device according to claim 1, including further a console section connected electrically to said control unit for sending instruction signals to said control unit.

6. A mirror position control device according to claim 1, wherein said console includes switches for actuating the adjustment means to adjust the mirror in a desired direction and for storing a new position in said memory means.

7. An automatic rearview mirror position control device, comprising:

mirror angle adjusting means for adjusting the angle of a rearview mirror of an automobile;

detecting means for detecting the actual angle of the mirror;

memory means for storing a first optimum angle setting of the mirror for forward driving, and a second optimum angle setting of the mirror for reverse driving, for each of a plurality of drivers; and

a control unit having entry means for entering an optimum angle of the mirror for each of a plurality of drivers, and setting means for setting an optimum angle of the mirror for a selected driver by reading out an optimum angle setting stored in memory, comparing the optimum angle to the actual angle detected by the detecting means, and outputting a control signal to said mirror angle adjusting means to bring the actual angle of the mirror in correspondence to the optimum angle,

wherein said entry means and said setting means together include a pluality of driver identification ID switches each corresponding to a respective selected driver, a SET switch for operating said control unit for setting said first optimum angle for forward driving, and a BACK switch for operating said control unit for setting said second optimum angle for reverse driving,

whereby entering an optimum angle for a selected driver is obtained by operating one of said driver ID switches corresponding to a selected driver followed by operating said SET or said BACK switch to store the detected actual angle for forward or reverse driving, respectively, which is adjusted to an optimum angle for the selected driver, and setting an optimum angle for a selected driver is obtained by operating said SET or said BACK switch followed by operating one of said driver ID switches corresponding to the selected driver for setting the mirror to the optimum angle for forward or reverse driving, respectively.