Control system for automatic adjustment of the rearview mirror of a vehicle

• US 5,056,905 A
• Filed: 08/15/1988
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Benita Berg Jensen, Bent Pedersen, Inge Pedersen, Kaj Berg Jensen
• Original Assignee: Bent Pedersen, Inge Pedersen, Kaj B. Jensen
• Inventors: Jensen, Kaj B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAFER, RICKY D
• Application Number:
  US07/235,878
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 350/600, 350/605, 350/606, 350/633, 350/637, 307/10 R, 340/825.69, 340/903
• US Class Current: 359/843
• 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

Abstract

A control system for automatic adjustment of the rearview mirrors (6) of a vehicle (1) and of the type where the horizontal angular position of the mirror, via airborne signals (8) from transmitter and receiver means (7, 14), is changed by means of a drive unit (5) in response to the mutual horizontal angular position between coupled vehicle parts (2,3), and where transmitter and receiver are positioned on their respective vehicle parts.

Claims

1. A control system for automatic adjustment of a rearview mirror of a vehicle, said system comprising:

a motor vehicle pivotally coupled at a rearward end thereof to a forward end of a trailer,

a rearview mirror mounted on a drive unit on a first side of said motor vehicle, a wireless signal transmitter mounted on a corresponding first side of said trailer adjacent to the rearward end of said trailer, and a wireless signal receiver for receiving a signal beam transmitted by said transmitter when mounted on said motor vehicle in preselected spatial relationship with said mirror, a horizontal angular position of said mirror being changed by said drive unit in response to a preselected change in the mutual angular position between said motor vehicle and said trailer, and said mutual angular position change being detected as a variation, said variation being between no signal when said motor vehicle is straight ahead of said trailer wherein said signal beam angularly passes said receiver and a signal received by said receiver from said transmitter when said motor vehicle is turned to said first side of said trailer wherein said signal beam hits said receiver.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver is mounted on said drive unit.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver is incorporated within said mirror.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said transmitter is detachably mounted on said trailer.

5. A system according to claim 1 further including switching means connected to said drive unit whereby said drive unit is activated to cause said angular position of said mirror to change in response to either of two inputs to said witching means, one of said inputs comprising an output signal from said receiver, and the other of said inputs comprising an output signal from a control unit, said motor vehicle including a movable steering mechanism, and said control unit generating said output signal therefrom in response to a preselected movement of said steering mechanism.

6. A system according to claim 1, and further comprising light means mounted on said trailer for a lighting operation in connection with said drive unit.

7. A control system for automatic, turn-responsive adjustment of a rearview mirror of a vehicle, said system comprising:

a motor vehicle pivotally coupled at a rearward end thereof to a forward end of a trailer,

a drive unit mounted on a first side of said motor vehicle

a rearview mirror on said drive unit for adjustment of a horizontal angular position of said rearview mirror by said drive unit;

a wireless signal transmitter mounted on a corresponding first side of said trailer adjacent to the rearward end of said trailer, said wireless signal transmitter transmitting a signal beam at a horizontal angle from said first side of said trailer toward said forward end of said trailer when so mounted;

a wireless signal receiver for receiving said signal beam and causing said drive unit to adjust said horizontal angular position of said rearview mirror in response to receiving said signal beam; and

mounting means for mounting said wireless signal receiver on said first side of said motor vehicle in a position for said wireless signal receiver to receive said signal beam only when said motor vehicle has turned sufficiently toward said first side thereof relative to said trailer.