Mirror assembly

• US 5,481,409 A
• Filed: 04/15/1993
• Issued: 01/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: K W Muth Company Incorporated (K. W. Muth)
• Original Assignee: K W Muth Company Incorporated (K. W. Muth)
• Inventors: Roberts, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US08/048,202
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 359/358, 359/359, 359/360, 359/582, 359/583, 359/584, 359/585, 359/589, 359/602, 359/603, 359/604, 359/608, 359/839, 359/884, 359/613, 359/634, 362/30, 362/32, 362/61, 362/83.1, 362/135, 362/290, 362/296, 250/205, 250/206
• US Class Current: 359/839
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2665 on rear-view mirrors lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1246 with clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/20 Dichroic filters, i.e. devices operating on the principle of wave interference to pass specific ranges of wavelengths while cancelling others
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00

Abstract

A mirror assembly including an enclosure having an aperture, and defining a cavity, an instrument for receiving electromagnetic radiation having predetermined characteristics, borne by the enclosure and positioned in the cavity; and a dichroic mirror borne by the enclosure and disposed in substantially occluding relation relative to the aperture, the dichroic mirror reflecting ambient visible light and being substantially transparent to the light received by the instrument.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly comprising:

an enclosure having an aperture;

a dichroic mirror borne by the enclosure and substantially occluding the aperture and wherein the dichroic mirror is operable to selectively pass a predetermined narrow band of electromagnetic radiation which does not exceed 150 nanometers in width, and reflect a broad spectral band of visible light; and

means borne by the enclosure for receiving electromagnetic radiation in the predetermined narrow spectral band of electromagnetic radiation passed by the dichroic mirror, and wherein the preponderance of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the receiving means lies within the same 150 nanometer wide band of electromagnetic radiation which is passed by the dichroic mirror, and wherein the dichroic mirror further has a luminous reflectance of greater than 50% while simultaneous passing at least 60% of the predetermined narrow band of electromagnetic radiation.

2. A mirror assembly as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the enclosure defines a cavity, and wherein the receiving means includes a sensor which is mounted in the cavity, and wherein the enclosure is operable to direct the electromagnetic radiation through the aperture.

3. A mirror assembly comprising:

an enclosure having an aperture;

a dichroic mirror borne by the enclosure and substantially occluding the aperture, and wherein the dichroic mirror is operable to selectively pass a predetermined narrow band of electromagnetic radiation which does not exceed 150 nanometers in width, and reflect a broad spectral band of visible light; and

means borne by the enclosure for receiving electromagnetic radiation in the predetermined narrow spectral band of electromagnetic radiation passed by the dichroic mirror, and wherein the receiving means is instrument, and wherein the preponderance of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the receiving means lies within the same 150 nanometer wide band of electromagnetic radiation which is passed by the dichroic mirror, and wherein the dichroic mirror further has a luminous reflectance of greater than 50% while simultaneously at least 60% of the predetermined narrow band electromagnetic radiation.

4. A mirror assembly as claimed in claim 3 and wherein an operator utilizing the mirror assembly has a line of sight and the dichroic mirror reflects ambient light forming an image into the line of sight of the operator.

5. A mirror assembly comprising:

an enclosure having cavity and defining an aperture;

an instrument mounted on the enclosure and positioned in the cavity, the instrument receiving electromagnetic radiation having predetermined wavelength characteristics, and wherein the instrument is an optical sensor, and wherein the electromagnetic radiation is light which resides within a predetermined spectral band, and wherein the predetermined spectral band is in the visible spectrum;

a dichroic mirror borne by the enclosure and substantially occluding the aperture, the dichroic mirror passing at least 60% of the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation which are received by the optical sensor while simultaneously maintaining a luminous reflectance of greater than 50%, and wherein the dichroic mirror conceals the presence of the optical sensor.