Vehicle memory mirror position transducer

• US 6,094,027 A
• Filed: 01/11/1999
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Willmore, David K., Schnell, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US09/228,579
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 318/652, 318/663, 318/666, 318/466, 318/468, 318/470
• US Class Current: 318/652
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A memory actuator is provided for a rearview mirror system having a reflective element and a controller. The memory actuator includes a housing and at least one positioning member extending from the housing to move the reflective element about at least one degree of freedom. At least one motor is provided for driving the positional member. A linear position transducer having a body is provided for coupling to the reflective element and a circuit board is positioned in the housing. The body of the linear position transducer is guided at the circuit board in at least one direction and moves alone the circuit board between a plurality of positions in response to movement of the reflective element about the at least one degree of freedom. The circuit board is configured to generate a signal to the controller as a function of the position of the body of the linear position transducer along the circuit board.

Claims

1. A vehicular rearview mirror system memory actuator for a rearview mirror system having a reflective element and a controller said memory actuator comprising:

a case;

at least one positioning member extending from said case to move the reflective element about at least one degree of freedom;

at least one motor driving said positioning member;

a linear position transducer having a body for coupling to the reflective element; and

a circuit board positioned in said case, said body of said linear position transducer being guided at said circuit board in at least one direction and moving along said circuit board between a plurality of positions in response to the movement of the reflective element about the at least one degree of freedom, said circuit board being configured to generate a signal to the controller as a function of the position of the body of the linear position transducer along said circuit board.

2. The memory actuator according to claim 1 wherein said body includes a ball member, said ball member for coupling to the reflective element.

3. The memory actuator according to claim 2 wherein said body has a glide member opposite said ball member, said glide member guided by said circuit board.

4. The memory actuator of claim 3 wherein said glide member is guided by a track member juxtaposed with said circuit board.

5. The memory actuator according to claim 1 wherein said circuit board includes first and second resistive strips.

6. The memory actuator according to claim 5 wherein said first and second resistive strips are spaced apart, said linear position transducer having a pair of contact portions for engaging said resistive strips when said linear position transducer moves along said circuit board.

7. The memory actuator according to claim 6 wherein said body includes a pair of arms, said arms engaging said circuit board.

8. The memory actuator according to claim 7 wherein said arms straddle said circuit board and move said pair of contact portions along said first and second resistive strips, respectively, in response to the movement of the reflective element.

9. The memory actuator according to claim 7 wherein at least one of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting member engaging said circuit board.

10. The memory actuator according to claim 7 wherein each of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting members engaging said circuit board whereby said body is pivotal on said circuit board about said projecting members.

11. The memory actuator according to claim 7 wherein said pair of contact portions are supported on a first arm of said pair of arms and are biased against said first and second resistive strips.

12. The memory actuator in claim 11 including an opening in a second arm of said pair of arms, said opening generally opposite said pair of contact portions to facilitate assembly of said pair of contact portions to said first arm.

13. The memory actuator according to claim 1 wherein said body includes a pair of arms, said arms engaging said circuit board.

14. The memory actuator according to claim 13 wherein said arms straddle said circuit board.

15. The memory actuator according to claim 14 wherein at least one of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting member engaging said circuit board.

16. The memory actuator according to claim 15 wherein each of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting members engaging said circuit board whereby said body is pivotal on said circuit board about said projecting members.

17. The memory actuator of claim 1 wherein said body of said linear transducer is guided in a second direction by at least one restraint defined by said case.

18. A vehicular rearview mirror system memory actuator for a rearview mirror system having a reflective element and a controller, said memory actuator comprising:

a case;

at least one positioning member extending from said case to move the reflective element about at least one degree of freedom;

at least one motor driving said positioning member;

a circuit board positioned in said case, said circuit board having first and second resistive strips, said first and second resistive strips being configured to generate a signal to the controller; and

a linear position transducer having a body for coupling to the reflective element and first and second contact portions supported by said body, said first contact portion being oriented for contacting said first resistive strip of said circuit board, said second contact portion being oriented for contacting said second resistive strip of said circuit board, whereby the position of said first and second contact portions along said first and second resistive strips, respectively, determines a value of said signal, said body guided at said circuit board in at least one direction and moving said first and second contact portions along said resistive strips in response to the movement of the reflective element, whereby the value of said signal is a function of the position of the reflective element.

19. The memory actuator according to claim 18 further comprising a conductive brush supported by said body, said conductive brush defining said first and second contact portions.

20. The memory actuator according to claim 19 wherein said conductive brush comprises a metal brush.

21. The memory actuator in claim 18 wherein said contact portions being electrically coupled together.

22. The memory actuator of claim 18 wherein said first resistive strip comprises a resistive element of a voltage divider circuit, said second resistive strip for producing said signal.

23. The memory actuator according to claim 18 wherein said body includes a ball member, said ball member for coupling to the reflective element.

24. The memory actuator according to claim 23 wherein said body has a glide member opposite said ball member, said glide member guided by said circuit board.

25. The memory actuator according to claim 24 wherein said glide member is guided by a track member juxtaposed with said circuit board.

26. The memory actuator according to claim 18 wherein said body includes a pair of arms, said arms engaging said circuit board.

27. The memory actuator according to claim 26 wherein said arms straddle said circuit board and move said first and second contact portions along said first and second resistive strips, respectively, in response to the movement of the reflective element.

28. The memory actuator according to claim 26 wherein at least one of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting member engaging said circuit board.

29. The memory actuator according to claim 26 wherein each of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting members engaging said circuit board whereby said body is pivotal on said circuit board about said projecting members.

30. The memory actuator according to claim 26 wherein said first and second contact portions are supported on a first arm of said pair of arms and are biased against said first and second resistive strips.

31. The memory actuator according to claim 30 including an opening in a second arm of said pair of arms, said opening generally opposite said first and second contact portions to facilitate assembly of said first and second contact portions to said first arm.

32. The memory actuator in claim 18 wherein said body of said linear position transducer is guided in a second direction by at least one restraint defined by said case.

33. A vehicular rearview mirror system memory actuator linear position transducer for monitoring a position of a reflective element adjustably supported by a memory actuator of a rearview mirror system, the memory actuator having a case and at least one positioning member extending from said case to move a reflective element supported by the case and at least one motor for driving the positioning member to move the reflective element, the rearview mirror system having a controller for selectively actuating said motor at least partially in response to a signal produced by the linear position transducer, said linear position transducer comprising:

a circuit board;

a body adapted to couple to the reflective element; and

said body includes a pair of arms, said arms moving along the circuit board to generate a signal to the controller, the signal being a function of the position of the body along the circuit board.

34. The linear position transducer according to claim 33 wherein said circuit board has first and second resistive strips and said body includes first and second contact portions supported by said body, said first contact portion being oriented for contacting the first resistive strip, said second contact portion being oriented for contacting the second resistive strip.

35. The linear position transducer according to claim 34 further comprising a conductive brush supported by said body, said conductive brush defining said first and second contact portions.

36. The linear position transducer according to claim 35 wherein said conductive brush comprises a metal brush.

37. The linear position transducer according to claim 34 wherein said contact portions being electrically coupled together.

38. The linear position transducer according to claim 34 wherein said first resistive strip comprises a voltage divider circuit, said second resistive strip producing said signal.

39. The linear position transducer according to claim 34 wherein said first and second contact portions are supported on a first arm of said pair of arms and are biased against said first and second resistive strips.

40. The linear position transducer of claim 39 including an opening in a second arm of said pair of arms, said opening generally opposite said first and second contact portions to facilitate assembly of said contact portions to said first arm.

41. The linear position transducer according to claim 33 wherein said body includes a ball member, said ball member for coupling to the reflective element.

42. The linear position transducer according to claim 41 wherein said body has a glide member opposite said ball member, said glide member is guided by said circuit board.

43. The linear position transducer according to claim 42 wherein said glide member is guided by a track member juxtaposed with said circuit board.

44. The linear position transducer according to claim 33 wherein said arms straddle said circuit board.

45. The linear position transducer according to claim 44 wherein at least one of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting member engaging said circuit board.

46. The linear position transducer according to claim 44 wherein each of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting member engaging said circuit board whereby said body is pivotal on said circuit board about said projecting members.

47. A vehicular rearview mirror system memory actuator for a rearview mirror system having a reflective element and a controller, said memory actuator comprising:

a case;

a first positioning member extending from said case to move the reflective element about a first degree of freedom and a second positioning member extending from said case to move the reflective element about a second degree of freedom which does not coincide with said first degree of freedom;

a pair of motors each driving one of said positioning members;

a pair of linear position transducers each having a body for coupling to the reflective element; and

a circuit board positioned in said case, said bodies of said linear position transducers each being guided at said circuit board in at least one direction and moving along said circuit board between a plurality of positions in response to the movement of the reflective element about the respective one of said degrees of freedom, said circuit board being configured to generate signals to the controller as a function of the position of the respective bodies of the linear position transducers along said circuit board.

48. The memory actuator according to claim 47 wherein each said body includes a ball member, said ball member for coupling to the reflective element.

49. The memory actuator according to claim 48 wherein each said body has a glide member opposite said ball member, said glide member guided by said circuit board.

50. The memory actuator of claim 49 wherein said glide member is guided by a track member juxtaposed with said circuit board.

51. The memory actuator according to claim 47 wherein said circuit board includes first, second, third and fourth resistive strips.

52. The memory actuator according to claim 51 wherein said first and second resistive strips are spaced apart and said third and fourth resistive strips are spaced apart, one said linear position transducer having a pair of contact portions for engaging said first and second resistive strips and the other said linear position transducer having a pair of contact portions for engaging said third and fourth resistive strips when said linear position transducers moves along said circuit board.

53. The memory actuator according to claim 52 wherein each said body includes a pair of arms, said arms engaging said circuit board.

54. The memory actuator according to claim 53 wherein said arms straddle said circuit board and move said pair of contact portions along the respective said resistive strips in response to the movement of the reflective element about the respective degree of freedom.

55. The memory actuator according to claim 53 wherein at least one of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting member engaging said circuit board.

56. The memory actuator according to claim 53 wherein each of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting members engaging said circuit board whereby said body is pivotal on said circuit board about said projecting members.

57. The memory actuator according to claim 53 wherein said pair of contact portions are supported on a first arm of said pair of arms and are biased against the respective said resistive strips.

58. The memory actuator in claim 57 including an opening in a second arm of said pair of arms, said opening generally opposite said pair of contact portions to facilitate assembly of said pair of contact portions to said first arm.

59. The memory actuator according to claim 47 wherein each said body includes a pair of arms, said arms engaging said circuit board.

60. The memory actuator according to claim 59 wherein said arms straddle said circuit board.

61. The memory actuator according to claim 60 wherein at least one of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting member engaging said circuit board.

62. The memory actuator according to claim 61 wherein each of said arms includes a projecting member, said projecting members engaging said circuit board whereby said body is pivotal on said circuit board about said projecting members.

63. The memory actuator of claim 47 wherein each said body is guided in a second direction by at least one restraint defined by said case.