Temperature indicator for motor vehicle

• US 6,592,255 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Britax Geco SA
• Original Assignee: Britax Geco SA
• Inventors: Dumont, Daniel, Duroux, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEJESUS, LYDIA M
• Application Number:
  US09/404,042
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: B60/R.112, 374/16, 374/17, 374/109, 374/141, 374/161, 374/162, 374/150, 374/157, 116/216, D12/187, D12/188
• US Class Current: 374/162
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/123 with thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations

Abstract

A temperature indicator for a motor vehicle arranged to indicate, to the driver of the vehicle, the ambient temperature either inside or outside the vehicle. The temperature indicator comprises thermochromic material (36-46) applied to the reflective member (30) of a rear view mirror (10) and arranged in a line, locations along which are arranged to change colour at successively increasing temperatures. The line of thermochromic material (36-46) may be positioned to separate zones (32, 34) of the reflective member which differ in curvature.

Claims

1. A rear view mirror including a transparent reflective member having front and rear surfaces and a reflective layer on said rear surface for reflecting images that are viewable through said front surface, and a temperature indicator of thermochromic material between said rear surface and said reflective layer, said thermochromic material changing to different colors at different temperatures.

2. The mirror of claim 1 wherein said thermochromic material comprises a plurality of adjacent locations of thermochromic material that change color at different temperatures.

3. The mirror of claim 2 including temperature scale indicia on said reflective member aligned with said thermochromic material.

4. The mirror of claim 1 wherein said thermochromic material is on a tape that is adhesively secured to said rear surface.

5. The mirror of claim 1 wherein said thermochromic material is in a line having a midpoint that is indicative of a freezing temperature, and said thermochromic material on opposite sides of said midpoint being indicative of temperatures above or below freezing.

6. A rear view mirror including a transparent reflective member having front and rear surfaces, said rear surface having a rear surface area, a temperature indicator of thermochromic material applied to and covering a small portion of said rear surface area and being viewable through said reflective member from said front surface thereof, said thermochromic material changing to different colors at different temperatures, and a reflective layer on the remainder of said rear surface area that is not covered by said temperature indicator for reflecting images that are viewable from said front surface.

7. The mirror of claim 6 including indicia on said front surface cooperating with said temperature indicator of thermochromic material, said indicia in combination with said temperature indicator informing a viewer whether the temperature is above or below 0°

C.

8. The mirror of claim 7 wherein said indicia provides a temperature indication over a range that is not greater than −

5°

C. to +5°

C.

9. The mirror of claim 7 wherein said indicia is etched on said front surface.

10. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said temperature indicator is a continuous strip of thermochromic material that exhibits one color above 0°

C. and a different color below 0°

C.

11. The mirror of claim 10 wherein said strip has opposite ends and progressively changes color at different temperatures from one end to the other end thereof.

12. The mirror of claim 11 wherein said strip changes color over a temperature range that is not greater than −

5°

C. to +5°

C.

13. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said temperature indicator comprises a plurality of spaced-apart thermochromic material locations, each thermochromic material location changing color at a unique predetermined temperature from other thermochromic material locations.

14. The mirror of claim 13 wherein said thermochromic material locations include opposite end locations and said thermochromic material locations progressively change color at different temperatures from one of said end locations to the other of said end locations.

15. The mirror of claim 14 wherein said thermochromic material locations change temperature over a temperature range that is not greater than −

5°

C. to +5°

C.

16. The mirror of claim 13 wherein said spaced-apart thermochromic material locations comprise a row of dots of thermochromic material, each dot changing color at a unique predetermined temperature from other dots.

17. The mirror of claim 13 including indicia on said reflective member that represents a temperature of 0°

C., said thermochromic material locations extending on opposite sides of said indicia that represents a temperature of 0°

C.

18. The mirror of claim 6 including indicia on said reflective member that represents a temperature of 0°

C., said thermochromic material extending on opposite sides of said indicia that represents a temperature of 0°

C.

19. The mirror of claim 18 wherein said indicia includes markings that indicate a temperature range that is not greater than −

5°

C. to +5°

C.

20. The mirror of claim 18 wherein said thermochromic material has a length and changes color at different temperatures along the length thereof so that the demarcation between different colors cooperates with said indicia to indicate whether the temperature is above or below 0°

C.

21. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said thermochromic material has opposite ends and progressively changes color at different temperatures from one end to the other end thereof.

22. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said thermochromic material changes color at different temperatures from one end to the other thereof over a temperature range that is not greater than −

5°

C. to +5°

C.

23. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said thermochromic material has a length and changes color at different temperatures over the length thereof.

24. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said reflective member has an outer periphery that includes opposite ends, a top and a bottom, said thermochromic material being located on said rear surface of said reflective member adjacent said bottom thereof and being elongated in a direction between said opposite ends.

25. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said reflective member has an outer periphery that includes opposite ends, a top and a bottom, said thermochromic material being located on said rear surface of reflective member adjacent one of said opposite ends thereof and being elongated in a direction between said top and bottom.

26. The mirror of claim 25 wherein said thermochromic material extends along an elongated curved path.

27. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said thermochromic material is on a tape that is adhesively attached to said rear surface.

28. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said thermochromic material is covered by said reflective layer.

29. the mirror of claim 6 including indicia overlying said thermochromic material and indicating temperatures at, above and below 0°

C.

30. An exterior rear view mirror for a motor vehicle operable by a driver, the mirror being positionable on a motor vehicle for the viewing of images therein by a driver of the vehicle, said mirror including a reflective member that reflects images that are viewable by a vehicle driver, said reflective member having a main zone with a first curvature and an auxiliary zone of greater curvature than said first curvature, said reflective member having a temperature indicator of thermochromic material thereon that is visible to a driver of the vehicle, said thermochromic material being arranged in a line that includes a plurality of locations that sequentially change color at increasing temperatures, and said thermochromic material being positioned to provide a line of demarcation between said main zone and said auxiliary zone.

31. A rear view mirror according to claim 30, wherein said thermochromic material locations change color over a temperature range of −

5°

C. to +5°

C.

32. A rear view mirror according to claim 30, wherein said reflective member is made of transparent material having front and rear surfaces and said thermochromic material is on said rear surface of said reflective member.

33. A rear view mirror according to claim 32, wherein said thermochromic material locations change color over a temperature range of −

5°

C. to +5°

C.

34. The mirror of claim 32 including indicia cooperating with said thermochromic material to indicate temperature over a temperature range that extends both above and below 0°

C.

35. The mirror of claim 34 wherein said indicia is on said reflective member independently of said thermochromic material.

36. The mirror of claim 35 wherein said indicia is engraved on said reflective member.