Vehicle interior mirror system including a housing containing electrical components/accessories

• US 6,774,356 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2003
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lynam, Niall R., Heslin, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, QUE TAN
• Application Number:
  US10/618,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20040069938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 250/239, 250/214.AL, 250/216, 359/229, 359/230, 359/242, 359/267, 340/485, 340/461, 340/602
• US Class Current: 250/239
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0217 for loud-speakers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0247 for microphones or earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• 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: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0077 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0822 characterized by the arrangement or type of detection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0881 characterized by the attachment means on the windshield
• CPC Class Codes: B60S 1/0885 the sensor being integrated in a rear-view mirror module
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A vehicle interior mirror system comprises a housing adapted for releasable mounting to a receiving structure on the interior surface of the windshield of a vehicle. A first electrical component/accessory preferably is included in the housing. A rearview mirror comprising a rearview mirror element attaches to the housing by a pivot joint, the rearview mirror being pivotally adjustable about the housing and the housing remaining fixedly mounted to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle while the rearview mirror is being adjusted. The rearview mirror includes a second electrical component/accessory. A removable cover on the housing provides access to at least the first electrical component/accessory in the housing. Preferably, electrical wiring passes through the pivot joint, while the rearview mirror is an electro-optic mirror. Various electrical components/accessories can be housed in the housing that attaches to the windshield, such as a rain sensor, a compass sensor, a headlamp sensor, an antenna, a camera, a microphone, or the like.

Claims

1. An interior mirror system for a vehicle comprising:

a housing for attachment to the interior of the vehicle, said housing having an interior compartment and adapted for releasable mounting to a receiving structure on the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle;

at least a first electrical component/accessory in said interior compartment of said housing;

said housing including a removable cover;

a rearview mirror including a rearview mirror element;

said rearview mirror including at least a second electrical component/accessory;

said rearview mirror attaching to said housing by a pivot joint, said rearview mirror being pivotally adjustable about said housing, said housing remaining fixedly mounted to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle while said rearview mirror is being adjusted;

whereby removal of said cover from said housing provides access to at least said first electrical component/accessory in said interior compartment of said housing.

2. The interior mirror system of claim 1 further including electrical wiring for electrically connecting to said first electrical component/accessory in said interior compartment of said housing.

3. The interior mirror system of claim 2 wherein said electrical wiring electrically connects to said second electrical component/accessory in said rearview mirror.

4. The interior mirror system of claim 3 wherein said electrical wiring connects to an electrical system of the vehicle.

5. The interior mirror system of claim 3 wherein said housing includes a passageway for said electrical wiring.

6. The interior mirror system of claim 5 wherein said pivot joint includes a conduit therethrough for said electrical wiring, said conduit communicating with said rearview mirror and said passageway in said housing.

7. The interior mirror system of claim 1 further including electrical wiring for electrically connecting to said second electrical component/accessory in said rearview mirror.

8. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said housing includes an opening to said interior compartment, said cover mating with said housing at said opening.

9. The interior mirror system of claim 8 wherein said cover extends along the windshield toward the header adjacent the windshield when in use.

10. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said first electrical component/accessory comprises a rain sensor, said rain sensor adapted for viewing through the windshield of the vehicle on which said housing is mounted.

11. The interior mirror system of claim 10 wherein said housing includes an opening, said assembly further including a biasing member which biases said rain sensor forwardly through said opening into contact with the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle.

12. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said first electrical component/accessory comprises a rain sensor, said rain sensor adapted for viewing through the windshield of the vehicle on which said housing is mounted, said housing including a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle, a rear end including said pivot joint.

13. The interior mirror system of claim 12 including a biasing member which engages and biases said rain sensor into contact with the interior surface of the windshield.

14. The interior mirror system of claim 13 wherein said housing includes a first opening at said front end, said first opening facing toward the windshield when said housing is attached to the interior surface of the windshield, said biasing member biasing said rain sensor forwardly through said first opening into contact with the interior surface of the windshield.

15. The interior mirror system of claim 14 wherein said housing includes an internal wall separating said interior into first and second compartments, said rain sensor mounted in a first of said compartments and a compass sensor mounted in the second of said compartments.

16. The interior mirror system of claim 15 wherein said housing includes a second opening at said rear end, said compass sensor being accessible through said second opening.

17. The interior mirror system of claim 16 wherein said cover mates with said housing at said second opening.

18. The interior mirror system of claim 17 wherein said cover extends along the windshield toward the header adjacent the windshield when in use.

19. The interior mirror system of claim 16 wherein said cover is made of a polymeric material which snap-engages said housing at said second opening.

20. The interior mirror system of claim 15 including electrical wiring electrically connecting said rain sensor and said compass sensor to an electrical system of the vehicle.

21. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said cover is made of a polymeric material which snap-engages to said housing.

22. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a metal housing.

23. The interior mirror system of claim 22 wherein said metal housing comprises a die cast metal housing.

24. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a polymeric housing.

25. The interior mirror system of claim 24 wherein said polymeric housing comprises a molded polymeric housing.

26. The interior mirror system of claim 25 wherein said molded polymeric housing comprises a housing molded from an engineering polymeric resin.

27. The interior mirror system of claim 26 wherein said engineering polymeric resin comprises a filled nylon.

28. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said rearview mirror element comprises an electro-optic mirror.

29. The interior mirror system of claim 28 wherein said electro-optic mirror comprises an electro-optic element having front and rear plates and an electro-optic medium disposed between said front and rear plates.

30. The interior mirror system of claim 28 wherein said rearview mirror further comprises a compass display.

31. The interior mirror system of claim 30 wherein said compass display is positioned to display through said electro-optic mirror.

32. The interior mirror system of claim 30 wherein said rearview mirror includes a chin portion and an eyebrow portion, said compass display being positioned to display through one of said chin and said eyebrow portions of said rearview mirror.

33. The interior mirror system of claim 32 wherein said compass display is positioned to provide a display through said chin portion of said rearview mirror.

34. The interior mirror system of claim 32 wherein said compass display is positioned to provide a display through said eyebrow portion of said rearview mirror.

35. The interior mirror system of claim 28 wherein said second electrical component/accessory included in said rearview mirror comprises said electro-optic mirror.

36. The interior mirror system of claim 28 wherein said rearview mirror further comprises a compass display and wherein said second electrical component/accessory included in said rearview mirror comprises at least one of said electro-optic mirror and said compass display of said rearview mirror.

37. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said first electrical component/accessory comprises a compass sensor, said compass sensor selected from one of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-inductive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, and a flux-gate sensor.

38. The interior mirror system of claim 37 wherein said compass sensor comprises a magneto-inductive sensor.

39. The interior mirror system of claim 37 wherein said compass sensor comprises a magneto-resistive sensor.

40. The interior mirror system of claim 37 wherein a circuit board bearing said compass sensor is housed in said housing.

41. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said first electrical component/accessory comprises one of:

a) a vehicle altitude sensor,

b) a vehicle incline sensor,

c) a headlamp sensor,

d) a daylight sensor,

e) a geographic positioning satellite (GPS) transmitter,

f) a geographic positioning satellite (GPS) receiver,

g) an antenna,

h) a camera,

i) a microphone, and

j) a compass sensor.

42. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said first electrical component/accessory comprises an antenna.

43. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said first electrical component/accessory comprises a printed circuit board bearing a compass sensor.

44. The interior mirror system of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a plurality of electrical components/accessories comprising said first electrical component/accessory and at least one additional electrical component/accessory.

45. The interior mirror system of claim 44 wherein at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories is adapted for viewing through the windshield of the vehicle on which said housing is mounted, said at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories comprising one of a rain sensor, a forwardly-viewing camera, and a headlamp sensor.

46. The interior mirror system of claim 45 wherein said at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories comprises a rain sensor and wherein said housing includes a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle, a rear end including said pivot joint, and a biasing member which engages and biases said rain sensor into contact with the interior surface of the windshield.

47. The interior mirror system of claim 45 wherein said at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories comprises a rain sensor and wherein said housing includes an opening, said assembly further including a biasing member which biases said rain sensor forwardly through said opening into contact with the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle.

48. The interior mirror system of claim 44 wherein at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories, comprises:

a) a vehicle altitude sensor,

b) a vehicle incline sensor,

c) a geographic positioning satellite (GPS) transmitter,

d) a geographic positioning satellite (GPS) receiver,

e) an antenna,

f) a microphone,

g) a compass sensor,

h) a camera,

i) a daylight sensor, and

j) a headlamp sensor.

49. The interior mirror system of claim 44 wherein said at least one of said plurality of components/accessories comprises a rain sensor.

50. The interior mirror system of claim 44 wherein said at least one of said plurality of components/accessories comprises a forwardly-viewing camera.

51. The interior mirror system of claim 44 wherein said at least one of said plurality of components/accessories comprises a headlamp sensor.

52. An interior mirror system for a vehicle comprising:

a housing for attachment to the interior of the vehicle, said housing having an interior compartment and adapted for releasable mounting to a receiving structure on the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle;

a first electrical component/accessory in said interior compartment of said housing,

said first electrical component/accessory comprising a rain sensor;

said housing including a removable cover;

a rearview mirror including a rearview mirror element;

said rearview mirror including at least a second electrical component/accessory;

said rearview mirror attaching to said housing;

whereby removal of said cover from said housing provides access to said interior compartment of said housing;

wherein said housing includes a plurality of electrical components/accessories comprising said first electrical component/accessory and at least one additional electrical component/accessory; and

wherein at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories, comprises;

a) a vehicle altitude sensor,

b) a vehicle incline sensor,

c) a geographic positioning satellite (GPS) transmitter,

d) a geographic positioning satellite (GPS) receiver,

e) an antenna,

f) a microphone,

g) a compass sensor,

h) a camera,

i) a daylight sensor, and

j) a headlamp sensor.

53. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said rearview mirror attaches to said housing by a pivot joint, said rearview mirror being pivotally adjustable about said housing, said housing remaining fixedly mounted to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle while said rearview mirror is being adjusted.

54. The interior mirror system of claim 52 further including electrical wiring for electrically connecting to said first electrical component/accessory in said interior compartment of said housing.

55. The interior mirror system of claim 54 wherein said electrical wiring electrically connects to said second electrical component/accessory in said rearview mirror.

56. The interior mirror system of claim 55 wherein said electrical wiring connects to an electrical system of the vehicle.

57. The interior mirror system of claim 55 wherein said housing includes a passageway for said electrical wiring.

58. The interior mirror system of claim 57 wherein said pivot joint includes a conduit therethrough which receives said electrical wiring, said conduit communicating with said rearview mirror and said passageway in said housing.

59. The interior mirror system of claim 52 further including electrical wiring for electrically connecting to said second electrical component/accessory in said rearview mirror.

60. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said housing includes an opening to said interior compartment, said cover mating with said housing at said opening.

61. The interior mirror system of claim 60 wherein said cover extends along the windshield toward the header adjacent the windshield when in use.

64. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said rearview mirror attaches to said housing by a pivot joint, said rain sensor being adapted for viewing through the windshield of the vehicle on which said housing is mounted, said housing including a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle, and a rear end including said pivot joint.

65. The interior mirror system of claim 64 including a biasing member which engages and biases said rain sensor into contact with the interior surface of the windshield.

66. The interior mirror system of claim 65 wherein said housing includes a first opening at said front end, said first opening facing toward the windshield when said housing is attached to the interior surface of the windshield, said biasing member biasing said rain sensor forwardly through said first opening into contact with the interior surface of the windshield.

67. The mirror system of claim 66 wherein said housing includes an internal wall separating said interior into first and second compartments, said rain sensor mounted in a first of said compartments and a compass sensor mounted in the second of said compartments.

68. The interior mirror system of claim 67 wherein said housing includes a second opening at said rear end, said compass sensor being accessible through said second opening.

69. The interior mirror system of claim 68 wherein said cover mates with said housing at said second opening.

70. The interior mirror system of claim 69 wherein said cover extends along the windshield toward the header adjacent the windshield when in use.

71. The interior mirror system of claim 69 wherein said cover is made of a polymeric material which snap-engages said housing at said second opening.

72. The interior mirror system of claim 67 including electrical wiring electrically connecting said rain sensor and said compass sensor to an electrical system of the vehicle.

73. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said cover is made of a polymeric material which snap-engages to said housing.

74. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said housing comprises a metal housing.

75. The interior mirror system of claim 74 wherein said metal housing comprises a die cast metal housing.

76. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said housing comprises a polymeric housing.

77. The interior mirror system of claim 76 wherein said polymeric housing comprises a molded polymeric housing.

78. The interior mirror system of claim 77 wherein said molded polymeric housing comprises a housing molded from an engineering polymeric resin.

79. The interior mirror system of claim 78 wherein said engineering polymeric resin comprises a filled nylon.

80. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said rearview mirror element comprises an electro-optic mirror.

81. The interior mirror system of claim 80 wherein said electro-optic mirror comprises an electro-optic element having front and rear plates and an electro-optic medium disposed between said front and rear plates.

82. The interior mirror system of claim 80 wherein said rearview mirror further comprises a compass display.

83. The interior mirror system of claim 82 wherein said compass display is positioned to display through said electro-optic mirror.

84. The interior mirror system of claim 82 wherein said rearview mirror includes a chin portion and an eyebrow portion, said compass display being positioned to display through one of said chin and said eyebrow portions of said rearview mirror.

85. The interior mirror system of claim 84 wherein said compass display is positioned to provide a display through said chin portion of said rearview mirror.

86. The interior mirror system of claim 84 wherein said compass display is positioned to provide a display through said eyebrow portion of said rearview mirror.

87. The interior mirror system of claim 80 wherein said second electrical component/accessory included in said rearview mirror comprises said electro-optic mirror.

88. The interior mirror system of claim 80 wherein said rearview mirror further comprises a compass display and wherein said second electrical component/accessory included in said rearview mirror comprises at least one of said electro-optic mirror and said compass display of said rearview mirror.

89. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said first electrical component/accessory comprises a compass sensor, said compass sensor selected from one of a magneto-resistive sensor, a magneto-inductive sensor, a magneto-capacitive sensor, and a flux-gate sensor.

90. The interior mirror system of claim 89 wherein said compass sensor comprises a magneto-inductive sensor.

91. The interior mirror system of claim 89 wherein said compass sensor comprises a magneto-resistive sensor.

92. The interior minor system of claim 89 wherein a circuit board bearing said compass sensor is housed in said housing.

93. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said at least one of said plurality of components/accessories comprises a geographic positioning satellite (GPS) receiver.

94. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said plurality of electrical components/accessories comprises an antenna.

95. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said plurality of electrical components/accessories comprises a compass sensor.

96. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said at least one of said plurality of components/accessories comprises a headlamp sensor.

97. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories is adapted for viewing through the windshield of the vehicle on which said housing is mounted, said at least one of said plurality of electrical components/accessories comprising one of a forwardly-viewing camera and a headlamp sensor.

98. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said housing includes a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle, a rear end attaching to said rearview mirror, and a biasing member which engages and biases said rain sensor into contact with the interior surface of the windshield.

99. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said housing includes an opening, said assembly further including a biasing member which biases said rain sensor forwardly through said opening into contact with the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle.

100. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said at least one of said plurality of components/accessories comprises a antenna.

101. The interior mirror system of claim 52 wherein said at least one of said plurality of components/accessories comprises a forwardly-viewing camera.

62. The interior mirror system of 52 wherein said rain sensor is adapted for viewing through the windshield of the vehicle on which said housing is mounted.

63. The interior mirror system of claim 62 wherein said housing includes an opening, said assembly further including a biasing member which biases said rain sensor forwardly through said opening into contact with the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle.