Display device for a motor vehicle

• US 7,360,931 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Haag, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar; Stephen F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunwiddie; Meghan K.
• Application Number:
  US10/504,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20050180152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,908 Days
• Field of Search: 362/494, 362/503, 362/545, 362/492, 219/202, 219/219
• US Class Current: 362/494
• 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 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays

Abstract

Indicating device for a motor vehicle, having at least one lighting element that is mounted in the housing of a mirror, for example by gluing it onto the mirror glass from the rear, and which illuminates the housing interior, making it only indirectly visible to the driver.

Claims

1. An indicating device for a motor vehicle comprising:

at least one lighting element that is activated for indication purposes, the at least one lighting element being mounted inside a housing of a mirror of the motor vehicle behind a non-transparent mirror glass of the mirror, the at least one lighting element being situated so that it directly illuminates an interior of the housing of the mirror,

wherein a spatial separation exists between an edge of the non-transparent mirror glass of the mirror and a visible interior edge of the housing, and

wherein the visible interior edge of the housing is illuminated for signaling information to the driver of the vehicle through the spatial separation.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mirror is an outside rear-view mirror of the motor vehicle.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element is mounted onto glass of the mirror from a rear.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one lighting element is mounted by gluing.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element is a bright light-emitting diode.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element is situated so that it illuminates at least a part of the mirror housing.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element is activated when a blind spot detection system detects a traffic participant in a blind spot of the motor vehicle.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element is situated in an area of an outside rear-view mirror that faces away from the vehicle.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the mirror has glass that is non-transparent and is covered by a heating foil for defrosting the glass in the winter.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lighting element is embedded in the mirror housing in such a way that the at least one lighting element at least partially illuminates the mirror housing.