Exterior mirror for a vehicle

• US 7,594,742 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visiocorp Patents S.a.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Visiocorp Patents S.a.r.l.
• Inventors: Liesener, Alf, Schmierer, Arne, Hezinger, Klaus-Dieter, Apfelbeck, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S
• Application Number:
  US11/752,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20080084703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 362/135, 362/136, 362/137, 362/140, 362/492, 362/494, 362/545
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to an exterior mirror of a vehicle with an opening facing rearward in assembled state, in a housing, with a cavity, into which a mirror can be received, and a forward facing rear wall, confining the cavity, with an exterior surface. At least two different light functions can be performed on the outer surface and/or the mirror, wherein the light functions comprise illuminants, which are grouped in one or several modules within the housing.

Claims

1. An exterior mirror assembly comprising:

a housing defining an opening rearward;

a mirror operatively secured to said housing and visible through said opening;

a forward wall having a bulging forward contour;

a plurality of pass through openings extending through said forward wall;

a plurality of illuminators for emitting light forward of said forward wall, each of said plurality of illuminators disposed adjacent each of said plurality of pass through openings; and

a plurality of indentations disrupting said bulging forward contour of said forward wall, wherein each of said plurality of indentations is disposed adjacent each of said plurality of pass through holes wherein one of said plurality of indentations includes reflective surface for reflecting light emitted by one of said plurality of illuminators.

2. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a light control unit electrically connected to each of said plurality of illuminators for independently controlling each of said plurality of illuminators such that said control assembly illuminates each of said plurality of illuminators independently of each other.

3. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a seal that seals said plurality of illuminators and said plurality of indentations from the elements.

4. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said seal seals all of said forward wall.

5. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said plurality of indentations define spaces independent of each other.

6. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said plurality of indentations surrounds each of said plurality of pass through holes.

7. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein a portion of said plurality of indentations extend horizontally across a portion of said forward wall.

8. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said plurality of illuminators are at least two out of a group consisting of:

a signal light, a day running light, a side marking light, a parking light, a position light, a boundary light, a curb light and a blind angle monitoring light.

9. An exterior mirror assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said plurality of illuminators emits a different color light.