Mirror assembly for vehicle

• US 7,690,824 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lynam, Niall R., Uken, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; Jacob Y
• Application Number:
  US12/107,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 362/459, 362/471, 362/488, 362/492, 362/494, 359/367, 359/365, 340/461, 340/995.17, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 362/494
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1215 with information displays

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element having a front surface, a rear surface and a reflector. A display element is disposed to the rear of the rear surface and is operable to emit light when actuated, the emitted light passing through the mirror reflective element to be viewable to a driver of the vehicle. A garage door opener device is included in the rearview mirror assembly, which includes at least one user actuatable input device associated with operation of the garage door opener device. Actuation of at least one user actuatable input device causes the display element to provide a visual indication to the driver viewing the front surface, when the mirror assembly is installed in the vehicle, of at least one of (i) operation of the garage door opener device and (ii) coding the garage door opener device.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror reflective element having a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface being viewable by and directed generally toward a driver of the vehicle when said mirror assembly is installed in the vehicle;

said mirror reflective element comprising a reflector;

wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a transflective mirror reflective element and wherein said reflector comprises a transflector, said transflector comprising a coating on a surface of a substrate of said mirror reflective element that is partially transmissive to visible light and partially reflective of light incident thereon;

a display element disposed to the rear of said rear surface of said mirror reflective element of said rearview mirror assembly, said display element operable to emit light when actuated, said emitted light passing through said mirror reflective element to be viewable to a driver of the vehicle viewing said front surface when said mirror assembly is installed in the vehicle;

wherein said emitted light passes through said transflector of said mirror reflective element to be viewable to a driver viewing said front surface when said mirror assembly is installed in the vehicle;

a garage door opener device included in said rearview mirror assembly;

said rearview mirror assembly including at least one user actuatable input device associated with operation of said garage door opener device; and

wherein, when said garage door opener device is operating in a training mode, an icon is intermittently illuminated by a backlighting light emitting diode, and wherein, when said garage door opener device is operating other than in a training mode, said icon is constantly illuminated by said backlighting light emitting diode, and wherein said icon assists a user when said garage door opener is in a training mode.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one user actuatable input device comprises at least three user actuatable input devices.

3. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said three user actuatable input devices are disposed at a bezel portion of said rearview mirror assembly.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said display element, when actuated, forms a visual icon viewable by that driver that is indicative of a garage door opener.

5. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) said user actuatable input device and (b) said icon is included as an overlay element applied onto and at least partially over a portion of said front surface of said reflective element.

6. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said display element comprises said backlighting light emitting diode.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein an actuation of at least one user actuatable input device causes said display element to provide a visual indication to the driver viewing said front surface of said mirror reflective element, when said mirror assembly is installed in the vehicle, of at least one of (i) operation of said garage door opener device and (ii) coding said garage door opener device.