Mirror/display assembly

• US 8,066,569 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cupit, John, Plavetich, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca; Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US11/316,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20070146560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 463/42, 248/476
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors

Abstract

An integrated mirror/display assembly includes a flip down display integrated with a rearview mirror. The mirror may be mounted to the display and the mirror/display is movable on a pivot between a retracted non-viewing position during normal vehicle operation and an extended viewing position when the vehicle is not in an operating mode.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a mounting frame; and

a display/mirror having a display and a mirror, the display pivotally attached at one end to the mounting frame and fixedly attached to the mirror at an opposing second end, the display/mirror movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position, wherein the reflective surface of the mirror substantially faces a rear of the vehicle when the display/mirror is in the first retracted position, and wherein the viewing surface substantially faces the rear of the vehicle when the display/mirror is in the second extended position.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the mirror is connected to the display to move about the pivot with the display between the first retracted position and the second extended position.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein a reflective surface of the mirror and a viewing surface of the display are substantially perpendicular to one another in both the first retracted position and the second extended position.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the display/mirror is further rotatable when in the second extended position in a direction substantially perpendicular to a first pivotal motion.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 1, and further comprising:

a lockout detector electrically connected to the minor assembly, the lockout detector configured to prevent movement of the display/mirror from the first retracted position to the second extended position when the vehicle is in a driving mode.

6. A minor assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a display/mirror pivotally mounted to the housing, and movable about a pivot between a first retracted position and a second extended position, the display/mirror comprising;

a display having a first edge pivotally mounted to the housing; and

a mirror mounted to the display at a second edge of the display opposite the first edge, the mirror and the display mounted substantially perpendicular to each other, the minor having a reflective surface that substantially faces a rear of the vehicle when the display/mirror is in the retracted position, the display having a viewing surface that substantially faces the rear of the vehicle when the display/mirror is in the extended position.

7. A minor assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a mounting frame;

a display/mirror, the display/mirror having a display pivotally attached to the mounting frame and a mirror attached to the display opposite attachment to the housing and at an angle to the display, the display/mirror movable between a first retracted position and a second extended position;

an actuator connected to the display/mirror to actuate movement of the display/mirror between the first and the second positions; and

a lockout mechanism to monitor an external vehicle status signal to prevent the actuator from moving the display/mirror from the first retracted position to the second extended position when the external vehicle status signal indicates that the vehicle is in a driving mode of operation.

8. The mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein the lockout mechanism monitors the vehicle through a connection to the vehicle ignition.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein the angle between the display and the minor is about ninety degrees such that the display and mirror are substantially perpendicular to one another.

10. The mirror assembly of claim 9, wherein a reflective surface of the mirror substantially faces a rear of the vehicle when the display/mirror is in the retracted position, and wherein a viewing surface of the display faces the housing when the display/mirror is in the retracted position.

11. A minor assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

a display pivotally mounted to a first end of the housing, and movable between a first retracted position in which a viewing surface of the display faces the housing and a second extended position in which the viewing surface faces a rear of the vehicle; and

a mirror pivotally mounted to a second end of the housing opposite the first end, the mirror movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position, the mirror having a reflective surface that substantially faces a rear of the vehicle when the minor is in its extended position and the display is in its retracted position, and the reflective surface facing a ceiling of the vehicle when the minor is in the retracted position and the display is in its extended position.

12. The mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein the reflective surface of the mirror and the viewing surface of the display are substantially perpendicular to one another when the minor is in the extended position and the display is in the retracted position.

13. A method of operating a mirror/display assembly in a vehicle comprising:

monitoring a driving mode and a non-driving mode of the vehicle with a lockout detector controller configured to monitor a position of a key in an ignition of the vehicle; and

controlling a position of the mirror/display assembly with the lockout detector controller, wherein the mirror/display assembly has a mounting frame and a display/mirror, the display/mirror having a display pivotally attached at one end to the mounting frame and a mirror attached to an opposing end of the display, the display/mirror movable with an actuator between a retracted position and an extended position, and wherein the controller allows movement of the mirror/display assembly to the retracted position for use as a rearview minor when the vehicle is in the driving mode of operation and allows movement of the mirror/display assembly with the actuator to the extended position wherein the mirror faces a floor of the vehicle and the display is configured for viewing only when the vehicle is in the non-driving mode of operation.