Outside mirror lighting assembly and method of forming same

• US 8,287,164 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Cammenga, David J., Fish, Richard T. Jr., Tuttle, Darin D., Snyder, Mark A., Fehn, Edmund
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US12/210,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249.02, 362/311.02, 362/494, 362/545, 362/555, 362/800
• 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: G02B 6/0091 of the light source relative to the light guide G02B6/0021 takes precedence

Abstract

An outside mirror lighting assembly (100) and method includes a housing (108) and a first glass panel (101) where one or more light emitting devices (107) are positioned at an edge of the first glass panel (101). Light rays from the at least one light emitting device (107) propagate within the glass panel for illumining its outer periphery. Words, logos, or other indicia (125) may be also be illuminated by direct or indirect light emitted into an etched area of the glass. The mirror assembly supplies a soft illuminated glow around the outer periphery and/or the indicia for proving a unique and pleasing appearance to the user.

Claims

1. A vehicular mirror assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first glass panel forming a glass plane having a front surface, rear surface and an edge surface extending around an outer perimeter between the front surface and rear surface;

a second glass panel positioned behind the first glass panel;

at least one light emitting device positioned at the edge surface of the first glass panel; and

wherein light rays from the at least one light emitting device propagate within the plane of the first glass panel for illuminating an outer periphery extending along an outside edge of at least a portion of the edge surface of the first glass panel so that the outer periphery of the at least a portion of the edge surface is illuminated in a substantially semi-circular shape without light propagating from the front surface or rear surface of the first glass panel.

2. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the substantially semi-circular shape is a non-contiguous ring.

3. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitting device is a light emitting diode (LED) positioned to directly input the light rays into the first glass panel.

4. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitting device is a light pipe positioned to indirectly input light rays into the first glass panel.

5. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the at least one light emitting device is a light emitting diode (LED) positioned to indirectly input light rays into the first glass panel using a reflective element.

6. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the light emitting device further includes a cover assembly for coupling light to the edge of the first glass panel.

7. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, further comprising:

a textured surface on the surface of the first glass panel for diffusing the light to allow light rays to escape through the textured surface.

8. A mirror assembly as in claim 7, wherein the textured surface forms a design element.

9. A mirror assembly as in claim 7, wherein the textured surface forms a turn signal indicator.

10. A mirror assembly as in claim 7, wherein the textured surface forms a side blind zone indicator.

11. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the mirror assembly is an inside vehicular mirror.

12. A mirror assembly as in claim 1, wherein the mirror assembly is an outside vehicular mirror.

13. A mirror assembly for use on a vehicle comprising:

a housing for mounting to the vehicle;

a first mirror element forming a glass plane having a front surface, rear surface and an etched edge surface extending around an outer perimeter between the front surface and rear surface;

a second mirror element positioned behind the first mirror element; and

at least one light emitting device positioned adjacent to the first mirror element such that light rays from the at least one light emitting device propagate along optical axes in the glass plane for illuminating the etched edge surface of the outer perimeter in a substantially semi-circular shape.

14. A mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein the substantially semi-circular shape is a non-contiguous ring.

15. A mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein the at least one light emitting device is a light emitting diode (LED) positioned for directly emitting light into an edge of the first mirror element.

16. A mirror assembly as in claim 15, wherein the reflective element is a metalized reflector.

17. A mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein the at least one light emitting device is a light pipe that is positioned adjacent to an edge of the first mirror element for indirectly emitting light therein.

18. A mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein the at least one light emitting device is a light emitting diode (LED) that utilizes a reflective element for indirectly emitting light into an edge of the first mirror element.

19. A mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein a section of the first mirror element includes an etched indicia on a front surface for establishing a path in which light rays can escape.

20. A mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein the mirror assembly is an inside mirror.

21. A mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein the mirror assembly is an outside mirror.

22. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly comprising the steps of:

providing a first glass panel forming a glass plane having a front surface, rear surface and an edge surface extending around an outer perimeter between the front surface and rear surface;

providing a second glass panel positioned behind the first glass panel;

positioning at least one light emitting device at the edge surface of the first glass panel; and

propagating light rays from the at least one light emitting device along the glass plane of the first glass panel for illuminating substantially the entire edge of the outer periphery edge surface of the first glass panel in a substantially semi-circular shape without light escaping from the front surface or rear surface of the first glass panel.

23. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

orienting a light emitting diode (LED) in the light emitting device for directly inputting light rays into the first glass panel.

24. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 23, further comprising the step of:

orienting a light emitting diode (LED) and light pipe in the light emitting device for indirectly inputting light rays into the first glass panel.

25. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

orienting a light emitting diode (LED) and reflective element in the light emitting device for indirectly inputting light rays into the first glass panel.

26. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing an indicia on the surface of the first glass panel for diffusing light to allow light rays to escape through the indicia.

27. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 26, further comprising the step of:

forming the indicia into a design element logo.

28. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 26, further comprising the step of:

forming the indicia into a turn signal indicator.

29. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 26, further comprising the step of:

forming the indicia into a side blind zone indicator.

30. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

utilizing the mirror lighting assembly as an outside vehicular mirror.

31. A method for illuminating a mirror lighting assembly as in claim 22, further comprising the step of:

utilizing the mirror lighting assembly as an inside vehicular mirror.