Vehicular mirror with blind spot indicator

• US 8,779,911 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Inventors: Belcher, Simon, Moase, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/570,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/433, 340/468, 340/472, 340/475, 340/815.4, 340/903, 340/904, 340/436, 340/463, 359/245, 359/265, 359/267, 359/601, 359/603, 359/838, 359/839, 359/843, 359/864, 359/866, 359/868, 359/862, 701/96, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators

Abstract

An exterior rear view mirror assembly (10) for a motor vehicle (1) with a blind spot indicator for visually alerting a driver (5) to the presence of an object (2) in the blind spot (3) of the motor vehicle (1). The mirror assembly (10) includes a first mirror surface (30) and a second mirror surface (32). The mirror assembly (10) further includes a transition surface (34) disposed between the first and second mirror surfaces (30, 32) for displaying a blind spot indicator to the driver (5) when an object (2) is detected in the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot (3). The transition surface (34) for displaying the blind spot indicator is oriented generally towards the driver of the vehicle and away from other road users. Preferably, the transition surface (34) forms a discrete step or discontinuity between the first and second mirror surfaces (30, 32).

Claims

1. An exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle, the exterior rear view mirror assembly comprising:

a first mirror surface for providing a rearward field of view to a driver of the motor vehicle;

a second mirror surface for providing a rearward field of view to the driver of a blind spot of the motor vehicle;

a transition surface disposed between the first and second mirror surfaces and oriented toward the driver of the motor vehicle; and

a blind spot indicator fixedly secured to said transition surface and oriented toward the driver of the motor vehicle to provide indication to the driver when an object is detected in the blind spot of the motor vehicle by said blind spot indicator emitting light toward the driver of the motor vehicle.

2. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein the transition surface has a first edge contiguous with the first mirror surface and a second edge contiguous with the second mirror surface.

3. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first mirror surface, second mirror surface and transition surface are integrally formed.

4. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein the transition surface forms a discrete step or discontinuity between the first and second mirror surfaces.

5. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the transition surface is transparent.

6. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the transition surface is semi-transparent.

7. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein the blind spot indicator includes a light source located behind the transition surface.

8. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 7 wherein the light source includes at least one light emitting diode (LED).

9. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 8 wherein the blind spot indicator includes an indicator displayable on the transition surface, the indicator illuminated by the light source when an object is detected in the blind spot of the motor vehicle.

10. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 9 further including a symbol located on either the first or second mirror surfaces for identifying the indicator displayable on the transition surface as a blind spot indicator.

11. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first mirror surface has a minimum radius of curvature of 600 mm.

12. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein the second mirror surface has a radius of curvature in the range 200-500 mm.

13. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the first or second mirror surfaces are flat.

14. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1 wherein the first mirror, the second mirror and the transition surface are formed from a plastic polymer.

15. The exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 14 wherein the plastic polymer is formed from a polycarbonate or acrylic material.