Systems for indicating visibility of a blind spot to a driver

• US 8,783,920 B1
• Filed: 01/02/2014
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/01/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shahriar Mohktari Sharghi
• Original Assignee: Shahriar Mohktari Sharghi
• Inventors: Mohktari Sharghi, Shahriar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanley, Britt D
• Application Number:
  US14/146,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20140185311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 201 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 362/487
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/006 Side-view mirrors, e.g. V-shaped mirrors located at the front or rear part of the vehicle combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08; side-view periscopes B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/1207 with lamps; with turn indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Systems for indicating visibility of a blind spot to a driver are provided. In some embodiments, the systems comprise: a housing; a mirror coupled to the housing, wherein the mirror is adjustable in at least a horizontal direction with respect to the housing; and a directional light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a direction of the light source is substantially parallel to at least a portion of a typical driver'"'"'s blind spot during operation of a vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled, wherein the direction of the light source is angled with respect to the housing such that light emitted by the light source is reflected by the mirror into a passenger compartment of the vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled in at least two positions of the mirror separated by at least ten degrees of horizontal rotation of the mirror.

Claims

1. A side mirror assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a mirror coupled to the housing, wherein the mirror is adjustable in at least a horizontal direction with respect to the housing; and

a directional light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a direction of the light source is substantially parallel to at least a portion of a typical driver'"'"'s blind spot during operation of a vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled,

wherein the direction of the light source is angled with respect to the housing such that light emitted by the light source is reflected by the mirror into a passenger compartment of the vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled in at least two positions of the mirror separated by at least ten degrees of horizontal rotation of the mirror.

2. The side mirror assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second directional light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a direction of the second light source is substantially parallel to at least a second portion of the typical driver'"'"'s blind spot during operation of the vehicle to which the side mirror assembly is coupled.

3. The side mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein the portion of the typical driver'"'"'s blind spot substantially coincides with a first border of the blind spot and the second portion of the typical driver'"'"'s blind spot substantially coincides with a second border of the blind spot.

4. The side mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the directional light source comprises a light emitting diode and a lens.

5. The side mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the direction light source emits at least a first color of light.

6. The side mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein the first color is blue.

7. The side mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the light emitted by the directional light source is emitted as a cone having an optical axis.

8. A side mirror assembly, comprising:

a housing;

a mirror coupled to the housing, wherein the mirror is adjustable in at least a horizontal direction with respect to the housing; and

a light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that a predominant direction of light emitted by the light source is toward the surface of the mirror at an angle of between fifteen and eighteen degrees with respect to a longitudinal axis of a vehicle when the housing is coupled to the vehicle in an operative position.

9. The side mirror assembly of claim 8, further comprising a second light source rigidly coupled to the housing such that predominant direction of light emitted by the light second source is toward the surface of the mirror at an angle of about forty degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of a vehicle when the housing is coupled to the vehicle in an operative position.

10. The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light source is a directional light source.

11. The side mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode and a lens having an optical axis that defines a directionality of the light source.

12. The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light source emits at least a first color of light.

13. The side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the first color is blue.

14. The side mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein the light source emits a second color of light, and wherein the second color is orange.

15. The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light emitted by the light source is emitted as a cone having an optical axis.

16. The side mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein the light source operates with a first brightness when ambient brightness is greater than a threshold, and operates with a second lower brightness when ambient brightness is less than a threshold.