Interior rearview mirror assembly with user input module

• US 9,580,019 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: De Wind, Darryl P., Uken, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Doak, J
• Application Number:
  US13/919,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20130279147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1284 with communication systems other than radio-receivers, e.g. keyless entry systems, navigation systems; with anti-collision systems

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element, a housing portion and a user input module. The housing portion is positioned at a perimeter of the reflective element and has an exterior surface that faces generally toward the driver of the vehicle when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. The housing portion has a recess established at the exterior surface. The user input module includes at least one user input that is actuatable by a user and includes backlighting operable to backlight the at least one user input. The user input module is at least partially received in the recess at the housing portion and is configured to snap attach at the housing portion when at least partially received in the recess at the housing portion.

Claims

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

a reflective element, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate having a front surface that faces generally toward a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle;

a housing portion positioned at the perimeter of said reflective element, wherein said housing portion extends generally along at least a portion of a perimeter region of said reflective element, and wherein said housing portion has an exterior surface that faces generally toward the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, said housing portion having a recess established at said exterior surface and spaced from said front surface of said reflective element that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle;

a user input module comprising at least one user input that is actuatable by a user;

wherein said user input module comprises backlighting operable to backlight said at least one user input;

wherein said user input module is at least partially received in said recess at said housing portion; and

wherein said user input module is configured to snap attach at said housing portion when at least partially received in said recess at said housing portion.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said recess is established at least partially above a level that corresponds to a lower edge region of said reflective element so that said user input module is disposed in front of and at least partially overlaps said lower edge region of said reflective element.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said housing portion at which said user input module is disposed comprises a bezel portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said housing portion at which said user input module is disposed comprises a lower bezel portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said user input module has an exterior surface that is curved to generally correspond with said exterior surface of said housing portion that is adjacent to said recess and said user input module when said user input module is snap attached at said housing portion, and wherein said exterior surfaces of said user input module and said housing portion cooperate to define a generally continuous trim portion along the at least a portion of said perimeter region of said reflective element.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said user input module comprises an electrical connector that passes through an aperture formed through said housing portion at said recess, said electrical connector electrically connecting circuitry of said user input module to circuitry within said interior rearview mirror assembly.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said user input module comprises a flexible user input module that includes circuitry at least partially established on a flexible circuit element.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said user input module comprises a flexible keypad disposed over electronic circuitry of said user input module and wherein said electronic circuitry is actuated by a user pressing said flexible keypad.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one user input comprises a plurality of user inputs disposed along said user input module and wherein said user input module comprises a plurality of actuating elements associated with respective ones of said plurality of user inputs.

10. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a reflective element, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate having a front surface that faces generally toward a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle;

a housing portion positioned at the perimeter of said reflective element, wherein said housing portion extends generally along at least a portion of a perimeter region of said reflective element, and wherein said housing portion has an exterior surface that faces generally toward the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, said housing portion having a recess established at said exterior surface and spaced from said front surface of said reflective element that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle;

a user input module comprising a plurality of user inputs;

wherein said plurality of user inputs are individually actuatable by a user;

wherein said user input module comprises backlighting operable to backlight said plurality of user inputs;

wherein said user input module is at least partially received in said recess at said housing portion;

wherein said user input module is configured to snap attach at said housing portion when at least partially received in said recess at said housing portion; and

wherein said user input module comprises an electrical connector that passes through an aperture formed through said housing portion at said recess, said electrical connector electrically connecting circuitry of said user input module to circuitry within said interior rearview mirror assembly.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said recess is established at least partially above a level that corresponds to a lower edge region of said reflective element so that said user input module is disposed in front of and at least partially overlaps said lower edge region of said reflective element.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said housing portion at which said user input module is disposed comprises a bezel portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said user input module has an exterior surface that is curved to generally correspond with said exterior surface of said housing portion that is adjacent to said recess and said user input module when said user input module is snap attached at said housing portion, and wherein said exterior surfaces of said user input module and said housing portion cooperate to define a generally continuous trim portion along the at least a portion of said perimeter region of said reflective element.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said user input module comprises a flexible user input module that includes circuitry at least partially established on a flexible circuit element.

15. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said user input module comprises a flexible keypad and wherein user inputs are actuated by a user pressing said flexible keypad.

16. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a reflective element, wherein said reflective element comprises a substrate having a front surface that faces generally toward a driver of a vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle;

a housing portion positioned at the perimeter of said reflective element, wherein said housing portion extends generally along at least a portion of a perimeter region of said reflective element, and wherein said housing portion has an exterior surface that faces generally toward the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, said housing portion having a recess established at said exterior surface and spaced from said front surface of said reflective element that is viewable by the driver of the vehicle when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle;

a user input module comprising at least one user input that is actuatable by a user;

wherein said user input module comprises backlighting operable to backlight said at least one user input;

wherein said user input module comprises a flexible user input module that includes circuitry at least partially established on a flexible circuit element;

wherein said user input module is at least partially received in said recess at said housing portion; and

wherein said user input module is configured to snap attach at said housing portion when at least partially received in said recess at said housing portion; and

wherein said user input module has an exterior surface that is curved to generally correspond with said exterior surface of said housing portion that is adjacent to said recess and said user input module when said user input module is snap attached at said housing portion, and wherein said exterior surfaces of said user input module and said housing portion cooperate to define a generally continuous trim portion along the at least a portion of said perimeter region of said reflective element.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said recess is established at least partially above a level that corresponds to a lower edge region of said reflective element so that said user input module is disposed in front of and at least partially overlaps said lower edge region of said reflective element.

18. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said housing portion at which said user input module is disposed comprises a bezel portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

19. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said user input module comprises an electrical connector that passes through an aperture formed through said housing portion at said recess, said electrical connector electrically connecting circuitry of said user input module to circuitry within said interior rearview mirror assembly.

20. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said at least one user input comprises a plurality of user inputs disposed along said user input module and wherein said user input module includes a plurality of actuating elements associated with respective ones of said plurality of user inputs, and wherein said user input module comprises a flexible keypad disposed over said actuating elements and wherein said actuating elements are individually actuated by a user pressing portions of said flexible keypad.