Full display mirror actuator

• US 9,694,752 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Kuester, Ulrich A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahi, Shan
• Application Number:
  US14/934,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20160129842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence

Abstract

A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side and further includes a substrate having a reflective surface thereon extending within the open side of the housing and an actuation mechanism moveably coupling the substrate with the housing. The actuation mechanism includes a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity at a first end thereof. The mounting plate defines a socket open opposite the first end and first and second scalloped surfaces adjacent the socket. The actuation mechanism further includes an actuation wheel rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing and engageable with the socket to cause rotation of the mounting plate and engageable with the first scalloped surface to secure the mounting plate in a first position and with the second scalloped surface to secure the mounting plate in a second position.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising:

a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side;

a substrate extending within the open side of the housing and having a reflective surface thereon; and

an actuation mechanism moveably coupling the substrate with the housing and including;

a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end of the mounting plate, the mounting plate defining a socket open opposite the first end and first and second scalloped surfaces adjacent the socket; and

an actuation wheel including a pin, coupled within the cavity of the housing opposite the first end of the mounting plate and rotatable about an axis, the pin moving with rotation of the actuation wheel into engagement with the socket and forcing rotation of the mounting plate between a first position and a second position, the actuation wheel further including a cam alternately engageable with the first scalloped surface in a first orientation opposing movement of the mounting plate out of the first position and with the second scalloped surface in a second orientation opposing movement of the mounting plate out of the second position.

2. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein rotation of the actuation wheel includes rotation through a movement phase including engagement of the pin with the socket causing rotation thereof through a predetermined angle.

3. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein rotation of the actuation wheel includes rotation through a locking phase including disengagement of the pin from the socket and engagement of the cam with a respective one of the first and second scalloped surfaces.

4. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a display screen, and wherein the reflective surface overlies the display screen.

5. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second scalloped surfaces define an apex adjacent an intersection therebetween, the apex defining a minimum distance with respect to the axis during rotation of the mounting plate between the first position and the second position;

the cam defines a bypass portion having a radius less than the minimum distance.

6. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein:

the first scalloped surface is positioned at a first distance from the axis when the mounting plate is in the first position; and

the cam defines a first engagement portion, at least a portion of which defines a second distance from the axis that is greater than the first distance, positioned on the cam such that engagement of the cam with the first scalloped surface includes compression of the cam.

7. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the cam defines first engagement portion and a second engagement portion, each including a portion of the cam at a maximum distance from the axis, such portions being positioned between about 220 degrees and about 260 degrees apart about the axis.

8. The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a motor coupled within the cavity of the housing, the actuation wheel being coupled with and rotatable about the axis by the motor.

9. The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a hole adjacent the mounting plate, the mirror further including:

a mounting structure coupled with the mounting plate and extending through the hole in the housing, the housing being moveable through an angle of about 6 degrees with respect to the mounting structure by movement of the mounting plate between the first position and the second position.

10. A rear-vision system for a vehicle, comprising:

a video camera mounted on the vehicle in a position to capture an image of a portion of an exterior thereof; and

a display mirror assembly, comprising;

a substrate including a display in electronic communication with the camera for presenting the image thereon, a one-way reflective layer overlying the display;

a mounting plate defining a first and, a socket open opposite the first end, and a first scalloped surface adjacent the socket;

a mounting structure coupled between the mounting plate and a portion of the vehicle;

a housing supporting the display and defining an internal cavity and being rotatably coupled with a first end of the mounting plate within in the cavity; and

an actuation wheel coupled within the cavity of the housing and rotatable about an axis, the actuation wheel including a pin and a peripheral surface alternately respectively engageable with the socket and the first scalloped surface through a rotational motion of the actuation wheel.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a motor mounted within the cavity of the housing, the actuation wheel being coupled with the motor to drive the rotational motion thereof; and

control circuitry coupled with the motor for controlling the motor in driving the rotational motion of the actuation wheel.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the rotational motion of the actuation wheel moves the housing relative to the mounting plate between a first position and a second position; and

the control circuitry is further in electronic communication with the display and automatically causes the rotational motion of the actuation wheel to move the housing between the first and second position upon one of an activation or deactivation of the display.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein when in the second position, the substrate is angled toward a headliner of the vehicle by between 5 degrees and 10 degrees relative to the first position.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the mounting plate further defines a second scalloped surface adjacent the first scalloped surface;

the peripheral surface of the actuation wheel defines a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion alternately engageable with the first scalloped surface to secure the mounting plate in the first position and with the second scalloped surface to secure the mounting plate in the second position through the rotational motion of the actuation wheel.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the housing defines a hole adjacent the mounting plate; and

the mounting structure extends through the hole in the housing.

16. A vehicle, comprising:

a windshield;

a headliner adjacent an upper edge of the windshield; and

a mirror assembly, comprising;

a substrate including a display and a one-way reflective layer overlying the display;

a mounting plate having a first end and defining a socket open opposite the first end and a first scalloped surface adjacent the socket;

a mounting structure coupled with the mounting plate and coupling with the vehicle adjacent the upper edge of the windshield;

a housing supporting the display and defining an internal cavity and being rotatably coupled with a first end of the mounting plate within in the cavity; and

an actuation wheel coupled within the cavity of the housing and rotatable about an axis, the actuation wheel including a pin and a peripheral surface alternately respectively engageable with the socket and the first scalloped surface through a rotational motion of the actuation wheel that moves the housing relative to the mounting plate between a first position and a second position.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein when in the second position, the substrate is angled toward the headliner by between 5 degrees and 10 degrees relative to the first position.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising a video camera mounted on the vehicle in a position to capture an image of a portion of an exterior thereof, wherein:

the display is in electronic communication with the camera for presenting the image thereon.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, further comprising:

a motor mounted within the cavity of the housing, the actuation wheel being coupled with the motor to drive the rotational motion thereof; and

control circuitry coupled with the motor for controlling the motor in driving the rotational motion of the actuation wheel, the control circuitry further being in electronic communication with the display and automatically causing the rotational motion of the actuation wheel to move the housing between the first and second position upon one of an activation or deactivation of the display.

20. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein:

the mounting plate further defines a second scalloped surface adjacent the first scalloped surface;

the peripheral surface of the actuation wheel defines a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion alternately engageable with the first scalloped surface in a position opposing movement of the mounting plate out of the first position and with the second scalloped surface in a position opposing movement of the mounting plate out of the second position through the rotational motion of the actuation wheel.