Side mirror assembly with stationary camera and telescoping mirror head

• US 9,815,410 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Inventors: Henion, Paul, Brooks, Darryl, Sinelli, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Atala, Jamie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abouzahra, Hesham
• Application Number:
  US14/013,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20140063233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,538 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/003 for viewing trailer hitches
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing
• 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

Abstract

A rear-view side mirror assembly includes a base for attachment to a vehicle, one or more support arms extending from the base, and a mirror head attached to the support arm and configured for telescoping movement along the support arm. A camera is fixedly attached to the support arm so as to remain stationary relative to the mirror base and vehicle as the mirror head telescopes inward and outward. An elongated aperture in the mirror head housing ensures that the camera lens is not occluded as the mirror head telescopes between a retracted position and an extended position. A flexible track covers portions of the elongated aperture on alternate sides of the lens as the housing telescopes relative to the lens.

Claims

1. A side mirror assembly comprising:

one or more support arms attached to and extending from a mirror base assembly configured for attachment to a portion of a vehicle;

a mirror head slidably attached to the one or more support arms such that the mirror head can telescope relative to the mirror base; and

a camera positioned within the mirror head and disposed in a camera holder that is attached to an outside surface of the one or more support arms, the camera configured to provide images exterior to the vehicle, wherein the camera is configured to remain in a stationary position relative to the mirror base as the mirror head telescopes.

2. The side mirror of claim 1, wherein the camera is positioned to view downwardly from a bottom of the mirror head.

3. The side mirror of claim 1, wherein the mirror head has an aperture configured to provide a viewing port for a lens of the camera regardless of the telescoped position of the mirror head.

4. The side mirror of claim 3, wherein the aperture is an elongated aperture and the mirror head further comprises a flexible track configured to cover a portion of the elongated aperture adjacent the camera lens regardless of the telescoped position of the mirror head.

5. The side mirror of claim 4, wherein the aperture has a first end and a second end and wherein the first end is covered by a portion of the flexible track when the lens viewing port is at the second end, and wherein the second end is covered by a portion of the flexible track when the lens viewing port is at the first end.

6. The side mirror of claim 4, wherein the flexible track is guided by opposing track guides.

7. The side mirror of claim 4, wherein a portion of the flexible track is configured to flex within the mirror head.

8. The side mirror of claim 4, wherein the flexible track forms a continuous band within the mirror head.

9. The side mirror of claim 8, further comprising a track guide assembly having track guides that retain the flexible track in a loop within the housing.

10. The side mirror of claim 1, wherein the mirror head is configured to telescope along a portion of the support arms between a retracted position and an extended position.

11. A vehicle having a side mirror assembly, the side mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror base assembly configured for attachment to a portion of a vehicle;

one or more support arms attached to and extending from the mirror base assembly;

a mirror head slidably attached to the one or more support arms such that the mirror head can telescope relative to the vehicle; and

a camera positioned within the mirror head and disposed in a camera holder that is attached to an outside surface of the one or more support arms, the camera configured to provide images exterior to the vehicle, wherein the camera is configured to remain in a stationary position relative to the side of the vehicle as the mirror head telescopes relative to the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the mirror head has a housing having an elongated aperture configured to provide a viewing port for a lens of the camera regardless of the telescoped position of the mirror head.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the housing includes a track guide assembly for maintaining a flexible track covering portions of the elongated aperture adjacent to the camera lens regardless of the telescoped position of the mirror head.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the mirror head is configured to telescope along a portion of the support arms between an inboard retracted position and an outboard extended position.

15. A side mirror assembly comprising:

one or more support arms attached to and extending from a base assembly configured for attachment to a portion of a vehicle;

a mirror head slidably engaging the one or more support arms such that the mirror head can telescope relative to the base assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, the mirror head further defining an elongated aperture aligned substantially parallel to an axis of telescoping;

a camera positioned within the mirror head and attached to one of the support arms such that the camera remains in a stationary position relative to the base assembly as the mirror head telescopes between the retracted and extended positions, the camera having a lens configured to provide images exterior to the vehicle through the elongated aperture; and

a flexible track configured to remain stationary relative to the camera as the mirror head telescopes and having first and second portions disposed on opposite sides of the camera lens the first and second portions configured to cover an opening of the elongated aperture adjacent the camera lens regardless of the retracted or extended position of the telescoping mirror head.

16. The side mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein a first portion of the flexible track covers an outboard portion of the elongated aperture when the mirror head is in the extended position, and a second portion of the flexible track covers an inboard portion of the elongated aperture when the mirror head is in the retracted position.

17. The side mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein the flexible track forms a continuous band within the mirror head.

18. The side mirror assembly of claim 17, further comprising a track guide assembly having track guides that retain the flexible track in a loop within the housing.

19. A side mirror assembly comprising:

one or more support arms attached to and extending from a base assembly configured for attachment to a portion of a vehicle;

a mirror head slidably engaging the one or more support arms such that the mirror head can telescope relative to the base assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, the mirror head further defining an elongated aperture aligned substantially parallel to an axis of telescoping;

a camera positioned within the mirror head and attached to one of the support arms such that the camera remains in a stationary position relative to the base assembly as the mirror head telescopes between the retracted and extended positions, the camera having a lens configured to provide images exterior to the vehicle through the elongated aperture; and

a flexible track fixed to the camera and configured as a continuous band having first and second portions disposed on opposite sides of the camera lens the first and second portions configured to cover an opening of the elongated aperture adjacent the camera lens regardless of the retracted or extended position of the telescoping mirror head.

20. The side mirror assembly of claim 19, further comprising a track guide assembly having track guides that retain the flexible track band in a continuous loop within the housing.