Exterior rearview mirror assembly

• US 9,827,913 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• 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., Deuel, Eric S., Sobecki, Justin E., Mambourg, Joseph R., Foote, Keith D., Lynam, Niall R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Zhihan
• Application Number:
  US14/380,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/062 with remote control for adjusting position B60R1/0607 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• 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

An exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a non-movable portion, a movable portion and a mirror head. The non-movable portion is configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle and the movable portion is movable relative to the non-movable portion. The mirror head is movable relative to the movable portion, and a mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. A first actuator is operable to move the movable portion relative to the non-movable portion about a first axis and a second actuator is operable to move the mirror head relative to the movable portion about a second axis. The first and second actuators are cooperatively operable to move the movable portion about the first axis and to move the mirror head about the second axis, and the mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a non-movable portion configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with said exterior rearview mirror assembly;

a movable portion that is movable relative to said non-movable portion;

a mirror head that is movable relative to said movable portion;

wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element fixedly attached at an attachment portion of said mirror head and fixed relative to said mirror casing;

a first actuator operable to move said movable portion relative to said non-movable portion about a first axis;

a second actuator operable to move said mirror head relative to said movable portion about a second axis;

wherein said first and second actuators are cooperatively operable to move said movable portion about said first axis and to move said mirror head about said second axis;

wherein said mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of said mirror head relative to said movable portion and said non-movable portion to adjust the rearward field of view of a driver of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said first and second actuators are cooperatively operable to move said mirror head and said movable portion to provide a powerfold function; and

wherein said first and second actuators are cooperatively operable to provide the powerfold function whereby said first and second actuators both operate together to move said mirror head and said movable portion between a use position, where said mirror head is extended from the exterior portion of the vehicle for providing the rearward field of view of a driver of the equipped vehicle, and a folded position, where said mirror head is nearer to the exterior portion of the vehicle.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second actuators are operable at different rotational speeds to adjust the rearward field of view of the driver of the equipped vehicle.

3. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said first and second axes are angled relative to one another.

4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said first and second axes are at an angle of between about 15 degrees and about 90 degrees relative to one another.

5. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror head attaches at said movable portion at a portion thereof that is remote from said mirror reflective element.

6. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said attachment portion is part of said mirror casing.

7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said mirror casing attaches at said movable portion at a portion thereof that is remote from said attachment portion.

8. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror head houses at least one accessory that is disposed in a mirror casing of said mirror head and behind said mirror reflective element.

9. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 8, wherein said at least one accessory comprises a camera.

10. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a frameless mirror reflective element.

11. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said frameless mirror reflective element has a glass substrate having a rounded front perimeter along a perimeter circumference of a front surface of said glass substrate, and wherein said rounded front perimeter has a radius of curvature of at least about 2.5 mm.

12. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein, with said frameless mirror reflective element attached at an attachment portion of a mirror casing of said mirror head, said rounded front perimeter of said glass substrate is exposed to and is viewable by the driver of the equipped vehicle when said rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted at the exterior portion of the equipped vehicle.

13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror head is disposed at an outboard region of said movable portion and wherein an inboard region of said movable portion is disposed at said non-movable portion.