Abstract:
Exterior rearview mirrors have mirror base, a mirror body, and a lighting unit with a lighting means. A lighting unit can be a repeating direction indicator lamp or, for example, a lamp for illuminating the surroundings. In order to enable the lighting unit to be easily mounted while requiring little mounting space, the lighting unit is part of an add-on element, which is physically separate from the exterior rearview mirror. The lighting unit with the lighting means can be easily produced and mounted. No mounting space is required inside the exterior rearview mirror. The lighting unit can be easily accessed for mounting. The exterior rearview mirror is used in motor vehicles.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/DE2004/000328, filed Feb. 21, 2004, which claims priority to DE 103 08 073.2 field Feb. 26, 2003. The disclosure(s) of the above application(s) is (are) incorporated herein by reference. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention concerns an exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, preferably motor vehicles. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is known to use a lighting unit in the mirror body or in the mirror base as a turn signal repeater lamp or as a perimeter light. The lighting unit takes up space in the mirror body that might be required for other components, such as a positioning drive for the mirror glass, a pivot drive for the mirror body, and the like. Moreover, installation of the lighting unit within the exterior rearview mirror is costly. If it is necessary to replace the lighting unit, the corresponding connector contacts have to be disconnected and reconnected, which is awkward and difficult inside the exterior rearview mirror. 
   An object of the present invention is to design an exterior rearview mirror of the generic type such that the lighting unit can be installed in a simple manner while taking little installation space. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In the inventive exterior rearview mirror, the lighting unit is part of the add-on element, which is physically separate from the exterior rearview mirror. Consequently, the lighting unit and the lighting means can be manufactured and installed easily. No installation space is required in the exterior rearview mirror. Since the lighting unit is part of the add-on element, easy replacement of the lighting unit or of the add-on element is possible. The lighting unit is not located in the mirror body or in the mirror base of the exterior rearview mirror, so it is easily accessible for installation. 
   Additional features of the invention are apparent from the other claims, the description, and the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention is explained in detail below on the basis of some example embodiments shown in the drawings. The drawings show: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded and partially sectional view of a first embodiment of an exterior rearview mirror, according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a partially sectional view taken along the Lines  2 — 2  in  FIG. 1 , according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a second embodiment of an exterior rearview mirror, according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view, partially in cross-section, of a third embodiment of an exterior rearview mirror, according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a top view and partially exploded view of the exterior rearview mirror shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view, partially in cross-section, of a fourth embodiment of an exterior rearview mirror, according to the present invention; and 
       FIG. 7  is a top view and partially exploded view of the exterior rearview mirror shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The exterior rearview mirror from  FIGS. 1 and 2  has a mirror body  1  and a mirror base  2  by which the exterior rearview mirror can be attached to the motor vehicle. Shown in  FIG. 1  by way of an example is part of the door panel  3  of the motor vehicle. The mirror base  2  can be attached to the door panel  3  in a known manner, for example by latching, hooking, screw-mounting, or other known fastening possibilities. The mirror body  1  is foldable relative to the mirror base  2 , preferably to the back and to the front viewed in the direction of travel. The exterior rearview mirror shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is designed as a single-axis mirror in which the mirror body  1  pivots about the same vertical axis when folding to the front and to the back. Since such pivot designs are known in exterior rearview mirrors, they are not described in detail here. 
   The mirror base  2  has on its underside  4 , facing the ground, a receiving space  5  in which is accommodated a lighting unit  6 . In order to produce the receiving space  5 , the underside  4  of the mirror base is shaped appropriately ( FIG. 2 ). The receiving space  5  is located approximately midway across the width of the mirror base  2  and is delimited to the outside by a rear wall  7  and to the front and back in the direction of travel by side walls  8 ,  9 . 
   At the top, the receiving space  5  is bounded by a roof  10 , which transitions into an upwardly oriented contact wall  11  of the mirror base  2  ( FIG. 1 ). The contact wall  11  is advantageously equipped with a seal  12 . As can be seen from  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the contact wall  11 , which in the example embodiment has an approximately triangular outline, is provided with three sockets  13 – 15 , which project beyond the contact wall  11 , pass through the seal  12 , and in the installed position engage openings  16 ,  17  in the door panel  3 . The sockets  13 – 15  function together with threaded studs  18 , which fasten the exterior rearview mirror to the door panel  3 . 
   The lighting unit  6  is part of an add-on element  19 , which in the installed position of the exterior rearview mirror is located between the door panel  3  and the mirror base  2 . The add-on element  19  has a housing  20 , whose outer contour is matched to the interior shape of the receiving space  5  of the mirror base  2 . The housing  20  has a rear wall  21 , a front wall  22 , side walls (not shown), and a top wall  23 . In the installed position, the housing  20  rests with these walls against the rear wall  7 , the side walls  8 ,  9 , and roof  10  of the receiving space  5 . The housing  20  is closed at the bottom facing the ground by a lens  24 , through which the light emitted by lighting means  25  in the housing  20  passes downward toward the ground. The lighting means  25  accommodated in the housing  20  are preferably LEDs, but may also be incandescent lamps or other lighting means known in automotive engineering. The lens  24  in the example embodiment is flat and in the installed position is flush with the underside  4  of the mirror base  2 . The lens  24  may also be domed, for example, in accord with the design requirements of the mirror base  2 . 
   Adjoining the top of the housing  20  is a rear wall  26 , which extends the rear wall  21  of the housing  20 , and in the installed position makes area contact with the seal  12 . The rear wall  26  has openings  27  for the passage of the sockets  13 – 15  and for cables. The rear wall  26  is matched approximately to the outer contour of the seal  12 . Projecting from the rear wall  26  are latching hooks  28 , and a corresponding latching hole (not shown) in the door panel  3  is associated therewith. 
   The lighting unit  6  of the add-on element  19  constitutes a perimeter light, which can be attached to the door panel  3  of the motor vehicle by means of the latching hooks  28 , independently of the exterior rearview mirror. In contrast to the example embodiment shown, it is also possible to fasten the add-on element  19  to the door panel  3  by hooking, screw-mounting, or other means. It is also possible to attach the add-on element  19  to the mirror base  2 . Since the lighting unit  6  is part of the add-on element  19 , there is no need to integrate the lighting unit  6  in the mirror base  2 . 
   In the example embodiment shown, first, the add-on element  19  is attached to the door panel  3 . Then the mirror base  2 , together with the mirror body  1 , are screwed onto the door panel  3  with threaded studs  18  in a known manner. The rear wall  26  of the add-on element  19  is covered by the mirror base  2 , while the lighting unit  6  is accommodated in the receiving space  5  of the mirror base  2 . The add-on element  19  is securely held by the mirror base  2 . The region next to the vehicle door is illuminated by the light radiating downward from the lighting means  25 , so this region is optimally lit when the vehicle is operating in poor lighting conditions. 
   With the exception of the lens  24 , the add-on element  19  is designed as a single piece and is advantageously made of a plastic. Provided on the outside of the front wall  22  and on the side walls (not shown) of the housing  20  of the add-on element  19  is a seal  29 , which prevents dirt from entering the receiving space  5 . 
     FIG. 3  shows an exterior rearview mirror in a dual-axis design. The mirror body  1  can pivot about an axis  30  or  31  in and counter to the vehicle&#39;s direction of travel. The two pivot axes  30 ,  31  are parallel to one another and, in a similar manner shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , extend upward. Such dual-axis mirrors are known, and thus are not explained in detail here. 
   The mirror base  2 , as in the above embodiment, is equipped on its underside the receiving space  5 , which accommodates the lighting unit  6  of the add-on element  19 . In contrast to the previous example embodiment, the receiving space  5  is not located in the center of the underside  4 , but instead is shifted toward the rear in the direction of travel in the underside  4 . The receiving space  5  is otherwise designed essentially the same as in the previous embodiment. Of course, it is also possible to provide the receiving space  5  in the center of the underside  4  of the mirror base  2  in a dual-axis mirror. 
   The side of the contact wall  11  of the mirror base  2  facing the door panel  3  is provided with the seal  12 , which is designed as a flat sealing disc and can be attached to the contact wall  11 . It is also possible, however, to lodge the seal  12  between the contact wall  11  of the mirror base  2  and the rear wall  26  of the add-on element  19 . 
   The rear wall  26  is designed as a single piece with the housing  20  of the lighting unit  6  accommodating the lighting means  25 . In the installed position, the lighting means  25  radiate light downward toward the ground. 
   Projecting from the rear wall  26  of the add-on element  19  are the latching hooks  28  with which the add-on element  19  can be latched to the door panel  3 . 
   In this embodiment as well, the add-on element  19  is a dimensionally stable, but somewhat elastic, component which is arranged as an independent unit between the mirror base  2  and the door panel  3 . In corresponding fashion to the previous embodiment, the add-on element  19  forms a sort of adapter piece between the mirror base  2  and the vehicle door  3 . 
     FIGS. 4 and 5  show an embodiment in which the add-on element  19  is a separate component that is installed between the mirror base  2  and the door panel  3 . The periphery of the add-on element  19  extends beyond the mirror base  2  ( FIG. 4 ). The lighting unit  6  of the add-on element  19  is arranged adjacent to the upwardly angled edge  32  of the mirror base  2  that is to the front in the direction of travel. The lighting unit  6  has the housing  20 , in which the lighting means  25  are accommodated. The lighting means  25  are arranged inside the housing  20  next to the edge  32  of the mirror base  2 . The housing  20  is closed at the front (in the direction of travel) by the lens  24 , which is flush with the outside of the add-on element  19 . In cross-section ( FIG. 5 ), the lens  24  has a convex curvature. Depending on the design of the add-on element  19 , the lens  24  can of course have any other suitable shape in cross-section. 
   The add-on element  19  has a triangular shape in aspect. The edges of the add-on element  19  are approximately parallel to the edges of the mirror base  2 . The add-on element  19  can consist entirely of soft, rubbery material. Of course, an embodiment of the add-on element  19  in a combination of soft and hard dimensionally stable plastic is also possible. 
   The light emitted by the lighting means  25  emerges through the lens  24  forward in the direction of travel. In this embodiment, the lighting unit  6  constitutes a turn signal repeater lamp. 
   The housing  20  is designed as a single piece with the rear wall  26  of the add-on element  19 . In the installed position, the rear wall makes area contact with the contact wall  11  of the mirror base  2 . The base has the sockets  13 ,  14 , which project beyond the contact wall  11 , extend through the openings  16 ,  17  in the rear wall  26  of the add-on element  19  and function together with threaded studs  18  ( FIG. 1 ) during installation of the exterior rearview mirror. 
   Due to a suitable optical design of the lens  24  or of the lighting unit  6 , the light beams  33  of the lighting means  25  can be directed such that they are aimed downward at an angle to the ground. In this case, the lighting unit  6  of the add-on element  19  does not constitute a turn signal repeater lamp, but instead serves as a perimeter light that illuminates the ground area next to the vehicle door. 
   It is also possible to employ only a part of the lighting means  25  for the perimeter light. Then the lighting unit  6  can be used as both a turn signal repeater lamp and perimeter light. In this case, it is advantageous to be able to operate the lighting means  25  of the perimeter light independently of the lighting means of the turn signal repeater lamp. 
   In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the lighting unit  6  of the add-on element  19  is located on the rearward (in the direction of travel), upwardly oriented edge  34  of the mirror base  2 . The edge  34  is provided with the receiving space  5 , designed as a recess, in which the lighting unit  6  lies in the installed position. The housing  20  of the lighting unit  6  makes area contact with the walls of the receiving space  5 . The lens  24  is flush with the outside of the edge  34  of the mirror base  2 . 
   Accommodated in the housing  20  are the lighting means  25 , which in contrast to the previous embodiment radiate their light to the back when viewed in the direction of travel. The lighting unit  6  can also be used as a turn signal repeater lamp in this case. By means of a suitable optical design of the lighting unit  6 , it is possible to direct the light beams  33  opposite the vehicle&#39;s direction of travel downward so that the lighting unit  6  serves as a perimeter light. As in the previous example embodiment, the light beams  33  can be guided in the desired direction, for example, by optics on the rear of the lens  24  and/or through reflectors accommodated in the housing  20 . Furthermore, it is possible to use only a part of the lighting means  25  for the perimeter lighting, while the remaining part of the lighting means  25  can be used for the turn signal repeater lamp. In corresponding fashion to the previous example, it is useful in such a case to turn on and off the lighting means  25  for the perimeter lighting independently of the other lighting means. 
   Adjoining the housing  20  is the rear wall  26 , which advantageously is designed as a single piece with the housing, and in the installed position makes area contact with the contact wall  11  of the mirror base  2 . While the housing  20  is provided on the front edge (viewed in the direction of travel) of the rear wall  26  in the embodiment in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in the embodiment in  FIGS. 6 and 7  the housing  20  is located on the rear edge (viewed in the vehicle&#39;s direction of travel) of the rear wall  26 . On the edge opposite the housing  20 , the rear wall  26  is sharply bent. This sharply bent edge  35  of the rear wall  26  contacts the front (in the direction of travel) upwardly oriented edge  32  of the mirror base  2 . 
   In all embodiments, the lighting unit  6  is part of the separate add-on element  19 , which is placed between the mirror base  2  and the vehicle door. The add-on element  19  is preferably made as a single piece with the lighting unit  6 . The add-on element  19  can consist of a hard material, for example a suitable plastic. It is also possible to make the add-on element  19  of flexible material, so that it can simultaneously also serve a sealing function between the exterior rearview mirror, or its mirror base  2 , and the door panel  3 . It is furthermore possible to make the add-on element  19  partly of a hard material and partly of a flexible material. Thus it is possible, for example, to make the housing  20  of the lighting unit  6  of a suitably rigid material, while the rear wall  26  is made of a flexible material. 
   Since the add-on element  19  is a separate component from the mirror base, the interior space of the mirror base  2  and, in particular, of the mirror body  1  is available for building in other assemblies. Thus the drives for mirror glass adjustment and for motorized adjustment of the mirror body  1 , heating elements for the mirror glass, transmitters for garage door openers, loudspeakers, antennas, GPS modules, and the like can easily be installed in the mirror body  1 .