Abstract:
An exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles. The exterior rearview mirror has a mirror housing with a mirror glass, which is mounted on a mirror glass support and is encompassed by a frame. The exterior rearview mirror is provided with signal lamps, area lights, and indicator lights that are situated in the mirror housing or in the mirror base. In order to permit a simple, inexpensive installation of a lamp into the exterior rearview mirror so that it does not take up much space, at least one lamp of a built-in light is accommodated in the frame. The lamp, which is fastened to the frame in a non-detachable way, can be accommodated in the frame in a simple, space-saving way and held there securely. The exterior rearview mirror is particularly suited for motor vehicles.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2004 025 385.4 filed on May 17, 2004.  
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular motor vehicles.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     It is known for signal lamps, area lights, or indicator lights to be provided on the exterior rearview mirror. They are accommodated either in the mirror housing or in the mirror base.  
         [0004]     The object of the present invention is to design an exterior rearview mirror of this kind so as to permit a simple, advantageous installation of a lamp that does not require a lot of space.  
         [0005]     This object is attained with an exterior rearview mirror of the present invention.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     In the exterior rearview mirror according to the present invention, the lamp is non-detachably fastened to the frame. It can be accommodated in the frame in an easy, space-saving way and can be held there securely.  
         [0007]     Other characteristics of the invention ensue from the remaining claims, the specification, and the drawings.  
         [0008]     The present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with several exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings.  
         [0009]     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a view of an exterior rearview mirror with a mirror glass that is encompassed by a frame provided with built-in lights,  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  shows another embodiment form of an exterior rearview mirror according to the present invention, in a depiction that corresponds to  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  shows an enlarged section along the line III-III in  FIG. 1 , through a built-in light of the frame,  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a depiction according to  FIG. 3 , but with a built-in light of a different design,  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  through  FIG. 7e ach show another external rearview mirror according to the present invention in a depiction that corresponds to  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0015]      FIG. 8  shows a section along the line VIII-VIII in  FIG. 7 ,  
         [0016]      FIG. 9  shows a part of another exterior rearview mirror according to the present invention in a depiction that corresponds to  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0017]      FIG. 10  shows a section along the line X-X in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]     The external rearview mirror  1  depicted in a simplified form in  FIG. 1  is provided for motor vehicles. In a known manner, it has a housing (not shown) that accommodates a mirror glass support (also not shown), which supports a mirror glass embodied in the form of EC glass or normal glass surrounded by a mirror glass frame  3 . As also shown in  FIG. 1 , the mirror glass frame  3  has two built-in lights  5 , which are integrated into the surrounding frame and spaced apart from each other in a relatively narrow edge region  4  oriented away from the motor vehicle. The built-in lights  5  can be modular indicator lights, signal lamps, or area lights. The built-in lights  5 , which can be the same or different from each other, have one or more lamps  6  ( FIG. 3 ) that can be constituted by LEDs, incandescent bulbs, or the like. They are situated on a printed circuit board  7 , which can be embodied in a known fashion as either rigid or in the form of a flexible foil. Electrical/electronic components  8  are situated on the printed circuit board  7 . The components  8  and the lamps  6  are placed onto the printed circuit board  7  in a known manner and attached to it.  
         [0019]     As will be explained in detail below, the light emitted by the lamp  6  exits by means of at least one light exit surface  9  embodied in the form of a light window above the mirror glass  2  so that the light emitted by the built-in light, when it is used for a display function, is clearly visible to the driver of the vehicle. Since the light  5  is integrated into the mirror glass frame  3 , it takes up only a small amount of installation space.  
         [0020]     The mirror glass  2  is embodied in the form of a rimless, flat plate and advantageously rests against a mirror glass support plate  10  with the interposition of a heating foil  12 . In the exemplary embodiment, the mirror glass support plate  10  is of one piece with the frame  3  and, with an end section  11  that protrudes downward beyond the plane of the plate, adjoins an upward extending frame part  13 . In the region below the built-in lights  5 , the end section  11  of the support plate  10  is provided with an opening  15  through which a sealing material  16  can be introduced in order to fasten the built-in lights  5  into the frame  3  and protect them from external influences and corrosion. The built-in lights  5  can also be fastened to the mirror glass support plate  10  without sealing material. In that case, the built-in lights  5  can be sealed in a watertight fashion by means of a protective lacquer or the like. It is also possible to seal only the opening  15  or for the seal to be produced in another way. The sealing material  16  offers the advantage of reliably protecting the built-in lights from vibrations and external influences. The built-in lights  5  can also be firmly attached to the mirror glass assembly, for example by means of gluing, detent connection, and the like, so that they are securely attached to the mirror.  
         [0021]     The built-in lights  5  are attached by means of their printed circuit board  7  to a step-shaped intermediate section  14  of the support plate  10 . The support plate and its end section  11  transition by means of step segments extending up and down essentially at right angles, into a step segment  14 ′ extending parallel to them, which segment has through openings  17  for plug contacts  18  or a cable outlet of the printed circuit board  7 . When the light  5  is mounted in place, these plug contacts protrude downward beyond the end section  11  of the support plate  10 . In this manner, the current/voltage supply of the components  8  and the lamp  6  of the lights  5  is automatically produced when the plug contacts  18  are plugged into a mated contact (not shown). The lamp  6 , which is preferably constituted by at least one LED, is situated on the edge section  25  of the printed circuit board  7  protruding beyond the mirror glass  2 . The lamp  6  is supported by contact feet  24 , which are spaced slightly apart from the upright frame part  13  and are inserted through openings in the printed circuit board  7  and connected to the board in an electrically conductive manner. The components  8  are spaced a sufficient distance away from the mirror glass support plate  10 .  
         [0022]     The mirror glass support plate  10  protects the printed circuit board  7 , fixes it in position, and covers it in relation to the outside. The electrical/electronic components  8  on the printed circuit board  7  can also be eliminated if they have been provided at another location, for example in a current supply line or in a door control unit or the like of the vehicle.  
         [0023]     The frame section  13  that extends in a slight curve upward and toward the mirror glass  2  transitions into a roof-shaped upper frame part  20  under which the lamp or lamps  6  is/are situated. The light window  9 , which is delimited by the upper frame part  20  and extends to the mirror glass  2  in the installed position of the light  5 , permits the light emitted by the lamp  6  to pass through. The light window  9  is advantageously connected to the upper frame part  20  in a form-locked manner by means of a groove/spring connection  19  and advantageously rests against the mirror glass  2  with its edge for protection against the penetration of dirt, moisture, and the like into the built-in light  5 . In this manner, penetration of dirt, moisture and the like is at least to a large extent prevented.  
         [0024]     The light exit surface or light window  9  can be transparent and can also be provided with different colors in order to achieve different apparent colors. Instead of the light window  9 , it is also possible to provide an optical waveguide  21  ( FIG. 4 ). The light window  9  can also be entirely omitted.  
         [0025]     In the embodiment form according to  FIG. 2 , the built-in lights provided in the narrow frame part situated the farthest from the vehicle have been omitted. In their place, two built-in lights  5  provided spaced apart from each other are integrated into the frame  3 , both in the narrow frame part close to the vehicle and in the frame part at the top in the installed position of the mirror  1 . These built-in lights  5  are preferably embodied and situated in the same way as the lights according to  FIG. 3  so that they are accommodated snugly in the frame and protected from corrosion and external influences. Naturally, these built-in lights  5  can also be provided in addition to the built-in lights according to  FIG. 1  and any number of additional lights can also be provided. The built-in lights  5  can be installed anywhere in the surrounding frame  3 , depending on the intended use, for example when used as blind spot indicators, travel direction indicators, area lighting, or the like.  
         [0026]     The lamp  6  can be situated behind or in front of a mirrored surface, which is provided, for example, on the optical waveguide  21 . The lights  5  can also be situated so that they can function without an optical waveguide or with only a single optical waveguide, as in the embodiment forms according to FIGS.  1  to  3 . Each built-in light  5  can be provided with one or more lamps  6  in one or more colors. The lamps  6  can also be shaped so that the optical waveguide  21  ( FIG. 4 ) fits onto them, thus making it unnecessary to install an additional optical waveguide. The arrangement of the lamps can be selected so that the beams of light that they emit extend parallel to or at an angle to the surface of the mirror glass. The frame  3  can be provided with one or more light exit surfaces  9 .  
         [0027]     The embodiment form according to  FIG. 4  essentially differs from the one according to  FIG. 3  only in that the lamp  6  is situated under the printed circuit board  7  and the light that it emits is conveyed by the optical waveguide  21  to the region above the mirror glass  2 . The end of the optical waveguide  21  situated flush with the free end of the top frame part  20  constitutes the light exit surface  9 . As in the preceding embodiment form, the frame  3  is of one piece with the mirror glass support plate  10 . By contrast with the preceding embodiment form, the printed circuit board  7  is shorter and does not extend beyond the edge  22  of the mirror glass  2 , but only to the outer edge  23  of the heating foil  12 . The lamp  6  can once again be constituted by an LED, an incandescent bulb, or the like, that is attached to the printed circuit board  7  with contact feet  24 .  
         [0028]     The optical waveguide  21  is approximately C-shaped. With its one leg  27  extending approximately parallel to the mirror glass  2 , it adjoins the lamp  6 , which protrudes into a semicircular recess  28  at one end. This recess constitutes the light entry surface of the optical waveguide  21 . The other leg  29  likewise extends essentially parallel to the mirror glass  2  and rests against it with its underside. The end surface of the leg  29  constitutes the light exit surface  9 . On its top side, the leg  29  has the spring-like projection of the groove/spring connection  19 . The outsides of the legs  27 ,  29  transition at an angle into the outside surfaces of the crosspiece  30  of the optical waveguide  21 . This crosspiece extends approximately perpendicular to the mirror glass  2 , between its edge  22  and the frame section  13 . The light emitted by the lamp  6  and conveyed in the optical waveguide exits through the flat light exit surface  9  of the optical waveguide  21  extending transversely to the mirror glass  2 , and travels toward the driver&#39;s side of the vehicle.  
         [0029]     Except for the small regions of the light entry and exit surfaces, the optical waveguide  21  is advantageously provided with a reflective surface that prevents stray light losses between the light entry and exit. As in the embodiment form according to  FIG. 2 , the mirror glass support plate  10  has the opening  15  through which the sealing material  16  can be introduced into the frame  3  in order to seal the built-in lights  5  with the printed circuit board  7  and the components  8 .  
         [0030]     The embodiment forms according to  FIGS. 5 and 6  correspond to the one according to  FIG. 1 , but with the difference that the built-in lights  5  are accommodated in a widened frame part  31  or  32 ,  33  that protrudes inward over the mirror glass  2  and partially embraces the mirror glass  2 —viewed from above.  
         [0031]     As in the mirror according to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , in the embodiment form according to  FIG. 5 , both lights  5  are situated spaced apart from each other in the narrow frame part that is situated the farthest from the vehicle; a straight light window  9  that extends over both lamps  6  is provided. This light window  9  extends over almost the entire width of the narrow frame part. In the top view according to  FIG. 5 , the widened frame part  31  is embodied in the form of a segment. Its straight inner edge  34  lies in a plane with the light exit surface of the optical waveguide  21 . The light emitted from the light window  9  travels toward the vehicle, approximately parallel to the mirror glass  2 .  
         [0032]     As in the embodiment form according to  FIG. 2 , in the embodiment form according to  FIG. 6 , the pairs of built-in lights  5  are provided in the narrow frame part closest to the vehicle and in the longitudinal frame part at the top in the installed position of the mirror  1 . By contrast with the embodiment form according to  FIG. 2 , the lights  5  protrude inward over the mirror glass  2  so that the emitted light travels further downward and further outward away from the vehicle.  
         [0033]     The widened parts  32 ,  33  are approximately trapezoidal when viewed from above; they taper slightly as they extend inward from the edge of the mirror glass  2 . The light exit surfaces of the lights  5  are once again situated flush with the inner edge  34 ,  35  of the widened parts  32 ,  33  of the frame  3 . The widened frame parts  31  to  33  are of one piece with the frame  3  and constitute uninterrupted extensions of the outside of the frame. Their respective longitudinal edges  34 ,  36  oriented toward the mirror glass  2  extend beyond the inner edge  3 ′ of the frame  3 .  
         [0034]     As in the embodiment form according to  FIG. 3  or  4 , all of the lights  5  or only part of them can be provided with a light window or an optical waveguide.  
         [0035]     Instead of the continuous light window according to  FIG. 5 , it is also possible to provide two light windows. Naturally, in the embodiment forms according to  FIGS. 5 and 6  it is also possible to provide any number of additional lights  5  or to provide the lights at any other locations on the frame  3 , in the frame itself or in corresponding widened frame parts, for example when a turn signal or an area light is to be provided. In the embodiment forms described above, the light is emitted parallel to the surface of the mirror glass  2 .  
         [0036]     The embodiment form according to  FIGS. 7 and 8  differs from the one according to  FIG. 6  in that only the one widened frame part  33  close to the vehicle is provided. On its surface oriented away from the mirror glass  2 , it has a slot-shaped opening  36 . This opening extends parallel to the longitudinal edge  36  of the widened part  33 , spaced slightly apart from it. Otherwise, the widened part  33  is essentially the same as the one according to  FIG. 6 . Naturally, other widened parts can also be provided.  
         [0037]     As is clear from  FIG. 8 , the end of the upper leg  29  of the optical waveguide  21  constituting the light exit surface  9  protrudes into the opening  36 . The optical waveguide  21  is embodied essentially the same as the one according to  FIG. 4 . The leg  29 , however, does not extend parallel to the mirror glass  2 , but instead extends at an obtuse angle in relation to it and to the crosspiece  30  of the optical waveguide so that light exiting from the opening  36  travels obliquely upward away from the mirror glass  2 . This embodiment is particularly suitable e.g. for turn signals with a legally prescribed angle of departure intended to prevent the driver of the vehicle from looking into the emitted light and being blinded by it.  
         [0038]     As is clear from  FIG. 8 , the frame part  39  that has the inner longitudinal edge  35  of the widened frame part  33  and the inner longitudinal edge  38  of the opening  36  can be constituted by a separate part that is attached to the mirror glass  2  and/or to the frame  3 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 9  shows an additional embodiment form in which the two built-in lights  5  are accommodated in an add-on component  40  that is placed in a corresponding recess (not shown) of the frame  3  and is attached to the frame and the mirror glass  2 , for example by means of gluing or welding. The add-on piece  40  is integrated into the frame  3  so that it only protrudes from it by a negligible amount and also has a form that is adapted to the frame part in which it is provided. In the region of its inner edge  41 , the add-on piece  40  has two semicircular recesses  42 ,  43  into which the ends or light exit surfaces  9  of the one leg  29  of the optical waveguide  21  of the two built-in lights  5  protrude. As in the embodiment form according to  FIG. 4 , the legs  29  rest against the mirror glass  2 . The light exits approximately parallel to the surface of the mirror glass. The add-on piece  40  has an approximately L-shaped cross section and its upper free end  43  rests against the leg  29  of the optical waveguide  21 . The upright, longer leg  37  widens out in the region below the mirror glass  2 . Its widened end  37 ′ has a recess  44  for the lamp  6 , which can be constituted by an LED, an incandescent bulb, or the like. The mirror glass  2  is an EC mirror glass that is fastened to the mirror glass support  10  with the interposition of a heating foil  12 . The edge of the mirror glass support  10  is recessed in relation to the edge  22  of the mirror glass  2 . The heating foil  12  protrudes beyond the mirror glass support plate  10  and extends into the vicinity of the edge  22  of the mirror glass  2 .  
         [0040]     The mirror top and/or mirror bottom of the external rearview mirror  1  can contain additional elements such as a repeating turn signal, an area light, a camera, a GPS module, a washer unit for the mirror glass, a speaker, an antenna, a part of a garage door opener, or the like. These elements can be provided in any combination with one another in addition to the built-in lights  5 .  
         [0041]     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.