Abstract:
A side mirror assembly is provided with a plurality of mirror members arranged in a longitudinal array to decrease the lateral profile of the side mirror assembly, and thereby potentially increase fuel economy, without sacrificing field of view for the driver. The mirror members are arranged with reflective surfaces angled with respect to a longitudinal axis running through the array, with the angles generally decreasing in a forward direction. An image of an object outside of the vehicle reflected by the mirror members is not reversed (i.e., the image is not a “mirror image” in which right and left sides are switched or flipped), thus increasing the ability of the driver to mentally process the image and respond in an appropriate manner. A method of manufacturing a side mirror assembly is also provided.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The invention relates to an aerodynamic side mirror assembly and a method of manufacturing the same. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Motor vehicles are generally equipped with side mirror assemblies that extend outboard of vehicle body structure in order to allow a driver to view images of objects outside of the vehicle and rearward of the side mirror assembly. Although side mirror assemblies are generally streamlined to the extent possible, because they increase the lateral profile of the vehicle, they nevertheless increase the drag on the motor vehicle, with a corresponding reduction in fuel economy. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A side mirror assembly is provided with a plurality of mirror members arranged in a longitudinal array to decrease the lateral profile of the side mirror assembly, and thereby potentially increase fuel economy, without sacrificing field of view for the driver. The mirror members are arranged with reflective surfaces, at least some of which are angled with respect to a longitudinal axis running through the array, with the angles generally decreasing in a forward direction along the array. An image of an object outside of the vehicle reflected by the mirror members is not reversed (i.e., the image is not a “mirror image” in which right and left sides are switched or flipped), thus increasing the ability of the driver to mentally process the image and respond in an appropriate manner. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment, the mirror members may be selectively moved from the configuration described above, to a configuration in which the mirror members are arranged to form the equivalent of a continuous, planar mirror member. The change in configuration may be in response to a change in vehicle speeds, with the longitudinal array being used for high vehicle speeds and the substantially contiguous, planar arrangement being used for lower vehicle speeds in which aerodynamic drag is less affected by the side mirror assembly. A drive assembly may be used to automatically change the configuration of the mirror members in response to a repositioning of a housing for the side mirror assembly with respect to the vehicle. 
         [0005]    At least some embodiments of the side mirror assemblies described herein may be manufactured by a method that includes injection molding a substantially transparent base that has surfaces spaced apart from one another in a longitudinally-oriented array. At least some of the surfaces are not parallel with one another and are positioned at obtuse angles with respect to longitudinal axis running through the surfaces. The surfaces are aluminized to form reflective mirror members on the surfaces. A clear protective coating may be placed on the aluminized surfaces. The aluminized surfaces are then overmolded with additional transparent material, as was used for the base, to encase the reflective mirror members within this material. 
         [0006]    The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration in plan view of a partially formed side mirror assembly having a transparent base member with stepped base surfaces; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration in plan view of the transparent base member of  FIG. 1 , with the stepped base surfaces having aluminized mirror members thereon and with a protective coating over the mirror members; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration in plan view of the side mirror assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the transparent base member overmolded to encase the stepped base surfaces and mirror members; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an alternative embodiment of a side mirror assembly formed according to the method illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , but having aluminized mirror members with a convex shape; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary, partial cross-sectional plan view of the side mirror assembly of  FIGS. 1-3  mounted to a vehicle, and illustrating reflection of an image by the mirror members without reversing the image; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration in fragmentary, partial cross-sectional plan view of a third embodiment of a side mirror assembly, illustrating the side mirror assembly in two positions with respect to a vehicle body, with the mirror members moving from a first configuration (shown in phantom) to a second configuration via a drive assembly when the position of the side mirror assembly is changed; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a partial front view of the side mirror assembly of  FIG. 6 , showing the mirror members in the second configuration. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components,  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate a method of manufacturing a first embodiment of a side mirror assembly  10 , shown in  FIG. 3 . In  FIG. 1 , a base member  12  is formed by blow-molding. The base member  12  is a transparent plastic material having stepped surfaces  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the stepped surfaces  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  are aluminized to form mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  on the respective stepped surfaces. A clear protective coating  40  is coated over each of the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the base member  12  with stepped surfaces  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  and mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  is then overmolded, i.e., additional transparent material as was used to form base member  12  is molded over base member  12  to form a final molded shape in which the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  are encased in the transparent plastic material. The stepped surfaces  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24  and the protective coating  40  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  are not apparent after the over-molding to the final shape of  FIG. 3 . Blow-molding to the final shape of the side mirror assembly  10  adds a rounded forward surface  42  which is forward facing when the side mirror assembly  10  is mounted to a vehicle body, as shown in  FIG. 5 , to add to the aerodynamic nature of the elongated side mirror assembly  10 . 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  are spaced apart from one to another in a longitudinally-oriented array  44  oriented with a longitudinal axis  46  extending through the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36 . Referring again to  FIG. 2 , in this embodiment, each of the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  has a respective substantially planar reflective surface  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 , and  60 . As is clear in  FIG. 3 , the reflective surfaces  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 , and  60 , are positioned at various angles with respect to the longitudinal axis  46 . The reflective surface  50  is at an angle Θ 1  of approximately  90  degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis  46 . The reflective surfaces  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 , and  60  are at various angles Θ 2 , Θ 3 , Θ 4 , Θ 5 , and Θ 6  with respect to the longitudinal axis  46 . Each of the angles Θ 2 , Θ 3 , Θ 4 , Θ 5 , and Θ 6  is obtuse (i.e., greater than 90 degrees). At least some of the various angles Θ 1 , Θ 2 , Θ 3 , Θ 4 , Θ 5 , and Θ 6  are different from one another. Generally, the angles increase from Θ 2  to Θ 6 . 
         [0016]    Additionally, each of the mirror members,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  is characterized by a respective width W 1 , W 2 , W 3 , W 4 , W 5 , and W 6 . The widths generally increase from W 6  to W 1 , i.e. the widest mirror member  26  is oriented at the end of the mirror assembly  10  intended to be toward the front of the vehicle, while the narrowest mirror member  36  with a width W 6  is rearward. Preferably, the widths of the mirror members increase in order as follows: W 6 , W 5 , W 4 , W 3 , W 2 , and W 1 . The different widths of the mirrors account for the variation in distance that light must go through in traveling from the object  74  of  FIG. 5  to the eye  70 . The widths may also be designed to account for different reflective indices of the media (i.e., air, base member  12 , then air) that the light travels through. The preferred size of the angles Θ 1 , Θ 2 , Θ 3 , Θ 4 , Θ 5 , and Θ 6  and widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 , W 4 , W 5 , and W 6  along the longitudinal array  44  allows the side mirror assembly  10  to reflect an image of an object outside of a vehicle without reversing the image. This is indicated in  FIG. 5 , which shows a fragmented portion of the side mirror assembly  10  mounted to a vehicle  62 . Specifically, the side mirror assembly  10  is mounted via a mounting member  64  to a vehicle door  66  in a longitudinal position substantially aligned with the position of an A-pillar member  68 . The mounting member  64  may be of a plastic, metal, or other sufficiently rigid and strong material to retain the side mirror assembly  10  to the door  66 . With the side mirror assembly  10  operatively connected to the vehicle  62  in this manner, a driver positioned in a driver&#39;s seat, indicated by a schematic representation of an eye  70  can utilize the side mirror assembly  10  by looking through the window  72  to view an object  74  located outside of the vehicle  62  without reversing an image of the object  74 . The mounting member  64  may be pivotable to allow adjustment of the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32  and  34  with respect to the position of the eye, especially for different eye positions of different drivers. 
         [0017]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the object  74  is divided into zones Z 1  and Z 2 . The closest zone Z 1 , i.e., the zone most inboard and therefore closest to the viewer, has an image reflected by the mirror member  26  to the eye  70  in a viewing zone Z 1 A. As used herein, “inboard” refers to a direction laterally inward toward a longitudinal centerline of a vehicle. “Outboard” refers to a direction laterally outward from a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle. The zone Z 2  of the object  74  has an image reflected by the mirror member  28 , which is closer to the eye  70  and at a greater angle Θ 2  to the longitudinal axis  46 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , and therefore able to reflect the further outboard zone Z 2 A in a viewing zone Z 1 A. The boundaries of light reflected from the object  74  off of the respective reflective surfaces  50 ,  52  to the eye  70  is marked by phantom lines coincident with the opposing ends of the respective reflective surfaces  50 ,  52 ; such boundaries establish the zones Z 1 , Z 2  and the viewing zones Z 1 A, Z 2 A. It is assumed to any refraction of light entering and exiting the base material  12  prior to reflection off of the mirror members  26 ,  28  is negligible. However, the angles of the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 , and  36  with respect to the longitudinal axis  46  as well as the widths W 1 , W 2 , W 3 , W 4 , W 5  and W 6  may be adjusted to take such refraction into account so that the object  74  is reflected by the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  without reversal of the image as described above. 
         [0018]    The mirror member  28  reflects zone Z 2  in place of a mirror portion  76  of mirror member  26  that would have been needed to extend outboard from mirror member  26  in order to reflect an image of the same zone Z 2 . The additional mirror members  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36 , having reflective surfaces  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60  being at respectively increasing angles with respect to the longitudinal axis  46  of  FIG. 3 , reflect zones respectively in order outboard from zone Z 2 , creating additional viewing zones respectively in order moving counterclockwise from viewing zone Z 2 A, extending the field of vision outboard of object  74 . Respectively larger mirror portions of a mirror would need to extend outboard of mirror portion  76  to cover the same field of vision. Thus, by stacking the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  in a longitudinal array  44 , the same field of vision is viewable as with a much wider single plane mirror, and this achieved without reversing the image. The side mirror assembly  10  extends much less outboard of the vehicle door  66  than would a single mirror offering the same field of vision, thus minimizing the drag affect of the side mirror assembly  10  on the vehicle  62 . By increasing by hundreds or even thousands the number of mirror members of side mirror assembly  10 , while decreasing the width of the mirror members, the side mirror assembly  10  may offer a relatively wide field of vision with an almost paper thin overall width. 
         [0019]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative embodiment of a side mirror assembly  100  manufactured according to the same method described with respect to  FIGS. 1-3 . The stepped surfaces (no longer visible in the  FIG. 4 ) of the base member used in forming the side mirror assembly  100  are slightly convex, so that the aluminized mirror members  126 ,  128 ,  130 ,  132 ,  134  and  136  aluminized on the stepped surfaces have a convex shape, allowing each to have a wider view, as is understood by those skilled in the art. 
         [0020]    The side mirror assemblies  10  and  100  may thus be manufactured according to a method, described with respect to side mirror assembly  10 , that requires injection molding a substantially transparent base  12  so that the base  12  has stepped surfaces  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24  spaced apart from one another in a longitudinally-oriented array  44  in which at least some of the stepped surfaces  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24  are not parallel with one another and are positioned at obtuse angles Θ 2 , Θ 3 , Θ 4 , Θ 5 , and Θ 6  with respect to the longitudinal axis  46 . The stepped surfaces  14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24  are then aluminized to create respective reflective surfaces  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56   58  and  60  thereon. After that, a clear protective coating  40  may be coated over each of the reflective surfaces  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58  and  60  prior to over-molding the aluminized surfaces to encase the mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34  and  36  within transparent plastic. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , another embodiment of a side mirror assembly  210  is shown that is selectively movable between a low speed position best suited for relatively low vehicle speeds, where aerodynamic drag is less significant, and a high speed position  210 A, shown in phantom, that extends much less outboard of a vehicle  262  than when in the low speed position. The side mirror assembly  210  is mounted to a vehicle door  266  via a mounting member  264  at a longitudinal position on the vehicle  262  roughly equivalent with an A-pillar member  268  to which the door  266  is hinged. The side mirror assembly  210  includes a housing  280  pivotably attached to the mounting member  264 , and movable either manually or via a motor acting on a pivot member  282  between the low speed and high speed positions. The housing  280  is shown fragmented in order to view a plurality of mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234  arranged with respective reflective surfaces  252 ,  254 ,  256 ,  258  and  260  in a planar configuration, referred to herein as a second configuration. In the planar configuration, the reflective surfaces  252 ,  254 ,  256 ,  258 , and  260  lie in a single plane, and function the same as a single mirror pane of equivalent size. 
         [0022]    When the housing  280  moves to the high speed position  210 A, the mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232  and  234  are controlled to move to a first configuration in which the mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232  and  234  are positioned in a longitudinal array  244  with a longitudinal axis  246  running therethrough. The mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232  and  234  are of increasing widths from mirror member  234  to mirror member  226 , rearward to frontward with respect to the vehicle  262 . Additionally, the mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232 , and  234  have respective reflective surfaces disposed at decreasing angles with respect to the longitudinal axis  246  rearward to frontward, as described with respect to corresponding mirror members  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32  and  34  in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 . Thus, the mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232  and  234  reflect an image of an object outside of the vehicle  262  without reversing the image to an occupant (not shown) seated inside of the vehicle  262  (i.e., on the opposite side of window  272  from the side mirror assembly  210 . As the side mirror assembly  210  is moved between the low speed and high speed positions, a drive assembly  288  causes the mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232  and  234  to move between the planar configuration and the longitudinal array configuration. The drive assembly  288  includes a motor  290  that drives a worm gear  292  in the direction of the arrow shown to move from the planar configuration to the configuration of the longitudinal array  244  as the housing  280  is moved. The worm gear  292  intermeshes with gears  293 ,  294 ,  295 ,  296  and  298  to turn the gears  293 ,  294 ,  295 ,  296  and  298  a respective amount relative to the worm gear  292  that depends on the tooth ratio of the respective gears  293 ,  294 ,  295 ,  296  and  298  to the worm gear. Each respective gear  293 ,  294 ,  295 ,  296  and  298  is mounted via a respective shaft  300 ,  302 ,  304 ,  306  and  308  for common rotation with a respective one of the mirror members, as best shown in  FIG. 7 . Thus, by choosing appropriate gear counts for the gears  293 ,  294 ,  295 ,  296  and  298  relative to the worm gear  292 , the angle of the reflective surfaces of the mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232  and  234  to the longitudinal axis  246  is controlled and the correct configuration of mirror members is assured.  FIG. 7  shows the mirror members  226 ,  228 ,  230 ,  232  and  234  in the planar configuration with the mirror surfaces effectively forming a single continuous mirror pane. 
         [0023]    While the best modes for carrying out the invention have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention within the scope of the appended claims.