Abstract:
An automobile rearview mirror with an LCD display comprises a front panel, a mount, a display unit housed between the front panel and the mount, a front frame, a rear shell, and a mirror. The display unit, the front panel, the mount and the mirror are contained between the rear shell and the mirror. The automobile rearview mirror thereby assembled can be installed at the location of a rearview mirror in an automobile. There are two springs disposed between the mount and the rear shell that provide the force needed to pull down the front panel and the display monitor. The slide motion is further assisted by rail sectors, corresponding slide elements, gear sectors and oil-pressure gear wheels. The automobile rearview mirror is further provided with locking pieces and releases for properly retained the position of the display unit.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to automobile rearview mirrors, more particularly to an automobile rearview mirror with a liquid crystal display (LCD display) light emitting diode (LED display), which LCD display can be pulled down smoothly from the rearview mirror when activated by a touch-sensitive switch, without disturbing the position of the rearview mirror. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   An automobile rearview mirror with a display unit of the prior art has the function of displaying received information such as satellite guidance, movies and other multimedia. However, the traditional light emitting diode (LED display) unit needs a window shield in front of its screen for protection, which is easy to get contaminated or to distort the images displayed. Accordingly, an improved rearview mirror display of the prior art uses a LED display unit that can be rotated on the back side of the mirror and can be rotated back to the front side of the mirror for viewing. In another improved invention, an ejection device is installed on the back side of the rearview mirror so that the display unit can be locked and ejected out of the mirror for display. 
   However, those improved rearview mirror displays need to be ejected or folded out by manual operation, which is not easy to operate and may causes unwanted shaking of the mirror. Further, the car movement may cause vibrations of the display as it is ejected. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an automobile rearview mirror with an LCD display comprising a front panel, a mount, a display unit housed between the front panel and the mount, a front frame, a rear shell, and a mirror. The display unit, the front panel, the mount and the mirror are contained between the rear shell and the mirror. The automobile rearview mirror thereby assembled can be installed at the location of a rearview mirror in an automobile. There are two springs disposed between the mount and the rear shell that provide the force needed to pull down the front panel and the display monitor. The slide motion is further assisted by rail sectors, corresponding slide elements, gear sectors and oil-pressure gear wheels. The automobile rearview mirror is further provided with locking pieces and releases for properly retained the position of the display unit 
   Accordingly, the automobile rearview mirror with an LCD display utilized a pair of springs installed between the mount and the rear shell for energy storage when the display unit is retracted therein. The present invention further uses a plurality of rail sectors and slide elements between the mount and the rear shell for assuring a smooth slide of the mount. Further, there are gear sectors and oil-pressure gear wheels between the mount and the rear shell to drive a steady shift of the mount. There are locking pieces and release units between the mount and the rear shell for retaining the mount in the cavity of the rearview mirror body. 
   The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an automobile rearview mirror of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the front half of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the rear half of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the mount of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  displays a perspective view and a front view of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1  wherein the display unit is hidden. 
       FIG. 7  is a front cross-sectional view of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1  wherein the display unit is hidden. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1  wherein the display unit is pulled out. 
       FIG. 9  shows a front cross-sectional view and a lateral view of the automobile rearview mirror in  FIG. 1  wherein the display unit is pulled out. 
       FIG. 10  shows the locking device of the present invention in various configurations. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first preferred embodiment of the present invention as an automobile rearview mirror with an LCD display is installed at the front seat wind shield of an automobile. The automobile rearview mirror  1  comprises a mount  10 , two rail sectors  20 , two springs  30 , a front panel  40 , a display unit  50 , a rear shell  60 , a mirror  70  and a front frame  80 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , the mount  10  further includes a recessed front wall  11  and a rear wall  12  having a central receptacle  13 . A cylindrical release  131  is extended from an upper edge of the receptacle  13 ; two spring slots  132  are respectively formed on two lateral sides of the receptacle  13 . Further, on the rear wall  12  at locations corresponding to two lateral sides of the receptacle  13 , there are two rail slots  14 . The lateral sides of the rear wall  12  are respectively provided with gear sectors  15 . 
   Each of the rail sectors  20  has a slide groove  21  for being engaged with the rail slots  14  on the mount  10 . 
   Each of the springs  30  is housed in the receptacle  13  within the rear wall  12  of the mount  10 . Each of the springs  30  has a bottom end supported against by a corresponding spring slot  132 , whereby the restoring spring force will drive the downward motion of the mount  10 . 
   The front panel  40  is locked in front of the mount  10 , which defines a retaining cavity  41  with the recessed front wall  11 . The central part of the front panel  40  forms an opening  42 . 
   The display unit  50  is housed within the retaining cavity  41  between the mount  10  and the front panel  40 . The display unit  50  comprises a base board  51  with a circuit board  511  thereon and an LCD screen  52  mounted on the front side of the base board  51 , whereby the LCD screen  52  can be see through the opening  42  on the front panel  40 . 
   The rear shell  60 , located behind the mount  10 , has a front wall  61  with a central receptacle  62  for housing the mount  10 . The bottom side of the receptacle  62  has an opening  621  for pulling out the mount  10 . Two lateral sides of the receptacle  62  are each provided with an invert U-shaped frame slots  622 , together with the inner wall of the receptacle  62  forming two spring retaining slots  623 , wherein two springs  30  are supported against the top ends of the spring retaining slots  623 . Further, the front wall  61  has a stop wall  624  extended along the upper edge of the right one of the frame slots  622 , the right side of the stop wall  624  is coupled with a locking piece  63 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The locking piece  63  further includes a main body  63   a  and a torsional spring  63   b . The main body  63   a  is pivotally connected to the front wall  61 , whereby the torsional spring  63   b  is mounted between the main body  63   a  and the front wall  61 , and whereby the main body  63   a  driven by the torsional spring  63   b  will tilt toward a predetermined direction. Therefore, a right sloppy wall  631  will lean against the front wall  61 . Secondly, the main body  63   a  is provided with an inward guiding channel  632  having a non-uniform depth, an outward guiding channel  633  and a locking slot  634  with two ends respectively connected to the inward guiding channel  632  and the outward guiding channel  633 . The inward guiding channel  632  has an entrance  635  at the bottom edge of the main body  63   a . The outward guiding channel  633  has an exit  636  also at the bottom edge of the main body  63   a . Thereby, the release  131  on the rear wall  12  enters the inward guiding channel  632  through the entrance  635  as the mount  10  is shifting upward, till the mount is locked in the locking slot  634 . When the mount  10  is again pushed to the apex of the inward guiding channel  632  the release  131  will leave the locking slot  634  and enter the outward guiding channel  633 . The mount  10  will then be ejected along the outward guiding channel  633  by the springs  30 , and the release  131  eventually leaves the outward guiding channel  633  through the exit  636 . Further, the front wall  61  has two slide elements  64  respectively installed on the outer sides of the frame slots  622 . In this preferred embodiment, the slide elements  64  are pulleys that slide along the slide grooves  21  of the rail sectors  20 . The receptacle  62  of the front wall  61  has two retaining seats  65  mounted on the bottom ends of its two lateral sides. There are oil-pressure gear wheels  66  respectively installed on the retaining seats  65 , whereby they can be engaged with the gear sectors  15  on the mount  10 , providing the slide motion of the mounted with suitable damping effect when it is going down. Further, one side of the rear shell  60  is provided with a mesh  67  and a speaker  68 . 
   The mirror  70  is located in the front of the front panel for providing usual functions of a mirror. 
   The front frame  80  and the rear shell  60  are so coupled that the mirror  70 , the front panel  50  and the mount  10  are confined between the front frame  80  and the rear shell  60 . The central part of the bottom side of the front frame  80  is provided with an opening  81  corresponding to the opening  621  of the rear shell  62 , whereby the combined structure of the mount  10 , the display unit  50  and the front panel  40  can go through the main body of the rearview mirror. 
   To use the present invention, please refer to the following process. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  6  and  7 , an automobile rearview mirror with an LCD display of the present invention is mounted on a conventional rearview mirror  1 . When the display unit  50  is not used, the combined structure of the mount  10 , the display unit  50  and the front panel  40  is hidden between the mirror  70  and rear shell  60  of the front frame  80 , resembling a regular rearview mirror. Therefore, the car driver can use its mirror  70  to see the situation behind the car. Further, referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  8  and  9 , when the driver wants to see the LCD screen  52 , he slightly pushes the mount  10  upward to loose the release  131  on the rear wall  12  of the mount  10  so that it will be ejected from the locking slot  634  into the outward guiding channel  633 . Driven by the compressed springs  30 , the release  131  will continue to be ejected along the outward guiding channel  633  and then out of the openings  621  and  81 , till the slide element  64  on the rear shell  60  is stopped by the top end of the slide groove  21  of the rail sector  20 . Thereby, the display unit  50  is fully ejected for displaying information on its LED screen  52 , which can be the images sent from a car backing camera, GPS information, multimedia broadcasting, etc. Referring to  FIG. 10 , the release  131  can be further pulled downward so that it can be departed from the locking piece  63 . Besides the rail sector  20  and the slide element  64  that facilitate the relative slide motion between the mount  10  and the rear shell  60 , there are two gear sectors  15  on the mount  10  and two corresponding oil-pressure wheel  66  on the rear shell  60  to assure a smooth slide motion. By the same token, when the driver wants to hind the display unit  50 , the combined structure of the mount  10 , the display unit  50  and the front panel  40  is pushed upward so that the slide guide structure and the gear structure between the mount  10  and the rear shell  60  are engaged again. The release  131  will slide along the inward guiding channel  632  through the entrance  635 , eventually locked within the locking slot  634 . Thereby, the mount  10  will be secured by the engagement between the release  131  and the locking piece  63 . Therefore, the display unit  50  will be hidden in the main body of the automobile rearview mirror. 
   In summary, the present invention has the following advantages. 
   1. The springs installed between the mount  10  and the rear shell  60  are for storing energy when they are compressed by the hidden display unit  50 , whereby when the mount  10  is loosen from the locking piece  63  the combined structure of the display unit  50 , the front panel  40  and the mount  10  will be ejected from the mirror automatically. 
   2. There are at least a rail sector  20  and a slide element  64  between the mount  10  and the rear shell  60 , whereby the slide motion of the display unit  50  will be smooth and precise. 
   3. There are gear sectors and corresponding oil-pressure gear wheels  66  for providing suitable damping against the sliding display unit  50  so that its motion can be stabilized. 
   4. There are a release  131  and a locking piece  63  between the mount  10  and the rear shell  60 , whereby when the mount  10  is hidden within the mirror it will be stably retained. Further, when the mount  10  is pushed upward the locking piece  63  will be released. 
   The present invention is thus described, and it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.