Patent Publication Number: US-2003227779-A1

Title: Exterior mirror

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates generally to an exterior rearview mirror for use on an automotive vehicle, and more particularly, to an exterior rearview mirror having an assist light operable between a plurality of illuminated positions in response to feedback from a vehicle controller.  
       [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0004] Automotive vehicles commonly include exterior rearview mirror assemblies for providing the driver of the vehicle view along the side and toward the rear of the vehicle. The exterior rearview mirror assemblies are typically mounted adjacent the driver&#39;s side door and passenger&#39;s side door of the vehicle. Conventional exterior rearview mirror assemblies commonly include a support base having a first end for fixedly securing the mirror assembly to the side of the vehicle and a second end for supporting a mirror housing. The mirror housing typically includes a hollow shell for supporting an articulating mirror pane. The mirror pane is adjustable to articulate about an axis for providing varying angles of view to the driver of the vehicle along the side and toward the rear of the vehicle.  
       [0005] It is also known to mount a light source in the mirror assembly for illuminating light adjacent the exterior of the vehicle. These light sources are frequently used to illuminate the rear of the vehicle so that the driver can see at night when looking into the mirror pane during parking of the vehicle. These light sources are also commonly used to provide signal lights within the mirror assembly, such as turn signal lights or brake lights. Still further, these light sources are also used to project a pattern of light on an area, such as the ground, adjacent the side of the vehicle to provide a lighted security zone to assist in entry and exit from the vehicle. Such light sources in rearview mirror assemblies are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,624,176 and 6,172,602 to Donnelly Corporation.  
       [0006] However, it is desirable to provide an exterior rearview mirror assembly having an assist light that is operable between a plurality of illuminated positions in response to feedback from a vehicle controller to project light from the mirror assembly in a several different selective directions.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007] The present invention relates to an exterior rearview mirror assembly for use on an automotive vehicle. The mirror assembly includes a support base having a first end adapted to mount the mirror assembly to the vehicle and an opposite second end. A mirror housing is operatively coupled to the support base. A reflective mirror pane is supported by the mirror housing for providing a reflected view from the vehicle. The mirror assembly further includes at least one light source mounted to one of the support base or the mirror housing for illuminating at least one array of light. An actuator is operatively connected to the light source for actuating and illuminating the light source to project the array of light in one of a plurality of discrete directions. The mirror assembly also includes a controller for controlling the actuator and illuminating the light source to project the array of light in a selective one of the plurality of discrete directions. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0008] Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:  
     [0009]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exterior rearview mirror assembly in an extended position according to the subject invention;  
     [0010]FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the mirror assembly in a folded position;  
     [0011]FIG. 3 is a partially exploded and partially broken perspective view of a light source mounted to the mirror assembly according to the subject invention; and  
     [0012]FIG. 4 is a logic control table of the operation of the mirror assembly. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0013] Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, an exterior rearview mirror assembly for use with an automotive vehicle is generally shown at  10  in FIGS. 1 and 2. Referring specifically to FIG. 1, the mirror assembly  10  includes a support base  12  having a first end  14  and an opposite distal second end  16 . The first end  14  is adapted to be fixedly secured to the side of a vehicle, such as an exterior A-pillar or door panel as depicted at  18 . The support base  12  extends outwardly from the door panel  18  along a generally horizontal plane from the first end  14  to the second end  16 . The mirror assembly  10  further includes a mirror housing  20  operatively coupled to the support base  12 . More specifically, the mirror housing  20  includes a hollow shell portion  22  having a front opening  24  and an extension arm portion  26  extending from the shell portion  22  and coupled to the support base  12 . The arm portion  26  is coupled to the support base  12  by a power and/or manual pivot mechanism  28 , as is conventionally known in the art and to one skilled in the art. The pivot mechanism  28  pivots the mirror housing  20  about the support base  12  between an extended use position, as shown in FIG. 1, and a folded, or stowed, position as shown in FIG. 2.  
     [0014] The mirror assembly  10  also includes a mirror pane  30  operatively coupled to the mirror housing  20  by a swivel member  32 . The mirror pane  30  is a reflex glass pane for providing a reflective view to the occupant of the vehicle. The swivel member  32  pivotally connects the mirror pane  30  to the mirror housing  20  for providing articulating, or pivotal, movement of the mirror pane  30  with respect to the mirror housing  20  in order to adjust the angular view through the mirror pane  30  from the vehicle as is commonly known to one skilled in the art. The mirror assembly  10  additionally includes at least one light source  34  mounted to the support base  12  for illuminating at least one source of light from the mirror assembly  10 . It should be appreciated that the light source  34  may also be mounted to the mirror housing  20  without varying from the scope of the invention.  
     [0015] Referring to FIG. 3, the distal second end  16  of the support base  12  and the light source  34  is shown. The second end  16  of the support base  12  includes an inner wall  36 , a rear wall  38  projecting outwardly from the inner wall  36 , and an upper wall  40  interconnecting the inner wall  36  and the rear wall  38 . The inner wall  36 , rear wall  38 , and upper wall  40  form a partial funnel-like structure on the second end of the support base  12 . A hollow and transparent lens  42  is removably secured to the second end  16  of the support base  12  and covers the inner wall  36 , rear wall  38  and upper wall  40 . The lens  42  may be clear plastic, colored or include fresnel lenses imbedded therein for shaping light from the light source  34 . The light source  34  further includes a plurality of light filaments  44 ,  46 ,  48 . A first light filament  44  is fixedly secured to the inner wall  36 , a second light filament  46  is secured to the rear wall  38  and a third light filament  48  is secured to the upper wall  40 . The light filament may be an LED, as shown in FIG. 3, or may include a bulb filament, or other known light-producing source. The light filaments  44 ,  46 ,  48  project an array of light in a discrete direction from the end of the support base  12 . More specifically, the light filament  44  projects an array of light outwardly from the mirror assembly  10  and generally perpendicular from the side of the vehicle. The light filament  46  projects an array of light rearward toward the back or rear of the vehicle. Finally, the light filament  48  projects an array of light downwardly toward the ground adjacent the side of the vehicle.  
     [0016] Referring again to FIG. 1, the mirror assembly  10  further includes an actuator  50  operatively connected to the light source  34  for actuating and illuminating the light source  34  to project the array of light in one of a plurality of discrete directions. More specifically, the actuator  50  is electrically connected to each of the light filaments  44 ,  46 ,  48  for actuating and illuminating each of the light filaments  44 ,  46 ,  48 . When activated, the light filament  44 ,  46 , or  48  projects an array of light in the respective discrete direction as described above. The actuator  50  of the preferred embodiment is a series of electrical circuits connected to each of the light filaments  44 ,  46 ,  48  for sending an electrical current to the light filament  44 ,  46 , or  48  to actuate and illuminate the filament  44 ,  46 ,  48 .  
     [0017] The mirror assembly  10  also includes a controller, shown schematically at  52  in FIG. 1, for controlling the actuator  50  and illuminating the light source  34  to project the array of light in a selective one of the plurality of discrete directions. That is, the controller  52  sends a signal to the actuator  50  to selectively actuate one of the light filaments  44 ,  46 , or  48  to project the array of light in the respective discrete direction from the light filament  44 ,  46 , or  48 . The controller  52  receives input signals  54  from various components  56  of the vehicle and transmits an output signal  58  to the actuator  50  to selectively actuate and illuminate one of the light filaments  44 ,  46 , or  48 . More specifically, the components  56  of the vehicle transmitting input signals  54  to the controller  52  may include one or more of the following: a vehicle “key fob” for locking and unlocking the doors of the vehicle, a sensor for indicating the open and closed state of the vehicle doors, a vehicle transmission, a vehicle transmission selector, and/or an ignition sensor.  
     [0018] Referring to FIG. 4, a control table  60  is shown illustrating the operation of the mirror assembly  19 . In operation when the vehicle operator is approaching the vehicle, the mirror housing  20  is in the folded position and the mirror pane  30  remains parked in its previously operator adjusted position, or “normal” position. If the operator activates the keyfob component  56  to unlock the doors of the vehicle, the controller  52  sends a signal to the actuator  50  and activates the light source  34 , or assist light, to an “ON” condition. More specifically, the light filament  44  is turned on and illuminated to direct light from the mirror assembly  10  to assist the operator in locating the vehicle. It should be appreciated that the controller  52  and actuator  50  may activate each of the light filaments  44 ,  46 , and  48  to project additional light from the mirror assembly  10  if desired. After the keyfob component  56  is activated and the operator continues to approach the vehicle, the controller  52  sends a signal to the actuator  50  to switch the light source  34  from illuminating filament  44  to filament  48  to project light downwardly from the mirror assembly  10  toward the ground adjacent the side door of the vehicle to assist in ingress and egress to the vehicle. The light filament  48  is activated after a predetermined period of time, delta T, has elapsed, such as one or two minutes. Once the operator opens the door of the vehicle, the assist light  34  is turn “OFF”. Next, when the ignition component  56  is activated to the “ON” condition to start the vehicle, the pivot mechanism  28  may automatically pivot the mirror housing  20  from the folded position to the extended use position. When the transmission component  56  is selected to a “DRIVE” position, the mirror housing  20  remains in the extended position and the light source  34  remains “OFF”. If the operator places the vehicle transmission in the “REVERSE” selection, the mirror pane  30  may be powered to the downward viewing position and the controller  52  sends a signal to the actuator  50  to illuminated the light filament  46  to the “ON” position to assist the vehicle operator in viewing to the rear of the vehicle.  
     [0019] Finally, when the ignition component  56  of the vehicle is turned “OFF” and/or the keyfob component  56  is activated to “LOCK” the vehicle, the pivot mechanism  28  pivots the mirror housing  20  to the folded position and the light source  34  is turned “OFF”. It should be appreciated that the controller  52  may be program to control and actuate the pivot mechanism  28  for folding of the mirror housing  20 , the articulation of the mirror pane  30  and the activation of the light source(s)  34 , either independently, combined or as desired for various combinations.  
     [0020] The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.  
     [0021] Many modification and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.