Patent Abstract:
An exterior rear view mirror assembly is disclosed which incorporates a warning light actuatable in conjunction with the vehicle turn signals to alert adjacent motor vehicles of an anticipated turn. The warning light is integrated into a first decorative cover member and may be connected to the vehicle turn signal circuit by way of connectable electrical leads or by an integrally formed plug and outlet arrangement. A second decorative cover member may be substituted for the first decorative cover member when it is not desired to incorporate the warning light.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to rear view mirror assemblies for motor vehicles and more particularly to exterior motor vehicle mirror assemblies which incorporate auxiliary warning lights. 
     DISCUSSION 
     Auxiliary warning lights have long been incorporated on the sides of motor vehicles to provide a means of communicating the intentions of the operator thereof to adjacent vehicles such as for example the intention to change traffic lanes or to make a turn. Such lights are advantageous in providing notice to an adjacent vehicle that may be located in a blind spot and positioned such that the signaling vehicle&#39;s tail lights are not visible to the adjacent vehicle&#39;s operator. 
     While incorporation of such auxiliary warning lights is relatively easy and straightforward on work-type vehicles it becomes a somewhat more complex problem when passenger-type vehicles are involved due in part to the importance of aesthetic appearance. Other considerations which may apply to any type of vehicle include the need to position the lights so as to minimize any impact on the vision of the vehicle operator and to maximize the area to the side and rear of the vehicle from which the auxiliary lighting is visible. Additionally, because in many cases the vehicle manufacturer may want to offer the auxiliary lighting arrangement as an option on certain vehicles, it is highly desirable that the lighting system be designed to easily and conveniently integrate with the existing vehicle design so as to minimize added labor and/or costs associated with its installation. 
     The present invention provides a highly effective and aesthetically pleasing auxiliary lighting system which is integrated into the vehicle&#39;s exterior rear view mirror assembly. Preferably, the auxiliary warning light of the present invention will be positioned on the laterally outer surface of the vehicle&#39;s exterior rear view mirror in such a manner as to be visible throughout an arc extending about 90 degrees rearwardly from a line extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In this manner maximum visibility of the auxiliary warning light is provided to vehicles coming alongside the equipped vehicle while still preventing the emitted light from being visible to the vehicle operator or oncoming traffic. It should be noted, however, that the auxiliary warning light may be positioned so as to be visible to oncoming traffic in addition to the above referenced arc should this be desired and may in fact replace fender side marker lights required in certain countries. 
     In one form the light is integrated into a removable decorative covering which is secured to the mirror housing and a pigtail is provided for connecting the light to a wiring harness in the interior of the mirror housing. In a modification of this embodiment, the decorative cover member incorporating the light assembly is provided with a plug and the mirror housing includes a receptacle whereby electrical contacts on the cover member may be “plugged into” the receptacle as the decorative cover member is fitted to the housing. This last arrangement further reduces the costs associated with final assembly as no separate effort is required to make the electrical connections for the auxiliary warning light. Further, the integration of the light assembly into the decorative cover member greatly facilitates the offering of the auxiliary lighting feature as an option because only the decorative cover member need be changed to add or delete this auxiliary lighting feature. 
     Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a side of a motor vehicle having an exterior rear view mirror assembly incorporating an auxiliary warning light provided thereon all in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the mirror assembly of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a section view of the mirror light assembly of FIG. 1, the section being taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a mirror housing with alternative decorative cover members shown in position for installation thereon, all in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a view of the back side of a decorative cover member having a light assembly incorporated therein which includes an integrally formed electrical connector in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a view of a portion of a mirror housing incorporating an electrical outlet adapted to mate with the plug shown in FIG. 5, all in accordance with the present invention; and 
     FIG. 7 is a plan view of a motor vehicle having mirrors in accordance with the present invention secured to opposite sides thereof. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 7, there is shown an exterior rear view mirror assembly indicated generally at  10  installed on the door  12  of a motor vehicle  14 . Mirror assembly  10  is of the typical breakaway design and includes a housing  16  pivotably supported on an arm  18  extending outwardly from a generally triangularly shaped mounting plate  20 . As shown in FIG. 7, preferably two mirrors  10  will be mounted on a vehicle  14 , one on each side thereof. 
     Housing  16  may be of any desired shape and includes an upper wall portion  22 , a lower wall portion  24 , a forwardly facing wall portion  26  and inner and outer wall portions  28  and  30  all of which merge smoother together so as to present a pleasing appearance. The rearwardly facing portion of housing  16  is open and is adapted to receive a reflective mirror  32 . Mirror  32  may be either of any suitable type such as flat, concave or convex or of the type which automatically adjusts to reduce glare. A suitably shaped support member (not shown) is secured within the housing and serves to movably support mirror within the opening. The support member may include suitable drive motors and the like for remote control adjustment of mirror as well as means for heating the mirror if desired. Housing  16  also contains a recessed portion  34  extending over at least a part of upper, inner, outer and forwardly facing portions  22 ,  28 ,  30  and  26  which is adapted to receive a decorative cover member  36  which cover member may be chromed, colored to match the vehicle or of some other finish to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
     As thus far described, mirror assembly  10  is typical of existing rear view mirror assemblies currently employed on various motor vehicles. However, mirror assembly  10  of the present invention also incorporates an auxiliary warning light assembly  38  integrated with the decorative cover member  36 . 
     As best seen with reference to FIG. 3, auxiliary warning light assembly  38  includes a light housing comprising a base member  40  having an opening  42  therein which is adapted to receive a suitable electrical socket  44  having a light source  46  provided thereon. Preferably opening  42  will be designed with two or three radially outwardly and circumferentially extending open portions whereby segmented inner flange  48  of light socket  44  may be inserted and then turned a few degrees to lock it in place. It should be noted that any suitable available light source  46  may be utilized. A suitable pigtail and associated electrical connector  50  is also provided extending outwardly from socket  44  which is adapted to be connected to connector  52  of wiring harness  54  provided in housing  16 . A lens member  56  is secured to base member  40  and is designed so as to direct light emitted from light source outwardly from mirror housing through an arc  58  extending approximately 90 degrees rearwardly from a line  60  passing through the mirror  10  and extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  62  of the motor vehicle  14 . In order to enhance the visible light transmitted by the lens  56  the inner surface  64  of base member  40  will preferably be coated with a reflective material and shaped so as to direct a maximum amount of light from the light source  46  to the lens  56 . 
     Light assembly  38  will preferably be mechanically secured to decorative cover member  36  by means of integrally formed snap fasteners so as to form a one-piece assembly therewith. Although any other suitable manner of securing light assembly  38  to decorative cover member  36  may be used such as for example adhesive bonding, sonic welding, molding or even suitable separate fasteners. It is desirable that lens  38  have an outer surface which is shaped so as to form a substantially smooth continuation of the outer contour of decorative cover member as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     In order to accommodate light assembly  38 , housing  16  is provided with an opening  66  on the recessed part of outer surface portion  30  which underlies decorative member  36 . While housing  16  is shown as providing an opening  66  to accommodate light assembly  38 , in some applications it may be desirable to provide an enclosed recess in place thereof. Additionally, as mentioned above, a wiring harness  54  having a suitable electrical connector  52  will be provided within housing  16  so as to be accessible through opening  66  or within the recess if such is provided in place of the opening  66 . 
     In order to assemble decorative member  36  and associate light assembly  38 , one need merely interconnect the two electrical connectors  50 ,  52  and thereafter assemble decorative member  36  to housing  16 . As shown in FIG. 4, decorative member  36  is provided with a plurality of spaced outwardly extending tangs  68  on the back surface  70  thereof. These tangs  68  are designed to be received within suitable openings provided in housing  16  and to cooperate with latch members provided therein to retain the decorative member  36  thereon in the same manner as in currently available mirror assemblies of this type. 
     Warning light assembly  38  is intended to be interconnected with the vehicle turn signal system so that when one or the other of the turn signals are actuated, the light assembly  38  provided on the exterior mirror on the corresponding side of the vehicle will also be actuated. In this manner any other vehicle that may be approaching the vehicle equipped with the subject invention or that may be traveling in its blind spot will immediately be appraised of the equipped vehicle&#39;s intention to turn or change lanes even though they may not be in a position to see the vehicle tail lights. However, because the light is positioned on the outer wall portion  30  of the mirror assembly, the housing  16  and mirror  32  will prevent the driver of the vehicle from being distracted by this light when actuated. 
     As previously mentioned, the subject invention is particularly well suited for offering of the auxiliary warning light as an optional accessory by vehicle manufacturers. As shown in FIG. 4, the overall size and shape of the decorative member  36  incorporating the light assembly  38  is such that it may be easily and conveniently interchanged with a decorative member  72  which does not include the light assembly. Thus, during final assembly of the mirror, the assembler need merely select one or the other of the two decorative cover members  36 ,  72  for attachment to the mirror housing  16  depending upon the desires of the intended customer. Further, should a purchaser of a vehicle decide at a later date to either add or delete the auxiliary lighting feature, it is only necessary to replace the decorative cover member  36  or  72  with the other cover member. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, another embodiment of the subject invention is disclosed which further facilitates rapid and low cost assembly of the subject invention. In this embodiment, base member  40 , light socket  44  and connector  50  are replaced by a base member  73  and a light socket  74  having a pair of electrically conductive pins  76  extending outwardly therefrom. Mirror housing  16 ′ is also modified by replacing opening  66  with a molded-in cavity  78  in which a pair of spaced openings  80  are provided positioned so as to receive pins  76  when decorative member  82  is assembled thereto. Thus, with this embodiment the assembler need not first interconnect the two electrical connectors  50 ,  52  but rather needs merely install the decorative cover member  82  during which pins  76  will be received within openings  80  thereby electrically connecting light assembly to the existing vehicle turn signal system. As with the previous embodiment, should a purchaser not desire to include the light assembly, a cover member without the light assembly included is easily assembled to mirror housing  16  and will cover and conceal cavity  78  provided therein. 
     While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed are well calculated to provide the advantages and features above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1