Adjustment unit, rear view device and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10059266-B2
Application number	US-201615153106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2016
Priority date	May 12, 2015
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An adjustment unit for a rear view device for a vehicle includes a pivot and a carrier. The carrier is tiltably mounted to the pivot. The adjustment unit includes at least one first bending actuator, which has its largest dimension in a first direction and which is bendably adjustable in an angular or crosswise direction relative to the first direction. The first bending actuator has a first end fixed to a first fastening means and a second end fixed to the carrier. At least one second bending actuator has its largest dimension in a second direction oriented angularly or crosswise relative to the first direction and is bendable angular or crosswise relative thereto. The second bending actuator has a first end fixed to the first fastening means or a further fastening means and a second end fixed to the carrier. The adjustment unit is characterized in that the first direction of the first bending actuator and/or the second direction of the second bending actuator run through the center of the pivot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An adjustment unit for a rear view device for a vehicle having a pivot, a carrier moveably mounted and configured to be tiltable relative to the pivot, at least one first bending actuator, the first bending actuator having a largest dimension in a first direction and is adjustably bendable in one of an angular or crosswise direction relative to the first direction, the first bending actuator is fixed with a first end to a first fastener and fixed with a second end to the carrier, and at least one second bending actuator having a largest dimension in a second direction that is one of an angular or crosswise direction to the first direction, the second actuator being bendable angularly or crosswise to the second direction and being fixed with a first end to one of the first fastener or a further fastener and being fixed with a second end to the carrier, the respective first ends of the respective bending actuators are located closer to the pivot than the respective second ends of the respective bending actuators, wherein a bending of the first bending actuator and/or of the second bending actuator effects a movement of the carrier, and wherein the first direction of the first bending actuator and/or the second direction of the second bending actuator run through the center of the pivot, at least one of the at least one first bending actuator and the at least one second bending actuator are adjustably bendable in at least one of a direction facing the carrier or facing away from the carrier to push and/or to pull the carrier.

2. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first bending actuator is connectable or connected to a first stimuli supply and that the adjustable bendability angular or crosswise to the first direction is dependent on the stimuli applied by the first stimuli supply and/or that the at least one second bending actuator is connectable or connected to the first stimuli supply or to a second stimuli source and that the adjustable bendability angular or crosswise to the second direction is dependent on the stimuli applied by the respective first or second stimuli supply.

3. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one further bending actuator has a largest dimension in a further direction, the further bending actuator being connectable or connected to the first stimuli supply or to a further stimuli supply and which is adjustably bendable angular or crosswise relative to the further direction depending on the stimuli applied by the first stimuli supply or by the further stimuli supply, the further bending actuator is fixed with a first end to one of the first fastener or a further fastener and fixed with a second end to the carrier.

4. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first bending actuator, the at least second bending actuator and/or an at least one further bending actuator comprise a plurality of layers, in particular extending in the respective direction of the largest dimension.

5. The adjustment unit according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one first bending actuator, the at least one second bending actuator and/or the at least one further bending actuator comprise, entirely or at least one of the plurality of the respective bending actuator layers, one of an electroactive polymer (EAP), an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN), a conducting polymers (CP), a dielectric polymers, or carbon materials, the carbon materials being one of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbide derived carbon (CDC) and/or grapheme, Nafion, a bi-metal or an ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC).

6. The adjustment unit according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one first bending actuator, the at least second bending actuator and/or the at least one further bending actuator is entirely or at least with one of the plurality of its layers connectable or connected to an external stimuli, the external stimuli being at least one of voltage, temperature, pressure, humidity or pH and/or that the external stimuli causes an ion or electron movement within the respective bending actuator and/or comprises redox reaction within the respective bending actuator.

7. The adjustment unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first fastener, the second fastener and/or a further fastener are one of separate parts or elements of a common fastening part that is configured as an injection-moulded back plate, and/or that the pivot is attachable or attached to the fastening part and/or that the pivot and the fastening part are a common injection-moulded part.

8. A rear view device for a vehicle, comprising a rear view member and the adjustment unit according to claim 1 .

9. The rear view device according to claim 8 , wherein a back plate being or comprising the first, the second and/or the further fastener and/or the pivot.

10. The rear view device according to claim 8 , wherein the carrier and the rear view member are a common part.

11. The rear view device according to claim 8 , wherein the rear view member comprises a glass mirror, plastic mirror, camera and/or sensor.

12. The rear view device according to claim 8 , wherein a control unit adjusts one or more stimuli supplies operatively connected to one or more of the first, second and/or third bending actuators for adjusting the bending of the respective bending actuators.

13. A vehicle having a rear view device according to claim 8 having an adjustment unit wherein the at least one first bending actuator is connectable or connected to a first stimuli supply and that the adjustable bendability angular or crosswise to the first direction is dependent on the stimuli applied by the first stimuli supply and/or that the at least one second bending actuator is connectable or connected to the first stimuli supply or to a second stimuli source and that the adjustable bendability angular or crosswise to the second direction is dependent on the stimuli applied by the respective first or second stimuli supply.

Assignees

• Smr Patents Sarl

Inventors

• Kosidlo Urszula
• Herrmann Andreas

Classifications

• B60R1/12

  Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks · CPC title

• B60R1/04

  mounted inside vehicle {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R1/025 Primary

  comprising special mechanical means for correcting the field of view in relation to particular driving conditions, e.g. change of lane; scanning mirrors · CPC title

• B60R2001/1253

  with cameras, video cameras or video screens · CPC title

• B60R1/062 Primary

  with remote control for adjusting position {(B60R1/0607 takes precedence)} · CPC title