Vehicle exterior system with light module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325536-B2
Application number	US-201816622314-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2018
Priority date	Jun 13, 2017
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A lighted exterior mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle includes a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly having a light module, which includes a planar circuit board and a light guiding element. The light module includes a plurality of illumination sources disposed on a mounting side of the circuit board and operable to emit light. When the illumination sources are actuated, light emitted by each of the illumination sources is emitted in a direction normal to the mounting side of the planar circuit board. The light guiding element is configured so that light emitted by the illumination sources is redirected by the light guiding element so that light emanates from the light guiding element in a direction parallel to the mounting side of the planar circuit board and parallel to the road surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lighted exterior mirror system suitable for use in a vehicle, said lighted exterior mirror system comprising:
a lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at a side of a vehicle equipped with said lighted exterior mirror system;
wherein said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a light module;
wherein said light module comprises a planar circuit board and a light guiding element;
wherein said planar circuit board has an upper planar side and a lower planar side separated by a thickness of said planar circuit board, and wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and with the equipped vehicle on a road surface, said upper and lower planar sides of said planar circuit board of said light module are parallel to the road surface;
wherein said light module comprises a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light, and wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises at least three linearly arranged illumination sources disposed at a mounting side of said planar circuit board, and wherein said mounting side comprises one selected from the group consisting of (i) said upper planar side of said planar circuit board and (ii) said lower planar side of said planar circuit board;
wherein said plurality of illumination sources comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, and wherein said light emitting diodes of said plurality of light emitting diodes are individually electrically controllable to provide a desired pattern of illumination;
wherein, when said illumination sources are actuated, light emitted by each of said illumination sources is emitted in a direction normal to said mounting side of said planar circuit board; and
wherein said light guiding element of said light module is disposed at and along at least said mounting side of said planar circuit board, and wherein said light guiding element is configured so that light emitted by said illumination sources in the direction normal to said mounting side of said planar circuit board is redirected by said light guiding element so that, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle and with the equipped vehicle on the road surface, light emanates from said light guiding element at least in (i) a forward direction with respect to the equipped vehicle and (ii) a sideward direction with respect to the equipped vehicle.

2. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said light module comprises a housing and a light transmitting cover, and wherein said light guiding element and said planar circuit board are disposed in a cavity between said housing and said light transmitting cover.

3. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 2 , wherein said light guiding element and said light transmitting cover are formed together so as to comprise a unitary construction.

4. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said planar circuit board has an edge spanning between said upper planar side and said lower planar side, and wherein said edge comprises a curved outer edge, and wherein said light guiding element is curved to correspond with said curved outer edge of said planar circuit board.

5. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 4 , wherein said light transmitting cover is curved to correspond with said curved light guiding element.

6. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said planar circuit board has circuitry established thereat, and wherein said circuitry comprises (i) a microcontroller, (ii) said illumination sources, (iii) drivers for said illumination sources and (iv) connector terminals.

7. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said mounting side comprises said lower planar side of said planar circuit board.

8. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said mounting side comprises said upper planar side of said planar circuit board.

9. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 1 , wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle, said light emitting diodes of said plurality of light emitting diodes are controlled responsive to a user input in the equipped vehicle that is actuatable by a driver of the equipped vehicle to provide illumination emanating from said light module of said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly.

10. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 9 , wherein said user input, when actuated by the driver of the equipped vehicle, activates a turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle.

11. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes comprises at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes having an inboard-most light emitting diode that, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is the closest of said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes to the side of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes comprises an outboard-most light emitting diode that, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, is the farthest of said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes from the side of the equipped vehicle.

12. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 11 , wherein, responsive to actuation of said user input to activate the turn signal indicator system of the equipped vehicle, said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes are sequentially intermittently actuated to provide an appearance of outward moving light, and wherein said sequentially intermittently actuation of said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes comprises progressive activation of the light emitting diodes from said inboard-most light emitting diode of said light module to said outboard-most light emitting diode of said light module.

13. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 12 , wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle, said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes are activated in a different pattern responsive to actuation of another user input or trigger of the equipped vehicle.

14. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 12 , wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle, an activation sequence or rate of flash of said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes is controllable via a communication link between a vehicle body controller of the equipped vehicle and said light module.

15. The lighted exterior mirror system of claim 12 , wherein, with said lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the side of the equipped vehicle, an activation sequence or rate of flash of said at least three linearly arranged light emitting diodes varies responsive at least in part to speed of the equipped vehicle.

Assignees

• Magna Mirrors Of America Inc

Inventors

• Huizen Gregory A
• Peterson Kenneth C
• Wesley Mitchell J
• Hauff Martin A

Classifications

• F21Y2113/13

  comprising an assembly of point-like light sources · CPC title

• B60Q2900/40

  Several lamps activated in sequence, e.g. sweep effect, progressive activation · CPC title

• B60Q1/381

  with several light sources activated in sequence, e.g. to create a sweep effect · CPC title

• F21W2103/25

  for rear-view mirrors · CPC title

• B60Q1/2665

  on rear-view mirrors (lighting devices for vehicle interior on or for rear-view mirrors B60Q3/258) · CPC title