Rearview mirror assembly for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11851004-B2
Application number	US-202016773106-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2020
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head and a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a reflective element. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a turn signal indicator. The turn signal indicator, with the mounting base of the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the vehicle, and responsive to actuation by a driver of the vehicle of a turn signal of the vehicle, projects a turn signal icon onto the ground proximate the side of the vehicle. The turn signal indicator may be disposed at a lower region of the mirror casing and may intermittently project a direction-indicating icon or shape onto the ground, with the direction-indicating shape indicating a direction away from the side of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror head and a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a reflective element; and
a turn signal indicator including a light guide disposed along a forward and sideward portion of the mirror casing, wherein said turn signal indicator, with said mounting base of said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, and responsive to actuation by a driver of the equipped vehicle of a turn signal of the equipped vehicle, (i) projects a turn signal icon onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle and (ii) illuminates the light guide to provide a turn signal indication viewable along the forward and sideward portion of the mirror casing, and responsive to actuation of brake lights of the equipped vehicle, projects a stop icon onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle.

2. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said turn signal indicator is disposed at a lower region of said mirror casing.

3. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said turn signal indicator projects the turn signal icon via actuation of at least one light emitting diode of said turn signal indicator.

4. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said turn signal indicator projects an amber-colored turn signal icon via actuation of at least one amber light-emitting light emitting diode of said turn signal indicator.

5. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the projected turn signal icon comprises a direction-indicating shape projected onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle with the projected direction-indicating shape indicating a direction away from the side of the equipped vehicle.

6. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the projected turn signal icon comprises an arrow projected onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle with the projected arrow pointing away from the side of the equipped vehicle.

7. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said turn signal indicator intermittently projects the turn signal icon onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle when the turn signal of the equipped vehicle is actuated.

8. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said turn signal indicator projects at least one other icon onto the ground responsive to a respective at least one other input to said turn signal indicator.

9. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8 , wherein said turn signal indicator projects different colored icons responsive to respective inputs to said turn signal indicator.

10. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 8 , wherein said turn signal indicator projects another icon onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle when hazard lights of the equipped vehicle are actuated.

11. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said turn signal indicator projects the stop icon via red light emitted by said turn signal indicator.

12. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , comprising another turn signal indicator disposed at said mirror casing, wherein said other turn signal indicator, with said mounting base of said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, and responsive to actuation by the driver of the equipped vehicle of the turn signal of the equipped vehicle, provides a turn signal indication viewable by drivers of other vehicles at a side lane adjacent the equipped vehicle.

13. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 12 , wherein said other turn signal indicator is disposed at and along a forward and sideward portion of said mirror casing.

14. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , comprising a camera module disposed at said mirror head, and wherein said camera module is adjustable to adjust a field of view of said camera module.

15. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , comprising a wide angle spotter mirror disposed at an upper outboard corner of said mirror head, and wherein said wide angle spotter mirror is integrally formed with an upper portion of said mirror casing of said mirror head.

16. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , comprising a powerfold actuator operable to pivot said mirror head relative to said mounting base between at least a park detent position, where said mirror head engages a park detent, and a drive detent position, where said mirror head engages a drive detent, and wherein, responsive to a user input, said powerfold actuator pivots said mirror head to the park detent position or the drive detent position, and wherein said mirror head engages one of the park detent and the drive detent to re-engage the detent before said mirror head moves relative to said mounting base.

17. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror head and a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, wherein said mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a reflective element;
a turn signal indicator disposed at a lower region of said mirror casing, wherein said turn signal indicator and including a turn signal indication viewable along a light guide that is disposed along a forward and sideward portion of the mirror casing, with said mounting base of said vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly attached at the side of the equipped vehicle, and responsive to actuation by a driver of the equipped vehicle of a turn signal of the equipped vehicle, intermittently projects a turn signal icon onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle, and responsive to actuation of brake lights of the equipped vehicle, projects a stop icon onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle; and
wherein the intermittently projected turn signal icon comprises a direction-indicating shape intermittently projected onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle with the intermittently projected direction-indicating shape indicating a direction away from the side of the equipped vehicle.

18. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17 , wherein the intermittently projected direction-indicating shape comprises an arrow intermittently projected onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle with the intermittently projected arrow pointing away from the side of the equipped vehicle.

19. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17 , wherein said turn signal indicator projects another icon onto the ground proximate the side of the equipped vehicle when hazard lights of the equipped vehicle are actuated.

20. The vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17 , wherein said turn signal indicator intermittently projects the direction-indicating shape via amber light intermittently emitted by said turn signal indicator, and wherein said turn signal indicator projects the stop icon via red light emitted by said turn signal indicato

Assignees

• Magna Mirrors Of America Inc

Inventors

• Sobecki Justin E
• Peterson Kenneth C
• De Wind Darryl P
• Mohan Jake A
• Steffes Matthew V
• Deuel Eric S

Classifications

• B60R1/06 Primary

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

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• B60R1/074

  for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle · CPC title

• B60R1/082 Primary

  using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors · CPC title

• B60R1/12

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