Vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly with actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12240380-B2
Application number	US-202318186329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2023
Priority date	Feb 10, 2014
Publication date	Mar 4, 2025
Grant date	Mar 4, 2025

Abstract

A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting structure configured for mounting at an interior portion of a vehicle. The mounting structure includes a mounting arm that has (i) a proximal end portion and (ii) a distal end portion distal from the proximal end portion. With the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the proximal end portion of the mounting arm is attached at the interior portion of the vehicle. A motorized actuator is disposed within a mirror housing that accommodates a reflective element. The motorized actuator is electrically operable to adjust the reflective element and the mirror housing together and in tandem relative to the mounting structure to provide a desired rearward field of view to a driver of the vehicle when the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is mounted and operated in the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mounting structure configured for mounting at an interior portion of a vehicle, wherein the mounting structure comprises a mounting arm that has (i) a proximal end portion and (ii) a distal end portion distal from the proximal end portion;
wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the proximal end portion of the mounting arm is attached at the interior portion of the vehicle;
a mirror housing accommodating a reflective element;
a motorized actuator disposed within the mirror housing; and
wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the motorized actuator is electrically operable to adjust the reflective element and the mirror housing together and in tandem relative to the mounting structure to provide a desired rearward field of view to a driver of the vehicle when the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly is operated in the vehicle.

2. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motorized actuator operates responsive to actuation by the driver of a user input.

3. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 2 , wherein the user input comprises a touch sensor disposed at the mirror housing.

4. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motorized actuator comprises a first motor that operates to adjust orientation of the reflective element relative to the mounting structure via a first drive element.

5. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4 , wherein the motorized actuator comprises a second motor that operates to adjust orientation of the reflective element relative to the mounting structure via a second drive element.

6. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the first and second motors operate in tandem to tilt the reflective element and the mirror housing relative to the mounting structure about a horizontal axis.

7. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the first and second motors cooperatively operate to adjust the reflective element and the mirror housing in tandem relative to the mounting structure about a non-horizontal axis.

8. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the first and second motors operate in tandem to tilt the reflective element and the mirror housing relative to the mounting structure about a horizontal axis, and wherein the first and second motors cooperatively operate to adjust the reflective element and the mirror housing in tandem relative to the mounting structure about another axis, and wherein the other axis is orthogonal to the horizontal axis.

9. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motorized actuator comprises (i) an actuator body that houses at least one motor and (ii) an adjustment plate that is adjustable relative to the actuator body via actuation of the at least one motor.

10. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9 , wherein the actuator body is attached at an attaching element at the distal end portion of the mounting arm, and wherein the adjustment plate is attached at an attachment plate attached at the reflective element.

11. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 9 , wherein the actuator body is attached at an attachment plate attached at the reflective element, and wherein the adjustment plate is attached at an attaching element at the distal end portion of the mounting arm.

12. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motorized actuator is mounted at an attachment plate attached at the reflective element.

13. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motorized actuator is mounted at an attaching element at the distal end portion of the mounting arm.

14. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mirror housing and the reflective element are manually adjustable in tandem relative to the mounting structure.

15. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the mirror housing comprises a bezel portion that circumscribes a perimeter region of an outermost front surface of the reflective element.

16. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, a perimeter region of an outermost front surface of the reflective element is, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, exposed to, contactable by and viewable by the driver of the vehicle.

17. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interior portion of the vehicle is at an in-cabin side of a windshield of the vehicle.

18. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17 , wherein the mounting structure mounts at the in-cabin side of the windshield of the vehicle via a mounting button.

19. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the motorized actuator, when operated, tilts the reflective element and the mirror housing in tandem about a horizontal axis.

20. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the motorized actuator, when operated, tilts the reflective element and the mirror housing in tandem about a horizontal axis by an angle in a range from 2 degrees to 4 degrees.

21. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

22. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reflective element comprises an electro-optic reflective element.

23. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reflective element comprises an electrochromic reflective element.

24. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , comprising a video display device disposed behind the reflective element and viewable, when actuated, through the reflective element.

25. A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mounting structure configured for mounting at an interior portion of a vehicle, wherein the mounting structure comprises a mounting arm that has (i) a proximal end portion and (ii) a distal end portion distal from the proximal end portion;
wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the proximal end portion of the mounting arm is attached at the interior portion of the vehicle;
a mirror housing accommodating a reflective element;
a video display device disposed behind the reflective element and viewable, when actuated, through the reflective element;
a motorized actuator disposed within the mirror housing;
wherein, with the mounting structure mounted at the interior portion of the vehicle, the motorized actuator i

Assignees

• Magna Mirrors Of America Inc

Inventors

• Mohan Jake A

Classifications

• B60R2001/1223

  with sensors or transducers · CPC title

• G02F1/153

  Constructional details · CPC title

• G02F1/13318

  Circuits comprising a photodetector · CPC title

• G02B17/04

  using prisms only · CPC title

• B60R1/025

  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