Extended field of view exterior mirror element for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016257253-A1
Application number	US-201615155351-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	May 20, 2003
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicular exterior sideview mirror assembly includes a main mirror element having a first primary field of view rearward of the vehicle and an auxiliary curved mirror element having a second auxiliary field of view rearward of the vehicle. The main mirror element and the auxiliary mirror element are adjacently disposed at a mirror backing plate element in a side-by-side relationship. The first primary field of view of the main mirror element may overlap the second auxiliary field of view of the auxiliary mirror element by between about 2 degrees and about 20 degrees. When used in an exterior sideview mirror assembly of a vehicle, the main mirror element may have a rearward field of view that subtends an angle of less than about 20 degrees relative to the side of the vehicle.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1 . An exterior sideview mirror assembly suitable for vehicular use, said exterior sideview mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror housing; a mirror backing plate element; wherein said mirror backing plate element is movable within said mirror housing by an electrically-operable actuator; a main plano mirror element fixedly disposed at a first portion of said mirror backing plate element; said main plano mirror element having a first primary field of view rearward of a vehicle equipped with said exterior sideview mirror assembly; an auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element fixedly disposed at a second portion of said mirror backing plate element; wherein said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element comprises a convex-curved substrate coated with a metallic reflector coating; wherein said main plano mirror element and said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element are adjacently disposed at said mirror backing plate element in a side-by-side relationship and are not superimposed with one mirror element on top of the other mirror element; wherein said mirror backing plate element comprises a polymeric molding; wherein said second portion of said mirror backing plate element is convex-curved; wherein said reflector-coated convex-curved substrate of said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element has a spherical curvature, and wherein said second portion of said mirror backing plate element has a curvature at least partially matching said spherical curvature; said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element having a second auxiliary field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle; wherein said first primary field of view of said main plano mirror element overlaps said second auxiliary field of view of said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element; wherein said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element that is at said second portion of said mirror backing plate element is angled relative to said main plano mirror element that is at said first portion of said mirror backing plate element; wherein said mirror backing plate element mounts to said actuator such that movement of said mirror backing plate element by said actuator simultaneously and similarly moves said main plano mirror element and said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element; wherein said main plano mirror element comprises one of (a) a generally flat glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating and (b) a generally flat polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto; wherein said first primary field of view of said main plano mirror element overlaps said second auxiliary field of view of said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element by between about 2 degrees and about 20 degrees; wherein, when used in an exterior sideview mirror assembly of an equipped vehicle, said main plano mirror element has a rearward field of view that subtends an angle of less than about 20 degrees relative to the side of the equipped vehicle; wherein said second auxiliary field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle views into a blind spot in a side lane adjacent the side of the equipped vehicle at which said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached, and wherein said blind spot is outside the rearward field of view of said main plano mirror element when said main plano mirror element is viewed by a driver of the equipped vehicle when said exterior sideview mirror assembly is attached at the side of the equipped vehicle; wherein said main plano mirror element has a fixed reflectance; wherein said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element has a fixed reflectance; and wherein said exterior sideview mirror assembly comprises a driver-side exterior sideview mirror assembly.

2 . The exterior sideview mirror assembly of claim 1 , including a demarcation between said main plano mirror element and said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element that visually demarcates said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element from said main plano mirror element.

3 . The exterior sideview mirror assembly of claim 2 , wherein said demarcation between said main plano mirror element and said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element comprises a divider, and wherein said mirror backing plate element includes a molded wall extending from a surface thereof and wherein said divider comprises at least a portion of said molded wall.

4 . The exterior sideview mirror assembly of claim 3 , wherein said molded wall circumscribes the circumferential edge of said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element when said auxiliary non-plano curved mirror element is disposed at said mirror backing plate element.

5 . The exterior sideview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said main plano mirror element comprises a generally flat glass substrate having a surface coated with a metallic reflector coating.

6 . The exterior sideview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein said main plano mirror element comprises a generally flat polymeric substrate having a thin glass element applied to a surface thereof and with an opposing surface thereof having a reflecting layer applied thereto, and wherein said generally flat polymeric substrate is formed from an elongated sheet of substrate material comprising a polymeric resin material, and wherein said elongated sheet has a substantially transparent functional film applied at a surface thereof, and wherein said substantially transparent functional film provides at least one of (a) an anti-abrasion function, (b) a hydrophobic function and (c) a hydrophilic function, and wherein said functional film comprises an ultrathin glass material which is sufficiently flexible to be provided in a reel or roll, and wherein said functional film is sufficiently flexible to conform to said generally flat polymeric substrate of said main plano mirror element, and wherein said main plano mirror element comprises a reflective film disposed at a surface of said generally flat polymeric substrate opposite said substantially transparent functional film.

7 . The exterior sideview mirror assembly of claim 6 , wherein said thin glass element comprises a thin flexible glass sheet, said thin flexible glass sheet existing as a pre-formed glass sheet that is separate from said generally flat polymeric substrate, said thin flexible glass sheet having an attaching surface, wherein said attaching surface is opposed to and adhered to said surface of said generally flat polymeric substrate when said thin flexible glass sheet is adhered to said exterior surface of said generally flat polymeric substrate, said thin flexible glass sheet providing an anti-abrasion function at said surface of said generally flat polymeric substrate when adhered thereto, said thin flexible glass sheet substantially conforming to said exterior surface of said generally flat polymeric substrate when adhered thereto, said thin flexible glass sheet having a thickness of less than approximately 0.8 mm and greater than approximately 0.3 mm.

8 . The exterior sideview mirror assembly of claim 7 , wherein said generally flat polymeric substrate is cut from a molded or extruded or cast elongated sheet, and wherein said thin flexible glass sheet is laminated to said elongated sheet, and wherein said main plano mirror element comprises a reflective film applied to an inner surface of said generally flat polymeric substrate opposite said exterior surface, and wherein said reflective film comprises a polymeric reflective film at least one of laminated, adhered and applied to said inner surface of said generally flat polymer

Assignees

• Donnelly Corp

Inventors

• Lynam Niall R

Classifications

• G02B27/0006

  with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• B60R1/082 Primary

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

• B60R1/088

  using a cell of electrically changeable optical characteristic, e.g. liquid-crystal or electrochromic mirrors · CPC title

• B60R1/072

  for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing · CPC title

• B60R1/0602

  comprising means for cleaning or deicing · CPC title