Exterior mirror assembly with actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718407-B2
Application number	US-201615262483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	Oct 31, 2011
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly having a mounting portion mountable at a side of a vehicle and a mirror head portion pivotally adjustable relative to the mounting portion. The mirror assembly includes an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of the mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion. The actuator includes a first motor and a second motor that are operable in tandem to cooperatively cause a common drive gear of a gear system to be driven to pivot the mirror head portion relative to the mounting portion. Operation of the first and second motors is synchronized and causes the common drive gear to rotate. A shutoff circuit is operable to determine a stalled condition and, responsive to such determination, is operable to deactivate driving of the common drive gear by the at least two motors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
an exterior rearview mirror assembly;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion mountable at a side of a vehicle;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head portion pivotally adjustable relative to said mounting portion;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a reflective element at said mirror head portion;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion to adjust said mirror head portion relative to the side of a vehicle at which said mounting portion is mounted;
wherein said actuator comprises at least two motors;
wherein said at least two motors comprises a first motor and a second motor;
wherein said first motor and said second motor are operable in tandem to cooperatively cause a common drive gear of a gear system to be driven to pivot said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion;
wherein operation of said first and second motors is synchronized;
wherein operation of said first and second motors causes said common drive gear to rotate; and
a shutoff circuit operable to determine a stalled condition and, responsive to such determination, operable to deactivate driving of said common drive gear by said at least two motors.

2. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said common drive gear comprises a ring gear.

3. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said first and second motors cause said common drive gear to be driven at opposite sides of said common drive gear.

4. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a plurality of travel stops configured to limit pivotal movement of said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion.

5. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 4 , wherein said plurality of travel stops comprises stop pins.

6. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said common drive gear is interconnected with an attaching portion of said actuator that attaches at one of said mirror head portion and said mounting portion, and wherein rotation of said common drive gear pivots said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion.

7. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein, during operation of said actuator, said shutoff circuit determines rotational movement of a shaft of said first motor and a shaft of said second motor and, responsive to a determination of rotational movement being below a threshold, said shutoff circuit deactivates said first and second motors.

8. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to operation of said first and second motors, said mirror head portion pivots relative to said mounting portion to adjust said mirror head between (i) a rearward viewing position or orientation where said reflective element at said mirror head is positioned so as to provide a rearward field of view to a driver of the vehicle and (ii) a folded or stowed position where said mirror head is oriented generally along the side of the vehicle.

9. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said first motor comprises a first drive shaft defining a first axis and wherein said second motor comprises a second drive shaft defining a second axis, and wherein said first axis is oriented generally parallel to said second axis.

10. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said shutoff circuit provides bi-directional protection for said first motor and provides bi-directional protection for said second motor.

11. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 10 , wherein said shutoff circuit provides bi-directional protection via a diode used to bypass run detection circuitry.

12. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said shutoff circuit determines if, with electrical power applied thereto, said first motor is running, and said shutoff circuit determines if, with electrical power applied thereto, said second motor is running.

13. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 1 , wherein said shutoff circuit determines a stall condition of said first motor and, responsive to such determination, said shutoff circuit removes electrical power from said first motor, and wherein said shutoff circuit determines a stall condition of said second motor and, responsive to such determination, said shutoff circuit removes electrical power from said second motor.

14. An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
an exterior rearview mirror assembly;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion mountable at a side of a vehicle;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head portion pivotally adjustable relative to said mounting portion;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a reflective element at said mirror head portion;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion to adjust said mirror head portion relative to the side of a vehicle at which said mounting portion is mounted;
wherein said actuator comprises at least two motors;
wherein said at least two motors comprises a first motor and a second motor;
wherein said first motor and said second motor are operable in tandem to cooperatively cause a common drive gear of a gear system to be driven to pivot said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion;
wherein operation of said first and second motors is synchronized;
wherein operation of said first and second motors causes said common drive gear to rotate;
wherein said common drive gear comprises a ring gear;
wherein a shutoff circuit determines a stall condition of said first motor and, responsive to such determination, said shutoff circuit removes electrical power from said first motor; and
wherein said shutoff circuit determines a stall condition of said second motor and, responsive to such determination, said shutoff circuit removes electrical power from said second motor.

15. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 14 , wherein said shutoff circuit provides bi-directional protection for said first motor and provides bi-directional protection for said second motor.

16. The exterior rearview mirror system of claim 14 , wherein said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprises a plurality of travel stops configured to limit pivotal movement of said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion.

17. An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior rearview mirror system comprising:
an exterior rearview mirror assembly;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mounting portion mountable at a side of a vehicle;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a mirror head portion pivotally adjustable relative to said mounting portion;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising a reflective element at said mirror head portion;
said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of said mirror head portion relative to said mounting portion to adjust said mirror head portion relative to the side of a vehicle at which said mounting portion is mounted;
wherein said actuator comprises at least two motors;
wherein said at l

Assignees

• Magna Mirrors Of America Inc

Inventors

• Sobecki Justin E
• Deuel Eric S

Classifications

• B60R1/072 Primary

  for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing · CPC title

• B60R1/074

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