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Vehicle exterior mirror system with signal light
| Details |
Inventors: Pastrick, Todd W.; van de Ven, Michiel P.; Whitehead, Peter J.; Mousseau, Rick; Lynam, Niall R.;
Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Holland, MI)
Primary Examiner: Sember; Thomas M.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Van Dyke, Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
An exterior mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a signal light that provides an advanced notification system to approaching vehicles that the driver of the vehicle intends to turn or make a lane change. The exterior mirror assembly includes a housing with a reflective element and a positioning device for adjusting the position of the reflective element in the housing, and at least one signal light positioned in the housing. The signal light includes a light source and a light conduiting member which is adapted to project a pattern of light from the housing and yet restrict light from extending into the vehicle so that a driver seated in the vehicle does not directly observe the pattern of light. The light source may be provided by a light pipe which is optically coupled to a remote light source located, for example, in the vehicle. Preferably, the pattern of light extends rearwardly, forwardly, and laterally from the vehicle. In one form, the light conduiting member includes a light input surface on one end and at least one light emitting surface for directing light outwardly from the housing of the exterior mirror assembly. In another form, the exterior mirror assembly incorporates a signal light which includes a plurality of reflective surfaces for directing light forwardly, rearwardly, and laterally from the vehicle but restricts light from entering into the vehicle and distracting the driver. In yet another form, the exterior mirror assembly includes a powerfold mirror system which incorporates a security light in either the folding portion or non-folding portion of the powerfold mirror system. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now specifically to the drawings, and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle personal security lighting system 25 includes an exterior mirror assembly 26 having a conventional reflectance element 28, a security light 30, preferably white, or clear, and a signal light 32, preferably red, incorporated in a housing, or casing, 34.
Casing 34 is connected by a neck 36 to a stationary panel or sail 38 adapted for incorporation with the forward portion of the vehicle side window assembly, and which mounts mirror assembly 26 to the door of a vehicle 40 (see FIG.
10).
Reflectance element 28 may be any of several reflectors, such as glass coated on its first or second surface with a suitable reflective layer or layers, such as those disclosed in U.
S.
Pat.
No.
5,179,471, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein, or an electro-optic cell including a liquid crystal, electrochromic, or electrochemichromic fluid, gel or solid-state compound for varying the reflectivity of the mirror in response to electrical voltage applied there across as disclosed in U.
S.
Pat.
No.
5,151,824, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
With reference to FIGS.
7 and 8, as is conventional, reflectance element 28 is mounted to a bracket 43 by an actuator 42.
Casing 34 is mounted to bracket 43.
Actuator 42 provides remote positioning of reflectance element 28 on two orthogonal axes.
Such actuators are well known in the art and may include a jackscrew-type actuator 42 such as Model No.
H16-49-8001 (right-hand mirror) and Model No.
H16-49-8051 (left-hand mirror) by Matsuyama of Kawagoe City, Japan, as illustrated in FIG.
7, or a planetary-gear actuator 42' such as Model No.
540 (U.
S.
Pat.
No.
4,281,899) sold by Industrie Koot by (IKU) of Montfoort, Netherlands, as illustrated in FIG.
20.
As is also conventional, the entire casing 34 including actuator 42, 42' is mounted via bracket 43 for breakaway motion with respect to stationary panel 38 by a breakaway joint assembly 44
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Light Fixtures 
