Vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly with a mirror reflective element assembly having a main reflective element and an auxiliary wide angle reflective element
A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element assembly. The mirror reflective element assembly includes a main reflective element backing plate and a main reflective element. The main reflective element includes a glass substrate having a mirror reflector coated at a surface thereof. The mirror reflector-coated glass substrate of the main reflective element is attached at the main reflective element backing plate. The mirror reflective element assembly includes an auxiliary reflective element backing plate and an auxiliary wide angle reflective element. The auxiliary wide angle reflective element is positioned on the auxiliary reflective element backing plate. The auxiliary reflective element backing plate is attached to the main reflective element backing plate via an attachment mechanism.
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
G06V 20/56 - Context or environment of the image exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60Q 1/34 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction
B60R 1/06 - Rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior
B60R 1/12 - Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
H04N 23/63 - Control of cameras or camera modules by using electronic viewfinders
B60K 35/00 - Instruments specially adapted for vehiclesArrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
A vehicular exterior door handle assembly includes a handle portion movable to open a vehicle door and an illumination module having an illumination source and a light guide that extends at least partially along the length of the handle portion. When the exterior door handle assembly is normally mounted at the door handle region of the vehicle door and when the illumination source is powered, the light guide is illuminated and the illumination is viewable by a person viewing the handle portion from outside the vehicle. The exterior door handle assembly may include an emblem or icon that is back lit by light emitted by a back-lighting illumination source of the exterior door handle assembly. The emblem or icon is visible to the person viewing from outside the vehicle when back lit by light emitted by the back-lighting illumination source but is covert when not back lit by such emitted light.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60Q 1/32 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides
E05B 17/10 - Illuminating devices on, or for, locks or keys
E05B 85/16 - Handles pivoted about an axis parallel to the wing a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
B60R 16/02 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric
F21V 8/00 - Use of light guides, e.g. fibre optic devices, in lighting devices or systems
3.
Exterior mirror reflective element with auxiliary reflector
A mirror reflective element suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a glass substrate having a first side and an opposing second side. The mirror reflective element has a principal reflector portion and an auxiliary reflector portion. The auxiliary reflector portion includes a curved recess established at the second side of the glass substrate. An auxiliary mirror metallic reflector is coated at the curved recess at the second side of the glass substrate and a principal mirror metallic reflector is coated at the principal reflector portion. The mirror reflective element is configured so that, when an exterior rearview mirror assembly equipped with the mirror reflective element is normally mounted at a side of a vehicle, the curved recess is disposed at an outboard upper region of the mirror reflective element relative to the side of the equipped vehicle.
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
C23C 14/02 - Pretreatment of the material to be coated
G02F 1/157 - Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
C03C 17/09 - Surface treatment of glass, e.g. of devitrified glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with metals by deposition from the vapour phase
B29C 45/00 - Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mouldApparatus therefor
B24B 7/24 - Machines or devices designed for grinding plane surfaces on work, including polishing plane glass surfacesAccessories therefor characterised by a special design with respect to properties of the material of non-metallic articles to be ground for grinding inorganic material, e.g. stone, ceramics, porcelain for grinding or polishing glass
B60R 1/06 - Rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior
C23C 14/18 - Metallic material, boron or silicon on other inorganic substrates
B29L 31/30 - Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof
G02F 1/15 - Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulatingNon-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on an electrochromic effect
An exterior door handle assembly includes a strap-handle portion pivotally movable to open a vehicle door, a circuit element, a light emitting diode, a light pipe, and an elongated light-transmitting cover. The light emitting diode is disposed proximate an end region of the strap-handle portion and proximate an end region of the light pipe. The strap-handle portion includes structure configured to receive the light emitting diode and the circuit element thereat. The light-transmitting cover is attached to the strap-handle portion and covers the light pipe. The strap-handle portion includes a user input that is actuatable by a person to lock or unlock the vehicle door. When the light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes along the light pipe and passes through the light-transmitting cover so as to be viewable by a person viewing the door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60Q 1/32 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides
B60R 16/02 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric
E05B 17/10 - Illuminating devices on, or for, locks or keys
E05B 85/16 - Handles pivoted about an axis parallel to the wing a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
An exterior door handle assembly for a vehicle door includes a strap-handle portion pivotally movable to open the vehicle door. A self-contained elongated module includes (i) an elongated housing, (ii) an elongated light-transmitting cover and (iii) a light pipe. The strap-handle portion receives the self-contained elongated module. At least one light emitting diode is disposed proximate an end region of the strap-handle portion. With the door handle assembly mounted at a vehicle door and when the light emitting diode is electrically powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes along the light pipe and through the elongated light-transmitting cover so as to be viewable by a person viewing the exterior door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60Q 1/32 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides
B60R 16/02 - Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided forArrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for electric
E05B 85/16 - Handles pivoted about an axis parallel to the wing a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
E05B 17/10 - Illuminating devices on, or for, locks or keys
F21V 8/00 - Use of light guides, e.g. fibre optic devices, in lighting devices or systems
A camera monitoring system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly with a video display screen disposed behind the interior mirror reflective element. The video display screen is operable to display video images derived at least in part from image data captured by at least one video camera of a plurality of video cameras of the equipped vehicle. Image data captured by at least a driver-side viewing video camera and a passenger-side viewing video camera is provided to an image processor and is processed by the image processor to detect vehicles present exterior of the equipped vehicle. Responsive at least in part to detection of another vehicle, video images derived at least in part from image data captured by the driver-side viewing video camera, a rear viewing video camera and/or the passenger-side viewing video camera are displayed by the video display screen.
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60K 35/00 - Instruments specially adapted for vehiclesArrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
B60Q 1/34 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction
A mirror reflective element assembly for a vehicle includes an electrically variable reflectance mirror reflective element that includes front and rear substrates with an electrochromic medium disposed therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal. A perimeter layer is disposed at a second surface of the front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of the front substrate that conceals the perimeter seal from view by a driver of a vehicle. At least a portion of the mirror reflector extends from under the perimeter seal outward towards at least a portion of the perimeter edge of the rear substrate. The mirror reflective element includes a more curved outboard region and a less curved inboard region. A laser-etched demarcation may demarcate the more curved outboard region of the mirror reflective element from the less curved inboard region of the mirror reflective element.
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
G02F 1/157 - Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
G02F 1/161 - GasketsSpacersSealing of cellsFilling or closing of cells
B60Q 1/24 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments for lighting other areas than only the way ahead
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60R 1/12 - Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
B60Q 1/34 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating change of drive direction
A method of forming a mirror reflector sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes providing a glass substrate and physically removing glass from a portion of a second surface of the glass substrate to form a curved recess locally thereat, and coating via a vacuum deposition process the second surface of the glass substrate with a mirror reflector to form a mirror reflective element suitable for use in an automotive exterior rearview mirror assembly. The method includes forming a mirror back plate in a plastic molding operation and providing a heater pad and disposing the heater pad between the coated second surface of the glass substrate and the first side of the mirror back plate.
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
B60R 1/06 - Rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior
B29D 11/00 - Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms
B29C 45/00 - Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mouldApparatus therefor
B29C 65/48 - Joining of preformed partsApparatus therefor using adhesives
B29C 65/00 - Joining of preformed partsApparatus therefor
C03C 17/09 - Surface treatment of glass, e.g. of devitrified glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with metals by deposition from the vapour phase
B29L 31/30 - Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof
G02F 1/157 - Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
G02F 1/15 - Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulatingNon-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on an electrochromic effect
9.
Method of forming an exterior mirror reflector sub-assembly with auxiliary reflector portion
A method of forming a mirror reflector sub-assembly suitable for use in an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes providing a glass substrate and physically removing glass from a portion of a second surface of the glass substrate to form a curved recess locally thereat, and coating via a vacuum deposition process the second surface of the glass substrate with a mirror reflector to form a mirror reflective element suitable for use in an automotive exterior rearview mirror assembly. The method includes forming a mirror back plate in a plastic molding operation and providing a heater pad and disposing the heater pad between the coated second surface of the glass substrate and the first side of the mirror back plate. The heater pad is adhered to the coated second surface of glass substrate and to the first side of the mirror back plate.
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
B60R 1/06 - Rear-view mirror arrangements mounted on vehicle exterior
B29C 45/00 - Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mouldApparatus therefor
C03C 17/09 - Surface treatment of glass, e.g. of devitrified glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating with metals by deposition from the vapour phase
B29D 11/00 - Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms
G02F 1/157 - Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
B24B 7/24 - Machines or devices designed for grinding plane surfaces on work, including polishing plane glass surfacesAccessories therefor characterised by a special design with respect to properties of the material of non-metallic articles to be ground for grinding inorganic material, e.g. stone, ceramics, porcelain for grinding or polishing glass
B29L 31/30 - Vehicles, e.g. ships or aircraft, or body parts thereof
G02F 1/15 - Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulatingNon-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on an electrochromic effect
An exterior door handle assembly suitable for mounting at a door handle region of a vehicle door includes a strap-handle portion and a sealed self-contained elongated lighting module having (i) at least one illumination source that, when electrically powered, emits light, (ii) an elongated housing and (iii) an elongated light-transmitting cover. The module may include an antenna and/or a light pipe. The strap-handle portion receives the sealed self-contained elongated lighting module. With the sealed self-contained elongated light module received in the strap-handle portion, the contour of the sealed self-contained elongated lighting module generally matches the contour of the strap-handle portion. With the door handle assembly mounted at a vehicle door and when the illumination source is electrically powered, light emitted by the illumination source passes through the elongated light-transmitting cover so as to be viewable by a person viewing the exterior door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60Q 1/32 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides
B60Q 3/02 - Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interior, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting passenger or driving compartment
E05B 17/10 - Illuminating devices on, or for, locks or keys
E05B 85/16 - Handles pivoted about an axis parallel to the wing a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
−3 ohm·cm. No part of the rear substrate extends beyond any part of a front substrate of the reflective element. An indicator is disposed rearward of the reflective element and, when actuated, illuminates through the reflective element.
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
G02F 1/157 - Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices
G02F 1/161 - GasketsSpacersSealing of cellsFilling or closing of cells
B60Q 1/24 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to illuminate the way ahead or to illuminate other areas of way or environments for lighting other areas than only the way ahead
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60R 1/12 - Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imager disposed at the vehicle and viewing exterior the vehicle. A control includes an image processor and is operable to process captured image data for at least a first application and a second application and to adjust the image sensor to at least two settings and to process captured image data via at least two processing techniques. The control is operable to synchronize the at least two settings of the image sensor and the at least two processing techniques to extract respective information from the captured image data for the first and second applications. The control adjusts a setting of the image sensor to capture image data suitable for the first application or the second application. The image processor processes captured image data via a processing technique suitable for the first application or the second application.
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
H04N 7/18 - Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
A mirror reflective element assembly for a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a principal mirror element, a wide angle mirror element and an illumination element that at least partially circumscribes the wide angle mirror element. The illumination element emits illumination at least partially around the wide angle mirror element that is viewable by a person viewing the exterior rearview mirror assembly when the mirror assembly is disposed at a side of a vehicle. At least one of (i) the illumination element, responsive to determination that an ambient light level is below a threshold level, is operable to provide a light level that is less than about 100 candelas per square meter, and (ii) the illumination element, responsive to determination that an ambient light level is above a threshold level, is operable to provide a light level that is greater than about 200 candelas per square meter.
H04N 7/18 - Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
B60R 1/08 - Rear-view mirror arrangements involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing, a reflective element, an auxiliary wide angle element and a back plate. The auxiliary wide angle element is disposed at the rear surface of a mirror substrate. A back plate mounting structure may establish a space at the mirror actuator that is sufficient for a portion of the auxiliary wide angle element to be disposed between a rear surface of the reflective element and the mirror actuator. The back plate may have at least one sealing element at least partially around a perimeter region of a wide angle element receiving portion of the back plate, and the sealing element may engage the rear surface of the mirror substrate when the back plate is attached to the reflective element and may limit intrusion of adhesive between the back plate and the mirror substrate.
A reflective element assembly for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes front and rear substrates with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween. An electrical connector has an attachment portion and a wire receiving portion for receiving an electrical wire therein. A flange of the attachment portion is configured to be disposed at a fourth surface of the rear substrate and a tab is configured to extend at least partially across a perimeter edge of the rear substrate. An electrically conductive material is disposed in an uncured state and uncured electrically conductive material flows at least partially through the aperture and is cured to secure the electrical connector at the rear substrate. The wire receiving portion of the electrical connector is configured to receive the electrical wire therein and includes at least one tang that engages the electrical wire when the electrical wire is inserted into the wire receiving portion.
G02B 7/182 - Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prismsMountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for mirrors for mirrors
A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an imager disposed in the vehicle and viewing forward of the vehicle through the vehicle windshield. The imager has a field of view exterior the vehicle and is operable to capture image data. The imager includes (i) a lens, (ii) a spectral filter and (iii) a CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements. The system includes a control that may be operable to process captured image data for at least a first application and a second application, with the first application including lane departure warning and the second application selected from the group consisting of (i) headlamp control, (ii) vehicle detection and (iii) rain sensing. The control may be operable to adjust a parameter or setting of the imager.
G06K 9/00 - Methods or arrangements for reading or recognising printed or written characters or for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints
H04N 7/18 - Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
B60R 1/00 - Optical viewing arrangementsReal-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
An exterior door handle assembly includes an illumination device and a handle portion movable to open a vehicle door. The illumination device includes at least one illumination source that, when actuated, emits light. The illumination device includes a lighting strip that is disposed at the handle portion, and the lighting strip extends at least partially along a length dimension of the handle portion. When the illumination source is actuated, the lighting strip is illuminated and the illumination is viewable at least partially along the length dimension of the handle portion by a person viewing the handle portion of the exterior door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door. When the illumination source is not actuated, the lighting strip may not be readily viewable by and discernible to a person viewing the handle portion of the exterior door handle assembly from outside of the vehicle door.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
B60Q 1/32 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic for indicating vehicle sides
B60Q 3/02 - Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interior, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting passenger or driving compartment
E05B 17/10 - Illuminating devices on, or for, locks or keys
E05B 85/16 - Handles pivoted about an axis parallel to the wing a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
18.
Charge port illumination system for electric vehicle
A charge port illumination system for an electric vehicle includes a charge port at an electric vehicle for electrically connecting to a charging source to charge a power source of the electric vehicle. A self-contained sealed module is disposed at or proximate to the charge port and includes at least one illumination source. The illumination source, responsive to an activating event associated with an electric charging event of the electric vehicle, is activated to provide illumination at the charge port. The activating event may include detection of touch at or movement of a cover panel and/or a signal from a remote transmitting device or a passive entry device or a motion detection device. The illumination source may be automatically deactivated after at least one of a period of time after activation, plugging in a charging source at the charge port and closing a cover panel at the charge port.
A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element. A display indicator has a light source that is activatable to emit light. The light source is disposed behind the reflective element and light emitted by the light source passes through the reflective element to be viewed by the driver of the vehicle. The display indicator is associated with a blind spot detection system of the vehicle and the light source of the display indicator is activated responsive to sensing by a sensor of the blind spot detection system of an object in a blind spot at a side of the vehicle. During daytime operation of the vehicle and when the light source is activated, the display indicator, as viewed by the driver of the vehicle, has a luminance of at least about 5,000 nits.
A variable reflectance mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior mirror assembly includes a heater pad disposed at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. The heater pad includes a first connector that electrically connects with the transparent electrically conductive coating disposed at the second surface of the front substrate, and a second connector that electrically connects with the metallic electrically conductive coating disposed at the third surface of the rear substrate. The heater pad includes third and fourth connectors that provide, at least in part, electrical conductive connection with a heating element. The connectors are part of a unitary multi-pin connector that is configured to connect with a corresponding wire harness connector to provide electrical power to the heating element and to the transparent electrically conductive coating and the metallic electrically conductive coating of the reflective element when the exterior minor assembly is mounted at the vehicle.
G02B 7/182 - Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for prismsMountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements for mirrors for mirrors
An interior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element. A transflective mirror reflector is established at a third surface of a rear substrate of the mirror assembly. The mirror reflector has at least three layers, including a metallic layer, a transparent conductive metal oxide layer and a transparent dielectric metal oxide layer. The metallic layer is closer to the electrochromic medium than the transparent conductive metal oxide layer and the transparent dielectric metal oxide layer, and the transparent conductive metal oxide layer and the transparent dielectric metal oxide layer are disposed between the metallic layer and the third surface of the rear substrate. The at least three layers of the mirror reflector are established at the third surface of the rear substrate by a vacuum deposition process that includes sputtering from multiple sputtering targets in a single vacuum deposition chamber.
G02F 1/15 - Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulatingNon-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on an electrochromic effect
A vision system for a vehicle includes an imaging device, a camera controller, a display device and a display controller. The camera controller and the display controller share a common processor. The vision system is operable to adjust a displayed image responsive to a signal from an auxiliary sensing system. The vision system, responsive to object detection by a sensor, is operable to (a) provide enhanced imaging of the detected object, (b) provide enhanced processing of at least a portion of captured image that corresponds to the region of the exterior scene at which an object is detected, (c) adjust the display device to enhance displayed images of a detected object, and/or (d) adjust the display device to enhance display of at least a portion of a captured image that corresponds to the region of the exterior scene at which the object is detected by the sensor.
An exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror casing and a reflective element and an indicator module having a housing, a circuit element and a lens element. The circuit element includes at least one light emitting diode. When the light emitting diode is powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the lens element. The housing includes at least one attachment element for mechanically attaching the indicator module at the mirror assembly. The lens element is disposed at an aperture of the mirror casing, whereby the lens element is viewable at the exterior of the mirror assembly and the housing of the indicator module is substantially concealed by the mirror casing. The indicator module provides a blind zone indicator that is operable to indicate to a driver of the vehicle that an object or other vehicle is detected at a side region of the vehicle.
G08G 1/00 - Traffic control systems for road vehicles
G08G 1/13 - Traffic control systems for road vehicles indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles to a central station the indicator being in the form of a map
24.
Vehicle exterior rearview mirror system with indicator module
An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a unitary indicator module disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The unitary indicator module includes a plurality of illumination sources disposed behind an at least partially light transmitting portion of the unitary indicator module. Light emitted by any of the illumination sources passes through the at least partially light transmitting portion for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is responsive to a control signal to indicate to the driver of the equipped vehicle a detected presence of another vehicle at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle. The unitary indicator module is operable to indicate a degree of hazard at least one of alongside the equipped vehicle and rearward of the equipped vehicle.
An interior rearview mirror reflective element includes a front substrate connected with a rear substrate via a perimeter seal, whereby, when so connected, at least a portion of a circumferential outer edge of the rear substrate is inward of a circumferential outer edge of the front substrate and no portion of the rear substrate protrudes beyond the front substrate. A first electrical connection establishes electrical connection at the front substrate and a second electrical connection may establish electrical connection at the rear substrate. An electrically conductive perimeter hiding band is disposed around a border region of the front substrate and substantially hides the seal and the electrical connections from view by a driver normally operating the vehicle and viewing the reflective element when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle.
An interior rearview mirror information display system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly including an electrochromic reflective element. A display device is disposed behind a transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element and includes a display screen backlit by a plurality of light emitting diodes supported by a circuit board disposed rearward of the fourth surface of the rear substrate. The light emitting diodes of the circuit board are disposed to the rear of the display screen to provide backlighting of the display screen when activated. Information displayed by the display device is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. When the plurality of light emitting diodes is activated and the display device is displaying information, light emitted by the plurality of light emitting diodes passes through the display screen and through the transflective mirror reflector for viewing by the driver of the equipped vehicle.
G02F 1/15 - Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulatingNon-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on an electrochromic effect
An illumination module for a vehicle includes at least one illumination source for illuminating a target area at the vehicle. The illumination module may be mounted at a handle of a vehicle door and may be operable to illuminate the handle region and/or pocket region of the vehicle door and to illuminate a ground region adjacent to the vehicle and generally below the door handle assembly. The illumination module may include an icon established thereat and the at least one illumination source may back light the icon so that the icon, when the illumination module is activated, is viewable by a person viewing the vehicle. The illumination module may project or direct the illumination toward a targeted area so that the icon is discernible at the targeted area.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
28.
Vehicle exterior rearview mirror system with blind spot indicator
An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises at least one illumination source for indicating to the driver a detected presence of an object alongside of and/or rearward of the vehicle. The indicator may comprise a unitary indicator module that is mountable at the inboard portion of the mirror assembly. The indicator module may include an illumination source and circuitry and may be connectable to an electrical connector.
An interior rearview mirror assembly includes an electrochromic reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electrochromic medium sandwiched therebetween. When the front substrate is connected with the rear substrate via a perimeter seal, one of (a) a circumferential outer edge of the rear substrate is generally flush with a circumferential outer edge of the front substrate and no portion of the rear substrate substantially protrudes beyond the front substrate, and (b) at least a portion of a circumferential outer edge of the rear substrate is inward of a circumferential outer edge of the front substrate and no portion of the rear substrate substantially protrudes beyond the front substrate. A perimeter band is disposed at the second surface of the front substrate and around the perimeter border region of the second surface of the front substrate.
B60Q 1/26 - Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
A vehicle interior rearview mirror assembly comprises an accessory, a reflective element and a bezel. The mirror assembly may define portions of a pocket that at least partially receives and secures the accessory therebetween when the reflective element is at least partially received in the bezel. The mirror assembly may include a microphone and an acoustic cover positioned at least partially over one or more inlet ports of the microphone. The acoustic cover may include an outer air flow limiting layer that substantially limits air flow therethrough and a diffusing material that may space and support the outer layer from the inlet ports to substantially diffuse air flow that penetrates the outer layer. An acoustic barrier may be positioned between a pair of inlet ports of the microphone to enhance the directivity of the microphone.
An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises an illumination source comprising at least one light emitting diode. The illumination source is disposed behind an at least partially light transmitting element, and light emitted by the illumination source passes through the at least partially light transmitting element for viewing by a driver of the vehicle.
A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a reflective element, a back plate disposed at a rear surface of the reflective element, a wide angle reflector element received in a receiving portion of the back plate. The reflective element has a first reflective coating disposed thereat and the wide angle reflector element has a curved rear surface with a second reflective coating disposed at the curved rear surface. An optical element or optical adhesive may be disposed between a front surface of the wide angle reflector element and the rear surface of the reflective element.
A touch sensor (310), such as a capacitive touch sensor, includes a substrate (312) having at least one passageway (324) established therethrough. A first conductive coating (314) is established at a first surface of the substrate, and a conductive element (320, 322) is disposed at the substrate and at least partially through the passageway. The conductive element establishes conductive continuity between the first surface and second or opposite surface of the substrate. The passageway may comprise multiple passageways and is/are established inboard of a perimeter edge of the substrate. The conductive element may include a first conductive material (320) disposed at the first surface and partially into the passageway and a second conductive material (322) disposed at the second surface and partially into the passageway, whereby the conductive materials contact one another in the passageway to establish conductive continuity between the first and second surfaces of the substrate.
A window module for a school bus includes a frame, a fixed window panel affixed to a portion of the frame, a perimeter panel secured to another portion of the frame and defining an opening at the other portion of the frame, and a movable window panel. The movable window panel is slidably positioned at the frame and movable along channel members and interiorly of the fixed window panel when opened and interiorly of and generally at the perimeter panel when at least partially closed. The exterior surfaces of the fixed window panel and of the perimeter panel may form a generally flush surface at an exterior of the school bus when the window assembly is installed at the school bus.
An infrared energy oxidizing and/or curing process (10) includes an infrared oxidation zone (12) having an infrared energy source operable to emit infrared energy that oxidizes a conductive thin film deposited or established on a glass substrate to establish a light transmissive or transparent conductive thin film for manufacturing of a touch panel. Optionally, the infrared energy curing process (10) provides an in-line infrared energy curing process that oxidizes the conductive thin film on the glass substrate as the glass substrate is moved past the infrared energy source. Optionally, the infrared energy curing process bonds a thick film silver frit electrode pattern to the conductively coated glass substrate. Optionally, the infrared energy curing process reduces the transparent conductive thin film.
An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises at least one illumination source for indicating to the driver a detected presence of an object alongside of and/or rearward of the vehicle. The indicator may comprise a unitary indicator module that is mountable at the inboard portion of the mirror assembly. The indicator module includes an illumination source and circuitry and is connectable to an electrical connector.
An illumination module for a vehicle includes at least one illumination source for illuminating a target area at the vehicle. The illumination module may be mounted at a handle of a vehicle door and may be operable to illuminate the handle region and/or pocket region of the vehicle door and to illuminate a ground region adjacent to the vehicle and generally below the door handle assembly. The illumination module may include an icon established thereat and the at least one illumination source may back light the icon so that the icon, when the illumination module is activated, is viewable by a person viewing the vehicle. The illumination module may project or direct the illumination toward a targeted area so that the icon is discernible at the targeted area.
A mirror reflective element sub-assembly includes a mirror back plate having a display receiving portion established thereat and being molded to have an integral light baffle at the display receiving portion. A display element attached to the display receiving portion of the mirror back plate and a light source is activatable to emit light through the display receiving portion and through the light baffle. The light baffle is configured to allow light emanating from the display element to pass through the light baffle at a predetermined angle so that light exiting the mirror reflective element when the light source is activated is viewable from one direction, while the light baffle substantially shields the light emanating from the display element so that the light is substantially non-viewable from another direction.
A vehicle headlamp control system (11) includes an imaging sensor(13) and a control. The control processes data from the imaging sensor (13) and generates at least one control output. Selection of a high beam state and a low beam state for a vehicle headlamp is responsive to the control output, and is determined responsive to a detection of an object of interest. The control is responsive to a signal indicative of a vehicle speed of the controlled vehicle, and inhibits adjustment of the vehicle headlamp from a low beam state thigh beam state when the vehicle speed is below a threshold speed level. The control is responsive to data indicative of a vehicle trajectory of the controlled vehicle, and inhibits adjustment of the vehicle headlamp from a low beam state to a high beam state when radius of curvature of the vehicle trajectory is below a threshold value.
G06F 17/00 - Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions
G06F 7/00 - Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled
B62D 6/00 - Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits
B62D 6/02 - Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits responsive only to vehicle speed
H01L 27/00 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate
H01L 27/14 - Devices consisting of a plurality of semiconductor or other solid-state components formed in or on a common substrate including semiconductor components sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy
H05B 37/00 - Circuit arrangements for electric light sources in general
A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes an electro-optic reflective element with an overhang region at an edge region of a first substrate that extends beyond a corresponding edge region of a second substrate. A transparent electrical conductor is disposed at a second surface of the first substrate and a mirror reflector is disposed at a third surface of the second substrate. The mirror reflector includes a tab portion that at least partially encompasses an edge dimension of the second substrate. A non-conductive seal is disposed between the first and second substrates and encompasses at least a portion of the mirror reflector and at least a portion of a non-conductive perimeter region of the third surface. A first electrical connector connects to the transparent electrical conductor via the overhang region and a second electrical connector is in electrical connection with the tab portion of the mirror reflector.
G02F 1/15 - Devices or arrangements for the control of the intensity, colour, phase, polarisation or direction of light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. switching, gating or modulatingNon-linear optics for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour based on an electrochromic effect
A window module for a school bus includes a frame, a fixed window panel affixed to a portion of the frame, a perimeter panel secured to another portion of the frame and defining an opening at the other portion of the frame, and a movable window panel. The movable window panel is slidably positioned at the frame such that opposite perimeter edges of the movable window panel are slidably engaged with opposite channel members of the frame. The movable window panel is movable along the channel members and interiorly of the fixed window panel when opened and interiorly of and generally at the perimeter panel when at least partially closed. The exterior surfaces of the fixed window panel and of the perimeter panel form a generally flush surface at an exterior of the school bus when the window assembly is installed at the school bus.
A camera module (10) for a vision system of a vehicle includes a circuit element (12), a lens mounting element (14b, 14c), a lens assembly (14) and an outer shell or cover portion (16). The circuit element includes an imaging sensor and associated circuitry (12a). The lens assembly includes at least one optical element (14a) and the lens mounting element (14b, 14c) is attached to the circuit element (12) so as to provide an optical path through the optical element to the imaging sensor at the circuit element. The outer shell (16) is molded over and around the circuit element during a molding process to substantially encapsulate the circuit element within the outer shell. The module and method of making the module thus may substantially seal the circuit element within the overmolded outer shell to protect the circuit element from exposure to the elements. .
A video mirror system for a vehicle comprising an interior rearview mirror assembly having a transflective electro-optic reflective element that transmits at least about ten percent of visible light incident thereon and reflects at least about sixty percent of visible light incident thereon. A display module is disposed at a rear of the transflective electro-optic reflective element and comprises a plurality of individual light sources. A thermally conductive element may be in substantial thermal contact with the display module and is exposed at a rear casing portion of the mirror assembly so as to draw heat generated by the display module away from the display module and to the exterior of the interior rearview mirror assembly. The exposure of the thermally conductive element at the rear casing portion may be substantially not discernible to a viewer viewing the rear casing portion of the interior rearview mirror assembly.
A window assembly for a vehicle includes a window panel (14) , an actuating assembly (24) and a seal (22). The frame portion (16) partially surrounds a perimeter of the window panel and leaves a free perimeter portion (14c) of the window panel (14) at least partially free. The actuating assembly (24) is positioned at or near the free perimeter portion (14c) of the window panel (14) and is operated to vibrate the window panel. The seal (22) is disposed along the free perimeter portion to substantially seal the window panel relative to the vehicle panel while allowing movement of the window panel in response to the actuating assembly.
patents
