| MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120119892 | EXTERIOR MIRROR REFLECTIVE ELEMENT SUB-ASSEMBLY WITH SIGNAL INDICATOR - A mirror reflective element sub-assembly includes a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate and a signal indicator. The mirror back plate includes (i) a generally planar portion and (ii) an indicator receiving portion. The indicator receiving portion has a wall structure extending at an angle from the generally planar portion adjacent to an aperture established through the mirror back plate. The signal indicator has a light source disposed at a circuit element and a housing substantially encases the circuit element therein. An electrical connector protrudes from the circuit element and is accessible at a connector portion of the housing for connecting to electrical wiring of the vehicle. The signal indicator includes an indicia element at a forward end thereof. When the light source is activated, light emitted by the light source emanates through the aperture and through the mirror reflective element and is transmitted through the indicia element. | 05-17-2012 |
| 20120081915 | VEHICLE EXTERIOR MIRROR SYSTEM WITH LIGHT MODULE - A lighted exterior rearview mirror system of a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly and a light module disposed at the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The light module includes a plurality of illumination sources operable to emit light. The illumination sources are individually controlled responsive to said the input to provide a customized illumination beam emanating from the exterior rearview mirror assembly. The system may include a control that is responsive to the user input to selectively individually energize the light emitting diodes, and the control may individually adjust a duty cycle of each of the light emitting diodes responsive to the user input. The light module may include a ground illumination light source, a backup light source and a turn signal indicator. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120069591 | EXTERIOR MIRROR VISION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE - An exterior mirror vision system includes a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of a vehicle and a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the vehicle. The driver-side exterior mirror assembly includes a mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the vehicle, a driver-side exterior mirror housing, and a driver-side reflective element. The driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera. The passenger-side exterior mirror assembly includes a mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing, and a passenger-side reflective element. The passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera. The driver-side camera and the passenger-side camera may be part of a multi-camera vision system of the vehicle. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120038964 | MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE - A vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing, a reflective element and a mounting assembly for adjustably mounting the mirror assembly at a portion of the equipped vehicle. The reflective element has a front surface and a rear surface and a perimeter edge about its periphery and extending between the front and rear surfaces. The front surface generally faces a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle. The rear surface of the reflective element may be attached to an attachment surface of an attachment plate or of the mirror casing to secure the reflective element relative to the mirror casing. The perimeter edge of the reflective element may be exposed and viewable by the driver of the vehicle when the reflective element is attached to the attachment surface and when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the equipped vehicle. | 02-16-2012 |
| 20120026616 | INTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH ADJUSTABLE MOUNTING ASSEMBLY - An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror casing, a reflective element and a mounting assembly for adjustably mounting the mirror assembly at an interior portion of a vehicle. The mounting assembly has a mounting base and a mounting arm adjustably mounted to the mounting base via a base joint. The reflective element is pivotally adjustable relative to the mounting arm via a mirror pivot joint. The base joint allows for adjustment of the mounting arm in generally a single plane and about a generally horizontal pivot axis when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle, with the base joint limiting adjustment of the mounting arm about non-generally horizontal pivot axes. The mirror pivot joint allows for pivotal adjustment of a rearward field of view of the reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120026571 | ELECTRO-OPTIC REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE - A reflective element assembly for a vehicular mirror assembly includes a front substrate, a rear substrate, an electro-optic medium disposed between the front and rear substrates and a transmission-reducing thin film coating established at the fourth surface of the rear substrate. A window is established through the transmission-reducing thin film coating and is substantially devoid of the thin film coating at a location where a sensor is disposed behind the reflective element and having a field of view through the reflective element and through the window. A portion of the transmission-reducing thin film coating at and around the window locally varies in physical thickness, with a minimum physical thickness of the thin film coating being closest to the window and with the physical thickness of the thin film coating generally increasing to a generally maximum physical thickness of the thin film coating at a distance from the window. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20120020101 | VEHICLE EXTERIOR MIRROR SYSTEM - A lighted exterior mirror system includes an exterior mirror assembly having a folding portion and a non-folding portion. A ground illumination light of the exterior mirror assembly is configured to illuminate with white light a ground area adjacent the equipped side of the vehicle at least at a front door region at the side of the vehicle where occupants may enter/exit exit the vehicle. The ground illumination light includes at least one light emitting diode, which is connected in series with a resistor that acts as a voltage divider to reduce an ignition voltage of the equipped vehicle to a reduced voltage, with the resistor having a resistance of less than about 1,500 ohms. The ground illumination light provides ground illumination of at least about one lux illumination intensity at least on the ground area adjacent the front door region at the equipped side of the vehicle. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120008332 | LIGHTED EXTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE - A lighted exterior mirror assembly includes a housing that houses a reflectance element, and includes a turn signal indicator disposed at a portion of the housing. The turn signal indicator is fixedly disposed at the housing separate from the reflectance element whereby movement of the reflectance element is independent of the turn signal indicator. The turn signal indicator comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a plane that is generally horizontal when the lighted exterior mirror assembly is attached to the side of the vehicle. The plurality of light emitting diodes may be disposed behind a light-transmitting cover and, when the lighted exterior mirror assembly is attached to the side of the vehicle and when the plurality of light emitting diodes is powered, the plurality of light emitting diodes emits light that is viewable at least rearward of the vehicle. | 01-12-2012 |
| 20110299294 | LIGHTED EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM - A lighted exterior rearview mirror system includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly including a reflective element and an electrically-operable actuator. The exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a breakaway joint assembly. The reflective element has an electrically powered heater operable to remove ice or dew from the reflective element. The exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a turn signal indicator lamp that has a light source and a lens. The lamp is included in the exterior rearview mirror assembly and unaffected by operation of the actuator. The breakaway joint assembly includes a wire-way through which a wire cable passes. The wire cable includes wires for operating the actuator, the heater and the lamp. The light source includes at least one light emitting diode. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299185 | MIRROR MOUNTING ASSEMBLY WITH ADAPTER - An interior mounting system for a vehicle includes an interior assembly, a mounting assembly for mounting the interior assembly at a vehicle windshield, a first windshield mounting element adhered to an in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, and a second windshield mounting element attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield and at or at least partially around the first mounting element. A mounting base of the mounting assembly is configured to engage at least the second mounting element when the mounting base is mounted at the first and second mounting elements at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield. The first and second mounting elements cooperate to support the mounting base and the interior assembly when the first and second mounting elements are adhered to the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield and when the mounting base is mounted at the first and second mounting elements. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110299170 | ELECTRO-OPTIC REARVIEW MIRROR ELEMENT WITH FILL PORT FILTER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ELECTRO-OPTIC REARVIEW MIRROR ELEMENT - A variable reflectance rearview mirror reflective element assembly includes a front substrate having a first surface and a second surface, and a rear substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface, with the third surface having a conductive coating disposed thereat. A perimeter seal is disposed between and spaces apart the front and rear substrates and forms an interpane cavity therebetween. The perimeter seal has a gap between terminal ends thereof to provide a fill port for the mirror reflective element assembly when the front and rear substrates are mated together. A filter element is disposed at the fill port at least during a cavity filling process, and the filter element allows an electro-optic medium to flow therethrough during the cavity filling process and limits passage of debris, contaminants and/or particles to limit intrusion of debris, contaminants and/or particles into the interpane cavity during the cavity filling process. | 12-08-2011 |
| 20110286096 | AUTOMOTIVE EXTERIOR MIRROR HEATER CONTROL - An exterior rearview mirror system suitable for use on a vehicle includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly, a mirror heating element and a control. The mirror assembly includes a mirror head portion mountable to a side of a vehicle and a reflective element supported at the mirror head portion. The mirror heating element is disposed at a rear side of the reflective element and operable to heat the reflective element. The control is operable to power the mirror heating element to heat the reflective element. The control controls heating of the mirror heating element responsive at least in part to a signal indicative of air flow at or around the exterior rearview mirror assembly and the reflective element of the equipped vehicle. | 11-24-2011 |
| 20110273659 | LIQUID CRYSTAL MIRROR WITH DISPLAY - A variable reflectance vehicular mirror reflective element assembly includes a front substrate, an intermediate substrate and a rear substrate, with a first liquid crystal polarization unit disposed between the rear surface of the front substrate and the front surface of the intermediate substrate and a second liquid crystal polarization unit disposed between the rear surface of the intermediate substrate and the front surface of the rear substrate. When the liquid crystal polarization units are unpowered, the reflective element assembly substantially specularly reflects light incident thereon so as to appear specularly mirror-like to a driver of the vehicle viewing the front surface of the front substrate. When the liquid crystal polarization units are electrically powered, they change from being highly specularly reflective to substantially transmitting visible light therethrough. When powered, the liquid crystal polarization units cooperate or combine to provide an anti-glare, low reflecting mirror for viewing by the vehicle driver. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110265383 | VEHICULAR REAR SLIDING WINDOW ASSEMBLY - A rear sliding window assembly suitable for use in a vehicle includes a fixed portion and a sliding portion and upper and lower track members disposed at a surface of first and second fixed glass portions. The sliding portion comprises a glass window panel and is laterally movable between the upper and lower track members relative to the fixed portion. The glass window panel is movable between an opened position and a closed position, and the glass window panel is disposed at the gap that is between the first and second fixed glass window portions when at its closed position. A glide member is longitudinally movable along the lower track member to facilitate movement of the glass window panel between its opened and closed positions. A sealing member is disposed between the fixed portion and the sliding portion at least when the glass window panel is at its closed position. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110221588 | EXTERIOR MIRROR WITH INDICATOR - A minor reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate having a generally planar portion and an indicator receiving portion established via a plastic injection molding operation. The indicator receiving portion includes a wall structure extending at an angle from the generally planar portion adjacent to an aperture established through the mirror back plate. A signal indication module has a light source and a housing that is at least partially received at the wall structure of the indicator receiving portion of the mirror back plate. When the light source is activated, light emitted by the light source emanates through the aperture of the mirror back plate and through the mirror reflective element at an angle relative to the generally planar portion of the mirror back plate. | 09-15-2011 |
| 20110194203 | EXTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH ACTUATOR - An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mounting portion mounted to a side of a vehicle, a mirror head portion, a reflective element fixedly attached at the mirror head portion, and an actuator operable to impart pivotal movement of the mirror head portion relative to the mounting portion and about a generally horizontal pivot axis and a generally vertical pivot axis to adjust the mirror head portion and the reflective element relative to the side of the vehicle to which the mounting portion is mounted. The actuator may include a tilting drive system for tilting the mirror head portion about the generally horizontal pivot axis and the actuator may include a rotating drive system for rotating the mirror head portion about the generally vertical pivot axis. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110193961 | IMAGING AND DISPLAY SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE - A vision system for a vehicle includes a camera subsystem and a display subsystem. The camera subsystem includes an imaging sensor disposed at an equipped vehicle that captures image data, and the camera subsystem wirelessly transmits the image data. The display subsystem includes a video display screen disposed in the equipped vehicle for displaying images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle when the driver is normally operating the equipped vehicle. The display subsystem is operable to receive the transmitted image data from the camera subsystem. The display subsystem transmits an error signal responsive to processing of the image data and the camera subsystem receives the error signal and at least one of (a) adjusts a compression factor of the image data responsive to the error signal and (b) adjusts a transmission rate of the image data responsive to the error signal. | 08-11-2011 |
| 20110188122 | ELECTRO-OPTIC REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE - An exterior mirror reflective element for a vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a front glass substrate having a transparent conductive coating established at a second surface thereof and a rear glass substrate having a metallic reflector coating established at a third surface thereof, with an electro-optic medium disposed between the second surface of the front glass substrate and the third surface of the rear glass substrate. An electrically conductive clip is disposed along and bridges a perimeter edge of the rear glass substrate to establish electrically conductive connection to the metallic reflector coating at the third surface of the rear glass substrate. A solder joint is established at the electrically conductive clip, and the solder is decoupled from the metallic reflector coating at the third surface of the rear glass substrate. | 08-04-2011 |
| 20110148575 | EXTENDABLE FLUSH DOOR HANDLE FOR VEHICLE - An extendable flush door handle assembly for a door or liftgate of a vehicle includes a base portion and a handle portion movably attached to the base portion. The handle portion is movable between a recessed position, where the handle portion is at least partially received in the base portion, and a partially extended position, where the handle portion extends partially outward from the base portion and is graspable by a user. The handle portion is moved from the recessed position to the partially extended position responsive to a trigger, such as a signal from a key fob or a passive entry system or a vehicle door unlock button or the like. The handle portion, when in its recessed position, is at least partially received in the base portion so as to be not readily graspable by a user until the handle portion is moved toward its partially extended position. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110101838 | GLASS APPLIANCE COVER WITH BONDED HARDWARE - A cover assembly for an appliance includes a glass panel and at least one metallic attachment element bonded to an inner surface of the glass panel via a layer of cured adhesive. The at least one metallic element is configured for mounting to at least one corresponding structure of the appliance to mount the cover assembly at the appliance. The layer of cured adhesive bonds the at least one metallic element to the inner surface of the glass panel without exposure of the bonded element on an outer surface of the glass panel. A perimeter frame portion may be established around a perimeter region of the glass panel. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110096427 | MOUNTING ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE INTERIOR MIRROR - An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head and a mounting assembly for adjustably mounting the mirror head at an interior portion of a vehicle. The mounting assembly includes a mounting structure that is attachable to an interior portion of the vehicle and includes a mirror mounting element pivotally attached at an end of the mounting structure to establish a mirror ball pivot joint. The attaching portion of the mirror mounting element is configured to attach to a receiving portion of the mirror head via a snap connection and/or a twist connection. The attaching portion of the mirror mounting element, when the mirror mounting element is attached at the end of the mounting structure, is attachable to the receiving portion of the mirror head from a position rearward of the mirror casing and from exterior the mirror casing to attach the mirror head at the mounting structure. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110074958 | EXTERIOR MIRROR VISION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE - An exterior mirror vision system includes a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of an equipped vehicle and a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle. The driver-side exterior mirror assembly including a mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, a driver-side exterior minor housing, and a driver-side reflective element. The driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera. The passenger-side exterior mirror assembly includes a mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing, and a passenger-side reflective element. The passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera. The driver-side camera and the passenger-side camera are part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20110056140 | VEHICULAR REAR SLIDING WINDOW ASSEMBLY - A rear sliding window assembly suitable for use in a vehicle includes upper and lower track members and at least one fixed glass window panel. The track members are disposed at a surface of the fixed glass window panels and no portion of the track members is in contact with the opposite surface of the fixed glass window panels. A movable glass window panel is slidably disposed at the track members and movable at least partially along the track members relative to the fixed glass window panel or panels. The movable glass window panel is movable between opened and closed positions. A perimeter edge of the movable glass window panel may be received by a glide member, and the glide member may be disposed in the upper or lower track member to facilitate sliding of the movable glass window panel at least partially along the upper or lower track member. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110030277 | WINDOW ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE - A window assembly for a vehicle includes a frame configured to mount to a transit vehicle, a fixed window panel affixed to a portion of the frame, and a movable window assembly having a movable window panel circumscribed by a movable frame. The movable frame has opposite end members and a pair of opposite slide rail members. The slide rail members are slidably received in respective channels along opposite portions of the frame. Each of the slide rail members includes a co-extruded slide rail having a semi-rigid or rigid rail portion, a flexible window seal co-extruded with the rail portion for sealing against the movable window panel, and a flexible sliding seal co-extruded with the rail portion for slidably engaging the opposite portions of the frame when the movable window assembly is assembled to the frame and is moved between its opened and closed positions. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110030276 | HEATED REAR SLIDER WINDOW ASSEMBLY - A rear slider window assembly includes a frame portion, at least one fixed window panel and at least one movable window panel that is movable along the frame portion. The movable window panel is movable between a closed position and an opened position and has a first electrical element (such as a heater element) established thereat. The first electrical element is electrically connected to a power source of the vehicle irrespective of whether the movable window panel is in the opened or closed position. The first electrical element may be electrically connected to the power source of the vehicle via a flexible connector that is connected at one end to the first electrical element and at another end to an electrical connector at the fixed window panel, such as at an electrical element of the fixed window panel. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110026093 | INTERIOR ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY - An interior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes front and rear substrates with a perimeter seal that spaces said front substrate from said rear substrate and establishes an interpane cavity therebetween for an electrochromic medium. The front substrate has a front connecting portion that extends outboard from the perimeter seal and the rear substrate has a rear connecting portion that extends outboard from the perimeter seal. The front and rear connecting portions may be established partially along the same perimeter region of the reflective element or along adjacent perimeter regions of the reflective element. Electrical connection to the transparent electrically conductive coating at the second surface of the front substrate is established at the front connecting portion of the front substrate and electrical connection to the electrically conductive coating of the third surface of the rear substrate is established at the rear connecting portion of the rear substrate. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110013410 | LIGHTED EXTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE - A lighted exterior mirror assembly configured for attachment to a side of a vehicle includes a reflectance element that is movably positionable by the driver of the vehicle to adjust its rearward field of view when the lighted exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached to the side of the vehicle, and a unitary light module having at least one light source. When the mirror assembly is attached to the side of the vehicle and when the light source is electrically powered, light emitted by the light source illuminates a ground area adjacent the vehicle of at least approximately 2 feet by 4 feet. When the mirror assembly is attached to the side of the vehicle and when the light source is electrically powered, light emitted by the light source provides a ground surface illumination intensity at the illuminated ground area of at least approximately 5 lux. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20100302797 | VEHICLE EXTERIOR MIRROR SYSTEM - A lighted exterior mirror system includes an exterior mirror assembly having a folding portion and a non-folding portion. The non-folding portion is configured to mount to a side of a vehicle and the folding portion includes a reflective element. The folding portion is movable relative to the non-folding portion and between a normal operating position and a folded position. A ground illumination light is configured to project a pattern of light from the exterior mirror assembly to provide a lighted zone on a ground area adjacent the side of the vehicle at least at a front door region at the side of the vehicle where occupants may enter/exit the vehicle. The pattern of light projected by the ground illumination light provides ground illumination of at least about one lux illumination intensity at least on the ground area adjacent the front door region at the side of the vehicle. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100302792 | LIGHTED EXTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM - A lighted exterior rearview mirror system includes an exterior rearview mirror assembly including a reflective element and an electrically-operable actuator. The exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a breakaway joint assembly. The reflective element has an electrically powered heater operable to remove ice or dew from the reflective element. The exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a turn signal indicator lamp that has a light source and a lens. The lamp is included in the exterior rearview mirror assembly and unaffected by operation of the actuator. The breakaway joint assembly includes a wire-way through which a wire cable passes. The wire cable includes wires for operating the actuator, the heater and the lamp. The lens of the lamp has a portion that faces rearward of the vehicle and a portion that wraps around an outward side of a casing of the exterior rearview mirror assembly. | 12-02-2010 |
| 20100252418 | HOT TILE SPUTTERING SYSTEM - A system and method for sputtering a coating onto a glass substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber includes providing a backing plate with a separating element disposed at the backing plate. At least one target element or tile is disposed on a surface of the separating element, wherein an expansion gap is provided to allow for expansion of the target relative to the separating element during the sputtering process. The method includes sputtering material from the target and heating the target to a substantially elevated temperature during the sputtering process. The separating element may be a sheet having a low-coefficient of friction surface, and the target may be disposed on the low-coefficient of friction surface of the separating element. The separating element may thermally insulate the target from the backing plate, whereby the target may be heated to a substantially greater temperature than the backing plate during the sputtering process. | 10-07-2010 |
| 20100195225 | COORDINATED PIVOTING AND EXTENDING VEHICLE MIRROR - An exterior vehicle mirror system has a vehicle mountable support and a support arm. A mirror housing is movable along the support arm between the support and a distal end. An electrically powered mirror unit adjust mechanism can adjust the mirror unit about horizontal and vertical axes. An electrically powered pivoting and extending mechanism pivots the support arm about the support between an extended position and a position folded against a vehicle side. An electronic control system controls movement of the mirror housing along the support arm, and folding of the support arm, independent of an adjustment of the mirror unit. The electronic control system comprises a memorized position for the powered pivoting and extending mechanism, or alternatively, a microprocessor for controlling at least one of movement of the mirror housing along the support arm, folding of the support arm, and adjustment of the mirror unit. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100107497 | FULL VIEW STORM DOOR - A door assembly for use in a building includes a glass door panel having an outer surface and an inner surface and a perimeter region. The door assembly includes at least one metallic hardware element bonded via a layer of cured adhesive to the inner surface of the door panel and at least partially along the perimeter region of the door panel. The layer of cured adhesive bonds the at least one metallic hardware element to the inner surface of the door panel without exposure of the metallic hardware element on the outer surface of the door panel. The door assembly may include a perimeter frame portion bonded to the inner surface of the door panel via another layer of cured adhesive. At least a portion of a door handle assembly may protrude through an aperture formed in the glass door panel. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100097469 | INTERIOR MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH DISPLAY - An interior rearview mirror system and assembly includes a variable reflectivity reflective element and a video display screen disposed behind the reflective element and operable to display images viewable through the reflective element by a person viewing the interior rearview mirror assembly when it is normally mounted in a vehicle. The video display screen may be operable to brighten or enhance the intensity of images displayed by the video display screen responsive to a dimming condition of the variable reflectivity reflective element. The mirror system may include an image sensor and a decoder that decodes an output signal of the image sensor. The decoder has a microprocessor operable to control the video display screen, such that the captured image data are processed and images are displayed via operation of a common microprocessor. A compass chip may connect to a vehicle wire harness that extends from a vehicle headliner. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100091394 | INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH BUTTON MODULE - An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element, a bezel portion positioned around the perimeter of the reflective element, and a user input module disposed at the bezel portion. The bezel portion has a recess established at its surface that faces generally toward a driver of a vehicle when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. The user input module is attached to the bezel portion at the recess and is at least partially received in the recess. The user input module includes at least one user input that is actuatable by a user to engage and actuate electronic circuitry of the user input module. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100088855 | VEHICLE DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY - A door handle assembly for a vehicle includes a bracket mountable to the vehicle door, a handle portion configured to pivotally attach to the bracket and an actuating element pivotally mounted to the bracket. The actuating element connects to a release mechanism of the vehicle door so as to actuate the release mechanism when the actuating element is pivoted relative to the bracket. The door handle assembly may include a counterweight pivotally mounted to the bracket, with the counterweight extending along the bracket, such that the counterweight and the bracket comprise a low profile assembly. The door handle assembly may include an inertial catch pivotally mounted to the bracket, wherein pivotal movement of the handle portion imparts a pivotal movement of the inertial catch during normal operation of the door handle assembly to open the vehicle door. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20100085653 | MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR VEHICLE - An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle includes a mirror casing, a prismatic reflective element at said mirror casing, a toggle device at said mirror casing, and a circuit element. The toggle device includes a user actuatable element and is operable in response to the user actuatable element to pivot the prismatic reflective element between a day state orientation and a night state orientation. The circuit element has electronic circuitry disposed on a substrate, and has an electrical connector extending from the substrate. The electrical connector extends through a portion of the toggle device and is accessible through the generally central region of the rear wall of the mirror casing. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100080011 | LIGHTED EXTERIOR MIRROR SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE - A lighted exterior mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly having a first portion adapted for mounting to a vehicle, a second portion, and a reflective element. An actuator is operable to adjust the rearward field of view of the reflective element. A turn signal indicator assembly is provided that includes a single light emitting source. Light emitted by the single light emitting source is visible at least to a driver of another overtaking vehicle when actuated by an operator of the vehicle, and preferably not visible to at least one of (a) a driver of another vehicle approaching from a direction opposite to that of the direction of travel of the vehicle to which the exterior mirror assembly is mounted and (b) the operator of the vehicle to which the exterior mirror assembly is mounted. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100079881 | VEHICLE MIRROR ASSEMBLY WITH WIDE ANGLE ELEMENT - A mirror reflective element assembly for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a reflective element and an auxiliary wide angle element. The reflective element has a front surface and a rear surface and a first reflector portion and a second reflector portion, with the first reflector portion having a first reflective coating disposed thereat. The auxiliary wide angle element is disposed at a rear surface of the glass mirror substrate of the reflective element and at the second reflector portion. The auxiliary wide angle element has a glass element having a curved rear surface with a second reflective coating disposed at the curved rear surface. An optical coupling element may be disposed between a front surface of the auxiliary wide angle element and the rear surface of the reflective element, the optical coupling element may be a substantially optically clear and flexible elastomer. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100007463 | VEHICLE HANDLE WITH CONTROL CIRCUITRY - A handle/liftgate assembly for a door of a vehicle is mounted to a handle region of a vehicle door and includes a handle control and a handle sensor. The handle control is responsive to the handle sensor to detect the presence of or proximity of a user or operator at the vehicle door. The handle control actuates a door latch of the vehicle door to open the vehicle door independent of a door zone module or passive entry system of the vehicle door. | 01-14-2010 |
| 20090303564 | ELECTRO-OPTIC MIRROR - A reflective element assembly for an interior rearview mirror of a vehicle includes front and rear substrates with a perimeter seal that spaces said front substrate from said rear substrate and establishes an interpane cavity therebetween for an electro-optic medium. The front substrate has a first connecting tab that extends outboard from a perimeter edge of the rear substrate and the rear substrate has a second connecting tab that extends outboard from a perimeter edge of the front substrate. The first and second connecting tabs may extend partially along the same perimeter edge region of the reflective element assembly or along adjacent perimeter edge regions of the reflective element assembly. The first and second connecting tab facilitate electrical connection to the transparent conductive coating of the second surface of the front substrate and the conductive coating of the third surface of the rear substrate, respectively. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090243824 | INTERIOR REARVIEW MIRROR SYSTEM - A mirror system of a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a reflective element and an information input display providing a display representative of a plurality of input characters. The information input display is disposed behind the reflective element and viewable through the reflective element and a transflective mirror reflector of the reflective element when the information input display is backlit by a backlighting device. A control is operable to determine a location of a touch or proximity of an object at the reflective element and correlate the determined location to an input character of the information input display. The mirror system may include a video display for displaying video images and the information input display may be disposed at a main viewing region of the reflective element so as to provide an information input display that is larger than the video display. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090213479 | COORDINATED PIVOTING AND EXTENDING VEHICLE MIRROR - An exterior vehicle mirror system has a vehicle mountable support and a support arm. A mirror housing is movable along the support arm between the support and a distal end. An electrically powered mirror unit adjust mechanism can adjust the mirror unit about horizontal and vertical axes. An electrically powered pivoting and extending mechanism pivots the support arm about the support between an extended position and a position folded against a vehicle side. An electronic control system controls movement of the mirror housing along the support arm, and folding of the support arm, independent of an adjustment of the mirror unit. The electronic control system comprises a memorized position for the powered pivoting and extending mechanism. | 08-27-2009 |
| 20090185301 | COORDINATED PIVOTING AND EXTENDING VEHICLE MIRROR - An exterior vehicle mirror system has a support mounted to the side of the vehicle; a support arm extending from said support to a distal end; a mirror housing movable along said support arm from a first position proximate said fixed support to a second position proximate said distal end, and enclosing a mirror unit and an electrically powered mirror unit adjust mechanism for adjusting said mirror unit about horizontal and vertical axes; an electrically powered pivoting and extending mechanism for pivoting said support arm about said support between an extended position and a folded position, and for moving said mirror housing along said support arm from said first position to said second position; and an electronic control system operable by a driver of the vehicle to control the operation of said powered pivoting and extending mechanism independent of the operation of said powered mirror unit adjust mechanism. | 07-23-2009 |
| 20090115631 | EXTERIOR MIRROR WITH INDICATOR - A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate having an indicator receiving portion established thereat, and a signal indication module having a light source. The signal indication module attaches to the indicator receiving portion of the mirror back plate and the light source is activatable to emit light through the indicator receiving portion. The light source is established at a circuit element and the signal indication module includes a housing that substantially encases the circuit element therein. The circuit element has electrical terminals extending therefrom and protruding at least partially at a connector portion of the housing so as to be electrically connectable to a power source of the vehicle. The connector portion of the housing is configured to provide a plug-socket connection between the power source and the signal indication module. | 05-07-2009 |
