Vehicular mirror system

Abstract

A vehicular interior rearview mirror system includes a housing, a mounting member configured to mount to a vehicle windshield, an electrical actuator, which is supported by the mounting member with the weight of the electrical actuator being transferred to the windshield by way of the mounting member, and a reflective element. The reflective element is mounted to the electrical actuator and has a rearward field of view when mounted to the electrical actuator, which provides adjustment of the rearward field of view of the reflective element.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 790,309, filed Mar. 1, 2004, entitled MEMORY MIRROR SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE, by Applicant Peter J. Whitehead, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 572,008, filed May 16, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,905, which are incorporated herein in their entireties.TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention generally relates to an interior rearview mirror assembly and, more particularly, to an interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle memory mirror system. [0003] Conventional vehicle memory mirror systems typically include one or more exterior mirror assemblies which are equipped with electrically operated motors that provide for repositioning of the mirror assemblies' reflective elements with respect to one or more axes. Particularly for exterior sideview mirrors, it is known to incorporate memory-positioning systems so that a driver...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008] According to the present invention, a vehicle memory mirror system includes a housing and an actuator. The housing includes a mirror casing and a support, which mounts the mirror casing to the vehicle. The weight of the actuator is directly distributed to the vehicle via the support so that the interior rearview mirror assembly of the memory mirror system exhibits improved vibration characteristics and, further, is positioned such that the mirror assembly has increased capacity for housing a variety of accessories and / or devices.

[0017] According to yet another form of the invention, a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle memory mirror system includes a housing, a reflective element, and an electrical actuator. The housing includes a mirror casing and a support. The actuator supports the reflective element in the mirror casing. The actuator provides adjustment of the reflective element in the casing and further is mounted to the casing whereby the weight of the actuator is directly distributed by the support to the vehicle to improve the vibration performance of the reflective element.

[0022] It can be appreciated from the foregoing that an interior rearview mirror assembly is provided that distributes the weight of the actuator to the fixed portion of the mirror assembly, which in turn distributes the weight to the vehicle so that the mirror assembly exhibits enhanced vibration characteristics and, further, locates the actuator in a manner to increase the available space in at least the mirror casing.

Problems solved by technology

A reflective element assembly R is supported in the pivotal portion or casing by an electrical actuator A. Heretofore, the actuator or drive mechanisms that have been incorporated into these interior rearview mirror assemblies necessarily add weight to the pivotal portion and, further, result in crowding out of other accessories or features which may be incorporated into the interior rearview mirror casing.

While such memory mirror systems (which include both exterior and rearview mirror assemblies) are known, they are not widely used.

It has been found that the weight of the motor, especially in interior mirror assemblies, has impacted the vibration performance of the mirror assembly.

While the weight of the electronic devices do not significantly affect the vibration characteristics of the interior rearview mirror assembly, the increasing number of electronic devices require more and more space.

When coupled with the concern for the vibration performance of the interior rearview mirror assemblies of vehicle memory mirror systems, perhaps the disadvantages associated with the weight of the driving mechanism and, furthermore, the crowding out of the space within the casing has discouraged such use of designs.

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