Exterior mirror for vehicle and lower unit thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle exterior mirror and a lower unit thereof, wherein a unit including a lower cover can be commonly used and the appearance design or size of the vehicle exterior mirror can be changed among a plurality of exterior mirrors. The lower unit (12) is used in both a first exterior mirror (10a) and a second exterior mirror (10b), which are exterior mirrors for a vehicle. The lower unit includes a common lower cover (14) and common electrical components (16, 21-23) fixed to the common lower cover. The first exterior mirror includes a first main body holding the first mirror, and a first upper cover (30a) covering an upper side of the first main body from a vehicle front side, and a common lower cover covering a lower side of the first main body from the vehicle front side. The second exterior mirror includes a second main body holding a second mirror of a different size from the first mirror, and a second upper cover (30b) covering an upper side of the second main body from a vehicle front side, the common lower cover covering a lower side of the second main body from the vehicle front side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an exterior rearview mirror for a vehicle and a lower unit thereof. Background Art

[0002] A vehicle is equipped with an exterior rearview mirror as a rearview mirror for visually confirming the direction of travel. Patent Document 1 discloses a structure related to a vehicle door rearview mirror equipped with a side turn signal lamp, and for enabling a light source of the side turn signal lamp to be replaceable.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-24775 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] Exterior mirrors are exterior design components, and as various vehicle types are introduced to the market, their design changes are often required. Furthermore, automotive regulations dictate that the required dimensions of the mirror (or mirror surface) vary depending on the vehicle's specifications. On the other hand, there is a demand for exterior mirrors to utilize common components across various vehicle types to streamline their development.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to enable changes in design or size while using a unit including a portion of a housing (lower cover) in common among a plurality of exterior rearview mirrors.

[0009] Methods for solving problems

[0010] The lower unit of a vehicle exterior rearview mirror according to the present invention is a lower unit used in both a first exterior rearview mirror and a second exterior rearview mirror serving as vehicle exterior rearview mirrors. The lower unit includes a common lower cover and common electrical components secured to the common lower cover. The first exterior rearview mirror includes a first body that holds a first mirror; a first upper cover that covers the upper side of the first body from the front of the vehicle; and a common lower cover that covers the lower side of the first body from the front of the vehicle. The second exterior rearview mirror includes a second body that holds a second mirror of a different size from the first mirror; a second upper cover that covers the upper side of the second body from the front of the vehicle; and a common lower cover that covers the lower side of the second body from the front of the vehicle.

[0011] In the lower unit of the vehicle exterior rearview mirror according to the present invention, the first mirror and the second mirror may have the same widthwise dimensions, and the first mirror may be smaller in height than the second mirror.

[0012] In the lower unit of the vehicle exterior rearview mirror involved in the present invention, the following method can also be adopted, that is, the first exterior rearview mirror is installed on a first type of vehicle at a first height from the ground, and the second exterior rearview mirror is installed on a second type of vehicle different from the first type of vehicle at a second height from the ground, and the first height is lower than the second height.

[0013] In the lower unit of the vehicle exterior rearview mirror according to the present invention, the common electrical component may include at least one of a side turn signal lamp, a camera, an IR projector, and a foot lighting device.

[0014] The vehicle door mirror according to the present invention is configured to include the above-mentioned lower unit.

[0015] Effects of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, in a plurality of exterior rearview mirrors, it is possible to change the appearance design or size by the main body and the upper cover while using the lower unit in common. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 A front view of multiple exterior rearview mirrors.

[0018] Figure 2 A rear perspective view of multiple exterior rearview mirrors.

[0019] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of the exterior rearview mirror.

[0020] Figure 4 A diagram illustrating the installation position of the exterior rearview mirror. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described using the accompanying drawings. In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein. In all drawings, identical elements will be marked with the same symbols, and repeated descriptions will be omitted. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, statements expressing directions and orientations such as front, back, left, right, up, and down are expressions of directions and orientations related to the vehicle. In each drawing, the direction of the arrow mark FR indicates the front, the direction of the arrow mark UP indicates the top, and the direction of the arrow mark RH indicates the right.

[0022] Figure 1 10 is a front view of a plurality of exterior rearview mirrors 10a, 10b, and 10c. Figure 2 10 is a rear perspective view of a plurality of exterior mirrors 10a and 10b, with the exterior mirror 10c omitted. The exterior mirrors 10a, 10b, and 10c are each used in a car as a vehicle.

[0023] The exterior rearview mirror 10a includes a mirror assembly 11a (shield member) and is mounted on a passenger vehicle such as a sedan. The mirror assembly 11a has a small-sized (small-sized) mirror 40a (see FIG. Figure 2 (A)).

[0024] The exterior rearview mirrors 10b and 10c respectively include mirror assemblies 11b and 11c (shields), and are generally mounted on SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) that are taller than passenger cars. The mirror assemblies 11b and 11c have medium-sized mirrors 40b and 40c (see Figure 2 (B), 40c not shown).

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the mirror assemblies 11a, 11b, and 11c share the lower unit 12. The mirror assemblies 11a, 11b, and 11c have different designs and sizes of the upper covers 30a, 30b, and 30c and the main bodies 42a, 42b, and 42c (42c not shown).

[0026] The component structures of the plurality of exterior rearview mirrors 10a, 10b, 10c are basically the same. Hereinafter, the exterior rearview mirror 10a will be described as the center, and the other exterior rearview mirrors 10b, 10c will be described with respect to the differences from the exterior rearview mirror 10a.

[0027] like Figure 4 As shown in (A), the exterior rearview mirror 10a is installed on both the right and left front doors of the automobile 100a and is mainly used as a door rearview mirror for rearward confirmation. In the following, the right exterior rearview mirror 10a is described, and the description of the left exterior rearview mirror 10a is omitted because it has a bilaterally symmetrical structure with the right side.

[0028] like Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 1A , the exterior rearview mirror 10a includes a mirror base 90a fixed to the vehicle door and a mirror assembly 11a (shield) mounted on the mirror base 90a. The mirror assembly 11a is supported so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction relative to the mirror base 90a and is selectively positioned in an upright position (in-use position, in-use position) protruding laterally from the vehicle door. Figure 1 (A)), and is stored in a storage position (not shown) on the vehicle door side.

[0029] Figure 3This is an exploded perspective view of the exterior rearview mirror 10a, schematically illustrating the shapes of its components. The mirror assembly 11a includes a lower unit 12, an upper cover 30a, and a main body 42a. The lower unit 12 includes a common lower cover 14.

[0030] The mirror housing is composed of the common lower cover 14, the upper cover 30a, and the main body 42a. The main body 42a holds the mirror 40a (mirror surface). The upper cover 30a covers the upper side of the main body 42a from the front. The common lower cover 14 covers the lower side of the main body 42a from the front. The upper cover 30a and the common lower cover 14 partially overlap. The upper cover 30a and the common lower cover 14 each partially overlap the main body 42a and are engaged with the main body 42a.

[0031] The common lower cover 14 includes a lower cover body 15 and a panel (small cover) 50. A camera 21, an IR (infrared radiation) projector 22, and a footlight 23 are secured to the upper surface of the panel 50. The lower cover body 15 has an opening 60. The panel 50 is attached to the lower cover body 15 so as to block the opening 60. The panel 50 forms a portion of the lower surface of the common lower cover 14.

[0032] The lower unit 12 includes a side turn signal lamp 16 , a camera 21 , an IR projector 22 , and a foot lighting device 23 .

[0033] The side turn signal lamp 16 has an internal light source such as an LED, and emits light from this light source to the outside through a light-emitting portion made of transparent plastic. A slit 62 is provided in the lower cover body 15. The side turn signal lamp 16 is positioned in the slit 62 from the inside of the lower cover body 15 and is fixed to the lower cover body 15.

[0034] Camera 21 is a surveillance camera used, for example, in functions such as panoramic view monitoring and automatic parking. The panoramic view monitoring function assists with low-speed driving by synthesizing images from the vehicle's front, side, and rear cameras and displaying the images from above on a monitor. Camera 21 is a side camera that assists with low-speed driving. Furthermore, camera 21 can capture images in both the visible light region (daytime) and the infrared light region (nighttime).

[0035] The IR projector 22 is a component that irradiates infrared light to the sides of the vehicle to assist the camera 21 (a camera capable of detecting infrared light) in imaging in a dark environment at night.

[0036] The foot lighting device 23 is a component that illuminates the area under the feet of the occupant (the ground on the side of the vehicle) when the occupant gets on or off the vehicle.

[0037] The camera 21, the IR projector 22, and the foot lighting device 23 each include a device body and a bracket that supports the device body. The respective brackets of the camera 21, the IR projector 22, and the foot lighting device 23 are fixed to the upper surface of the panel 50. The panel 50 is flat and has windows 51, 52, and 53. The camera 21 is aligned with the window 51 and is arranged on the panel 50 in a manner that the camera portion of the camera 21 is exposed from the window 51. The IR projector 22 is aligned with the window 52 and is arranged on the panel 50 in a manner that the light-emitting portion of the IR projector 22 is exposed from the window 52. The foot lighting device 23 is aligned with the window 53 and is arranged on the panel 50 in a manner that the light of the foot lighting device 23 is projected from the window 53.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, the mirror assembly 11a includes a mirror 40a, a mirror holder 47a, an angle adjustment device 72, and a storage device 70. The mirror holder 47a holds the mirror 40a. Furthermore, the mirror holder 47a is mounted on the angle adjustment device 72. The angle adjustment device 72 is driven by a motor to rotate the mirror holder 47a in the vertical direction and the left-right direction around a predetermined position, thereby adjusting the mirror surface angle of the mirror 40a.

[0039] The main body 42a has a recessed portion at the rear, and the bottom surface of the recessed portion forms the flat plate portion 43. A hole 45 is formed in the flat plate portion 43. The mirror holder 47a and the mirror 40a are located in the recessed portion of the main body 42a, located to the rear of the flat plate portion 43. The angle adjustment device 72 is located to the front of the flat plate portion 43. The angle adjustment device 72 and the mirror holder 47a are connected to each other through the hole 45.

[0040] The storage device 70 is driven by a motor to rotate the mirror assembly 11a relative to the mirror base 90a, thereby moving the mirror assembly 11a between the use position and the storage position. The storage device 70 is located forward of the flat plate portion 43 of the main body 42a and is connected to the main body 42a and the mirror base 90a. Furthermore, the exterior rearview mirror 10a can also utilize the technology of conventional exterior rearview mirrors (door mirrors, side mirrors).

[0041] Here, the mirror assembly 11a and the mirror assembly 11b of the exterior rearview mirror 10a described above are Figure 1 The difference between the mirror assembly 11b of the exterior rearview mirror 10b shown in FIG. Figure 2As shown, the mirror 40a of the mirror assembly 11a is of small size (small size), whereas the mirror 40b of the mirror assembly 11b is of medium size (medium size). In other words, the mirror 40b is larger than the mirror 40a. In order to accommodate the larger mirror 40b, the main body 42b and the upper cover 30b of the mirror assembly 11b are larger than those of the mirror assembly 11a.

[0042] The width dimensions (hereinafter referred to as the W dimension) and height dimensions (hereinafter referred to as the H dimension) of the mirrors (mirror surfaces) 40a and 40b are determined by automotive regulations. The higher the driver's sightline, the larger the H dimension of the mirrors 40a and 40b needs to be. On the other hand, the W dimension of the mirrors 40a and 40b does not need to be significantly changed depending on the vehicle.

[0043] In this embodiment, the W dimensions of mirrors 40a and 40b are the largest dimensions required for mirror assemblies across multiple vehicle models and are common. Therefore, the W dimension of mirror 40a, W1, and the W dimension of mirror 40b, W2, are identical (W1 = W2). Meanwhile, the H dimension of mirror 40b, H2, is larger than the H dimension of mirror 40a, H1 (H2 > H1).

[0044] The W dimensions of the main body 42a of the mirror assembly 11a and the main body 42b of the mirror assembly 11b can be the same or substantially the same. The common lower cover 14 can be configured to cover the front lower sides of the main bodies 42a and 42b across the entire width direction (the left-right direction of the vehicle). Alternatively, the common lower cover 14 can be configured to cover a portion of the front lower sides of the main bodies 42a and 42b across the width direction.

[0045] In addition, the mirror bases 90a, 90b, and 90c can be changed according to the vehicle type, for example.

[0046] exist Figure 4 (A) shows a car 100a as a passenger car such as a sedan. Figure 4 (B) shows car 100b, an SUV. Car 100b is taller than car 100a. The driver's line of sight of car 100b is higher than that of car 100a. The exterior rearview mirror 10a (a small-sized mirror) described above is mounted on car 100a at a first height h1 of 150° above the ground. Furthermore, the exterior rearview mirror 10b (a medium-sized mirror) is mounted on car 100b at a second height h2 of 150° above the ground. This second height h2 is higher than the first height h1.

[0047] The exterior rearview mirror 10a, the mirror 40a, the main body 42a, and the upper cover 30a described above correspond to the first exterior rearview mirror, the first mirror, the first main body, and the first upper cover, respectively.

[0048] The exterior rearview mirror 10b, the mirror 40b, the main body 42b, and the upper cover 30b described above correspond to the second exterior rearview mirror, the second mirror, the second main body, and the second upper cover, respectively.

[0049] like Figure 1 As shown, each mirror assembly 11a, 11b, 11c includes a common lower unit 12. Specifically, each mirror assembly 11a, 11b, 11c includes a common lower cover 14 and common electrical components. The common electrical components are the side turn signal lamp 16, the camera 21, the IR projector 22, and the foot lighting device 23.

[0050] In addition, it is not necessary to provide all the above-mentioned electrical components in common in the plurality of mirror assemblies 11a, 11b, and 11c. For example, the foot lighting device 23 may be omitted in a certain mirror assembly. In addition, for example, the camera 21, the IR projector 22, and the foot lighting device 23 may be omitted in other mirror assemblies. The panel 50 corresponding to the omitted electrical components (see FIG. 1 ) Figure 3 ) windows 51, 52, 53 can also be blocked by plastic components (dummy components). In addition, the common electrical components can also include other devices and equipment such as those used for vehicle driving assistance and passenger boarding and alighting assistance.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, in the multiple mirror assemblies 11a, 11b, and 11c, the boundary portions (partitions) 25 and 26 of the common lower cover 14 have the same shape. Boundary portion 25 is the boundary between the common lower cover 14 and the mirror bases 90a, 90b, and 90c. The right side portions of the respective mirror bases 90a, 90b, and 90c are standardized to have a shape corresponding to boundary portion 25. Boundary portion 26 is the boundary between the common lower cover 14 and the upper covers 30a, 30b, and 30c. The lower portions of the respective upper covers 30a, 30b, and 30c are standardized to have a shape corresponding to boundary portion 26.

[0052] The common lower cover 14 engages with the main bodies 42a, 42b, 42c (42c is not shown) via an engaging mechanism. The engaging mechanism may be, for example, an engaging claw provided on one of the common lower cover 14 and the main bodies 42a, 42b, 42c, and an engaging hole provided on the other side for engaging with the engaging claw. Furthermore, the engaging mechanism may be, for example, an external thread provided on one of the common lower cover 14 and the main bodies 42a, 42b, 42c, and an internal thread provided on the other side for screwing with the external thread. A plurality of engaging mechanisms may be provided. In each main body 42a, 42b, 42c, the position and form of the engaging mechanism for engaging with the common lower cover 14 are standardized.

[0053] Next, the effects of the above-described embodiment will be described.

[0054] According to the embodiment described above, by using the lower unit 12 in common across multiple mirror assemblies 11a, 11b, and 11c, the development and design time for each of the multiple mirror assemblies can be reduced. Furthermore, component mold costs and the evaluation time for the mirror assemblies can be reduced. Furthermore, by changing the design or dimensions of the upper covers 30a, 30b, and 30c and the main bodies 42a, 42b, and 42c (42c not shown), the desired mirror assemblies 11a, 11b, and 11c can be realized. This allows the manufacture of mirror assemblies with designs and dimensions that match the type and specifications of the vehicle.

[0055] Mirror assemblies are available in a wide variety depending on the type and specifications of the vehicle. In recent years, the variety of mirror assemblies and their components has increased, as functional components (such as cameras) used to assist vehicle driving and assist passengers in boarding and alighting have been incorporated into mirror assemblies. The brackets used to mount functional components such as cameras on the mirror assemblies are also remade depending on the specifications of the mirror assembly. This large number of components compresses factory space and reduces manufacturing efficiency.

[0056] However, according to the embodiment described above, since functional components are concentrated in the lower unit and the lower unit is commonly used in multiple mirror assemblies, the number of component types can be reduced, the required factory space can be reduced, and production can be efficiently promoted.

[0057] The upper cover and main body can be modified in shape, size, and color. This allows them to be compatible with the exterior mirror's design and size. The common lower cover maintains the same shape and size across all exterior mirrors, but the color can also be modified.

[0058] Explanation of symbols

[0059] 10a, 10b, 10c…Exterior rearview mirrors; 11a, 11b, 11c…Mirror assembly (shield); 12…Lower unit; 14…Common lower cover; 15…Lower cover body; 16…Side turn signal lamp (common electrical component); 21…Camera (common electrical component); 22…IR projector (common electrical component); 23…Footlight (common electrical component); 25, 26…Border portion; 30 a, 30b, 30c…upper cover; 40a, 40b…mirror; 42a, 42b…main body; 43…flat plate portion; 45…hole; 47a…mirror holder; 50…panel; 51, 52, 53…window; 60…opening; 62…slit; 70…storage device; 72…angle adjustment device; 90a, 90b, 90c…mirror base; 100a, 100b…car (vehicle); 150…ground.

Claims

1. A lower unit of a vehicle exterior rearview mirror, the lower unit being used in both a first exterior rearview mirror and a second exterior rearview mirror as vehicle exterior rearview mirrors, characterized in that: include: common lower hood; common electrical components, which are fixed to the common lower cover, The first exterior rearview mirror comprises: a first body holding a first mirror; a first upper cover covering an upper side of the first body from a vehicle front side, The common lower cover covers the lower side of the first body from the vehicle front side, The second exterior rearview mirror comprises: a second body holding a second mirror of a different size than the first mirror; a second upper cover covering an upper side of the second body from a vehicle front side, The common lower cover covers a lower side of the second body from a vehicle front side.

2. The lower unit of the vehicle exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein: The first mirror and the second mirror have the same width dimensions. The first mirror has a smaller height dimension than the second mirror.

3. The lower unit of the vehicle exterior rearview mirror according to claim 2, wherein: The first exterior rearview mirror is mounted on a first-type vehicle at a first height from the ground. The second exterior rearview mirror is mounted at a second height from the ground on a vehicle of a second type that is different from the vehicle of the first type. The first height is lower than the second height.

4. The lower unit of the vehicle exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein: The common electrical components include at least one of a side turn signal lamp, a camera, an infrared projector, and a foot-under lighting device. 5 . A vehicle exterior rearview mirror comprising the lower unit according to claim 1 .

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