Optical device for dynamic rearview mirror.

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical device (1) for a rearview mirror (2) of a motor vehicle comprising a support on which at least one first mirror (5) is mounted in a fixed position, the device (1) comprising at least one second mirror (6), each movable relative to the first mirror (5) between at least two distinct orientations relative to the first mirror (5), the device (1) further comprising orientation means designed to modify the orientation of each second mirror (6) relative to the first mirror (5), the orientation means being designed to be controlled, when the device (1) is mounted on a vehicle, by the position of a vehicle turn signal control to orient each second mirror (6) in an orientation predefined by the position of the control. The rearview mirror (2) comprises the device (1) and a fairing (4) designed to accommodate the device (1) movablely mounted in the fairing (4). (Figure 1)

Description

Title of the invention: Optical device for dynamic rearview mirror.

[0001] The technical field relates to optical devices comprising a plurality of mirrors for a motor vehicle rearview mirror, rearview mirrors comprising such an optical device, motor vehicles comprising at least one such rearview mirror and also methods for orienting the mirrors of such a vehicle.

[0002] Car manufacturers are particularly attentive to offering their customers vehicles that guarantee the comfort and safety of their occupants. In this context, two elements are essential for safety: rearview mirrors and turn signals.

[0003] Most land vehicles that are authorized to travel on traffic lanes have turn signals, that is, indication devices designed to indicate to people in their vicinity that their driver is about to change direction. Such indication devices generally include a control consisting of a lever located near the steering wheel and operable in three positions: a first neutral position, in which case the turn signals are off, a second position indicating a change of direction to the left, and a third position indicating a change of direction to the right.

[0004] Rearview mirrors are regulatory safety features and allow the driver to see his surroundings without having to turn around. The ease with which the driver can see his surroundings is obviously essential to provide adequate safety. However, the field of vision offered by rearview mirrors does not cover the entire vehicle environment and has the major disadvantage of presenting so-called blind spot areas excluded from the area covered by the rearview mirror for the driver. In order to compensate for blind spots, rearview mirrors often have complex single-piece optical surfaces that the driver can position appropriately for his driving position, preferably before starting to drive, to adapt the rearview mirror to his driving position.However, depending on the driving situation, it is sometimes essential for the driver to ensure that there are no obstacles in one or more blind spot areas, which requires the driver to turn his head.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution to improve rearview mirrors and in particular to facilitate the driver's viewing of blind spot areas.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, one aim of the present invention is to provide an optical device making it possible to minimize blind spot areas depending on driving situations.

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention relates to an optical device for a motor vehicle rearview mirror, the optical device comprising a support on which at least one first mirror is mounted in a fixed position on the support, the device comprising at least one second mirror, each mounted movable relative to the first mirror between at least two distinct orientations relative to the first mirror, the device further comprising orientation means designed to modify the orientation of each second mirror relative to the first mirror, the orientation means being designed to be slaved, when the device is mounted on a vehicle, to the position of a direction indicator control of the vehicle to orient each second mirror in an orientation predefined by the position of the direction indicator control.

[0008] The invention also relates to a rearview mirror comprising a device according to the invention and a fairing designed to accommodate the device and to be fixed to a vehicle, the device being mounted movably in the fairing in order to allow the orientation of the first mirror relative to the fairing.

[0009] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a direction indicator control and at least one rear-view mirror according to the invention, the orientation means of at least one rear-view mirror being controlled by the position of the direction indicator control of the vehicle in order to orient each second mirror as a function of the position of the direction indicator control, the orientation of the second mirror being predefined by the position of the control.

[0010] The invention finally relates to a method for orienting mirrors implementing a motor vehicle according to the invention, comprising a step consisting of defining and storing, for each second mirror, the predefined orientations, the method also comprising a step consisting of modifying the orientation of at least one second mirror when the direction indicator control is actuated.

[0011] Thus, the optical device according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a rearview mirror which adapts to driving situations to minimize blind spot areas and / or cover significant blind spot areas depending on the driving situation. Thus, the rearview mirror according to the invention is dynamic and adapts the field of vision offered to the driver depending on the actuation of the direction indicator control. Thus, the driver of the vehicle according to the invention does not need to turn his head to cover a blind spot area, since the area usually excluded by conventional rearview mirrors is covered by the rearview mirror according to the invention.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, each predefined orientation is distinct to correspond to a position of the direction indicator control.

[0013] According to one possibility of the device, the orientation means are designed to be further controlled by a manual control, made available to the driver of the vehicle and separate from the direction indicator control, in order to switch at least a second mirror for a predefined period of time, when the manual control is actuated, to a predetermined orientation.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the device comprises a mechanical connection between a second mirror and the first mirror acting as an axis of rotation of the second mirror.

[0015] Advantageously, the axis of rotation extends over an edge of the first mirror.

[0016] According to one possibility, the vehicle further comprises a manual control, put to available to the driver of the vehicle and separate from the direction indicator control, designed to control the orientation means of at least one rearview mirror in order to switch, for a predefined duration, the orientation of at least one second mirror to a predetermined orientation, when the manual control is actuated.

[0017] Advantageously, the method further comprises a step consisting of defining and storing, for each second mirror, at least one predetermined orientation.

[0018] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] [Fig. 1] represents a perspective view of a rearview mirror according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a schematic view of a vehicle according to the invention showing the orientations of a second mirror of the rear-view mirror of [Fig.l] in a lane change situation;

[0021] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a schematic view of a vehicle according to the invention showing the orientations of a second mirror of the rear-view mirror of [Fig.l] leaving a parking space.

[0022] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0023] An optical device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in [Fig.l], makes it possible to form a rearview mirror 2 according to the invention to equip a motor vehicle 3 according to the invention, illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The rearview mirror 2 comprises a device 1 mounted in a fairing 4 designed to accommodate the device 1 and to be fixed to the vehicle 3. In the rearview mirror 2, the device 1 is advantageously mounted movably in the fairing 4 in order to allow the orientation of the device 1 to be modified, for example before starting to drive to adapt the orientation of the first mirror 5 to the driving position of the driver.

[0024] The optical device 1 comprises a support, not illustrated in the figures, on which at least one first mirror 5 is mounted in a fixed position on the support. The device 1 also comprises at least one second mirror 6, each mounted movably relative to to the first mirror 5 between at least two distinct orientations relative to the first mirror 5. For this purpose, the device 1 comprises, for example, a mechanical connection between a second mirror 6 and the first mirror 5 acting as the axis of rotation A of the second mirror 6. In the example illustrated in [Fig.l], the axis of rotation A extends over an edge 7 of the first mirror 5.

[0025] The device 1 further comprises orientation means, not shown, designed to modify the orientation of each second mirror 6 relative to the first mirror 5. The orientation means comprise, for example and in a conventional manner, a motor and / or sheaths. The orientation means are designed to be slaved, when the device 1 is mounted on the vehicle 3, to the position of a direction indicator control, not shown, of the vehicle 3 to orient each second mirror 6 in an orientation predefined by the position of the direction indicator control. The direction indicator control allows the driver to activate the direction indicators, sometimes called turn signals, i.e. the lights located at the front and rear of the vehicle 3 which light up intermittently to indicate to other drivers and pedestrians that the driver intends to turn left or right or to change lanes.The direction indicator control is usually mounted on or near the steering wheel, and has a lever or switch that the driver can activate to flash the corresponding lights.

[0026] Conventionally, the direction indicator control has three positions described above. Advantageously, each predefined orientation is distinct to correspond to one of the positions of the direction indicator control.

[0027] The control of the orientation means is, for example, obtained using an electronic control box designed to send an order to the orientation means as a function of the position of the direction indicator control.

[0028] In one embodiment of the invention, the orientation means are designed to be further controlled by a manual control, not shown, made available to the driver of the vehicle 3 and separate from the direction indicator control, in order to switch at least one second mirror 6, when the manual control is actuated, to a predetermined orientation for a predefined duration. The predefined duration is, for example, of the order of a few seconds to one minute. The manual control is, for example, a control accessible on a touch screen or corresponds to a button arranged in the driver's seat. Alternatively, the predefined duration corresponds to the duration during which the manual control is actuated and / or maintained in a particular position.

[0029] Advantageously, the orientation means are designed to modify the orientation of at least one second mirror 6, when the vehicle 3 according to the invention detects the presence of a vehicle present in a blind spot zone. The detection of the vehicle present in a blind spot zone is carried out using sensors and / or cameras with which the vehicle 3 according to the invention is equipped. Thus, the change of orientation is automatic and does not require any action on the part of the driver.

[0030] The vehicle 3 according to the invention is capable of implementing the method according to the invention which comprises a step consisting of defining and storing, for each second mirror 6, the predefined orientations. The method according to the invention also comprises a step consisting of modifying the orientation of at least one second mirror 6 when the direction indicator control is actuated.

[0031] Advantageously, the method according to the invention further comprises a step consisting of defining and storing, for each second mirror, at least one predetermined orientation.

[0032] Thus, in a situation such as illustrated in [Fig. 2], when the driver of the vehicle 3 wishes to change lanes, he actuates the direction indicator control. The actuation of this control then causes, by the control of the orientation means, the change of orientation of a second mirror 6 in order to change the field of vision 8a, 8b offered to the driver in order to improve the driver's vision and in particular to cover blind spot areas. For example, only the second mirror or mirrors 6 of one of the rearview mirrors 2 of the vehicle 3 have their orientations modified depending on the direction of the lane change.

[0033] Similarly, in the situation illustrated in [Fig. 3], when the driver wishes to exit the parking space, visibility on one of the two sides of the vehicle 3 is often poor, so that a change in orientation of a second mirror 6 makes it possible to view an area better suited to maneuvering. In this situation, for example, the change in orientation is obtained by actuating the manual control. The predefined duration is then adapted to allow the vehicle 3 to maneuver and return the second mirror 6 to the orientation suited to driving.

[0034] Thus, the optical device 1 according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a rearview mirror 2 which adapts to driving situations to minimize blind spot areas and / or cover significant blind spot areas depending on the driving situation. Thus, the rearview mirror 2 according to the invention is dynamic and adapts the field of vision 8a, 8b offered as a function of the actuation of the direction indicator control.

[0035] The invention is not limited to the embodiments of the optical device or the vehicle described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Optical device (1) for a rearview mirror (2) of a motor vehicle, the optical device (1) comprising a support on which at least one first mirror (5) is mounted in a fixed position on the support, the device (1) comprising at least one second mirror (6), each mounted movably relative to the first mirror (5) between at least two distinct orientations relative to the first mirror (5), the device (1) further comprising orientation means designed to modify the orientation of each second mirror (6) relative to the first mirror (5), the orientation means being designed to be slaved, when the device (1) is mounted on a vehicle (3), to the position of a direction indicator control of the vehicle to orient each second mirror (6) in an orientation predefined by the position of the direction indicator control.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each predefined orientation is distinct to correspond to a position of the direction indicator control.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the orientation means are designed to be further controlled by a manual control, made available to the driver of the vehicle and separate from the direction indicator control, in order to switch at least one second mirror (6) for a predefined duration, when the manual control is actuated, towards a predetermined orientation.

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a mechanical connection between a second mirror (6) and the first mirror (5) acting as an axis of rotation (A) of the second mirror (6).

5. Device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the axis of rotation (A) extends over an edge (7) of the first mirror (5).

6. Rearview mirror (2) comprising a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 and a fairing (4) designed to accommodate the device (1) and to be fixed to a vehicle (3), the device (1) being mounted movably in the fairing (4) in order to allow the orientation of the first mirror (5) relative to the fairing (4).

7. Motor vehicle (3) comprising a direction indicator control and at least one rearview mirror (2) according to claim 6, the orientation means of at least one rearview mirror (2) being controlled by the position of the vehicle direction indicator control in order to orient each second mirror (6) according to the position of the direction indicator control, the orientation of the second mirror (6) being predefined by the position of the control.

8. Motor vehicle (3) according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises a manual control, made available to the driver of the vehicle (3) and separate from the direction indicator control, designed to control the orientation means of at least one rearview mirror (2) in order to switch, for a predefined duration, the orientation of at least one second mirror (6) towards a predetermined orientation, when the manual control is actuated.

9. Method for orienting mirrors using a motor vehicle (3) according to claim 7 or 8, comprising a step of defining and storing, for each second mirror (6), the predefined orientations, the method also comprising a step of modifying the orientation of at least one second mirror (6) when the direction indicator control is actuated.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises a step consisting of defining and storing, for each second mirror (6), at least one predetermined orientation.

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