Telescoping Rearview Mirror With Stationary Camera
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional side view mirrors on vehicles, especially those towing wide trailers or loads, often fail to provide adequate rear visibility due to limited extension, and existing camera-integrated solutions do not effectively maintain camera visibility during telescoping movements.
Innovation Solution
A telescoping side view mirror assembly with a stationary camera positioned within the mirror head, featuring an elongated aperture that maintains camera lens visibility regardless of the mirror's position, and an integrated lens cleaning system for improved visibility and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the mirror head telescopes to an extended position to see around wide towed vehicles, then the viewing distance is improved, but the camera lens may become obscured or misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the mirror head into separable components: the camera housing and the mirror housing. This allows the camera to remain in a fixed position while the mirror telescopes independently, preventing the camera lens from becoming obscured during mirror extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent positions the camera in a different spatial dimension relative to the telescoping mirror head. The camera is mounted on the support arm rather than within the telescoping mirror housing, placing it in a fixed dimension while the mirror moves in the telescoping dimension.
2Device complexity
If the camera is integrated into the telescoping mirror head, then the structure is compact, but the camera orientation changes with mirror position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the camera from the telescoping mirror head structure and mounts it independently on the support arm. This separation allows the camera to maintain a fixed orientation while the mirror head telescopes, resolving the contradiction between compact integration and orientation stability.
3Volume of moving object
If the mirror head is positioned close to the vehicle for retraction, then the compactness is improved, but the camera viewing angle is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the support arm serve multiple functions: it supports both the telescoping mirror head and the stationary camera. This multi-functionality allows the camera to maintain a fixed viewing position while the mirror provides adjustable viewing angles, achieving both compactness and versatile coverage.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~4A
AI summary
The invention refers to a mirror assembly (10) configured for installation on a vehicle (11) and to provide the occupants of the vehicle with a view extending to the rear of the vehicle, wherein the mirror assembly (10) includes a mirror base assembly (12), one or more support arms (14) and a mirror head (16), the support arm or arms (14) extend from the mirror base assembly (12) and are configured to connect the mirror base assembly (12) with the mirror head (16), the mirror head (16) is configured as an enclosure for at least one camera (22), and the camera (22) is positioned such that a viewing lens (28) is oriented in a direction to provide images in generally downward and outward directions, with the camera (22) and the viewing lens (28) being configured to be positioned in other orientations suitable to provide other images, such as rearward and/or outward, and the camera (22) being configured to be equipped with different types of lens to provide different desired visual effects or images.