REAR VIEW MIRROR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

Abstract

The rear view mirror (100) comprises a rear view mirror housing (110) to be movably mounted to a portion of a motor vehicle, a reflective element (120) received in the housing (110), and actuating means (130) for moving the rear view mirror housing (110) in at least two different positions. The actuating means (130) include at least one operator interface element (200) for operating and/or controlling and/or selecting and/or indicating different parameters and functions in the motor vehicle by the user.

Claims

1. A rear view mirror for motor vehicles comprising a rear view mirror housing adapted to be movably mounted to a portion of a motor vehicle, a reflective element received in the housing, and actuating means for moving the rear view mirror housing in at least two different positions, wherein the actuating means include at least one operator interface element.

2. The rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein said at least one operator interface element is suitable for communicating information between the motor vehicle and at least one user.

3. The rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein, the operator interface element comprises at least one or more of: switch buttons, or switch levers, or touch screens, or proximity switches, or rotating elements, or joystick type interface elements, or electric or electronic devices or controllers.

4. The rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein, the actuating means further include indicating means for indicating user function(s) and/or option(s) that have been activated and/or selected and/or controlled by the at least one operator interface element.

5. The rear view mirror of claim 4, wherein the indicating means are arranged such that function(s) and/or option(s) that have been activated and/or selected and/or controlled by the at least one operator interface element are displayed to the user through a display screen.

6. The rear view mirror of claim 5, wherein the display screen is associated with the rear view mirror.

7. The rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the operator interface element is located in at least one portion selected from a front surface, a side surface, a back surface and a bottom surface of the mirror housing actuating means.

8. The rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the operator interface element is configured to perform at least one function selected from turning on/off a mirror display, compass, parking camera, interior camera, light sensors, rain sensors, display brightness set up, display colour set up, display contrast set up, display field of view set up, menu select, audio set up, time set up, wireless communication set up, or control of lights.

9. The rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the operator interface element is configured to operate elements arranged inside the rear view mirror housing.

10. The rear view mirror of claim 1, wherein the rear view mirror further comprises at least one printed circuit board for managing digital inputs from the at least one operator interface element.

11. The rear view mirror of claim 10, wherein, the printed circuit board is arranged in the actuating means.

12. The rear view mirror of claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board is arranged in the rear view mirror housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] One particular embodiment of the present rear view mirror for motor vehicles will be described in the following by way of a non-limiting example. The following description is made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 is a front view of a first example of the present rear view mirror for motor vehicles;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a side view of the example of the rear view mirror in FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a front view of a second example of the present rear view mirror for motor vehicles; and

[0031] FIG. 4 is a perspective sectional view of the example of the rear view mirror in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES

[0032] Referring to the examples of the rear view mirror 100 for motor vehicles shown in the figures, it comprises a rear view mirror housing 110 and a bezel 112 as shown in FIG. 4 in detail. The mirror housing 110 is configured such that a reflective element 120 is fixed thereto. The mirror housing 110 is also configured such that it can be movably mounted to a surface of the vehicle interior such as an inside surface 105 of a motor vehicle front windshield through a support member 115 in combination with a ball and socket joint 190 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0033] The rear view mirror 100 further comprises actuating means 130. The actuating means 130 are configured for manually moving the mirror housing 110 in at least two different positions relative to the inside surface 105 of the motor vehicle front windshield. In the specific examples shown, the mirror housing actuating means 130 comprise a toggle member 140. The toggle member 140 is in the form of a tab pivotally mounted in the rearview mirror housing 110 projecting outwards therefrom. The toggle member 140 is adapted to be manually operated by the user to move the mirror housing 110 to at least two different preset positions for the purpose of changing the angle of the surface of the reflective element 120 in order to provide higher and lower reflectivity positions to the driver according to day and night positions.

[0034] The toggle member 140 in the examples shown in FIGS. 1-4 includes operator interface elements 200 allowing different parameters and functions in the motor vehicle to be controlled and selected by the user. Thus, the operator interface elements 200 allow the user to operate elements arranged inside and/or outside the toggle member 140, inside the rear view mirror housing 110 or in other places of the vehicle. The toggle member 140 allows information to be interchanged between the motor vehicle and the user or driver.

[0035] Specifically, in the first example shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, the operator interface element 200 is at a bottom portion of the toggle member 140, while in the second example shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the operator interface element 200 is at a front portion of the toggle member 140. Other arrangements are possible such as at a rear or back surface of the toggle member 140.

[0036] As a result of the configuration shown in the drawings, the operator interface element 200 is more accessible to the user or driver and is positioned in a more visible location to the user or driver as it is closer to eye level. The user or driver can operate the operator interface element 200 in a very easy way with the help of her/his fingers supported on a back portion of the toggle member 140.

[0037] Although an operator interface element 200 comprising a switch button is provided in the examples shown in the figures herein described, in other examples it may additionally or alternatively comprise one or more ON/OFF buttons, and/or at least one key and/or at least one knob, one or more switch levers, one or more touch screens, one or more proximity switches, one or more joystick type interface elements, and/or combinations thereof, etc. In general, the operator interface element 200 is configured for controlling different aspects or functions in the motor vehicle such as, for example: turning on/off a display, e.g. display 170 as illustrated in FIG. 4, controlling compass devices, controlling parking camera devices, controlling interior camera devices, controlling light and/or rain sensors, setting up display brightness, setting up display colour, setting up display contrast, setting up display field of view, setting up audio, setting up time, menu select, setting up and controlling wireless communications, controlling vehicle lights, etc., and even one or a number of electrical and/or electronic devices such as one or more microphones, displays, thermometers, etc. and in some cases also one or more controllers such as for example for controlling said electrical and/or electronic devices.

[0038] In one specific example, not shown, the toggle member 140 may include a central ON/OFF power button positioned between an array of buttons for actuating and controlling devices in a motor vehicle. In a further example, the operator interface element 200 may comprise at least one rotating element.

[0039] Yet in a further example, the rotating element may be arranged such that it can be rotated by the user around an axis that is substantially aligned with the length of the actuating means 130. In another example, the rotating element may be arranged such that it can be rotated by the user around an axis arranged at an angle to the length of the actuating means 130, such as a 90 angle. In this case, for example, the operator interface element 200 may comprise a body with a rotating element arranged at the respective opposite ends thereof. The rotating element may be associated, for example, with a potentiometer for adjusting a parameter associated with mechanical or electrical devices in a motor vehicle.

[0040] As shown in the example of FIG. 4, the rear view mirror 100 further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 160. The PCB 160 is shown in FIG. 4 arranged inside the housing 110 for managing digital inputs from the operator interface element 200. Other locations for the PCB are also possible, for example in the toggle member 140 itself. The PCB 160 is connected with the operator interface element 200 via a connector 180 as shown in FIG. 4.

[0041] Although a particular example of the present rear view mirror for motor vehicles has been disclosed herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other alternative examples and/or uses and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof are possible. For example, although the toggle member 140 has been shown including one operator interface element 200, operator interface elements 200 may be also provided in the housing 110 of the rear view mirror 100. In addition, the rearview mirror 100 may be in communication with at least one external element either by means of a point to point LINK or by means of a CAN bus. Such external element may be directly an element to be controlled either by the operator interface element or elements or through a controller external to the rear view mirror. Also, for example, the mirror housing actuating means 130, that is, the toggle member 140, may be sized and shaped in more different ways other than that depicted in the figures. The toggle member 140 may be for example rectangular, triangular, inverted T-shaped, H-shaped, etc.

[0042] The particular examples disclosed herein can be combined, and any possible combinations of the particular examples described are embraced by and are hereby included in the present disclosure. Further, the scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by particular examples, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.