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US 10,501,016 B2Granted
Foldable side mirror and method of using the same
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsStuart C. Salter, Paul Kenneth Dellock, Keith Hoelscher, Erick Michael Lavoie, Pietro Buttolo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A motor vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a side mirror assembly having a mirror housing and a mirror. The mirror housing is moveable between a normal position and a partially-folded position, and the mirror is moveable relative to the mirror housing such that a line of sight remains the same in the normal and partially-folded positions. A method is also disclosed.
Claims19
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a side mirror assembly including a mirror housing and a mirror, the mirror housing moveable between a normal position and a partially-folded position, the mirror moveable relative to the mirror housing such that a line of sight remains the same in the normal and partially-folded positions;
- a first motor configured to move the mirror housing;
- a second motor configured to move the mirror;
- and
- a controller electrically coupled to both of the first and second motors, and configured to provide instructions to the first and second motors so that the mirror and mirror housing are automatically and simultaneously moveable relative to one another such that the line of sight remains the same without requiring driver intervention.
2 more elements
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a side mirror assembly including a mirror housing and a mirror, the mirror housing moveable between a normal position and a partially-folded position, the mirror moveable relative to the mirror housing such that a line of sight remains the same in the normal and partially-folded positions;
- at least one motor configured to move at least one of the mirror housing and the mirror;
- a controller electrically coupled to the at least one motor, and configured to provide instructions to the at least one motor to move at least one of the mirror housing and the mirror;
- wherein the side mirror assembly is on a passenger side of the motor vehicle,
- wherein the controller is configured to instruct the at least one motor to move the mirror housing to a fully-folded position when a speed of the motor vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold speed, and
- wherein the controller is configured to instruct the at least one motor to move the mirror housing to a fully-folded position when the motor vehicle is driving along a two-lane road.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- moving a mirror housing of a side mirror assembly from a normal position to a partially-folded position;
- and
- automatically moving a mirror relative to the mirror housing without requiring driver intervention and in response to and simultaneous with movement of the mirror housing to maintain a constant line of sight.
A method, comprising:
- moving a mirror housing of a side mirror assembly from a normal position to a partially-folded position;
- moving a mirror relative to the mirror housing in response to movement of the mirror housing to maintain a constant line of sight;
- moving the mirror housing to a fully-folded position when a speed of a motor vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold speed and when the motor vehicle is driving along a two-lane road.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.