Vehicular exterior rearview mirror actuator

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• a mounting arm comprising (i) an attaching end configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly and (ii) a distal end that is distal from the attaching end;
• a mirror head comprising a mirror reflective element;
• wherein the distal end of the mounting arm passes through an aperture in the mirror head;
• wherein, with the mounting arm attached at the exterior portion of the vehicle, the mirror head is movable relative to the mounting arm between at least an extended position, where the mirror head is extended outward from a side of the vehicle so that the mirror reflective element is positioned to provide a rearward view at the side of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, and a folded position, where the mirror head is moved inward from the extended position toward the side of the vehicle;
• an electrically operable actuator disposed at the distal end of the mounting arm within the mirror head;
• wherein, with the mounting arm attached at the exterior portion of the vehicle, the actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm, and wherein, when the actuator is electrically operating to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm, the mirror reflective element moves in tandem with the mirror head relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the aperture allows for movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the mirror head is attached at an actuator attachment element;
• wherein the actuator comprises first and second electrically operable motors that drive respective first and second gears;
• an arcuate first pivot gear disposed at the actuator attachment element;
• wherein the first gear engages the arcuate first pivot gear disposed at the actuator attachment element, and wherein, when the first electrically operable motor is electrically operated, the arcuate first pivot gear and actuator attachment element pivot relative to the actuator to adjust the mirror head about a first pivot axis;
• a second pivot gear disposed at the distal end of the mounting arm and rotationally fixed relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the second gear engages the second pivot gear, and wherein, when the second electrically operable motor is electrically operated, the actuator moves relative to the second pivot gear to adjust the mirror head about a second pivot axis;
• wherein the actuator comprises a first pivot memory element that electronically tracks position of the actuator relative to the actuator attachment element as the mirror head pivots about the first pivot axis;
• wherein the actuator comprises a second pivot memory element that electronically tracks position of the actuator relative to the second pivot gear as the mirror head pivots about the second pivot axis;
• wherein, while the actuator is electrically operating to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm and based at least in part on a position of the actuator about the second pivot axis tracked by the second pivot memory element, an operating speed of the second electrically operable motor is adjusted to adjust a pivoting speed of the mirror head about the second pivot axis;
• and
• wherein the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is disposed at one selected from the group consisting of a driver side of the vehicle and a passenger side of the vehicle, and wherein, based on determination by the second pivot memory element that the mirror head has been moved from one of the extended position and the folded position to the other one of the extended position and the folded position, another vehicular exterior mirror assembly disposed at the other of the driver side of the vehicle and the passenger side of the vehicle is operated to move from the one of the extended position and the folded position to the other one of the extended position and the folded position.

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• a mounting arm comprising (i) an attaching end configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly and (ii) a distal end that is distal from the attaching end;
• a mirror head comprising a mirror reflective element;
• wherein the distal end of the mounting arm passes through an aperture in the mirror head;
• an electrically operable actuator disposed at the distal end of the mounting arm within the mirror head;
• wherein, with the mounting arm attached at the exterior portion of the vehicle, the actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm, and wherein, when the actuator is electrically operating to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm, the mirror reflective element moves in tandem with the mirror head relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the aperture allows for movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the mirror head is attached at an actuator attachment element;
• wherein the actuator comprises first and second electrically operable motors that drive respective first and second gears;
• an arcuate first pivot gear disposed at the actuator attachment element;
• wherein the first gear engages the arcuate first pivot gear disposed at the actuator attachment element, and wherein, when the first electrically operable motor is electrically operated, the arcuate first pivot gear and actuator attachment element pivot relative to the actuator to adjust the mirror head about a first pivot axis;
• a second pivot gear disposed at the distal end of the mounting arm and rotationally fixed relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the second gear engages the second pivot gear, and wherein, when the second electrically operable motor is electrically operated, the actuator moves relative to the second pivot gear to adjust the mirror head about a second pivot axis;
• wherein the actuator comprises a first pivot memory element that electronically tracks position of the actuator relative to the actuator attachment element as the mirror head pivots about the first pivot axis;
• wherein the actuator comprises a second pivot memory element that electronically tracks position of the actuator relative to the second pivot gear as the mirror head pivots about the second pivot axis;
• wherein, while the actuator is electrically operating to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm and based at least in part on a position of the actuator about the second pivot axis tracked by the second pivot memory element, an operating speed of the second electrically operable motor is adjusted to adjust a pivoting speed of the mirror head about the second pivot axis;
• and
• wherein the second pivot gear comprises a two-piece output gear having a first toothed portion and a second toothed portion, wherein the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion are axially movable relative to one another, and wherein, when the second electrically operable motor is not electrically operated, the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion are biased toward engagement with one another and respective teeth of the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion are misaligned to preclude movement of the second gear relative to the second pivot gear, and wherein, when the second electrically operable motor is electrically operated, the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion are spaced from one another to align the respective teeth of the first toothed portion and the second toothed portion to allow movement of the second gear relative to the second pivot gear.

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

• a mounting arm comprising (i) an attaching end configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly and (ii) a distal end that is distal from the attaching end;
• a mirror head comprising a mirror reflective element;
• wherein the distal end of the mounting arm passes through an aperture in the mirror head;
• an electrically operable actuator disposed at the distal end of the mounting arm within the mirror head;
• wherein, with the mounting arm attached at the exterior portion of the vehicle, the actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm, and wherein, when the actuator is electrically operating to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm, the mirror reflective element moves in tandem with the mirror head relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the aperture allows for movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the mirror head is attached at an actuator attachment element;
• wherein the actuator comprises first and second electrically operable motors that drive respective first and second gears;
• an arcuate first pivot gear disposed at the actuator attachment element;
• wherein the first gear engages the arcuate first pivot gear disposed at the actuator attachment element, and wherein, when the first electrically operable motor is electrically operated, the arcuate first pivot gear and actuator attachment element pivot relative to the actuator to adjust the mirror head about a first pivot axis;
• a second pivot gear disposed at the distal end of the mounting arm and rotationally fixed relative to the mounting arm;
• wherein the second gear engages the second pivot gear, and wherein, when the second electrically operable motor is electrically operated, the actuator moves relative to the second pivot gear to adjust the mirror head about a second pivot axis;
• wherein the actuator comprises a first pivot memory element that electronically tracks position of the actuator relative to the actuator attachment element as the mirror head pivots about the first pivot axis;
• wherein the actuator comprises a second pivot memory element that electronically tracks position of the actuator relative to the second pivot gear as the mirror head pivots about the second pivot axis;
• wherein, while the actuator is electrically operating to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm and based at least in part on a position of the actuator about the second pivot axis tracked by the second pivot memory element, an operating speed of the second electrically operable motor is adjusted to adjust a pivoting speed of the mirror head about the second pivot axis;
• and
• wherein an input element is disposed at an exterior surface of the vehicle at or near the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, and wherein, responsive to actuation of the input element, the actuator is electrically operated to adjust the mirror head relative to the mounting arm.