Exterior mirror system for a vehicle

An exterior mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior mirror system comprising:

• a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior mirror system, said driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, a driver-side exterior mirror housing portion, and a driver-side reflective element housed by said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion;
• wherein, when said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said driver-side mounting portion;
• wherein said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said driver-side mounting portion between a normal operating position in which said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is extended from the vehicle to a folded position towards the body of the equipped vehicle when said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is impacted with sufficient force;
• wherein said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera;
• wherein said driver-side light module comprises a driver-side indicator;
• a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion, and a passenger-side reflective element housed by said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion;
• wherein, when said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said passenger-side mounting portion;
• wherein said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said passenger-side mounting portion between a normal operating position in which said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is extended from the vehicle to a folded position towards the body of the equipped vehicle when said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is impacted with sufficient force;
• wherein said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera;
• wherein said passenger-side light module comprises a passenger-side indicator;
• wherein said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera comprise part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said multi-camera vision system comprises a display device that is operable to display images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein the displayed images displayed by said display device include an image portion derived from image data captured by each of said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera, and wherein said driver-side camera has a driver-side field of view at least in part towards the rear of the equipped vehicle and said passenger-side camera has a passenger-side field of view at least in part towards the rear of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion comprises a first casing;
• wherein said first casing is injection molded from a resinous plastic;
• wherein said driver-side light module is disposed at said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion and moves therewith when said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said driver-side mounting portion between its normal operating position and its folded position;
• wherein a light transmitting portion of said driver-side light module is configured to wrap at least partially around an outward side of said first casing;
• wherein said driver-side reflective element is mounted to a first backing plate which is supported by a first electrical actuator operable to move said driver-side reflective element within said first casing;
• wherein said first electrical actuator comprises a dual axis positioning device that permits adjustment of the position of said driver-side reflective element and said first backing plate about both vertical and horizontal axes;
• wherein said driver-side indicator comprises a driver-side signal light that, when used in said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the driver side of the equipped vehicle and when a turn signal system of the equipped vehicle is actuated by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is configured to provide light that is observable to another driver of another vehicle who is at least one of (i) approaching the equipped vehicle from its rear and (ii) overtaking the equipped vehicle in the side lane adjacent to the driver side of the equipped vehicle at which said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted;
• wherein actuation of said driver-side signal light provides at least one of (i) light forwardly of the vehicle so that drivers of other vehicles approaching the equipped vehicle may observe said actuated driver-side signal light and (ii) light laterally with respect to the equipped vehicle;
• wherein said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion comprises a second casing;
• wherein said second casing is injection molded from a resinous plastic;
• wherein a light transmitting portion of said passenger-side light module is configured to wrap at least partially around an outward side of said second casing;
• wherein said passenger-side light module is disposed at said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion and moves therewith when said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said passenger-side mounting portion between its normal operating position and its folded position;
• wherein said passenger-side reflective element is mounted to a second backing plate which is supported by a second electrical actuator operable to move said passenger-side reflective element within said second casing;
• wherein said second electrical actuator comprises a dual axis positioning device that permits adjustment of the position of said passenger-side reflective element and said second backing plate about both vertical and horizontal axes;
• wherein said passenger-side indicator comprises a passenger-side signal light that, when used in said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle and when a turn signal system of the equipped vehicle is actuated by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is configured to provide light that is observable to another driver of another vehicle who is at least one of (i) approaching the equipped vehicle from its rear and (ii) overtaking the equipped vehicle in the side lane adjacent to the passenger side of the equipped vehicle at which said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted;
• wherein actuation of said passenger-side signal light provides at least one of (i) light forwardly of the vehicle so that drivers of other vehicles approaching the equipped vehicle may observe said actuated passenger-side signal light and (ii) light laterally with respect to the equipped vehicle;
• and
• wherein at least one of (i) said driver-side indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode and said passenger-side indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode, (ii) said driver-side indicator comprises at least one incandescent light source and said passenger-side indicator comprises at least one incandescent light source and (iii) said driver-side indicator comprises light piping and said passenger-side indicator comprises light piping.

An exterior mirror system for a vehicle, said exterior mirror system comprising:

• a driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a driver side of a vehicle equipped with said exterior mirror system, said driver-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a driver-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, a driver-side exterior mirror housing portion, and a driver-side reflective element housed by said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion;
• wherein, when said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the driver side of the equipped vehicle, said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said driver-side mounting portion;
• wherein said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said driver-side mounting portion between a normal operating position in which said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is extended from the vehicle to a folded position towards the body of the equipped vehicle when said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion is impacted with sufficient force;
• wherein said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a driver-side light module and a driver-side camera;
• wherein said driver-side light module comprises a driver-side indicator;
• a passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at a passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror assembly comprising a passenger-side mounting portion configured for mounting at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, a passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion, and a passenger-side reflective element housed by said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion;
• wherein, when said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle, said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is movable relative to said passenger-side mounting portion;
• wherein said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said passenger-side mounting portion between a normal operating position in which said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is extended from the vehicle to a folded position towards the body of the equipped vehicle when said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion is impacted with sufficient force;
• wherein said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a passenger-side light module and a passenger-side camera;
• wherein said passenger-side light module comprises a passenger-side indicator;
• wherein said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera comprise part of a multi-camera vision system of the equipped vehicle, and wherein said multi-camera vision system comprises a display device that is operable to display images for viewing by a driver of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein the displayed images displayed by said display device include an image portion derived from image data captured by each of said driver-side camera and said passenger-side camera, and wherein said driver-side camera has a driver-side field of view at least in part towards the rear of the equipped vehicle and said passenger-side camera has a passenger-side field of view at least in part towards the rear of the equipped vehicle;
• wherein said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion comprises a first casing;
• wherein said first casing is injection molded from a resinous plastic;
• wherein said driver-side light module is disposed at said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion and moves therewith when said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said driver-side mounting portion between its normal operating position and its folded position;
• wherein a light transmitting portion of said driver-side light module is configured to wrap at least partially around an outward side of said first casing;
• wherein said driver-side reflective element is mounted to a first backing plate which is supported by a first electrical actuator operable to move said driver-side reflective element within said first casing;
• wherein said first electrical actuator comprises a dual axis positioning device that permits adjustment of the position of said driver-side reflective element and said first backing plate about both vertical and horizontal axes;
• wherein said driver-side indicator comprises a driver-side signal light that, when used in said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the driver side of the equipped vehicle and when a turn signal system of the equipped vehicle is actuated by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is configured to provide light that is observable to another driver of another vehicle who is at least one of (i) approaching the equipped vehicle from its rear and (ii) overtaking the equipped vehicle in the side lane adjacent to the driver side of the equipped vehicle at which said driver-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted;
• wherein actuation of said driver-side signal light provides at least one of (i) light forwardly of the vehicle so that drivers of other vehicles approaching the equipped vehicle may observe said actuated driver-side signal light and (ii) light laterally with respect to the equipped vehicle;
• wherein said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion comprises a second casing;
• wherein said second casing is injection molded from a resinous plastic;
• wherein a light transmitting portion of said passenger-side light module is configured to wrap at least partially around an outward side of said second casing;
• wherein said passenger-side light module is disposed at said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion and moves therewith when said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion moves relative to said passenger-side mounting portion between its normal operating position and its folded position;
• wherein said passenger-side reflective element is mounted to a second backing plate which is supported by a second electrical actuator operable to move said passenger-side reflective element within said second casing;
• wherein said second electrical actuator comprises a dual axis positioning device that permits adjustment of the position of said passenger-side reflective element and said second backing plate about both vertical and horizontal axes;
• wherein said passenger-side indicator comprises a passenger-side signal light that, when used in said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly mounted at the passenger side of the equipped vehicle and when a turn signal system of the equipped vehicle is actuated by the driver of the equipped vehicle, is configured to provide light that is observable to another driver of another vehicle who is at least one of (i) approaching the equipped vehicle from its rear and (ii) overtaking the equipped vehicle in the side lane adjacent to the passenger side of the equipped vehicle at which said passenger-side exterior rearview mirror assembly is mounted;
• wherein actuation of said passenger-side signal light provides at least one of (i) light forwardly of the vehicle so that drivers of other vehicles approaching the equipped vehicle may observe said actuated passenger-side signal light and (ii) light laterally with respect to the equipped vehicle;
• wherein at least one of (i) said driver-side indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode and said passenger-side indicator comprises at least one light emitting diode and (ii) said driver-side indicator comprises at least one incandescent light source and said passenger-side indicator comprises at least one incandescent light source;
• wherein at least one of (i) said driver-side light module is mounted in said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion with minimal protrusion from said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion into the slipstream and wherein said passenger-side light module is mounted in said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion with minimal protrusion from said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion into the slipstream and (ii) said driver-side light module is mounted in said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion such that at least a portion of a lens of said driver-side light module is substantially flush with an outer surface of said driver-side exterior mirror housing portion and wherein said passenger-side light module is mounted in said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion such that at least a portion of a lens of said passenger-side light module is substantially flush with an outer surface of said passenger-side exterior mirror housing portion;
• and
• wherein said driver-side light module is substantially water impervious and said passenger-side light module is substantially water impervious.