# US 2016/0250970 A1 · Full display mirror actuator with linkage arm > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0250970 A1 - Document ID: US20160250970A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/053,213 - Filed: 2016-02-25 - Published: 2016-09-01 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-27 - Assignees: Gentex Corporation - Applicants: Gentex Corporation - Inventors: Ulrich A. Kuester; Danny L. Minikey, JR. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160250970A1 ## CPC - B60R 1/04: mounted inside vehicle {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} - B60R 1/12: Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks - B60R 2001/1253: {with cameras, video cameras or video screens} - H04N 7/183: {for receiving images from a single remote source} - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A rearview mirror for a vehicle includes a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side. A substrate is rigidly coupled within the open side of the housing and has a reflective surface thereon. The rearview mirror further includes an actuation mechanism having a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end of the mounting plate. A motor is rigidly coupled within the interior cavity of the housing adjacent a second end of the mounting plate. The motor has a first wheel coupled with an output shaft thereof, and the first wheel includes a pin coupled therewith that extends outwardly from the pin at a location offset from the output shaft of the motor. A first linkage arm is rotatably coupled between the pin of the first wheel and the second end of the mounting plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side; a substrate coupled over the open side of the housing and having a reflective surface thereon; and an actuation mechanism operably coupled within the housing and including: a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end of the mounting plate; a first wheel rotatably mounted within the interior cavity and including a pin extending therefrom at a location offset from the output shaft of the motor; and a first linkage arm rotatably coupled between the pin of the first wheel and the second end of the mounting plate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a mounting structure coupled with the mounting plate: wherein rotation of the first wheel drives rotation of the mounting plate with respect to the housing, thereby causing the housing to rotate with respect to the mounting structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The rearview mirror of claim 1, further including a motor having an output shaft and rigidly coupled within the interior cavity of the housing adjacent the second end of the mounting plate, the motor having the wheel coupled with the first end of the output shaft thereof to rotatably mount the wheel within the interior cavity. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The rearview mirror of claim 3, further including: a second wheel coupled with the output shaft on a second end thereof opposite the first end, the second wheel including a pin extending therefrom at a location offset from the output shaft of the motor and generally coaxial with the pin of the first wheel; and a second linkage arm rotatably coupled between the pin of the second wheel and the second end of the mounting plate opposite the first linkage arm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The rearview mirror of claim 3, further including a controller in electrical communication with the motor to cause the motor to drive a rotation of the output shaft. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The rearview mirror of any of claim 1, wherein the housing rotates relative to the mounting plate through a first predetermined angle upon rotation of the wheel through a second predetermined angle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The rearview mirror of claim 6, wherein: the mounting plate has a first length between the first end thereof and the second length thereof; the linkage arm has a second length thereof defined between a point of coupling with the pin and a point of coupling with the mounting plate; and the first length, the second length, and the offset are such that the first predetermined angle is between about 3 and 10 degrees when the second predetermined angle is about 180 degrees. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The rearview mirror of claim 6, wherein the first predetermined angle is about 6 degrees when the second predetermined angle is about 180 degrees. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rearview mirror of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a display screen, and wherein the reflective surface overlies the display screen. ### Claim 10 A rear-vision system for a vehicle, comprising: a video camera mounted on the vehicle in a position to capture an image of a portion of an exterior thereof; and a display mirror, including: a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side; a substrate coupled over the open side of the housing and having a display in electronic communication with the camera for presenting the image thereon and a one-way reflective layer overlying the display; and an actuation mechanism operably coupled within the housing and including: a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end of the mounting plate; a first wheel rotatably mounted within the interior cavity and including a pin extending therefrom at a location offset from the output shaft of the motor; and a first linkage arm rotatably coupled between the pin of the first wheel and the second end of the mounting plate. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising: a motor mounted within the cavity of the housing, the first wheel being coupled with the motor to drive the rotational motion thereof; and a controller coupled with the motor for controlling the motor in driving a rotation of the first wheel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein: the rotation of the first wheel moves the housing relative to the mounting plate between a first position and a second position; and the controller is further in electronic communication with the display and automatically causes the rotation of the actuation wheel to move the housing between first and second positions upon one of an activation or deactivation of the display, respectively. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein when in the first position, the substrate is angled toward a headliner of the vehicle by between 5 degrees and 10 degrees relative to the second position. ### Claim 14 A rearview mirror for a vehicle, comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity and an open side; a substrate coupled over the open side of the housing and having a reflective surface thereon; and an actuation mechanism operably coupled within the housing and including: a mounting plate rotatably coupled within the cavity of the housing at a first end of the mounting plate; a first linkage arm having a first end rotatably coupled with the second end of the mounting plate and a second end remote therefrom; and a second linkage arm having a first end rotatably coupled with the second end of the first linkage arm and a second end rotatably mounted within the interior cavity of the housing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The rearview mirror of claim 14, wherein the second linkage arm is defined on a wheel rotatably mounted within the interior cavity at a center thereof defining the second end of the second linkage arm, a pin extending from the wheel at a location offset from the center and defining the first end of the second linkage arm, the first linkage arm rotatably coupling with the pin. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The rearview mirror of claim 14, further including a motor having an output shaft and rigidly coupled within the interior cavity of the housing adjacent the second end of the mounting plate, the second linkage arm being coupled with a first end of the output shaft thereof to rotatably mount the second linkage arm within the interior cavity. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The rearview mirror of claim 16, further including: a third linkage arm having a first end rotatably coupled with and the second end of the mounting plate opposite the first linkage arm and extending to a second end remote from the first end; and a fourth linkage arm including a first end rotatably coupled with the second end of the third linkage arm and a second end coupled with the output shaft on a second end thereof opposite the first end. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The rearview mirror of claim 16, further including a controller in electrical communication with the motor to cause the motor to drive a rotation of the output shaft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The rearview mirror of any of claim 14, wherein the housing rotates relative to the mounting plate through a first predetermined angle of about 6 degrees upon rotation of the second linkage arm through a second predetermined angle of about 180 degrees. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The rearview mirror of claim 14, wherein the substrate includes a display screen, and wherein the reflective surface overlies the display screen.