Vehicle side mirror assembly with integral illumination and signal lighting

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• and
• a waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• wherein said mounting member comprises a mirror mount and wherein said side mirror assembly further comprises a housing attached to said mirror mount, with said reflective element being mounted in said housing;
• wherein said second location comprises an outboard location within said mirror mount, with said mirror mount including a light transmissive opening at said outboard location, wherein light traveling through said waveguide from said first location is directed out of said waveguide and mirror mount through said opening;
• and
• wherein said waveguide extends longitudinally from said first location to said second location and wherein said waveguide has an angled end at said second location with said angled end being oriented such that light traveling through said waveguide from said first location to said second location is laterally directed out of said waveguide by said angled end.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• and
• a waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• wherein said mounting member comprises a mirror mount and wherein said side mirror assembly further comprises a housing pivotally attached to said mirror mount such that said housing pivots about an axis, with said reflective element being mounted in said housing;
• and
• wherein said second location comprises an outboard location within said mirror mount, with said mirror mount including a light transmissive opening located proximate said outboard location such that said opening is located farther away from said mounting surface than said axis is from said mounting surface, wherein light traveling through said waveguide from said first location is directed out of said waveguide and mirror mount through said opening.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• a waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• wherein said mounting member comprises a mirror mount and wherein said side mirror assembly further comprises a housing attached to said mirror mount, with said reflective element being mounted in said housing;
• and
• a lens located adjacent said waveguide at said first location, wherein said lens has an interior surface and an exterior surface and is oriented such that light entering said lens from said interior surface is downwardly directed by said lens to thereby provide downwardly directed illumination below said mirror mount.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• a first waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• wherein said mounting member comprises a mirror mount and wherein said side mirror assembly further comprises a housing attached to said mirror mount, with said reflective element being mounted in said housing;
• and
• a second waveguide extending from said mirror mount into said housing.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• a first waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• wherein said mounting member comprises a mirror mount and wherein said side mirror assembly further comprises a housing attached to said mirror mount, with said reflective element being mounted in said housing;
• a second waveguide extending from said mirror mount into said housing;
• wherein said housing is pivotally attached to said mirror mount, whereby said housing and reflective element together comprise a breakaway mirror;
• and
• wherein said first and second waveguides each includes an end having a reflecting surface, with said waveguides being optically coupled to each other by said reflecting surfaces.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• a first waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• wherein said mounting member comprises a mirror mount and wherein said side mirror assembly further comprises a housing attached to said mirror mount, with said reflective element being mounted in said housing;
• and
• a second waveguide contained within said housing, wherein said first and second waveguides are optically coupled together such that at least a portion of the light transmitted through said first waveguide from said first location to said second location enters said second waveguide.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• a waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• and
• an illuminator located at said mounting surface of said mounting member.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• a waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• and
• an illuminator located at said mounting surface of said mounting member;
• wherein said mounting surface defines an opening in said mounting member and wherein said illuminator extends through said opening on either side of said opening such that, when said mounting surface is attached to a door panel, a portion of said illuminator is located within the door panel.

A side mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a mounting member having a mounting surface for attachment of said mounting member to the vehicle;
• a reflective element attached to said mounting member at a location spaced from said mounting surface;
• a first elongated waveguide contained within said mounting member and extending from a first location proximate said mounting surface to a second location proximate said reflective element;
• and
• a second elongated waveguide that extends through said mounting member adjacent said first waveguide, wherein light traveling through said second waveguide from a location proximate said first location is directed out of said second waveguide and out of said mounting member through an opening located proximate said second location.