Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head and a mounting structure attached at a central region of the mirror back plate. A circuit board is disposed at the mirror back plate to one side of the central region, and first and second electrical connectors are disposed at the rear of the reflective element to the other side of the central region, with the first and second electrical connectors being in electrically conductive continuity with electrically conductive coatings at respective surfaces of the front and rear glass substrates. The electrical conductors are electrically connected between the respective electrical connector and reflectance control circuitry at the circuit board. A wire harness is electrically connected to the circuit board, and a portion of the wire harness passes through the mounting structure and has a connector end for electrically connecting to a vehicle wire harness.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head having a mirror reflective element, and a video display device behind the mirror reflective element and viewable through the mirror reflective element when activated. The video display device includes a display screen that occupies at least 75 percent of a reflective region of the mirror reflective element. The video display device includes a backlighting array of light emitting diodes for backlighting the display screen, and the backlighting array of light emitting diodes includes a plurality of zones of light emitting diodes, with each zone having at least two light emitting diodes. The zones of light emitting diodes are independently controlled based on the video images being displayed by the video display device.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror stay configured to attach at an in-cabin portion of a vehicle equipped with the mirror mounting system. The mirror stay is formed by injection molding a thermoplastic polymeric molding resin using a gas assist molding process. The thermoplastic polymeric molding resin includes a reinforced polyamide polymeric molding resin. A mirror head is pivotally mounted at a pivot element of the mirror stay. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing.
Abstract:
A vehicle mirror and camera mounting system includes a camera mounting bracket that includes an injection molded bracket formed by injection molding a polymeric molding resin. A camera, when its camera module is attached at the camera mounting bracket at the vehicle windshield, has a field of view through the vehicle windshield. The camera mounting bracket includes a mirror attachment portion configured for attaching an interior rearview mirror assembly thereat. At least one cover element is attached at (i) the camera mounting bracket, (ii) the camera module and/or (iii) the mirror mount so that the camera module and the camera mounting bracket are not readily viewable to a person viewing the construction from inside the vehicle. The mirror mount includes an electrical connector for electrical connection to (i) a connector at the camera module or (ii) a wire harness of the vehicle, with the connection hidden from view.
Abstract:
A method for making electrical connection to a mirror reflective element for a vehicular rearview mirror assembly includes providing a mirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substrate with an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween and in contact with a transparent conductive coating and a third surface reflector. A metallic electrical connector is provided that includes an attachment portion and a wire receiving portion. An electrical wire is inserted in the wire receiving portion such that at least one tang of the wire receiving portion engages the electrical wire to secure the electrical wire in the wire receiving portion and to make electrically-conductive connection with the electrical wire. The attachment portion is attached at the front or rear substrate to attach the electrical connector at the mirror reflective element such that the attachment portion electrically conductively connects to the transparent conductive coating or the third surface reflector.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a plastic bezel and a mirror reflective element. The bezel includes a perimeter bezel portion and a mirror mounting element unitarily formed with the perimeter bezel portion. The mirror mounting element is configured to pivotally attach to a mounting structure of a mounting assembly for mounting the interior rearview mirror assembly at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped with the interior rearview mirror assembly. The reflective element is disposed at the bezel and has a front surface and a rear surface, with the front surface generally facing towards and being viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle. The mirror mounting element is disposed rearward of the rear surface of the reflective element when the reflective element is disposed at the bezel.
Abstract:
An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element, a housing portion and a user input module. The housing portion is positioned at a perimeter of the reflective element and has an exterior surface that faces generally toward the driver of the vehicle when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. The housing portion has a recess established at the exterior surface. The user input module includes at least one user input that is actuatable by a user and includes backlighting operable to backlight the at least one user input. The user input module is at least partially received in the recess at the housing portion and is configured to snap attach at the housing portion when at least partially received in the recess at the housing portion.
Abstract:
A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting arm and a mirror head at one end of the mounting arm distal from an attachment portion of the mounting arm that is configured for attachment at a vehicle. A mirror reflective element is fixedly attached at the mirror head. An innermost side of the mirror reflective element is attached at a front side of an attachment plate. The mirror reflective element moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head relative to the mounting arm when the driver of the vehicle operates an electrically-operable actuator. The attachment plate includes wall structure that extends from the front side of the attachment plate and circumscribes and spans the perimeter circumferential edge of the glass substrate and does not encroach onto and does not overlap the front surface of the glass substrate of the exterior mirror reflective element.
Abstract:
A vehicular vision system includes an electronic control unit (ECU), a plurality of exterior viewing vehicle cameras that capture image data and provide captured image data to the ECU. When the vehicle is towing a trailer, a rearward-viewing trailer camera captures image data and provides captured image data to the ECU. A video mirror display screen is disposed at an interior rearview mirror assembly of the vehicle and is operable to display video images derived from video image data provided from the ECU. The mirror assembly is adjustable between a mirror mode and a display mode. The mirror assembly, when in the display mode, is operable by the driver of the vehicle to display at the video mirror display screen (i) a single image display of video images, (ii) a dual image display of video images or (iii) a three image display of video images.
Abstract:
A vehicular frameless interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head and a mounting portion. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element and a mirror casing. The mirror reflective element includes a glass substrate having a planar front side and a planar rear side. No portion of the mirror casing overlaps the planar front side of the glass substrate of the mirror reflective element. A camera is disposed within the mirror casing. With the mounting portion of the mirror assembly mounted at an in-cabin side of a windshield of a vehicle, the camera views a driver of the vehicle, and when the mirror head is moved by the driver of the vehicle to adjust the rearward view provided by the mirror reflective element to the driver, the camera moves in tandem with movement of the mirror head. The camera is part of a driver monitoring system of the vehicle.