Vehicular having a camera, a rain sensor and a single-ball interior ...

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VEHICULAR HAVING A CAMERA, A RAIN

SENSOR AND A SINGLE-BALL INTERIOR

ELECTROCHROMIC MIRROR ASSEMBLY ATTACHED AT AN ATTACHMENT ELEMENT

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/026,591, filed Feb. 14, 2011, noW U.S. Pat. No. 7,994,471, Which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/467,660, filed May 18, 2009, noW U.S. Pat. No. 7,888,629, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/197,660, filed Aug. 25, 2008, noW U.S. Pat. No. 7,538,316, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/828,880, filed Jul. 26, 2007, noW U.S. Pat. No. 7,420,159, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/699,271, filed Jan. 29, 2007, noW U.S. Pat. No. 7,265,342, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/418,906, filed May 5, 2006, noW U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,406, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/913,748, filed Aug. 6, 2004, noW U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,965, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/618,334, filed Jul. 11, 2003, noW U.S. Pat. No. 6,774,356, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/997,579, filed Nov. 29, 2001, noW U.S. Pat. No. 6,593,565, Which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/433,467, filed Nov. 4, 1999, noW U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,613, Which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/003,966, filed Jan. 7, 1998, by Niall R. Lynam, noW U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,148, the disclosures of Which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a vehicle interior mirror assembly.

According to the invention there is provided a vehicle interior rearvieW mirror assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle Windshield, a rear end having connection means for adjustably mounting a rearvieW mirror unit to the housing, the housing adapted for containing a rain sensor and biasing means in use biasing the rain sensor into contact With the interior surface of the Windshield, the housing containing at least one further electrical component.

The invention further provides a vehicle interior rearvieW mirror assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle Windshield, a rear end having connection means for adjustably mounting a rearvieW mirror unit to the housing, the interior of the housing comprising at least one compartment, the compartment having an opening at the front end of the housing for facing in use toWards the Windshield and, the compartment adapted for containing a rain sensor and for biasing the rain sensor forWardly through the first opening into contact With the interior surface of the Windshield, and the housing also containing at least one further electrical component.

The invention further provides a vehicle interior rearvieW mirror assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle Windshield, a rear end having connection means for adjustably mounting a rearvieW mirror unit to the housing, the interior of the housing comprising a compartment, the compartment having a first opening at the front end of the housing

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for facing in use toWards the Windshield and the compartment having a second opening on at least one side of the housing, the compartment containing a rain sensor and means for biasing the rain sensor forWardly through the first opening into contact With the interior surface of the Windshield, and the compartment containing at least one further electrical component accessible through the second opening

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle interior rearvieW mirror assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle Windshield, a rear end having connection means for mounting a rearvieW mirror unit to the housing, and an internal Wall subdividing the interior of the housing into first and second compartments, the first compartment having a first opening at the front end of the housing for facing in use toWards the Windshield and the second compartment having a second opening on at least one side of the housing, the first compartment containing a rain sensor and means for biasing the rain sensor forWardly through the first opening into contact With the interior surface of the Windshield, and the second compartment containing at least one further electrical component accessible through the second opening.

The invention further provides a vehicle interior rearvieW mirror assembly comprising a housing having a front end for releasable attachment to the interior surface of the vehicle Windshield, a rear end having connection means for releasably mounting a rearvieW mirror unit to the housing, a first opening at the front end of the housing for facing in use toWards the Windshield, and a second opening on at least one side of the housing for facing in use toWards the top edge of the Windshield, the housing containing a rain sensor, means for biasing the rain sensor forWardly through the first opening into contact With the interior surface of the Windshield, and at least one further electrical component accessible through the second opening. The assembly further preferably including a removable cover Which mates With the housing around the second opening and in use preferably extends along the Windshield toWards the vehicle header, and electrical leads for the rain sensor and the further electrical component Which in use are routed under the cover to the header.

The invention provides the significant advantage that a vehicle manufacturer is provided With the possibility of optionally including a variety of components With the rear vieW mirror assembly. This possibility is made available for example during the assembly line process Where the desired components to meet a particular specification can be included in the rear vieW mirror assembly. Furthermore, the removable cover readily provides for the functional advantage of readily incorporating a selected component Whilst at the same time providing a functionally attractive cover. The automaker is therefore provided With the considerable advantage of the possibility of providing a plurality of diverse options quickly and speedily during the assembly line process.

An embodiment of the invention Will noW be described, by Way of example, With reference to the accompanying draWings, in Which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side vieW of an embodiment of a vehicle interior mirror assembly according to the invention attached to the interior surface of a Windshield;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through the mirror assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective top vieW of the mirror assembly;

FIG. 4 is a vieW of the mirror assembly of FIG. 3 looking into the opening 18;

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FIG. 5 is a vieW of the mirror assembly of FIG. 3 looking into the opening 20;

FIG. 6 is a vieW of the mirror assembly of FIG. 3 looking from underneath;

FIG. 7 is a perspective vieW of the Wiring cover forming part of the mirror assembly;

FIG. 8 is a schematic vieW of another embodiment of vehicle interior mirror assembly according to the invention; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic vieW of yet a further embodiment of a vehicle into rear mirror assembly according to the invention.

In certain of the figures some components are omitted or shoWn in dashed outline to reveal the underlying structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the draWings, a vehicle interior rearvieW mirror assembly comprises a die cast metal housing 10 (or optionally may be formed from a plastic moulding such as engineering polymeric resin such as a filled nylon or the like) having a front end 12 and a rear end 14, the front end 12 being releasably attached to the interior surface of the vehicle Windshield 22 in a manner to be described. The interior of the housing 10 is subdivided by an internal Wall 16 into first and second compartments 18, 20 respectively, the first compartment 18 having an opening 1811 at the front end of the housing 10 Which in use, and as shoWn in FIGS. 1 and 2, faces toWards the Windshield 22 and the second compartment having an opening 2011 on the side of the housing Which in use faces toWards the vehicle header 24 at the top edge of the Windshield. The front end 12 of the housing 10 is releasably attached to the Windshield 22 using an annular mounting button, not shoWn, in the manner described in EP 0 928 723 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/003,966, entitled “Rain Sensor Mount for Use in a Vehicle” to Niall R Lynam, noW U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,148, the disclosures of Which are incorporated herein by reference.

As shoWn in the various figures of the Ser. No. 09/003,966 application, it is desirable that the rain sensor mounting member attached to the Windshield and the rearvieW mirror mounting button provided on the rain sensor module are generally aligned along a common axis When the rain sensor module is mounted to the vehicle in order to provide a mounting of a rearvieW mirror assembly to the rain sensor module that is generally coaxial With the mounting of the rain sensor module to the Windshield. Optionally, a ceramic black fit layer, as is commonly knoWn in the Windshield fabrication art, can be used on the inner surface of the Windshield to hide the attachment location of the rain sensor module. HoWever, the center portion of such a ceramic layer should include a central opening or at least provide eflicient transmission for the output of the light emitters and the rain sensor unit at the point of contact of its detecting surface to the Windshield or to an adhesive layer. The rain sensor module assembly includes the rain sensor unit, Which is positioned in the housing and projects through an opening or port provided on a Windshield facing side of the housing and extends through an inner holloW open central portion of the rain sensor mounting button to contact the inner surface of the Windshield. The rain sensor unit preferably comprises a compact rain sensor unit available from ITT Automotive Europe, GMBH of Frankfurt, Germany. The rain sensor unit includes a detecting surface Which projects through an opening provided in adhesive layer so that direct contact is achieved betWeen the inner surface of the Windshield and the detecting surface of the rain sensor unit, and also includes a light emitting source and a light detecting

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source along With associated electronic circuitry for generating an electrical signal indicative of detection of moisture on the outer surface of the Windshield. Light emitted by the emitter passes through the rain sensor detecting surface and is refracted at the outer Windshield surface, and re-enters the rain sensor at its detecting surface to impinge the light detector of the rain sensor, Whose output is processed by electronic circuitry to detect the presence/absence of moisture on the Windshield. The circuitry (in Whole or in part) can be contained in the rain sensor and/or Within the housing of the module. Optionally, the electronic circuitry can be located/ share components With/receive input from or deliver output electrical accessories in the vehicle, such as a CAN bus, electronically equipped mirrors such as lighted mirror and automatic dimming electrochromic mirrors, overhead consoles, and similar electrically functioning vehicle components. Electrical connectors can be accommodated at the rain sensor module, such as at or on its housing. The rain sensor can be separately removable from the module for service, or can be an integral part of the module so that a unitary module is provided by a supplier to the automaker for mating With a Windshield mounting member as the vehicle passes along the vehicle assembly line (or at a local ready-to-install Windshield supply plant), and thereafter for attachment thereto of a rearvieW mirror assembly. The electrical signal output by the rain sensor can be used to automatically operate the Wiper system for the Windshield and/ or the backlite, or operate other vehicular functions such as close a sunroof in the event of rain or change the braking and/or traction characteristics of the vehicle braking and/ or traction control systems.

Optionally, and as described in the Ser. No. 09/003,966 application, the mount includes an annular or like member having a central opening and is adapted to mount the housing to the inner surface of the Windshield. The port of the housing is aligned With the central opening of the annular member so that the rain sensor can extend through the port and through the central opening and contact the inner Windshield surface for detecting moisture on an outer surface of the vehicle Windshield. The housing is preferably releasably secured to the annular member so that the rain sensor can be serviced or replaced. In addition, at least the second side of the housing substantially covers and conceals the annular member. The rain sensor mount includes a housing having a cover, Which covers an access opening in the housing, a means for mounting a rearvieW mirror assembly to the housing, and a rain sensor, Which is positioned in the housing and includes a detecting surface. Furthermore, a biasing member is interposed betWeen a portion of the housing and the rain sensor for urging the detecting surface of the rain sensor to optical couple to the Windshield of the vehicle for detecting moisture on an outer surface of the Windshield.

Optionally, and as described in the Ser. No. 09/003,966 application, the housing of the rain sensor module assembly is preferably releasably or removably mounted or attached to the rain sensor mounting button by attachment to a solid portion of the rain sensor mounting button, for example by mechanical means such as by snap-on or tWist-on attachment or, alternatively, by a releasable adhesive layer. The rain sensor mounting button may comprise of a variety of shapes including square, rectangular, trapezoidal, triangular and the like, With a central opening through Which the rain sensor unit extends to position the detecting surface into contact With either the inner surface of the Windshield or the outer surface of the adhesive layer. Preferably, the outer rim of the rain sensor mounting button has a smooth edge radius for safety purposes, for example an edge radius of greater than or equal to tWo millimeters. Also, the attachment of the rain sensor