US 12,112,637 B2
Exterior mirror assembly with blind zone indication module
Craig Kendall, Grand Haven, MI (US); Jeremy R. Shooks, Plainwell, MI (US); Mark E. Kramer, Zeeland, MI (US); and Mark L. Larson, Grand Haven, MI (US)
Assigned to MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC., Holland, MI (US)
Filed by MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC., Holland, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/653,494.
Application 17/653,494 is a continuation of application No. 17/249,625, filed on Mar. 8, 2021, granted, now 11,270,590.
Application 17/249,625 is a continuation of application No. 16/946,936, filed on Jul. 13, 2020, granted, now 10,943,488, issued on Mar. 9, 2021.
Application 16/946,936 is a continuation of application No. 16/729,794, filed on Dec. 30, 2019, granted, now 10,713,953, issued on Jul. 14, 2020.
Application 16/729,794 is a continuation of application No. 16/234,747, filed on Dec. 28, 2018, granted, now 10,522,042, issued on Dec. 31, 2019.
Application 16/234,747 is a continuation of application No. 15/844,996, filed on Dec. 18, 2017, granted, now 10,170,001, issued on Jan. 1, 2019.
Application 15/844,996 is a continuation of application No. 15/690,901, filed on Aug. 30, 2017, granted, now 9,847,028, issued on Dec. 19, 2017.
Application 15/690,901 is a continuation of application No. 15/600,827, filed on May 22, 2017, granted, now 9,754,489, issued on Sep. 5, 2017.
Application 15/600,827 is a continuation of application No. 15/278,109, filed on Sep. 28, 2016, granted, now 9,659,498, issued on May 23, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/233,728, filed on Sep. 28, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2022/0189310 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. G08G 1/16 (2006.01); B60R 1/00 (2022.01); B60R 1/06 (2006.01); B60R 1/12 (2006.01)
CPC G08G 1/167 (2013.01) [B60R 1/006 (2013.01); B60R 1/06 (2013.01); B60R 1/12 (2013.01); B60R 1/1207 (2013.01); B60R 2001/1215 (2013.01)] 36 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly, the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror reflective element;
wherein said mirror reflective element comprises a glass substrate coated with a mirror reflector;
a mirror back plate, wherein said mirror back plate comprises a light-transmitting aperture;
a blind zone indication module having a light source that is electrically powered to emit light;
wherein said blind zone indication module is disposed at said mirror back plate, and wherein said light source is electrically powered to emit light through said mirror reflective element;
wherein said light source comprises at least two light emitting diodes disposed at a circuit board of said blind zone indication module;
wherein said circuit board comprises circuitry and electrically conductive terminals, and wherein said electrically conductive terminals extend into a connector portion of a housing of said blind zone indication module;
wherein said connector portion, with said electrically conductive terminals therein, is configured to connect to a connector of a wire harness of the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein said circuit board comprises a constant current circuit, and wherein the constant current circuit generates a constant current over a range of voltages provided via the wire harness of the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly by a power source of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein at least two light emitting diodes of the at least two light emitting diodes are electrically connected in series at said circuit board;
wherein said blind zone indication module comprises a diffuser that diffuses light emitted by the at least two light emitting diodes when the at least two light emitting diodes are electrically powered to emit light;
wherein, when the at least two light emitting diodes electrically connected in series at said circuit board are electrically powered to emit light, light emitted by the at least two light emitting diodes passing through (i) a light-transmitting portion of said housing of said blind zone indication module and (ii) the light-transmitting aperture of said mirror back plate illuminates an icon that is viewable to a driver of the equipped vehicle who views said mirror reflective element of the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly;
wherein the icon comprises a light-transmitting window through said mirror reflector of said glass substrate of said mirror reflective element; and
wherein illumination of the icon is responsive to a blind spot detection system of the equipped vehicle detecting presence of another vehicle that is traveling in the same direction as that of the equipped vehicle in a lane adjacent to a lane that the equipped vehicle is traveling in and that is approaching or is overtaking the equipped vehicle.