Murakami Kaimeido Co., Ltd.

Murakami Corporation

Michiaki Hattori

Hidenori Sato

Mitsuyoshi Nagao

Toshihiro Mochizuki

Naoto Iwanabe

Toru Okamoto

Tokumitsu Iwama

Norikazu Hattori

Masaki Kobayashi

In a device for detecting mirror position, there is provided a resistor substrate being located coaxially with a nut adjuster for adjusting an angle of incline of a mirror, and a contact member so as to nip the resistor substrate. The contact member slides in line corresponding to the movement of the nut adjuster while the resistor substrate is fixed to a housing. Thus, as the nut adjuster slides, the contact member slides against the resistor substrate, which results the change of a contact position of the contact member and a long resistance R1. Consequently, since a voltage level generated at the contact member changes, the angle of incline of the mirror can be determined by detecting this voltage level. Inasmuch as the contact member and the resistor substrate are housed within a sliding block, there is no need for much space to locate the various parts in, and thus the whole device can be configured in a compact manner. In addition, the fact that the resistance R1 is connected to the direct-current power source via resistances R2 and R3 means that the measured voltage level is acquired in the form of an intermediate value of the direct-current power source voltage. Subsequently, it is possible to reduce the influence of noise and other factors so that the mirror angle can be detected with a high degree of accuracy.

Mirror position detection device

A rear light detection device for an automatic antiglare mirror includes a variable light transmissivity layer and a reflecting film provided behind the variable light transmissivity layer. Reflectivity of the reflecting film is variably controlled by controlling the light transmissivity of the variable light transmissivity layer. The reflecting film is made of a half mirror and the device includes a light transmitting member provided behind the half mirror for collecting light which has been transmitted through the half mirror, and a photo-sensor for receiving light collected by the light transmitting member. The light transmitting member may have a concave reflecting surface and light which has been transmitted through the half mirror may be collected on the concave reflecting surface and then received by the photo-sensor. The light transmitting member may include a plurality of light receiving sections disposed at separate locations behind the half mirror and a plurality of light conducting sections for conducting light received by the light receiving sections to the photo-sensor. The light transmitting member may include a scattering surface for scattering the collected light in the vicinity of the photo-sensor.

Rear light detection device for an automatic antiglare mirror

An EC mirror having an end surface of layers consisting of an ECD, an output electrode, and a clip electrode, prevents attacking by water submerging through the end surface, improves sealing ability with the mirror holder, prevents the mirror from chattering and a strange noise due to a vibration of the mirror, improves an anti-impact ability of the ECD end surface. An insulating member is disposed to cover ECD periphery portions and connecting portions of an output electrode, the clip electrode and a harness cord. A water proof member is disposed on an outer periphery of the insulating member.

Electrocromic rearview mirror for an automobile improved in a water

The mirror system has devices for adjusting the reflectivities of the interior and exterior rearview mirrors to different values to correct the driver's unbalanced rearview visibility. These devices include, for instance, a liquid-phase ECD used in the interior rearview mirror and a solid-state ECD used in the exterior rearview mirror so that appropriate reflectivities of the two mirrors can be obtained, even if they experience the same operation conditions. When the same-type ECD is used for both interior and exterior rearview mirrors, the drive voltage for the exterior rearview mirror is made lower than that for interior rearview mirror to make the latter's reflectivity smaller than the former's. For this purpose, transforming circuits are provided as well as terminal voltage sensing and controlling circuits.

Anti-glare rearview mirror system

In a device for driving an EC antiglare mirror in which reflectivity is variably controlled by an EC element, a surrounding light quantity detection circuit detects quantity of light surrounding a vehicle. A rear light quantity detection circuit detects quantity of light in the rear of the vehicle. An oscillation circuit is constructed so that duration of an 'H' level of an oscillation signal and duration of an 'L' level of the oscillation signal are individually controlled. An inversion period control circuit variably controls duration of one of the 'H' and 'L' levels of the oscillation signal generated by the oscillation circuit in response to light quantity detected by the surrounding light quantity detection circuit and also variably controls duration of the other level in response to light quantity detected by the rear light quantity detection circuit. An EC element drive circuit inverts, in accordance with the level of the oscillation signal, the polarity of drive voltage supplied from a drive power source and applies the inverted voltage to the EC element and thereby controls the amount of coloration in accordance with duty factor of the oscillation signal.

Growing community of inventors

Fujieda, Japan

Michiaki Hattori