Optical: systems and elements – Mirror – Automatically adjustable in response to vehicle position,...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-09
2001-07-24
Shafer, Ricky D. (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
Automatically adjustable in response to vehicle position,...
C359S872000, C359S877000, C180S167000, C180S169000, C180S271000, C280S423100, C280S426000, C280S432000, C340S431000, C340S435000, C340S436000, C362S494000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264337
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle safety system and, more particularly, to a system which provides a driver with views and/or information regarding the area around a vehicle. Prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/373,123, now U.S Pat. No. 5,980,048, is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
The maneuvering ability of articulated vehicles such as tractor-trailer combinations is often hampered by the difficulty in quickly and conveniently determining the location of the rear end of the trailer and in viewing the area behind the rear end of the trailer. This is particularly so when the trailer is long and the tractor is turning toward the right. Typically, externally mounted side mirrors are placed on both sides of the tractor. These mirrors are rigidly positioned for straight ahead driving. Therefore, during turns, one mirror provides a view of the side of the trailer while the other mirror provides a view of the area to the side of the trailer.
Neither of these views is useful. The much needed view of the rear of the trailer is not provided.
Although the driver can view the left rear end of the trailer and behind it by looking out the left window when the trailer is turning toward the left, the driver must turn his head and divert his attention away from the front of the vehicle. The driver's peripheral vision may not provide immediate perception of events occurring at the front of the vehicle. Moreover, the driver is unable to peer out the right window and view the right rear end of the trailer during a right turn. Stationary mirrors are also deficient when a tractor-trailer is backing into a loading or unloading area such as a dock during an attempt to park. In these situations, the tractor is almost always at an acute angle relative to the trailer to facilitate docking maneuvers. Stationary mirrors do not permit the rear of the trailer to be viewed during parking as the angle between the tractor and the trailer does not permit such a view. It is often necessary for the driver to leave the vehicle or to obtain the assistance of an additional person to perform the backing and parking maneuvers.
In view of these problems, numerous attempts have been made to provide a mirror which pivots or rotates to provide a view of the rear of a trailer during turns. Some of these prior art systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,988,957; 3,469,901; 3,527,528; 3,536,382; 3,749,480; 4,609,265; and 4,632,525. Many of these devices require complex mechanical devices with or without complicated electric circuits to rotate the side mirrors. Some devices are activated only by the turn signal of the vehicle.
One system that overcomes the above-described problems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,132,851. Nonetheless, drivers still encounter numerous situations in which their viewing is impaired or in which it is difficult to accurately determine the position of the tractor-trailer relative to other objects. For example, drivers of tractor-trailers are frequently unable to see vehicles which are following closely or vehicles which are in other “blind spots.” In addition, a truck must generally back squarely into a loading dock in order to facilitate loading and unloading operations. Even if a driver is able to see clearly the areas behind the trailer via rear view mirrors, it is still often difficult to determine whether the trailer is square with a loading dock. These problems make it more difficult to maneuver the tractor-trailer and can, in the case of unseen vehicles, lead to accidents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one embodiment of the instant invention, an apparatus for automatically adjusting the angle of a rotatable side view mirror of a vehicle having a trailer coupled thereto includes transducers attached to the vehicle for transmitting signals toward the trailer and for receiving signals reflected by the trailer. A control unit includes a control circuit for generating a mirror control signal for controlling rotation of the rotatable side view mirror. The control circuit is operative to control at least one of the transducers to determine an angle between the vehicle and the trailer based on a time required for signals transmitted by the respective controlled at least one transducer to be reflected back to the respective at least one controlled transducer. The control circuit generates the mirror control signal based on the determined angle. The vehicle and the trailer may be angled relative to each other within a predetermined angular range including a plurality of angular range portions and the control circuit is operative to control different ones of the transducers based on the angular range portion within which the determined angle falls. A drive unit supplied with the mirror control signal rotates the rotatable side view mirror. Certain transducers within one or more of the angular range portions may be controlled to confirm the determined angle. This arrangement provides for a very accurate determination of the angle between the vehicle and the trailer and ensures an appropriate mirror rotation to enhance a driver's vision during turning.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for automatically rotating a rotatable light source attached to a vehicle includes a circuit for determining a relative orientation of the vehicle. A control unit includes a control circuit for generating a light beam adjusting signal for adjusting the direction of the light beam of the light source. The control circuit is operative to control the circuit for determining the orientation and to generate the light beam control signal based on the determined relative orientation. A drive unit supplied with the light beam adjusting signal adjusts the light beam. This arrangement permits a light to be appropriately directed for increasing a driver's vision during turns and loading dock maneuvers.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for automatically monitoring objects proximate to a vehicle includes a circuit for detecting objects proximate to the vehicle. A control unit including a control circuit for controlling the detecting circuit and a communicating circuit communicates to a driver of the vehicle information regarding objects detected by the detecting circuit. The communicating circuit may be either a visual communicating circuit or an aural communicating circuit. This arrangement informs a driver of any objects such as cars which may be hidden from the driver's view in blind spots such as immediately behind a trailer.
In accordance with still another aspect of the instant invention, an apparatus for assisting a driver of a vehicle in approaching a structure includes a circuit for detecting the structure and its distance. A control unit includes a control circuit for controlling the detecting circuit and a communicating circuit communicates to a driver of the vehicle information regarding an angular orientation of the vehicle relative to the structure. The communicating circuit may be either a visual communicating circuit or an aural communicating circuit. This arrangement is useful when a driver is backing into a loading dock, for example, and quickly informs the driver whether he or she is “squared up” with the loading dock.
Various additional advantages and features which characterize the invention are further pointed out in the claims that follow. However, for a better understanding of the invention and its advantages, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter which illustrate and describe the instant invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3842397 (1974-10-01), Sindle
patent: 4679158 (1987-07-01), Tate
patent: 4779095 (1988-10-01), Guerreri
patent: 5132851 (1992-07-01), Bomar et al.
patent: 5306953 (1994-04-01), Weiner
patent: 5719713 (1998-02-01), Brown
patent: 5980048 (1999-11-01), Rannells, Jr. et al.
Arnold Alois A.
Bomar Leslie A.
Rannells, Jr. Charles T.
Reifsteck Christopher K.
King and Schickli PLLC
Shafer Ricky D.
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