Patents Assigned to Magna Mirrors of America, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11285879
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflective element sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element and a mirror back plate. The mirror back plate is attached to the glass substrate of the mirror reflective element. The mirror back plate includes first structure that is configured to attach at an actuator. An indicator element is disposed at second structure of the mirror back plate. An icon is established through a metallic reflector coating disposed at the glass substrate. The icon includes a light-transmitting aperture and, when the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the vehicle, the icon is at an outboard region of the mirror reflective element. When the vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly is attached at the vehicle and when a light source of the indicator element is activated, the icon is illuminated and is viewable by the driver of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Niall R. Lynam
  • Patent number: 11285866
    Abstract: A vehicular ground illumination module includes first, second and third icon LEDs, and first, second and third masks associated with respective ones of the first, second and third LEDs. A ground illumination LED and a freeform optic of the module function to, when the ground illumination LED electrically powered, illuminate the ground adjacent the side of the vehicle at which the module is mounted, with a ground illumination region of the ground being illuminated at a ground illumination intensity and an icon region of the ground being illuminated at an icon illumination intensity that is less than the ground illumination intensity. When the first, second and third icon LEDs are individually electrically powered to emit light, light emitted by the LEDs passes through the respective masks to project first, second and third projected images that provide animated images at the icon region of the ground adjacent the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Gregory A. Huizen
  • Patent number: 11279288
    Abstract: A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head having a mirror reflective element with a transflective mirror reflector. A video display device is disposed rearward of the mirror reflective element and has a display screen that occupies at least 85 percent of a reflective region of the transflective mirror reflector that is visible to a driver of the vehicle when viewing the mirror reflective element. The video display device is operable to display video images captured by a rearward viewing camera of the vehicle. When the video display device is operated to display video images, light emitted by the video display device passes through the transflective mirror reflector of the mirror reflective element for viewing of displayed video images by the driver of the vehicle viewing the mirror reflective element. Light emitted by the video display device may exit the mirror reflective element as circularly polarized light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Mark L. Larson, Christopher R. Koetje, Anthony J. LaCross, Eric Peterson
  • Patent number: 11270590
    Abstract: A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror reflector sub-assembly having a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate, a heater pad, and a blind zone indication module that includes a plastic housing. When at least one light emitting diode of the blind zone indication module is electrically powered, light emitted by the light emitting diode exits the blind zone indication module via a light-transmitting portion of a front end of the plastic housing. With the blind zone indication module disposed at the mirror reflective element, and with the light-transmitting portion of the front end of the plastic housing juxtaposed with a light-transmitting aperture of the mirror back plate, light emitted by the light emitting diode passes through the mirror reflective element and illuminates an icon of the mirror reflective element that is viewable by a driver of a vehicle equipped with the mirror assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Craig Kendall, Jeremy R. Shooks, Mark E. Kramer, Mark L. Larson
  • Patent number: 11260736
    Abstract: A system for overmolding an encapsulation at a perimeter region of a glass window panel includes a mold having a fixed part and a first movable part, and a second movable part. Each of the fixed part and the second movable part has a seal disposed thereat. The fixed part and the first and second movable parts cooperate to receive and support a glass window panel and to define a seal cavity. The second movable part includes an elastomeric or rubber or VITON strip that engages a surface of the glass window panel during overmolding of an encapsulation at the perimeter region of the glass window panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Vadim A. Stafievsky, Matthew J. Noorman
  • Patent number: 11254193
    Abstract: A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes at least one fixed window panel and a movable window panel that is movable along an upper rail and a lower rail at the at least one fixed window panel between an opened position and a closed position. The lower rail includes a U-shaped channel and an attaching structure for attaching the lower rail at the at least one fixed window panel. The lower rail includes a plurality of water drainage channels established at the attaching structure and having an inlet at a wall of the U-shaped channel. A plurality of water diverters are established at the U-shaped channel and are configured to divert water flowing along the U-shaped channel toward the side of the channel along which respective inlets for respective water drainage channels are disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Troy F. Tooker, Kyle S. Bowman
  • Patent number: 11247546
    Abstract: A slider window assembly for a vehicle includes at least one fixed window panel and a movable window panel that is movable along an upper rail and a lower rail at the at least one fixed window panel between a closed position and an opened position. The upper rail includes a channel, and a filler is disposed in the channel of the upper rail. The filler includes a filler body having opposite side walls, and the filler includes lips established along respective ones of the side walls. The lips are extruded onto and along the filler body. The lips include a compressible and flexible material and provide a dampening and cushioning function at the movable window panel when the movable window panel is disposed in the channel of the upper rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Troy F. Tooker, David L. Guillozet, Andrew D. Rohrer
  • Patent number: 11242008
    Abstract: A vehicular display system includes an electronic control unit (ECU), a plurality of bird's eye surround view cameras and a plurality of camera monitoring system (CMS) cameras disposed at the vehicle. The cameras capture image data and provide captured image data to the ECU. The system includes a video display screen and a video mirror display screen that are operable to display video images derived from video images provided by the ECU. When the vehicle is traveling forward at a speed below a threshold speed, the ECU generates rearward view video images derived from image data captured by the CMS cameras and provides the rearward view video images to the video display screen. When the vehicle is traveling forward at a speed at or above the threshold speed, the ECU generates rearward view video images and provides the rearward view video images to the video mirror display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Rodney K. Blank, Christopher R. Koetje
  • Patent number: 11246189
    Abstract: A window assembly for a vehicle includes a window panel having an electrically conductive element disposed thereat. An electrical connector is attached at the window panel and is electrically conductively connected to the electrically conductive element. The electrical connector includes a ferromagnetic material. The electrical connector is attached at the window panel via solder, and the electrical connector is held in place via an electromagnet during the soldering process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: David G. Douma
  • Patent number: 11235699
    Abstract: An illumination module configured for mounting at a vehicle includes at least one illumination source and an optic. The optic is a three dimensional single formed optic that is formed such that, when the illumination source is operated and when the illumination module is disposed at a side of a vehicle, the optic provides projection of an icon, a logo and/or indicia at a ground region at or near the side of the vehicle. The optic includes one of (a) a lens optic configured such that light emitted by the illumination source, when activated, passes through the lens optic to provide projection of the icon, the logo and/or indicia, and (b) a reflector optic configured such that light emitted by the illumination source, when activated, reflects off the reflector optic to provide the selected projection of the icon, the logo and/or indicia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Justin E. Sobecki, Jake Mohan
  • Patent number: 11230227
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, a back plate, and an attaching element having first and second spring-loaded electrical connectors disposed thereat. The attaching element includes a cover element with the spring-loaded electrical connectors disposed thereat. The attaching element includes electrical leads that electrically connect to the spring-loaded electrical connectors and that electrically connect to an electrical connector. With the cover element attached at the attachment portion of the back plate, and with the back plate attached at the rear side of the mirror reflective element, the spring-loaded electrical connectors contact and are biased into electrical contact with respective electrically conductive elements disposed at the rear side of the mirror reflective element, and the electrical connector is disposed at the back plate and configured to electrically connect to a connector of a wire harness of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Craig Kendall, Michael J. Baur, Hans J. Fuchs
  • Patent number: 11214199
    Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head pivotally mounted at a mirror mount, and a display device disposed in the mirror head and behind the reflective element. An actuator is disposed at the mirror head and, when actuated, pivots the mirror head upward or downward to pivot the mirror head between a mirror mode orientation and a display mode orientation. The actuator includes at least one cam follower that is pivotable and that has an arcuate groove that receives a pin at the mirror head. Actuation of the actuator pivots the cam follower to move the pin along the groove and to pivot the mirror head relative to the mirror mount. The arcuate groove of the cam follower has a spiral form having a non-uniform radius of curvature at a middle region and a constant radius of curvature about the pivot axis at each end region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Anthony J. LaCross, Gregory A. Huizen, Eric Peterson
  • Patent number: 11173843
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror head pivotally mounted at a mounting base configured for attachment at a side of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a reflective element adjustably disposed at the mirror casing. A powerfold actuator is operable to pivot the mirror head relative to the mounting base between at least a folded position and a drive position. The powerfold actuator includes a primary detent that is engaged to retain the mirror head at the folded or drive position when the mirror head is pivoted via the actuator to the folded or drive position. The powerfold actuator includes a secondary detent. When the powerfold actuator pivots the mirror head between the folded and drive positions, the secondary detent is disengaged. When the mirror head is manually pivoted, the primary detent is disengaged and the secondary detent is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Kenneth C. Peterson, Mitchell J. Wesley
  • Patent number: 11167771
    Abstract: A vehicular gesture sensing system includes a radar assembly and method of operation thereof. The radar assembly includes at least one radar transmit antenna for transmitting radar waves in a cabin of a vehicle and at exterior areas outside the cabin and at least one radar receive antenna for receiving the radar waves after reflection of the vehicle or objects or an occupant in the vehicle. A control, via processing of data representative of the radar waves received by the radar receive antenna, detects a gesture made by the occupant in the cabin of the vehicle. The control correlates the detected gesture with a user input operation and, responsive to correlating the detected gesture with the user input operation, communicates a control command corresponding to the detected gesture to control at least one accessory of the vehicle in accordance with the user input operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Caron, Wassim Rafrafi
  • Patent number: 11167688
    Abstract: A vehicular illumination module configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle includes a housing, a printed circuit board accommodated in the housing, and first and second light emitting diodes disposed at the printed circuit board. The first light emitting diode (LED) is operable to emit, when electrically powered, visible light, and the second LED is operable to emit, when electrically powered, infrared or near-infrared light. The first LED is electrically powered responsive to actuation of a key fob or detection of a passive entry device to provide visible ground illumination at the ground near the exterior portion of the vehicle. The second LED is electrically powered responsive at least in part to operation of a camera at or near the exterior portion of the vehicle to provide infrared or near-infrared light in the field of view of the camera.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Eric Peterson
  • Patent number: 11155212
    Abstract: An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element having a first glass substrate and a second glass substrate with an electro-optic medium sandwiched therebetween and bounded by a perimeter seal. A front substrate has a rounded perimeter edge region that has a radius of curvature of at least 2.5 mm and that spans between a front side and a rear side of the front substrate. The rear side of the front substrate is adhesively attached at a first surface of the first glass substrate of the mirror reflective element. The rounded perimeter edge region of the front substrate is exterior the mirror casing and provides a smooth continuous transition between the front side of the front substrate and a side wall surface of the mirror casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Hamid Habibi
  • Patent number: 11148596
    Abstract: An exterior rearview mirror assembly for mounting at a vehicle includes a mounting arm configured for attachment at an exterior portion of the vehicle, and a mirror head having a mirror casing, a mirror reflective element and a mirror actuator. The mounting arm is received through an aperture in the mirror casing and the mirror actuator is attached at the mounting arm inside the mirror casing. The mirror actuator is electrically operable to adjust the mirror reflective element and the mirror casing relative to the mounting arm. The aperture allows for movement of the mirror casing relative to the mounting arm during operation of the mirror actuator. A powerfold actuator may be operable to pivot the mirror head relative to the base portion between a folded or non-use position and an extended or use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Robert L. Esser, Keith D. Foote, Darryl P. De Wind
  • Patent number: 11142126
    Abstract: A method of assembling a mirror head for a vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes providing a mirror casing, a mirror reflective element at the mirror casing, and a toggle mechanism, which includes a body portion and a toggle lever joined to the body portion. A lower pivot mount of the toggle mechanism is inserted into a lower receiving portion of the mirror casing and an upper pivot mount of the toggle mechanism is inserted into an upper receiving portion of the mirror casing. An outer surface of the body portion corresponds with adjacent outer surfaces of the mirror casing, and, when the toggle lever pivots relative to the lower receiving portion of the mirror casing, the mirror casing pivots relative to the body portion to flip the mirror head between a first orientation and a second orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Matthew V. Steffes, Peter Krebs
  • Patent number: 11140301
    Abstract: A vehicular camera module configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle includes a housing, a camera disposed in the housing, and a transparent cover rotatably mounted at the housing. The camera views through the transparent cover. With the vehicular camera module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, the camera views through the transparent cover in order to capture image data of a scene exterior of the vehicle. With the vehicular camera module mounted at the exterior portion of the vehicle, the transparent cover rotates relative to the camera and the housing at a rotational speed of at least 1,000 rotations per minute to at least partially remove water and/or debris from an outer surface of the transparent cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Condron, Anthony J. LaCross
  • Patent number: 11132903
    Abstract: A mirror reflective element sub-assembly suitable for use for an exterior rearview mirror assembly of a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element, a mirror back plate, and a blind zone indication module. The blind zone indication module attaches at the rear side of the mirror reflective element via an aperture of the mirror back plate. The blind zone indication module includes a housing that houses a circuit element and at least one light emitting diode therein. The rear side of the mirror back plate includes structure at the indicator receiving portion that at least partially receives the housing. The circuit element includes electrically conductive terminals that are in electrical connection with circuitry of the circuit element and that are disposed at a connector portion of the housing that is configured to connect to a wire harness of an exterior rearview mirror assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA MIRRORS OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Huizen, Mark E. Kramer