Vehicular exterior rearview mirror system with signal light assembly

Claim 2

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system comprising: an exterior mirror assembly adapted for mounting to a side of a first vehicle; said exterior mirror assembly comprising a casing, said casing defining a cavity, a positionable reflectance element incorporated in said cavity, said reflectance element adjustably mounted with respect to said casing on an actuator for providing remote positioning of said reflectance element; a signal light assembly including a light source; said signal light assembly included in said exterior mirror assembly, said signal light assembly fixedly mounted with respect to said casing and separate from said positionable reflectance element; said signal light assembly adapted to project a pattern of light from said exterior mirror assembly directed rearwardly of the first vehicle and observable to a driver of a second vehicle passing from behind the side of the first vehicle equipped with said signal light assembly, said pattern of light of said signal light assembly substantially unobserved by a driver of the first vehicle when said exterior mirror assembly is mounted to said side of the first vehicle; said signal light assembly adapted for connection with a turn signal circuit of the first vehicle such that said signal light assembly actuates when the turn signal circuit is being actuated in order to provide a warning light to the driver of the second vehicle passing the first vehicle that a lane change by the first vehicle is intended, said warning light being substantially unobserved by the driver of the first vehicle; and said pattern of light substantially unobserved by a driver of a third vehicle approaching from a forward direction of said first vehicle when said signal light assembly is actuated by the turn signal circuit of the first vehicle.

Claim 3

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a lens.

Claim 4

The mirror system of claim 2 wherein said lens is selected from the group consisting of a segmented lens, a prismatic lens and a Fresnel lens.

Claim 5

The mirror system of claim 2 wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of said first vehicle is selected from the group consisting of red colored light and amber colored light.

Claim 6

The mirror system of claim 2 wherein said lens comprises a filtering lens.

Claim 7

The mirror system of claim 5 wherein said filtering lens comprises an amber filtering lens.

Claim 8

The mirror system of claim 5 wherein said filtering lens comprises a red filtering lens.

Claim 9

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a reflector.

Claim 10

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises an incandescent source.

Claim 11

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

Claim 12

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a fluorescent source.

Claim 13

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a light pipe.

Claim 14

The mirror system of claim 12 wherein said light pipe comprises a fibre optic bundle.

Claim 15

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle is selected from the group consisting of red colored light and amber colored light.

Claim 16

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 17

The mirror system of claim 15 wherein said signal light assembly includes a light source selected from the group consisting of an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a light-emitting diode and a light pipe.

Claim 18

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said signal light assembly includes at least one of an amber light source and an amber filtering lens.

Claim 19

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a halogen lamp.

Claim 20

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said exterior mirror assembly further incorporates a floodlight adapted to project another pattern of light generally downwardly and rearwardly on an area adjacent a portion of the first vehicle in order to create a lighted security zone in said area.

Claim 21

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said reflectance element comprises an electrochromic reflectance element.

Claim 22

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said mounting of said exterior mirror assembly comprises a breakaway joint assembly.

Claim 23

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a light pipe and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 24

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 25

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises an incandescent source and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 26

The mirror system of claim 1 wherein said light source comprises a fluorescent source and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 27

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system comprising: an exterior mirror assembly adapted for mounting to a side of a first vehicle; said exterior mirror assembly comprising a casing, said casing defining a cavity, a positionable reflectance element incorporated in said cavity, said reflectance element being moveably mounted with respect to said casing on an actuator for providing remote positioning of said reflectance element; a signal light assembly including a light source; said signal light assembly included in said exterior mirror assembly, said signal light assembly fixedly mounted with respect to said casing and separate from said positionable reflectance element; said signal light assembly adapted to project a pattern of light from said exterior mirror assembly directed rearwardly of the first vehicle and observable to a driver of a second vehicle passing from behind the side of the first vehicle equipped with said signal light assembly, said pattern of light of said signal light assembly substantially unobserved by a driver of the first vehicle when said exterior mirror assembly is mounted to said side of the first vehicle; said signal light assembly adapted for connection with a turn signal circuit of the first vehicle such that said signal light assembly actuates when the turn signal circuit is being actuated in order to provide a warning light to the driver of the second vehicle passing the first vehicle that a lane change by the first vehicle is intended, said warning light being substantially unobserved by the driver of the first vehicle; said pattern of light substantially unobserved by a driver of a third vehicle approaching from a forward direction of the first vehicle when said signal light assembly is actuated by the turn signal circuit of the first vehicle; said light source selected from the group consisting of an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a light-emitting diode and a light pipe; and wherein said exterior mirror assembly comprises a breakaway exterior mirror assembly.

Claim 28

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror system comprising: an exterior mirror assembly adapted for mounting to a side of a first vehicle; said exterior mirror assembly comprising a casing, said casing defining a cavity, a positionable reflectance element incorporated in said cavity, said reflectance element being moveably mounted with respect to said casing on an actuator for providing remote positioning of said reflectance element; a signal light assembly including a light source; said signal light assembly included in said exterior mirror assembly, said signal light assembly fixedly mounted with respect to said casing and separate from said positionable reflectance element; said signal light assembly adapted to project a pattern of light from said exterior mirror assembly directed rearwardly of the first vehicle and observable to a driver of a second vehicle passing from behind the side of the first vehicle equipped with said signal light assembly, said pattern of light of said signal light assembly substantially unobserved by a driver of the first vehicle when said exterior mirror assembly is mounted to said side of the first vehicle; said signal light assembly adapted for connection with a turn signal circuit of the first vehicle such that said signal light assembly actuates when the turn signal circuit is being actuated in order to provide a warning light to the driver of the second vehicle passing the first vehicle that a lane change by the first vehicle is intended, said warning light being substantially unobserved by the driver of the first vehicle; said pattern of light substantially unobserved by a driver of a third vehicle approaching from a forward direction of the first vehicle when said signal light assembly is actuated by the turn signal circuit of the first vehicle; said light source selected from the group consisting of an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp, a light-emitting diode and a light pipe; and wherein said exterior mirror assembly comprises a breakaway exterior mirror assembly.

Claim 29

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a lens.

Claim 30

The mirror system of claim 27 wherein said lens is selected from the group consisting of a segmented lens, a prismatic lens and a Fresnel lens.

Claim 31

The mirror system of claim 27 wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of said first vehicle is selected from the group consisting of red colored light and amber colored light.

Claim 32

The mirror system of claim 27 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a reflector.

Claim 33

The mirror system of claim 27 wherein said lens comprises a filtering lens.

Claim 34

The mirror system of claim 31 wherein said filtering lens comprises an amber filtering lens.

Claim 35

The mirror system of claim 31 wherein said filtering lens comprises a red filtering lens.

Claim 36

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a reflector.

Claim 37

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises an incandescent source.

Claim 38

The mirror system of claim 35 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a lens.

Claim 39

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode.

Claim 40

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises a fluorescent source.

Claim 41

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises a light pipe.

Claim 42

The mirror system of claim 39 wherein said light pipe comprises a fibre optic bundle.

Claim 43

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of said first vehicle is selected from the group consisting of red colored light and amber colored light.

Claim 44

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 45

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said signal light includes at least one of an amber light source and an amber filtering lens.

Claim 46

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said signal light assembly comprises a halogen lamp.

Claim 47

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said exterior mirror assembly further incorporates a floodlight adapted to project another pattern of light generally downwardly and rearwardly on an area adjacent a portion of the first vehicle in order to create a lighted security zone in said area.

Claim 48

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said reflectance element comprises an electrochromic reflectance element.

Claim 49

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises a light pipe and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 50

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises at least one light-emitting diode and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 51

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises an incandescent source and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.

Claim 52

The mirror system of claim 26 wherein said light source comprises a fluorescent source and wherein said pattern of light projecting rearwardly of the first vehicle comprises amber colored light.