FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of rearview mirror assemblies for vehicles and, more particularly, to an interior rearview mirror assembly that has user inputs, such as for a telematics system or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Typically, an interior rearview mirror assembly may include user inputs, such as buttons or the like, at a mirror bezel portion of the mirror casing, whereby actuation of the user inputs activates or adjusts or controls a telematics feature, such as a hands free telephone feature or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an interior rearview mirror assembly that includes user inputs or touch or proximity sensors disposed behind the reflective element of the mirror assembly and operable to sense the presence of a user's finger at or near the front surface of the reflective element and in the vicinity of the touch or proximity sensor. The touch sensor comprises a backlit sensor element that comprises a plurality of electrically conductive traces disposed or established at a transparent or translucent substrate, with the electrically conductive traces being established as a pattern that allows for light emanating from the backlighting device or element to pass through the sensor for backlighting an icon established in front of the sensor for viewing through the reflective element by a person viewing the mirror assembly when the mirror assembly is normally mounted in a vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror reflective element comprising at least one glass substrate and a mirror reflector established at a surface of the glass substrate. A touch sensor is disposed behind the mirror reflective element and is operable to sense the presence of a person's finger at a touch zone at the front surface of the mirror reflective element and proximate to the touch sensor. An iconistic element or appliqué is disposed in front of the touch sensor and between the touch sensor and the glass substrate of the mirror reflective element. A backlighting device is operable to backlight the touch sensor and the appliqué, and, when backlit, the touch sensor transmits light through a touch sensing element of the touch sensor to backlight the appliqué so that an icon established at the appliqué is backlit and is viewable through the mirror reflective element by a driver of the vehicle when the interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted in the vehicle. The touch sensor is substantially light transmissive at least at the touch sensing element.

Optionally, the touch sensing element may comprise a substantially non-light-transmissive electrically conductive trace established at a generally transparent or translucent substrate, with the electrically conductive trace established at the substrate in a manner that allows light emanating from the backlighting device to pass through the substrate and the touch sensing element. For example, the touch sensing element may comprise a patterned electrically conductive trace comprising multiple spaced apart traces and wherein light emanating from the backlighting device passes through gaps between the spaced apart traces to backlight the icons established at the appliqué.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an exterior rearview mirror assembly configured for mounting at an exterior portion of a vehicle includes a base configured for attachment at an exterior portion of a vehicle and a mirror head attached at the base and pivotable relative to the base. The mirror head includes a mirror reflective element. A first actuator is operable to pivot the base relative to the exterior portion of the vehicle about a first pivot axis, and a second actuator operable to pivot the mirror head relative to the base about a second pivot axis. The first and second actuators are cooperatively operable to pivot the base about the first pivot axis and to pivot the mirror head about the second pivot axis to adjust the mirror reflective element relative to the exterior portion of the vehicle to adjust the rearward field of view of a driver of the vehicle. The first and second actuators may be operable at different rotational speeds to adjust the rearward field of view of the driver of the vehicle. The first and second pivot axes may be angled relative to one another at an angle of between about 15 degrees and about 90 degrees.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

