US 2,006,050,018 · Filed 2003-12-19
The Pop-Out Rearview Mirror Screen That Changed Car Dashboards
Imagine a rearview mirror in your car that hides a video screen inside it. When you need it, the screen slides out from the side of the mirror casing like a drawer. It can pop out automatically when you're backing up or doing certain driving tasks, then tuck back away when you're done.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a rearview mirror assembly with a built-in video display screen that slides in and out parallel to the mirror's length. What's protected here is the mechanical design where the screen starts hidden inside the casing, then extends outward for use and retracts back in. The patent also covers the ability to have the screen pop out automatically in response to triggers like putting the car in reverse or other driving events.
Why it matters
This patent addresses a real automotive design challenge: how to add a display screen to a rearview mirror without making the mirror bulky or awkward when the screen isn't needed. By making the screen retractable, the inventor kept the mirror sleek in its default state while adding modern functionality. This kind of modular accessory thinking became important as cars needed to integrate more electronics without cluttering the dashboard.
Real-world use
When you shift your car into reverse, a hidden screen slides out from your rearview mirror to show you a backup camera view, then automatically slides back in once you shift forward again.
Original USPTO abstract
An accessory system for a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly and a display screen that is extendable and retractable relative to a casing. The display screen is slidably mounted at the casing and slidable in a direction generally parallel to a length axis of the reflective element between a non-use position, where the video display screen is positioned substantially within the casing, and a use position, where the video display screen is substantially extended from a side of the casing for viewing. The display screen may be automatically extended in response to an activating event. The accessory system may include an accessory module, which may comprise multiple sub-modules that may be selected to provide the desired accessory content to the accessory module.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 2,006,050,018
- Filing date
- 2003-12-19
- Grant date
- Application — not yet granted
- Assignee
- Hutzel Barry W / Taylor David W / Kenneth Schofield / Whitehead Peter J / Dewind Darryl P / Weber Richard J / Lynam Niall R
- Inventor(s)
- HUTZEL BARRY W., TAYLOR DAVID W., SCHOFIELD KENNETH, WHITEHEAD PETER J., DEWIND DARRYL P., WEBER RICHARD J., LYNAM NIALL R.
- CPC class
- B60R1/12
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