Rearview mirror assembly
A rearview mirror assembly that includes a housing and a printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing. The rearview mirror assembly further includes a monitoring system that includes an image capturing module, an illumination source connected to the PCB, and an optical element aligned with the illumination source. The optical element is configured to redirect an illumination from the illumination source toward an occupant position in an automobile.
1. A rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing;
a monitoring system comprising:
an image capturing module;
an illumination source connected to the PCB; and
an optical element aligned with the illumination source extending between a first side and a second side that includes a plurality of wedges extending linearly between the first side and the second side, each of the plurality of wedges including a slanted face extending in a curved profile from a bottom edge to an apex and configured to redirect and spread an illumination from the illumination source toward an occupant position in an automobile.
2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wedges are uniformly spaced between the first side to the second side.
3. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , further including a connection body directly connecting to the optical element and to the PCB, the PCB in a spaced relationship from the illumination source.
4. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3 , wherein the connection body includes a pair of pins extending from a pair of apertures in the optical element to the PCB.
5. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3 , wherein the connection body includes a pair of pins extending from a pair of apertures in the PCB to the optical element.
6. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the optical element includes a first major surface facing the illumination source and a second major surface facing away from the illumination source and the plurality of wedges are located on the first major surface.
7. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of wedges extend substantially entirely across the first major surface between the first side and the second side.
8. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of wedges arranged vertically relative to the illumination source and the housing to redirect and spread the illumination in a horizontal direction relative to the housing.
9. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of wedges arranged horizontally relative to the illumination source and the housing to redirect and spread the illumination in a vertical direction relative to the housing.
10. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of wedges arranged diagonally relative to the illumination source and the housing to redirect and spread the illumination in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction relative to the housing.
11. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of wedges includes a first plurality of wedges arranged on the first major surface in at least one of a vertical or horizontal orientation for directing the illumination in a first direction and a second plurality of wedges arranged on the second major surface that are perpendicular to the first plurality of wedges on the first major surface for directing the illumination in a second direction that is different than the first direction.
12. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 6 , wherein the curved profile of each slanted face has the same orientation.
13. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the optical element is formed of at least one of polycarbonate, silicon, or acrylic.
14. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 13 , wherein the optical element includes at least one additive configured to absorb light outside of the infrared spectrum.
15. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 14 , wherein the illumination source is configured to transmit infrared light.
16. A rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing;
a monitoring system comprising:
an image capturing module;
an illumination source connected to the PCB;
an optical element aligned with the illumination source that includes a plurality of wedges each including a slanted face extending from a bottom edge to an apex, the plurality of wedges configured to redirect and spread an illumination from the illumination source toward an occupant position in an automobile;
at least one pin extends directly between the PCB to the optical element; and wherein the slanted faces of the plurality of wedges each extend in a same curved profile from the bottom edge to the apex.
17. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 16 , wherein at least one pin extends from an aperture defined by the PCB to the optical element.
18. A rearview mirror assembly comprising:
a housing;
a transmission element at least partially located in the housing;
a printed circuit board (PCB) located in the housing;
a monitoring system comprising:
an image capturing module;
an illumination source connected to the PCB;
an optical element aligned with the illumination source configured to redirect an infrared illumination from the illumination source and substantially uniformly spread the infrared illumination toward an occupant position in an automobile; and wherein the optical element includes a plurality of wedges extending linearly between a first side and a second side, each of the plurality of wedges including a slanted face extending in a curved profile from a bottom edge to an apex.