Optical: systems and elements – Mirror – With support
Patent
1991-10-29
1993-12-28
Arnold, Bruce V.
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
With support
359877, 248487, 74 8975, G02B 718, B60R 106
Patent
active
052745058
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote-controlled rearview mirror assembly such as automobile door mirror assembly, of which the mirror is supported tiltably relative to the housing thereof, and more particularly, to an improved and novel electrical remote-control mirror assembly, of which the mirror can be tilted down quickly and easily at any time for viewing the rear wheel and its vicinity of the car.
2. Prior Art Statement
An electrical remote-control automobile mirror assembly is disclosed in, for example, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,166, of which the mirror is supported tiltably relative to the housing thereof and can be turned vertically and horizontally by means of remote-controlled motors.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of the well-known electrical remote-control mirror assembly of this type.
FIG. 1 is a front view showing the drive unit from which the mirror body is removed, the casing 1 of the drive unit being partially cut off. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II--II, showing the drive unit on which the mirror body is attached.
Two axes X-X' and Y-Y' perpendicular to each other are set as shown in FIG. 1. There is provided at the intersection O of these axes a ball-and-socket joint 2 by which the mirror body 3 is tiltably supported as shown in FIG. 2. The reference numeral 4 indicates a mirror proper.
As shown in FIG. 1, plungers 5 are provided on the axes X-X' and Y-Y', respectively. The plunger 5 has provided at the end thereof a ball-and-socket joint 6 coupled to the mirror body 3, as shown in FIG. 2. The plunger 5 has formed axially therein a recess 7 in which a projection 8 provided on the drive casing 1 is engaged against axial pivoting of the plunger 5, and it has fitted thereon a gear 9 at the last speed reduction step. The gear 9 is rotated by a motor 10 by means of a speed reduction gear group 11.
As described above, the plunger 5 is blocked against axial pivoting and has formed on the outer circumference thereof a thread which is in mesh with the gear 9. Thus, as the gear 9 is rotated, the plunger 5 is axially driven to tilt the mirror body 3.
The adjusting range of the angular position of the mirror 4 tilted by the above-mentioned drive unit (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is so set as to cover the necessary range for an ordinary driving of the car on the road. Also, the tilt speed of the mirror body 3 is limited to such an extent that it can be adjusted with an accuracy required in practice. This is because if the mirror body is tilted too quickly, it is rather difficult to adjust the tilt angle to a desired one.
However, in any special driving of the car, for example, when moving the car backward in the vicinity of a road edge or in the direction of its width, it is desired to have a vision of the rear wheel and its vicinity, of which the image is viewed as reflected by the door mirror (this vision will be referred to as "reflected image" hereinafter).
FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing the viewing, by means of a door mirror, of the rear wheel and its vicinity.
The point "Eye" in FIG. 3 is the position of the driver's eyes. In the ordinary driving of a car, the door mirror posture (theoretically a door mirror angle relative to the road surface, or practically a door mirror angle relative to the car body; this will be referred to as "mirror angle" hereinafter) is so adjusted as to view the reflected image within the angular range .music-flat. in FIG. 3 for the purpose of knowing the position of a car behind or the like.
When moving the car backward in the vicinity of a road edge, the reflected image within the angle .phi. in FIG. 3 can desirably be viewed by tilting down the mirror body. To this end, it is required that the rear wheel should be within the angular range .phi. and that the road surface over the distance L necessary for knowing the position of the car behind should also be within this angular range .phi..
For the driver to view the reflected image of the rear wheel and its vicinity, the door mirror should b
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patent: 4940321 (1990-07-01), Yoshida
Nagayama Yoshirou
Sekino Takao
Arnold Bruce V.
Ichikoh Industries Ltd.
Shafer R. D.
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