Electricity: motive power systems – Automatic and/or with time-delay means – Movement – position – or limit-of-travel
Patent
1999-04-20
2000-10-17
Ip, Paul
Electricity: motive power systems
Automatic and/or with time-delay means
Movement, position, or limit-of-travel
318467, 318468, 466 36, 359841, 359877, 248900, H02P 700, G02B 718, F16D 706
Patent
active
061337048
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to an electric driving mechanism of a door mirror assembly for an automobile in which the door mirror assembly has a stay fixed to a door of the automobile and has a visor electrically driven relative to the stay between a using position and a housing position or between the using position and an emergently escaping position, and particularly relates to an improvement technique for conditioning a gap inevitably forming between the stay and the visor at the time of use.
BACKGROUND ART
FIG. 1 shows a conventional door mirror assembly in which a visor thereof is electrically driven. In the figure, a reference numeral 1 points to a stay which is fixed to a door of an automobile, and a reference numeral 2 points to a visor which is rotatably mounted on the stay 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the visor 2 of the door mirror assembly is rotatable with respect to the stay 1 between a using position, a housing position which is located behind the using position and an emergency escaping position which is located in front of the using position. The visor 2 is electrically driven by an electric driving system, a part of which is mounted on the stay 1, and a part of which is mounted on the visor 2.
The visor 2 has an inner bottom surface C2-1 and an inner side surface C1-1. On the other hand, the stay 1 has a generally horizontal surface C2-2 which supports the inner bottom surface C2-1 of the visor 2 from below, and has a longitudinal surface C1-2 which faces the visor 2 in parallel with the inner side surface C1-1 of the visor 2, where there are formed a gap C1 and a gap C2, therebetween, respectively. These gaps C1 and C2 are necessary elements required to let the visor 2 rotate smoothly with respect to the stay 1. Therefore, it is not possible to make the gaps C1 and C2 very small.
However, if the gaps C1 and C2 are more than 0.4 mm therebetween, there arises a problem that the gaps may cause a whistle effect to generate an air-striking sound when the automobile runs at a high speed. The more silent and quieter the interior of the automobile is, the more notieceable and pronounced the air-striking sound becomes due to the whistle effect. In order to solve this problem, such a countermeasure has been conventionally taken, for example, as to put a sponge body between the gaps or as to implant artificial hair on a surface forming the gaps, so as not to hinder the rotation of the visor. However, with the use of such means for a countermeasure, it is necessary to provide the gaps with the additional member(s) thereof; therefore, there arises a problem that the additional member(s) deteriorate(s) and/or become(s) worn with age.
Observing the necessity of the gaps therebetween, it is found that they are necessary only during times when the visor is rotated, that they are not necessary the visor is in the using position.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a main object of the present invention to provide an electric driving mechanism of a door mirror assembly in which a driving system for driving a visor forms the aforementioned gaps only during times when the visor is rotated and to makes the gaps approach zero when the visor is in the using position.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, a fundamental idea of the present invention is characterized in that the driving system for rotating the visor with respect to the stay is provided with a first visor side ring having an inclined surface and with a first stay side ring having an inclined surface, wherein when the visor rotates from a using position to a housing position, the inclined surface of the first visor side ring and the inclined surface of the first stay side ring ride on each other so that a predetermined gap is secured between the visor and the stay, and wherein, on the other hand, when the visor rotates from the housing position to the using position, the inclined surface of the first visor side ring and the inclined surface of the first stay side ring slide down from each other so tha
REFERENCES:
patent: 4832477 (1989-05-01), Torii et al.
patent: 4893916 (1990-01-01), Sakuma et al.
patent: 4919526 (1990-04-01), Umekawa et al.
patent: 4982926 (1991-01-01), Mori et al.
patent: 5190499 (1993-03-01), Mori et al.
Hayashi Ken-ichi
Yoshida Shigeki
Ip Paul
Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
LandOfFree
Motor drive unit for vehicular door mirror assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Motor drive unit for vehicular door mirror assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Motor drive unit for vehicular door mirror assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-472490