Optical: systems and elements – Mirror – With support
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-02
2004-01-27
Sikder, Mohammad (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Mirror
With support
C359S877000, C359S864000, C359S841000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06682200
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control-type vehicle mirror device in which the mirror face is tilted by a remote control, or a manual type vehicle mirror device in which the mirror face is tilted manually, for example, a rear-view mirror device for automobiles.
2) Description of the Related Art
As this type of vehicle mirror devices, there are, for example, one described in publication of unexamined patent applications (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-104172 (see
FIG. 1
, FIG.
4
and FIG.
5
), one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,584 (see FIG.
4
and FIG.
5
), one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,326 (see
FIG. 1
,
FIG. 2
,
FIG. 4
, FIG.
5
and FIG.
11
), and one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,151 (see FIG.
4
and FIG.
5
).
In this type of vehicle mirror devices, a mirror unit is generally held tiltably in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction by a power unit, being a holding member, via a pivot mechanism. The pivot mechanism comprises a spherical convex surface provided on the mirror unit side, a spherical concave surface provided on the power unit side and a spring member, which makes the spherical convex surface and the spherical concave surface abut on each other by a spring force. By driving the power unit, the mirror unit tilts in the horizontal direction about a vertical axis, which passes through the center of the spherical convex surface and the center of the spherical concave surface of the pivot mechanism, and also tilts in the vertical direction about a horizontal axis passing through the centers thereof.
In the conventional vehicle mirror device, however, the spherical convex surface and the spherical concave surface are simply made to abut on each other by a spring force. Therefore, in the conventional vehicle mirror device, if a force larger than the spring force acts on the pivot mechanism in a direction opposite to the direction of action of the spring force, the spherical convex surface and the spherical concave surface may be away from each other totally or partially. In this case, the mirror unit is held unstably with respect to the power unit, and hence it becomes difficult to hold the mirror face at a predetermined tilted position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle mirror device, in which the mirror unit is always held stably with respect to a holding member (power unit), and the mirror face can be held always at a predetermined tilted position.
To achieve the object, according to one aspect of this invention, a pivot receiver is provided in the mirror unit or the holding member, and a pivot portion is provided in the other thereof. A hollow portion is provided inside of the pivot receiver, and an opening communicating with the hollow portion is provided at one end of this pivot receiver. The pivot portion is press-fitted tiltably to the hollow portion from the opening of the pivot receiver, and a spring member is fitted to the outside on the one end side of the pivot receiver, to thereby fasten the pivot receiver onto the pivot portion.
According to the aspect, the pivot portion is press-fitted to the inside hollow portion of the pivot receiver, thereby the pivot receiver wraps the pivot portion from outside, and the spring member is fitted to the outside on the one end side of the pivot receiver, thereby the pivot receiver fastens the pivot portion from outside. Hence, in this invention, the outer face of the pivot portion and the inner face of the hollow portion of the pivot receiver abut on each other securely all the time, thereby the mirror unit is held always stably with respect to the holding member. As a result, the mirror face can be held reliably at a predetermined tilted position all the time.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are specifically set forth in or will become apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5100095 (1992-03-01), Haan et al.
patent: 5539584 (1996-07-01), Perry et al.
patent: 5568326 (1996-10-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5946151 (1999-08-01), Levko
patent: 6422707 (2002-07-01), Pirner et al.
patent: 6505944 (2003-01-01), Lewis
patent: 6550923 (2003-04-01), Sakamoto et al.
patent: 08-104172 (1996-04-01), None
Kikuchi Akito
Tsuyama Osamu
Ichikoh Industries Ltd.
Sikder Mohammad
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