Illumination – Supported by vehicle structure – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-14
2001-06-26
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supported by vehicle structure
Automobile
C362S135000, C362S355000, C362S311040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250784
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wing mirror for use in a vehicle, and particularly, to wing mirrors mounted on a car door or a car body to project laterally from both sides thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicle such as an automobile or a motorcycle mounts two wing mirrors on the vehicle body to project laterally from both sides thereof, and the interval between the two wing mirrors is measured as the maximum width of the vehicle body. At night, in particular, the width of the vehicle body can just be seen with the aid of headlights and taillights, but it is hard to visually confirm the positions of the wing mirrors, thus causing a possible minor collision because pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and cars on the opposite lane may collide with the wing mirror.
For avoidance of this kind of collision, there have been proposed wing mirrors which are designed to include light-emitting elements, so as to allow the wing mirrors to radiate at night. For example, Japanese Laid-open Utility Model Publications No. Sho 62(1987)-121141, No. Hei 2(1990)-117936 and No. Hei 6(1994)-81836 propose several types of wing mirrors.
Those examples are designed so that the wing mirror is provided, in an interior or exterior thereof, with a light-emitting element using a light-emitting diode, an electric lamp, an electroluminescense and the like, so that the wing mirror can be lit up to ensure that the position of the projected wing mirror can be visible to pedestrians, bikes and cars on the opposite lane to prevent the minor collision with the wing mirror.
These proposed wing mirrors, which are provided with various kinds of light-emitting elements in the interior of the body case or in the exterior thereof, are all designed such that part of a body case of the wing mirror is made of transparent or translucent material or such that a gap is formed between the mirror and the body case. The wing mirrors thus designed disadvantageously cause some sense of incompatibility due to their appearance, as compared with the existing wing mirrors.
Thus, these conventional type of wing mirrors have the disadvantage of spoiling the total vehicle design or coloring or, in some instances, presenting a poor appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved wing mirror mounted on a vehicle to project laterally from both sides of the vehicle body, and which have therein a light-emitting element, the improved wing mirror being structured to present excellent design with little sense of incompatibility with the vehicle body.
To accomplish the above said object, the present invention provides a wing mirror for use in a vehicle, projecting laterally from a body of the vehicle and which has a traffic indicator and a hazard flasher. At least a front structural wall of a body case in which a mirror is housed is formed of a light-transmitting material and also a light emitting element is housed in the body case at a portion thereof opposing the light-transmitting material. Therefore, radiation of the light emitting element can be visible from at least the front of the vehicle through the light-transmitting material.
The wing mirror thus constructed operates as follows.
At least the front structural wall of the body case is formed of a light-transmitting material, the light emitting element is housed in the body case at a portion thereof at which the light emitting element is arranged opposite to the light-transmitting material. Therefore, when the light emitting element emits light, the light emitted therefrom can be allowed to pass through the body case, so that at least the front structural wall looks like it is radiating. Thus, even at night, the positions of the wing mirrors are plainly visible at least from the front of the vehicle.
It is noted that any light emitting element may be used, as long as it functions as a source of light having the capability of emitting light whose intensity is strong enough to pass through the body case. To be more specific, the light emitting elements which may be used include an electric lamp and a light-emitting diode.
An outer surface of the body case may be colored the same color as that of the body of the vehicle. With this construction, unless the light emitting element is allowed to radiate, no change is visually given to a common wing mirror mounted on an existing vehicle body and no internal structure in which the light emitting element is housed in the body case is visible from outside.
Further, a light-diffusing portion may be arranged on an inner surface of the light-transmitting material of the body case. With this construction, the light emitted from the light emitting element is diffused by the lightdiffusing portion.
Further, a part of the light emitting element may be so set in the case body as to emit light toward a rear portion of the vehicle. In addition, a rear structural wall of the body case may be formed of a light-transmitting material.
The light emitting element may be structured to emit light in association with the traffic indicator.
Also, the light emitting element may be structured to emit light in association with the hazard flasher.
Further, the body case may be formed of transparent resin, on an outer surface of which a light-transmitting coating is formed, and the lighttransmitting coating may be formed by a light-transmitting paint film or light-transmitting deposition film.
The light-transmitting coating may be colored the same color as that of the body of the vehicle.
The light-transmitting coating is applied to the whole outer surface of the body case, and a non-light-transmitting coating is applied to a part of an inner surface of the body case. The light emitting element is then provided in an area opposing an area in which the non-light-transmitting coating is formed.
The light-transmitting coating on the outer surface of the body case may be formed by metallizing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1563258 (1925-11-01), Cunningham
Cariaso Alan
DelGizzi Ronald E.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
Yasuhiro Kawasaki
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