Extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly for vehicles

• US 20020141085A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Van de Ven, Michiel P., Whitehead, Peter J., Hoek, Steven G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,582,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing

Abstract

An extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly includes a mounting bracket, a mirror subassembly, and a support which is supported by the mounting bracket. The mirror subassembly is supported by the support and is mounted for selective movement along the support arm to one of a plurality of viewing positions. The mirror subassembly includes a housing, a reflective element, and an actuator which supports the reflective element on a forward facing wall of the housing. The rearview mirror assembly further includes a clamping assembly which provides a force to urge frictional engagement between the housing and the support to limit movement of the mirror subassembly along the support. In preferred form, the support extends into the housing and frictionally engages an exterior surface of the forward facing wall.

Claims

1. An extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket for mounting to a vehicle;

a mirror subassembly having a housing and a reflective element;

a clamp; and

a support mounted on said mounting bracket for pivotal movement between a normal operating position and a folded position, said support extending laterally outward from said bracket when said mirror assembly is mounted to the vehicle and said support is in said normal operating position and, further, extending into said housing, said clamp being positioned in said housing and mounting said mirror subassembly to said support and permitting selective movement of said mirror subassembly along said support to one of at least two viewing positions, said clamp applying a force to urge frictional engagement between said support and said housing to limit movement of said mirror subassembly along said support until such a force is applied to said mirror subassembly sufficient to overcome said frictional engagement between said support and said housing.

2. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support comprises a single support arm.

3. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a load distributing member, said load distributing member and said clamp urging frictional engagement between said support and said housing.

4. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 3, wherein said support moves relative to said load distributing member when said mirror subassembly is moved along said support.

5. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 3, wherein said clamp includes a longitudinal passage, said load distributing member positioned in said passage, and at least a portion of said support extending through said longitudinal passage.

6. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 3, wherein said load distributing member comprising an elongate member having a longitudinal extent extending along at least a portion of said support.

7. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 6, wherein said load distributing member comprises an arcuate-shaped elongate member, said support having an arcuate bearing surface and a generally planar bearing surface, said load distributing member contacting said arcuate bearing surface and urging said generally planar bearing surface to engage said housing.

9. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said housing includes a mirror casing, said clamp urging frictional engagement between said support and said mirror casing.

10. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 9, wherein said mirror casing includes a casing wall defining a cavity, said reflective element supported in said cavity, and said clamp urging said support into frictional engagement with said casing wall.

11. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 10, further comprising a positioning device, said positioning device supporting said reflective element on said casing wall.

12. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 11, wherein said positioning device comprises an electrical actuator.

13. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a driver assembly, said driver assembly selectively applying a force in said laterally outward direction to move said mirror subassembly along said support.

14. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 13, wherein said driver assembly includes a motor, said motor mounted to said mirror casing and selectively moving said mirror subassembly along said support.

15. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 14, wherein said driver assembly further includes a threaded rod, said threaded rod drivingly coupled to said support and being driven by said motor to move said mirror subassembly along said support.

17. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 16, wherein said mirror casing includes a back wall, and said positioning device supporting said reflective element on said back wall.

18. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 17, wherein said positioning device is mounted to said back wall.

19. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 17, wherein said clamp applies a force to said support, said force urging said support into frictional engagement with said mirror casing.

20. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 19, wherein said clamp urges said support into frictional engagement with said back wall of said mirror casing.

21. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 19, further comprising a load distributing member, said clamp and said load distributing member urging said support into frictional engagement with said mirror casing.

22. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 21, wherein said support includes an arcuate bearing surface and a generally planar bearing surface, said load distributing member engaging said arcuate bearing surface of said support arm and urging said generally planar bearing surface into frictional engagement with said mirror casing.

23. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 22, wherein said load distributing member comprises an arcuate-shaped load distributing member.

24. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 23, wherein said load distributing member includes a plurality of inwardly projecting ribs, at least one of said ribs contacting said arcuate bearing surface of said support arm to urge said support into frictional engagement with said mirror casing.

25. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 24, wherein said load distributing member further includes a plurality of exteriorly positioned ribs, said clamp contacting said exteriorly positioned ribs to urge said support into frictional engagement with said mirror casing.

26. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 25, wherein said exteriorly positioned ribs are offset from said inwardly projecting ribs to thereby form a plurality discrete spring members in said load distributing member.

27. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 16, wherein said housing further includes a cover coupled to said mirror casing, said cover defining a second cavity in said housing, said support extending into said second cavity for frictionally engaging said mirror casing.

28. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 16, wherein said reflective element comprises a first reflective element, and said mirror subassembly having a second reflective element.

29. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 28, wherein said one of said first and second reflective elements comprises a convex reflective element.

30. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 16, wherein said clamp defines a longitudinal passage, a portion of said support extending into said longitudinal passage of said clamp, and said clamp including a load distributing member in said passage to urge said support into frictional engagement with said mirror casing.

31. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 16, wherein said positioning device comprises electrical actuator, said electrical actuator providing adjustment of said reflective element about at least one axis.

32. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 16, wherein said mirror casing includes a bearing member, said clamp urging said support into frictional engagement with said bearing member to limit movement of said mirror subassembly along said support.

33. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 32, wherein said bearing member comprises a metal plate.

35. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 34, wherein said support frictionally engages one side of said casing wall, said actuator being mounted to another side of said casing wall.

36. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 34, wherein said mirror subassembly includes a cover secured to said housing, said cover and said casing wall defining a second cavity therebetween, said support extending into said second cavity.

37. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 35, wherein said support includes a planar side, said clamping assembly urging said planar side of said support into frictional engagement with said casing wall.

38. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 34, wherein said support includes an elongated webbed body, said elongated webbed body including an arcuate bearing surface, said clamp assembly bearing on said arcuate bearing surface to urge said support into frictional engagement with said casing wall.

39. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 35, wherein said clamp assembly includes an arcuate-shaped bearing surface engaging said arcuate bearing surface of said support to urge said support into frictional engagement with said casing wall.

8. The extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 8, wherein said-support includes a composite body, said composite body including an elongate webbed member having said arcuate bearing surface and a plate bearing member having said generally planar bearing surface.

16. An extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket for mounting to a vehicle;

a mirror subassembly having a housing, a reflective element, and a positioning device, said housing having a mirror casing, said positioning device supporting said reflective element in said mirror casing;

a clamp; and

a support mounted to said mounting bracket, said support extending from the vehicle in a laterally outward direction and into said housing when said mirror assembly is mounted to a vehicle, said clamp mounting said mirror subassembly on said support and applying a force to urge frictional engagement between said support and said mirror casing to limit movement of said mirror subassembly along said support, and said mirror subassembly sliding along said support to one or more extended positions when a force is applied to said mirror subassembly of sufficient magnitude to overcome said frictional engagement between said support and said mirror casing.

34. An extendable exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket adapted for mounting to a vehicle;

a mirror subassembly having a housing, a reflective element, and an actuator, said housing including a mirror casing wall;

a clamp assembly; and

a support mounted to said mounting bracket for pivotal movement between a normal operating position wherein said support extends laterally outward from the vehicle in a folded, break-away position wherein said support is folded toward the vehicle, said mirror subassembly being supported on said support by said clamp assembly, said clamp assembly mounting said support to said casing wall and providing a force, said force providing frictional engagement between said support and said casing wall to releasably clamp said mirror subassembly on said support to limit the movement of said mirror subassembly along said support, said support moving relative to said clamp when a sufficient force is applied to said mirror subassembly to overcome said frictional engagement wherein said mirror subassembly moves along said support to one of a plurality of viewing positions.