WINDSHIELD FRAME WITH INTEGRATED SIDE AND REARVIEW MIRRORS
First Claim
1. A frame for supporting a windshield, a rearview mirror and at least one side-view mirror of a vehicle, the vehicle having a front end, a back end and a centerline, the frame comprising:
- first and second side pillars;
each side pillar having a lower end for attachment to the body of a vehicle, an upwardly extending body, and an upper end;
each side pillar further having a front side facing the front end of the vehicle and a rear side facing away from the front end of the vehicle;
a top member having first and second lateral ends attached to the upper ends of the respective side pillars and a central portion extending between the lateral ends;
the top member further having a front side facing the front end of the vehicle and a rear side facing away from the front end of the vehicle;
a rearview mirror mounting structure defined on the top member near the centerline of the vehicle;
the rearview mirror mounting structure being adapted to receive a rearview mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle;
the rearview mirror mounting structure having an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that is at least coincident with the areal extent of the rearview mirror to be mounted thereto;
at least one side-view mirror mounting structure defined on one of the top member and side pillar members at a position between the rearview mirror mounting structure and the outer lateral edges of the side pillar members;
the side-view mirror mounting structure being adapted to receive a side-view mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle;
the side-view mirror mounting structure having an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that is at least coincident with the areal extent of the side-view mirror to be mounted thereon.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A frame for supporting a windshield, a rearview mirror and at least one side-view mirror of a vehicle. The frame comprises first and second side pillars, each side pillar having a lower end for attachment to the body of a vehicle, an upwardly extending body, and an upper end. A top member having first and second lateral ends is attached to the upper ends of the respective side pillars and a central portion extends between the lateral ends. A rearview mirror mounting structure is defined on the top member near the centerline of the vehicle, is adapted to receive a rearview mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle, and has an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that is at least coincident with the areal extent of the rearview mirror to be mounted thereto. At least one side-view mounting structure is defined on one of the top member and side pillar members at a position between the rearview mirror mounting structure and the outer lateral edges of the side pillar members. The side-view mirror mounting structure is adapted to receive a side-view mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle, and has an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that is at least coincident with the areal extent of the side-view mirror to be mounted thereon.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A frame for supporting a windshield, a rearview mirror and at least one side-view mirror of a vehicle, the vehicle having a front end, a back end and a centerline, the frame comprising:
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first and second side pillars; each side pillar having a lower end for attachment to the body of a vehicle, an upwardly extending body, and an upper end; each side pillar further having a front side facing the front end of the vehicle and a rear side facing away from the front end of the vehicle; a top member having first and second lateral ends attached to the upper ends of the respective side pillars and a central portion extending between the lateral ends; the top member further having a front side facing the front end of the vehicle and a rear side facing away from the front end of the vehicle; a rearview mirror mounting structure defined on the top member near the centerline of the vehicle; the rearview mirror mounting structure being adapted to receive a rearview mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle; the rearview mirror mounting structure having an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that is at least coincident with the areal extent of the rearview mirror to be mounted thereto; at least one side-view mirror mounting structure defined on one of the top member and side pillar members at a position between the rearview mirror mounting structure and the outer lateral edges of the side pillar members; the side-view mirror mounting structure being adapted to receive a side-view mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle; the side-view mirror mounting structure having an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that is at least coincident with the areal extent of the side-view mirror to be mounted thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A frame for supporting a windshield, a rearview mirror and at least one side-view mirror of a vehicle, the vehicle having a front end, a back end, a centerline and a programmable computer, the frame comprising:
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first and second side pillars; each side pillar having a lower end for attachment to the body of a vehicle, an upwardly extending body, and an upper end; each side pillar further having a front side facing the front end of the vehicle and a rear side facing away from the front end of the vehicle; a top member having first and second lateral ends attached to the upper ends of the respective side pillars and a central portion extending between the lateral ends; the top member further having a front side facing the front end of the vehicle and a rear side facing away from the front end of the vehicle; a rearview mirror mounting structure defined on the top member near the centerline of the vehicle; the rearview mirror mounting structure being adapted to receive a rearview mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle; the rearview mirror mounting structure having an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that superposes or exceeds the areal extent of the rearview mirror to be mounted thereto; the rearview mirror mounting structure further including a two-axis electrical adjusting mechanism that is controllable by the vehicle'"'"'s programmable computer; at least one side-view mounting structure defined on one of the top member and side pillar members at a position between the rearview mirror mounting structure and the outer lateral edges of the side pillar members; the side-view mirror mounting structure being adapted to receive a side-view mirror facing away from the front end of the vehicle; the side-view mirror mounting structure having an areal extent, when viewed from the front end of the vehicle, that superposes or exceeds the areal extent of the side-view mirror to be mounted thereon; the side-view mirror mounting structure further including a two-axis electrical adjusting mechanism that is controllable by the vehicle'"'"'s programmable computer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An integrated windshield frame and mirror aiming system for a vehicle having a windshield, the system comprising:
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a windshield frame/mirror assembly mounted on the vehicle, the assembly including a windshield frame adapted for supporting the windshield of the vehicle; a rearview mirror mounted to the windshield frame using a first two-axis electrical aiming mechanism; a right side side-view mirror mounted to the right side of the windshield frame using a second two-axis electrical aiming mechanism; a left side side-view mirror mounted to the left side of the windshield frame using a third two-axis electrical aiming mechanism; and a programmable computer mounted in the vehicle and operatively connected to the first, second and third two-axis electrical aiming mechanisms; whereby the aiming of the rearview mirror, the right side side-view mirror and the left side side-view mirror can be selectively changed in response to control signals sent from the computer to the respective aiming mechanisms. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification