See-through mirror with spaced reflective strips

• US 4,040,726 A
• Filed: 03/12/1976
• Issued: 08/09/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Francis B. Paca
• Original Assignee: Francis B. Paca
• Inventors: Paca, Francis B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US05/666,366
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 350/288, 350/278, 350/174, 350/304, 350/299, 350/292, 350/279, 350/280, 350/291, 350/172
• US Class Current: 359/636
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/143 using macroscopically faceted or segmented reflective surfaces

Abstract

A rear view mirror for an automotive vehicle, wherein the light-reflective surface is interrupted by at least one transparent segmental surface area, whereby the driver is enabled to directly view terrain that would otherwise be obstructed by the mirror. The transparent surface areas are preferably spaced on centers by a distance which has a relationship to an average driver'"'"'s interpupillary distance so that the driver can simultaneously view the light-reflective surface and transparent surface.

Claims

1. In an automotive vehicle, a rear view mirror located in near adjacency to the vehicle windshield for observation from the driver'"'"'s seat;

said rear view mirror having a light-reflective surface that is interrupted at a number of spaced points thereacross so that the mirror is subdivided into contiguous interspersed vertical reflective strips and vertical transparent strips;

the transverse width of each transparent strip being approximately the same as the transverse width of each reflective strip;

each transparent strip and reflective strip having an imaginary vertical centerline;

the centerlines of successive transparent strips being spaced apart by a distance equal to the average driver interpupillary distance of sixty millimeters times the factor X, where X is selected from the numerical grouping consisting of 2, 2/3, 2/5 and 2/7;

each strip having an appreciable recognizable width whereby an average driver is enabled to simultaneously train one eye on a transparent strip and the other eye on a reflective strip.

2. The rear view mirror of claim 1 wherein each transparent strip has a substantially triangular configuration arranged with the base of the triangle at the bottom edge of the mirror;

the width of each transparent strip being defined as the width of the corresponding base;

the width of each reflective strip being defined as the width measured at the bottom edge of the mirror between adjacent ones of the aforementioned bases.

3. The rear view mirror of claim 2 wherein each transparent triangle terminates a slight distance below the upper edge of the mirror, leaving a narrow continuous reflective area along the mirror upper edge for continuous view by the driver.