Angle adjusting arrangement for adjusting an element about two axes

• US 4,403,829 A
• Filed: 05/04/1981
• Issued: 09/13/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Sumi, Yorinobu, Thujiuchi, Yoshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Application Number:
  US06/261,137
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 350/289, 248/487
• US Class Current: 359/874
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

An improved angle adjusting arrangement for mirrors of a motor vehicle and the like includes a fixing base which is provided in a mirror case and to which approximately the central portion of a rear face of a back cover member for supporting a mirror is pivotally connected, and driving units each having a reversible motor, a mirror push-pull control shaft and power transmitting members which are accommodated in a compact housing and arranged to transmit the power of the reversible motor to the mirror push-pull control shaft for selective advancing or retraction of the mirror push-pull control shaft in the axial direction so as to laterally and vertically adjust the angles of the mirror.

Claims

1. An apparatus for adjusting the angular position of an element about two axes, said apparatus comprising:

a case having a fixing base;

a back cover member supporting an element to be adjusted and including a rear face having approximately a central portion thereof pivotally connected to said fixing base at a pivot point;

a first driving unit positioned within said case on one side of a first axis extending through said pivot point for pivoting said back cover member and element about said first axis;

a second driving unit positioned within said case on one side of a second axis extending through said pivot point substantially at a right angle to said first axis for pivoting said back cover member and element about said second axis; and

said first and second driving units being of substantially identical construction, and each said driving unit comprising a housing fixed within said case and including first and second housing portions, a reversible motor within said housing, a push-pull control shaft extending from said housing and having an outer end connected to said rear face of said back cover member, and power transmitting means connecting said motor to said control shaft, such that selective reversible operation of said motor selectively advances and retracts said control shaft axially thereof with respect to said housing, thereby pivoting said back cover member and element in opposite directions about the respective said axis.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said case comprises a mirror case for a motor vehicle, said element comprises a mirror, and said first and second axes respectively are adapted to extend approximately vertically and horizontally.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said back cover member is pivotally connected to said fixing base by means of a spherical portion provided at approximately said central portion of said rear face of said back cover member and movably received in a semi-spherical recess formed at a forward end of a projecting portion extending upwardly from a support member secured to said fixing base.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power transmitting means of each said driving unit comprises a gear train connected to an output shaft of said reversible motor and threadedly coupled to said control shaft for the selective advancing and retraction of said control shaft with respect to said housing.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said control shafts are coupled, at respective said outer ends thereof, to corresponding bearing portions provided on said rear face of said back cover member.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving units are oriented within said case such that one of said driving units is directed as is the other of said driving units but rotated by 180°

with respect thereto.