Electric mirror angle adjusting device with pivoting cross-shaped member

• US 4,498,738 A
• Filed: 02/23/1982
• Issued: 02/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murakami Kaimedio Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Murakami Kaimedio Company Limited
• Inventors: Kumai, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, David
• Application Number:
  US06/351,469
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 350/289, 350/307, 74/471 XY, 74/501 M, 74/460-471, 74/490-501.5, 248/900
• US Class Current: 359/874
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/90 Movable or disengageable on impact or overload
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

An electric device for adjusting the angle of reflection of a mirror mounted on a motor vehicle. The mirror is pivotally connected to an actuator unit housing containing two actuators. Two adjusting nuts each having a movable pivot are respectively moved forward or backward by their actuators so as to adjust the angle of the mirror. The device of the invention is characterized by having a first guide means and/or a second guide means for controlling the direction of inclination, horizontal or vertical, of the mirror so as to prevent the mirror from being obliquely displaced during the operation of the motor vehicle. The first guide means comprises a cross-shaped member provided in front of the actuator unit housing and a cross-shaped groove, engaging therewith, provided on a mirror holder. Alternatively, the first guide means may comprise a cross pin, one of the two axes thereof being supported on the actuator unit housing, the other axis thereof being supported on the mirror holder. The second guide means comprises openings, longer in the horizontal or vertical direction, into which the adjusting nuts are respectively inserted.

Claims

1. An electric mirror angle adjusting device comprising:

a mirror having a front and a back face

a mirror holder having a front and a back face said mirror holder being mounted on the back face of said mirror,

a stationary supporting pivot provided on the back face of said mirror holder,

an actuator unit including a housing pivotably connected to said mirror holder at the back face thereof, two actuators, two worm mechanisms respectively driven by said actuators, two pivot screws respectively disposed within worm wheels in said worm mechanisms, and adjusting nuts each having a movable pivot, each said adjusting nut being respectively moved forward or backward by rotation of said pivot screw engaged therewith, and

a guide means for controlling the direction of horizontal and vertical inclination of said mirror, said mirror holder being movable under the control of said guide means about said stationary supporting pivot, said guide means comprising a cross-shaped member disposed on said actuator unit housing, having adjacent its center a spherical bearing having an inner surface into which said stationary supporting pivot is fitted, and an outer surface, said cross-shaped member extending along the horizontal and vertical axes of said mirror, and a cross-shaped groove provided on the back face of said mirror holder pivotably engaging said cross-shaped member, the said outer surface of said spherical bearing being supported by internal members of said cross-shaped groove which abut said outer surface of said spherical surface.

2. An electric mirror angle adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, which is further provided with another guide means for controlling the direction of inclination, horizontal or vertical, of said mirror, said another guide means comprising said adjusting nuts disposed within said actuator unit housing, two openings into which said adjusting nuts are respectively inserted, said openings being both provided through the front face of said actuator unit housing, one of said openings, for horizontal adjustment, being longer in the horizontal direction, the other opening for vertical adjustment being longer in the vertical direction.

3. An electric mirror angle adjusting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said actuator unit comprises two small electric motors within said actuator unit housing, two worm wheels respectively driven by said electric motors, two pivot screws respectively disposed within said worm wheels and engaged therewith, and said adjusting nuts respectively engaging with said pivot screws.

4. An electric mirror angle adjusting device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each said electric motor is provided with a vibration absorbing member and each said electric motor is mounted within said actuator unit housing through the intermediary of said vibration absorbing members so as to prevent resonances of said actuator unit housing during rotation of said electric motors.

5. An electric mirror angle adjusting device as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said adjusting nuts is provided at its lower end with a plurality of catches engaging with one of said pivot screws, and is further provided with projections extending outward beyond the perimeter of said opening so as to prevent the adjusting nut from coming out of the opening.