Mirror and mounting device

• US 4,549,790 A
• Filed: 05/29/1984
• Issued: 10/29/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Spy-Mirrors Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Spy-Mirrors Incorporated
• Inventors: Harris, Richard J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US06/614,966
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 350/624, 350/623, 350/618, 350/632, 350/631, 248/477, 248/476, 248/496, 248/495, 248/297.3
• US Class Current: 359/863
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/008 allowing the driver to see passengers, e.g. for busses combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1824 Manual alignment

Abstract

A rear viewing system allowing the driver to view occupants near the back of the bus comprises of a mirror resiliently mounted to a backing support member. The backing support member is attached to the back of the bus via two types of brackets. The first mounting bracket includes a mounting flange secured to the backing support member and an adjustable length L-shaped strut pivotally connected to the mounting flange and having a mounting surface adapted to be mounted flush to an interior wall of the bus. The second type of mounting bracket has two major components, a backing member strut and a securing strut. The backing member strut is essentially L-shaped as is the securing strut. The second mounting bracket is adjustable in that a fastener connects aligned openings in the backing member strut and securing strut.

Claims

1. A rear viewing system for allowing a driver to view occupants seated near the rear of a bus, the bus having a rear exit door and interior walls subject to vibration transmitted from an engine comprising:

a mirror;

a backing support member;

attachment means with said mirror and said backing support member for resiliently securing said mirror to said backing support member;

a first mounting bracket further comprising;

a mounting flange, said mounting flange secured to said backing support member;

an L-shaped strut pivotally connected at one end to said mounting flange, and having a mounting surface at its end opposite said pivotal connection, said mounting surface adapted to be mounted to an interior wall at the rear of the bus; and

a second mounting bracket further comprising;

a backing member strut having a mounting segment secured to said backing support member and an adjustment segment disposed substantially perpendicularly to said mounting segment, said adjustment segment formed having an opening therethrough;

a securing strut, having a mounting segment secured to the rear of the bus and an adjustment segment, said adjustment segment of said securing strut formed having an opening; and

securing means with said opening in said adjustment segment of said securing strut and said opening in said adjustment segment of said backing member strut for selectively retaining said backing member and securing struts to each other in different positions and thereby facilitating adjustment of the position of said mirror.

2. The rear viewing system of claim 1 wherein said mounting surface of said strut of said first mounting bracket is adapted to fit the contour of the rear interior wall of the bus.

3. The rear viewing system of claim 2 wherein:

said adjustment segment of said backing member strut further includes a serrated surface;

said adjustment segment or said securing strut further includes a serrated surface; and

said securing means retains the serrated surface on said back member against the serrated surface on said securing strut to allow said mirror to be selectively mounted in several positions and resist movement out of adjustment due to vibration of the rear of the bus when the bus is moving.

4. The rear viewing system of claim 3 wherein said strut of said first mounting bracket further comprises:

an adjustment member pivotally connected to said mounting flange and having an opening therethrough;

a securing member having an opening therethrough, and

adjustment means with said openings in said adjustment member and said securing member for selectively retaining said adjustment and securing members together in different positions thereby allowing said mirror to be focused on the occupants in the rear of the bus.

5. The rear viewing system of claim 4 wherein:

said adjustment member of said strut on said first mounting bracket has a serrated surface;

said securing member of said strut of said first bracket has a serrated surface; and

said adjustment means retains said serrated surfaces of said adjustment and securing members of said strut together in selectively different positions thereby allowing said mirror to be focused on the occupants seated adjacent the rear of the bus and further resisting movement out of adjustment of said mirror due to vibration of the rear of the bus when the bus is moving.

6. The rear viewing system of claim 5 wherein:

said mirror has a convex reflective surface.

7. The rear viewing of claim 6 wherein said attachment means further comprises:

a resilient channel member formed having an elongated groove; and

said mirror and said backing support member have substantially the same peripheral dimensions and both said mirror and backing support member having an end extending into said groove.

8. The rear viewing system of claim 7 wherein said resilient channel member is formed from sheet metal.

9. The rear viewing system of claim 7 wherein said resilient channel member is formed having a rubber interior component adapted to receive said mirror and said backing support member and a sheet metal component overlying and substantially enclosing said rubber interior component.

10. The rear viewing system of claim 7 wherein said mirror and said backing support member are formed having a pair of opposing arcuate edges;

and

a pair of opposing straight edges.

11. The rear viewing system of claim 10 wherein:

the distance between said opposing arcuate edges of said mirror is greater than the distance between said straight edges of said mirror.

12. The rear viewing system of claim 11 wherein:

two first mounting brackets are attached to said backing support member at a spaced relation to each other, each disposed adjacent a juncture of one of said arcuate edges and one of said straight edges of said backing support member; and

two second mounting brackets are attached to said backing support member at a spaced relation to each other and from said first mounting brackets, said second mounting brackets each disposed adjacent a juncture of said arcuate and straight edges of said backing support member.

13. The rear viewing system of claim 12 further including:

a second mirror mounted in the front of the bus, near the driver and adapted to permit the driver to observe said mirror mounted in the rear of the bus without turning his head.