Rear-view mirror for motor vehicles

• US 4,822,140 A
• Filed: 10/27/1987
• Issued: 04/18/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
• Original Assignee: Bernhard Mittelhauser
• Inventors: Mittelhauser, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US07/113,786
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 350/278, 350/279, 350/280, 350/281, 350/634, 350/636
• US Class Current: 359/604
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors

Abstract

A rear-view mirror for a motor vehicle. The mirror housing, which is provided with the mirror body, is pivotable about an upper transverse axis into two positions (normal position and anti-glare position). In order to reduce the sensitivity of the mirror to vibrations, the housing has a supporting surface associated therewith, at least for the two above-mentioned positions. The supporting surface is curved in conformity with the pivot radius determined by the transverse axis. The housing and the holder, which is used for mounting the housing, preferably have curved surfaces which correspond to one another and via which these component parts may be mutually supported.

Claims

1. In a rear-view mirror for motor vehicles, especially an internal mirror, including a holder that is adjustably disposed on a ball-and-socket joint, and a dish-shaped housing that is provided with a mirror body, mounted in an aperture of said housing, and that is pivotably mounted to said holder about a horizontal axis in the region of the upper edge of said holder, with said housing being pivotable, by means of a pivot lever, into two end positions, namely a normal position and an anti-glare position, the improvement wherein:

additional support surface means are associated with said housing and said holder at least for supplementing said two end positions thereof to provide rigid abutment in radial direction, with said support surface means being located and curved in conformity with a pivot radius determined by said horizontal axis, said additional surface means assuring a secure adjustment so that undesired vibrations of the mirror are avoided during vehicle operation and assuring that radial forces applied to the rear-view mirror from end to end thereof are taken up safely via the rigid abutment in radial direction when manual adjustment of the rear-view mirror occurs other than at the location where the rear-view mirror is pivotably mounted.

2. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1, in which said support surface means extend over the entire pivot path of said housing.

3. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1, in which said support surface means comprise cooperating and correspondingly curved surfaces on both said housing and said holder.

4. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1, in which, when viewed in a direction toward said mirror body, said support surface means are disposed on both sides of said ball-and-socket joint.

5. A rear-view mirror according to claim 4, in which said holder is provided with pins that define said horizontal axis, with said pins being disposed at least essentially vertically above said support surface means.

6. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1, in which said holder has integrally formed thereon at least one strip-like element that cooperates with said pivot lever and serves as a changeover spring.

7. A rear-view mirror according to claim 1, which includes a changeover spring that operatively connects said holder and said pivot lever, with said support surface means and said changeover spring being embodied and disposed in such a way that said spring serves to bring or press said holder and said housing together in the region of said support surface means.