Telescopic exterior rear view mirror

• US 4,907,871 A
• Filed: 07/12/1989
• Issued: 03/13/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mei-Wen H. Hou
• Original Assignee: Mei-Wen H. Hou
• Inventors: Hou, Mei-Wen H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafer, R. D.
• Application Number:
  US07/378,980
• Time in Patent Office: 244 Days
• Field of Search: 350/604, 350/606, 350/625, 350/626, 350/639, 248/476, 248/477, 248/478, 248/480
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors

Abstract

A telescopic exterior rear-view mirror for motor vehicles which comprises a first side mirror device having an inner chamber and a second side mirror adapted to move laterally outwardly from a retracted position in the chamber of the first side mirror device into an extended position in a telescopic fashion, a spring disposed between adjacent side walls of the first side mirror device and the second side mirror device for expelling the second side mirror device from the retracted position into the extended position and a lock and release means for locking the second side mirror device in the retracted position and operating to release the second side mirror device therefrom.

Claims

1. A telescopic exterior rear-view mirror for motor vehicles comprising:

a first side mirror device having a housing carrying a first mirror and having a first side wall, a second side wall opposed to the first side wall having an opening and said housing having an inner chamber;

secure means for securing the housing to the body of the motor vehicle;

a first ball joint connector rotatably and adjustably interconnecting the secure means and the first side wall of the housing;

rail means transversely arranged in the housing;

a second side mirror device having a frame member carrying a second mirror facing a direction substantially corresponding to that of the first mirror, adapted to be stored in the chamber of the housing of the first side mirror device, having a lagging side wall and leading side wall respectively corresponding to the first side wall and the second side wall of the housing and movable between a retracted position in the housing and an extended position through the opening in the second side wall of the housing;

an intermediate body having a lagging side and a leading side respectively corresponding to the lagging side wall and leading side wall of the frame member of the second side mirror device;

a second ball joint assembly connector rotatably and adjustably interconnecting the leading side of the intermediate body and the lagging side wall of the frame member of the second side mirror device;

a slide member engaged in the rail means of said housing and attached to the intermediate body for sliding the second side mirror device between a retracted position and an extended position;

a spring unit disposed between the first side wall of the housing and the lagging side of the intermediate body for expelling the second side mirror device from the retracted position into the extended position;

a pair of retaining members opposedly formed on the first side wall of the housing and the lagging side of the intermediate body and having respective recesses for retaining the end portions of the spring unit; and

a lock and release means having a portion board extending across the parallel horizontal side walls of the housing and having a passage formed in a central portion thereof, a spring plate located along a longitudinal edge of the retaining member on the lagging side of the intermediate body frame member and extending outwardly in a direction generally parallel to the partition board, with a free end portion of the spring plate normally positioned beyond the passage of said partition board to lock the second side mirror device in the retracted position and an actuating rod means having an actuating rod pointing inwardly in a direction generally parallel to the partition board with an end adjacent to the free end of the spring and when actuated, said rod moves inwardly to depress the free end of the spring to release the second mirror device from the retracted position.

2. A telescopic exterior rear-view mirror for motor vehicles as claimed in claim 1 wherein a convex mirror is further mounted on the top portion of said housing of said first side mirror device, which includes a stand secured to the housing and a mirror frame carrying a convex mirror and adjustably connected to the stand through a third ball joint assembly.