Retractable conversation mirror

• US 4,934,802 A
• Filed: 02/25/1988
• Issued: 06/19/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dykstra, Ronald A., Binish, Pat, Fluharty, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lerner, Martin
• Application Number:
  US07/160,121
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 296/97 R, 296/97 C, 296/97 F, 248/486, 248/549, 248/900, 248/481, 248/483, 362/135, 362/136, 362/142, 362/144, 350/604, 350/606, 350/629, 350/625, 350/636
• US Class Current: 359/841
• 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 relatively small convex mirror is retractably mounted to a housing, located at the roof-line of a vehicle at the center windshield area for movement between a use position extended from the housing to permit a front seat occupant to view the face of a rear seat occupant and a stored position retracted within the housing.

Claims

1. A retractable conversation mirror assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle, centrally above a vehicle windshield;

means for retractably mounting a relatively small convex mirror to said housing for movement between a use position, such that a vehicle operator can view faces of forwardly facing rear seat passengers directly through said mirror and a stored position in which the mirror is retracted within said housing;

wherein said means for retractably mounting said mirror comprises a mirror frame and a pivot arm including means for coupling one end of said pivot arm to said mirror frame and a pivot connection at an opposite end of said arm for pivotally coupling said arm to said housing, wherein said pivot coupling means includes bias means for urging said mirror to an extended use position, said assembly further including means for releasably holding said mirror in a retracted position within said housing; and

wherein said means coupling said pivot arm to said mirror frame includes a ball joint.

2. The mirror assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for releasably holding said mirror in a retracted position comprises a latch mounted to said housing and including bias means for urging said latch in a latching position and means mounted to said mirror frame and cooperating with said latch to be releasably held thereby.

3. The mirror assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said housing includes a snap-fitted bezel to which said pivot arm and latch is mounted.

4. A conversation mirror assembly comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted to the roof of a vehicle centrally above the vehicle windshield;

a relatively small convex mirror;

means for mounting said mirror to said housing such that a vehicle operator can view faces of forwardly facing rear seat passengers directly through said convex mirror;

wherein said mounting means comprises a mirror frame and a pivot arm including means for coupling one end of said pivot arm to said mirror frame and means for pivotally coupling an opposite end of said arm to said housing for movement of said mirror from a use position, extended at least partially from said housing to a stored position, retracted into said housing;

wherein said pivot coupling means includes bias means for urging said mirror to an extended use position, said assembly further including means for releasably holding said mirror in a retracted position within said housing; and

wherein said means coupling said pivot arm to said mirror frame includes a ball joint.

5. The mirror assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for releasably holding said mirror in a retracted position comprises a latch mounted to said housing and including bias means for urging said latch in a latching position and means mounted to said mirror frame and cooperating with said latch to be releasably held thereby.

6. The mirror assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said housing includes a snap-fitted bezel to which said pivot arm and latch is mounted.

7. A conversation mirror assembly for a vehicle for permitting a front seat occupant to see faces of forwardly facing rear seat occupants directly through the conversation mirror comprising:

a housing mounted to the roof of the vehicle, adjacent the windshield, said housing including a mirror receiving opening formed therein;

a mirror frame having a relatively small convex mirror mounted therein;

a pivot rod having one end coupled to said mirror frame and a remote end pivotally coupled to said housing adjacent an upper portion of said opening;

bias means coupled to said pivot rod for urging said rod and said mirror therein to a position extended from said housing for use of the mirror;

means for releasably holding said mirror within said housing against the force of said bias means; and

a pivot axle mounted to said housing and extending through said remote end of said pivot rod and wherein said bias means comprises a spring extending in co-axial relationship to said pivot rod and having one end engaging said housing and an opposite end engaging said pivot rod.

8. The assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for releasably holding said mirror within said housing comprises latching means extending between said mirror frame and said housing.

9. The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said latching means comprises a pin extending downwardly from a lower edge of said mirror frame and a biased latch bar mounted to said housing to releasably capture said pin.