Rear view mirror mounted reversing distance sensor

• US 4,943,796 A
• Filed: 06/09/1989
• Issued: 07/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Y. C. Lee
• Original Assignee: Y. C. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Y. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/363,724
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/901, 340/903, 362/83.1, 180/167, 180/169, 367/909
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

The structure of a rear view mirror mounted reversing distance sensor for automobiles having a housing, a cover, a spring and a retaining bracket. The housing and the cover together form a hollow, L-shaped structure when assembled. The housing has an upright part and a base. A channel is formed on the central portion of one lateral surface, opposite and parallel to the cover, of the upright part. The channel receives the retaining bracket at the uppermost portion of the channel, which also receives a first pad. A second pad is disposed over the entire top surface of the base. The retaining bracket is a flat sheet of metal bent to form an L-shape. The first leg, parallel to the cover, of the retaining bracket is formed a tab with a first hole therethrough for securing of one end of the spring. The second leg, perpendicular to the cover, of the retaining bracket has a third pad disposed on it, the lower surface of which has a set of serrations for gripping a rear view mirror when the reversing distance sensor is mounted on the rear view mirror.

Claims

1. A structure of a rear view mirror mounted reversing distance sensor for automobiles comprising a housing, a cover, a spring and a retaining bracket;

said housing and said cover together forming a hollow, substantially L-shaped structure when assembled by a plurality of screws;

said housing being composed of an upright part and a base;

a channel being formed on a central portion of a lateral surface of said upright part, opposite and parallel to said cover;

said channel receiving said retaining bracket at an uppermost portion thereof, and a first pad;

a second pad being disposed over an entire top surface of said base; and

said retaining bracket being a flat sheet of metal bent to form an L-shape;

a first leg of said retaining bracket being parallel to said cover and having a tab formed thereon with a first hole therethrough for securing of an end of a spring;

a second hole provided on a lowermost portion of said channel to receive another end of said spring;

said tab extending outwardly and perpendicularly from said lateral surface of said first leg when said retaining bracket is received in said channel;

a second leg of said retaining bracket being perpendicular to said cover and having a third pad disposed thereon;

a lower surface of said third pad being formed a set of serrations for gripping a rear view mirror when said reversing distance sensor is mounted on said rear view mirror.

2. A structure of a rear view mirror mounted reversing distance sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein a display panel is provided along a lateral face of said base, said lateral face being parallel to said cover;

and

said panel consisting of a volume control knob, a distance display, a graphic display and warning stop light;

said distance display and graphics display giving two readily noticeable visual indications of an obstacle which is present in an area behind an automobile when reversing.

3. A structure of a rear view mirror mounted reversing distance sensor as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of sound apertures are provided on said lateral surface adjacent to said channel for a transmission of sound from a loudspeaker lodged within said upright part.