Rear view lens apparatus for automotive vehicle

• US 4,961,637 A
• Filed: 10/14/1988
• Issued: 10/09/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jan-Chou Ou
• Original Assignee: Jan-Chou Ou
• Inventors: Ou, Jan-Chou
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US07/258,170
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 350/561, 350/572, 350/573, 350/574, 350/575, 350/452, 350/240, 350/250, 350/256, 350/540, 350/319, 350/618, 358/108
• US Class Current: 359/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/10 Front-view mirror arrangements; specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; Periscope arrangements , i.e. optical devices using combinations of mirrors, lenses, prisms or the like specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; for viewing traffic-lights B60R1/005; Other mirror arrangements giving a view from above or under the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens

Abstract

An optical means for an automotive vehicle which expands a driver'"'"'s visual coverage to include areas which are usually not visible by means of conventional rear view mirrors, comprising an elongated optical conduit which contains a multiple number of convex lenses inside, said convex lenses positioned so that the outside view behind the vehicle can be captured by said optical conduit and thereafter formed into a magnified real and upright image in the optical conduit. A tiltable viewing mirror is provided in front of the optical conduit to enable a driver of the vehicle to view the image in the optical conduit. The optical conduit may be placed underneath a car top, or in a rear trunk compartment, thereby capturing the rear view behind the vehicle. The optical conduit may be folded into a compact size to reduce headroom interference in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A viewing means for an automotive vehicle comprising an optical conduit, said optical conduit having a fixed top wall, a movable bottom wall, two fixed upper side walls, a rectangular lens frame having lateral sides, said lens frame disposed on said upper side walls, a reflecting mirror disposed in front of said optical conduit, a plurality of convex lenses disposed in said rectangular lens frame so as to project images, viewable from the rear of the automotive vehicle, forward to said reflecting mirror, a pair of slidable actuating frames disposed longitudinally outside said upper side walls, a linkage disposed on each side of said actuating frames, two foldable side walls each having a front edge, a side wall stud pin disposed on each of said foldable side walls, a lateral side stud pin disposed on each lateral side of said lens frame, a plurality of curved slots disposed on said actuating frames, a rocker arm engageable at one end with one of said slots and at the other end with said side wall stud pin, said slots engageable with said lateral side stud pins, a handle disposed on one of said upper side walls, said handle connectable through said linkage to said actuating frame, said optical conduit being fixable to an underside roof section of an automotive vehicle such that a rear end of said optical conduit faces a rear window of the vehicle, whereby upon movement of said handle from a horizontal to a vertical position, said actuating frame moves said foldable side walls and said lens frame from a horizontal to a vertical position, and upon movement of said handle from a vertical to a horizontal position, said actuating frame moves said foldable side walls and said lens frame from a vertical to a horizontal position.