Device for pivoting a motor-vehicle mirror from the normal position to a non-dazzle position

• US 4,985,667 A
• Filed: 03/31/1989
• Issued: 01/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BRINCKMANN, FRANK, KIELORTALLEE 2, D-2000 HAMBURG 13 (FED. REP. OF GERMANY)
• Original Assignee: Frank Brinckmann
• Inventors: Kuhn, Willi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERGMANN, SAUL
• Application Number:
  US07/346,992
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 318/567, 350/281, 350/279, 350/278
• US Class Current: 318/567
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/087 with remote or automatic control means

Abstract

Device for pivoting a motor-vehicle mirror in or at a car from the normal position (fully-reflecting condition V) to a non-dazzle position (partly-reflecting condition T) in the event of excessive glare (B) from the headlight of a following vehicle and taking into account any interference from ambient light (U), said device comprising a voltage-source, a motor (M), the shaft (10) of which acts upon the mirror through a tilting mechanism and which is fed from thyristors (T1 and T2) which are, in turn, controlled by transistors (TR1, TR2 and TR3) with the aid of photodiodes or photoresistors (B, U) for glare and interference from ambient light. A bipolar rotary switch (DS) is connected in series with the motor (M), said switch interrupting the flow of current through the motor in accordance with a specific angle of rotation of the shaft thereof, disconnecting the previously conducting thyristor (T1 or T2) from the voltage-source and switching it off. The tilting mechanism comprises: a crank-disc (11) driven by the motor with a crank-pin (12) and a connecting rod (13) which is moved back and forth by means of said crank-pin, which connecting rod is connected to the mirror and is designed with a substantially elliptical opening (14) surrounding said crank-pin, the areas (15) thereof of greater radial extension being associated with the switching area of the rotary switch (DS), while the areas (16) of lesser radial extension are associated with the normal and non-dazzle positions (V, T) of the mirror (FIG. 1).

Claims

1. In a device for pivoting a motor-vehicle mirror between a normal fully reflecting position to a non-dazzle partly reflecting position in response to the presence of glare from the headlight of a following vehicle and ambient light conditions, said device comprising a voltage source, a motor having a shaft acting upon said mirror through a tilting mechanism, and first and second thyristers controlling energization of said motor, and circuit means for energizing and de-energizing said thryisters in accordance with the presence of glare and interference from ambient light, the improvement wherein said circuit means includes a bipolar rotary switch connected in series with said motor, said switch interrupting the flow of current through said motor at specific angles of rotation of the shaft of said motor, disconnecting the previously conducting thyrister from the voltage source and switching it off and wherein the tilting mechanism comprises a crank-disk driven by said motor with a crank pin and a connecting rod which is moved back and forth by means of said crank pin, said connecting rod being connected to said mirror and having a substantially elliptical opening surrounding said crank pin, said elliptical opening defining areas of greater and lesser radial extension, the areas of said opening of lesser radial extension being associated with the normal and non-dazzle positions of said mirror and the areas of greater radial extension of said opening being associated with said specific angles of rotation of the shaft of said motor.

2. In a device as recited in claim 1, further characterized in said circuit means including delay means to delay the energization of one of said thyristers in response to the presence of glare, said delay means comprising a transistor and capacitor circuit connected between the gate and cathode of said thyrister.

3. In a device as recited in claim 1, further characterized in that light emitting diodes are connected in parallel with said thyristers.

4. In a device as recited in claim 1, characterized in that said circuit means includes photoresponsive means positioned to respond to the presence of ambient light and connected to prevent ignition of one of said thyristers by said circuit means in response to the presence of glare when ambient light is present.

5. In a device as recited in claim 4, wherein said photoresponsive means is connected in circuit with said voltage source through said rotary switch when said rotary switch is in position corresponding to the normal position of said mirror.

6. In a device as recited in claim 1, wherein said crank-disk is mounted for rotation in bearings.