Motor-powered adjustable rear view mirror

• US 5,110,196 A
• Filed: 05/15/1989
• Issued: 05/05/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mekra Rangau Plastics GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Mekra Rangau Plastics GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Lang, Heinrich, Seiboth, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAFER, RICKY D
• Application Number:
  US07/351,808
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 350/637, 350/632, 350/633, 350/634, 350/636, 350/606, 248/481, 248/483, 248/487
• US Class Current: 359/874
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0612 by electrically actuated means

Abstract

A motor-powered adjustable rear view mirror for motor vehicles, particularly lorries, comprises a housing which supports and accommodates a mirror glass. Positioning drives are provided by means of which the housing can be pivoted and adjusted about two pivot axes which extend substantially at right angles to each other. In order to make the mirror of the simplest possible construction and so that it can be easily assembled and has a shallow but very stable design, each positioning drive is stationary in relation to the housing and is coupled via a slider-crank transmission to a base plate, the slider-crank transmission comprising a crank and a push rod connected thereto via a crank joint. The push rod is coupled to the base plate via a sliding bearing.

Claims

1. A motor-powered adjustable rear view mirror for motor vehicles, comprising a housing (1, 1'"'"', 1") accommodating and supporting a mirror glass (3, 3'"'"') a fixing device (7, 7'"'"', 7") having means to be rigidly connected to a motor vehicle, a base plate connected in a stationary manner to the fixing means (7, 7'"'"' 7"), a universal joint (14, 14'"'"' 14") which is connected to the fixing device (7, 7'"'"' 7") and which bears the housing (1, 1'"'"', 1") pivotally about a central point (22) of the universal joint (14, 14'"'"', 14") and, at least one positioning drive (28, 29) connected in a stationary manner to the housing (1, 1'"'"', 1") and is coupled to the base plate (39, 39'"'"', 62) via a slider-crank transmission (34, 67, 75), by means of which the housing (1, 1'"'"', 1") is adjusted by pivoting about at least one pivot axis (47, 48) passing through said central point (22), wherein the slider-crank transmission (34, 67, 75) comprises a crank (35, 68, 76) coupled to the base plate (39, 39, 62) via a sliding bearing (42, 43, 74,83) and wherein there is articulated on the crank (35) by means of a crank joint (36) a push rod (37) which is displaceably guided in a bearing sleeve (41) which is connected to the base plate (39, 39'"'"') and wherein the slider-crank (35, 67, 75) is in itself pivotable about a longitudinal axis (44) of the sliding bearing (42, 43, 74, 83).

2. A rear view mirror according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis (47, 48) associated with each positioning drive (28, 29) passes through the central point (22) of the universal joint (14, 14'"'"', 14").

3. A rear-view mirror according to claim 2, wherein two positioning drives (28, 29) are provided, and wherein two pivot axes (47, 48) are directed rectangularly to each other.

4. A rear-view mirror according to claim 3, wherein the housing pivotable about one pivot axis (47, 48) by means of one positioning drive (28, 29).

5. A rear view mirror according to claim 1, wherein each positioning drive (28, 29) is mounted directly on the housing (1, 1'"'"', 1").

6. A rear view mirror according to claim 1, wherein two positioning drives (28, 29) are provided.

7. A rear view mirror according to claim 6, wherein both positioning drives are in each case connected to the base plate (39, 39'"'"', 62) via a slider-crank transmission (34, 67, 75).

8. A rear view mirror according to claim 4, wherein the positioning drive (29) is coupled to the base plate (62) via a slider-crank transmission (34) and wherein the other positioning drive (28) is coupled to the base plate (62) via a geared transmission (66).

9. A rear view mirror according to claim 1, wherein constructed on the housing (1, 1'"'"', 1") is a shell-like bearing member (18, 18'"'"', 18") which has a spherical bearing surface (19, 19'"'"', 19") by which it is pressed against a bearing shell (16, 16'"'"', 16") of the universal joint (14, 14'"'"', 14").

10. A rear view mirror according to claim 9, wherein the bearing member (18, 18'"'"', 18") is pressed by an initially tensioned thrust spring (23, 23'"'"', 23") resiliently against the bearing shell (16, 16'"'"', 16").

11. A rear view mirror according to claim 9, wherein the bearing member (18, 18'"'"', 18") with two spherical bearing surfaces (19, 19'"'"', 19", 20, 20'"'"', 20") is disposed between the bearing shell (16, 16'"'"', 16") and a spherical bearing cover (21, 21'"'"', 21").