Spigot type break-away mirror

• US 5,432,640 A
• Filed: 09/17/1992
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Britax Rainsfords Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Britax Rainsfords Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Gilbert, Robert W., Francis, Neil J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US07/946,807
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 350/604, 350/632, 350/633, 350/634, 350/636, 350/637, 248/477, 248/478, 248/480, 248/900, 248/549, 359/841, 359/872, 359/876
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/076 yieldable to excessive external force and provided with an indexed use position B60R1/0617, B60R1/074 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/90 Movable or disengageable on impact or overload

Abstract

A spigot type breakaway mirror (10) for automobile exterior use includes both a supporting base (11) and a mirror subassembly (16), the base (11) having an upstanding spigot (12) which has a curved constraining surface (13), and the mirror subassembly (11) is provided with a locating surface (17) engageable over constraining surface (13) which constrains pivotal movement of the mirror subassembly to be about the spigot, but there are provided a cam pad (23) and recess surface (24) on the base and mirror subassembly respectively, and a spring (20) which cooperates between the base and mirror subassembly to retain the cam and recess surfaces in engagement, but the cam pad (23) and recess (24) surfaces cause the mirror subassembly (16) to cam outwardly away from the supporting base (11) if the mirror subassembly is caused to deflect upon striking an obstruction.

Claims

1. A spigot type breakaway mirror for automobile exterior use comprising a base having a mounting portion adapted to abut against a vehicle body and a support platform projecting laterally from the mounting portion,

a spigot projecting upwardly from the support platform and having a curved constraining surface extending for at least some of its length.

a mirror subassembly having a locating surface engagable with the spigot constraining surface thereby constraining pivotal movement of the mirror subassembly about a pivot axis of the spigot.

a cam surface comprising a surface of a cam pad which extends in a radially outboard direction from the mounting portion, a recess surface comprising a complementary surface of the mirror subassembly, and two abutment pads located on the mounting portion and circumferentially spaced from one another, said cam and recess surfaces being located to one side of said spigot at a greater distance from the mounting portion than the spigot, and

spring means acting between the spigot and mirror subassembly to retain the cam and recess surfaces in engagement, but upon said pivotal movement occuring, relative movement of said cam and recess effecting movement of the locating surface over the spigot and of the mirror subassembly outwardly away from the base against pressure exerted by the spring means.

2. A spigot type breakway mirror according to claim 1, wherein said spigot has a cylindrical surface circularly curved about an axis of said spigot, the generally circular surface containing axially extending surfaces which define three circumferentially spaced recesses, each extending at least part way along the spigot,

the mirror subassembly comprising a radially inward projection which selectively enters said recess surfaces.

3. A spigot type breakaway mirror for automobile exterior use comprising a base having a mounting portion adapted to abut against a vehicle body and support platform projecting laterally from the mounting portion,

a spigot projecting upwardly from the support platform and having a curved constraining surface extending for at least some of its length,

a mirror subassembly having a locating surface engageable with the spigot constraining surface thereby constraining pivotal movement of the mirror subassembly about a pivot axis of the spigot,

cam and recess surfaces on the support platform and mirror subassembly located at a greater distance from the mounting portion than the spigot and lying both in a radial plane which contain said spigot axis in a first plane at right angles both to the radical plane and to said spigot axis,

abutment pads co-acting between the base and mirror subassembly in a second plane also at right angles to the radial plane and parallel to said first plane, and

spring means applying a force in the radial plane between said spigot and mirror subassembly at a location between said first and second planes to retain the cam and recess surfaces in engagement and said co-action of the abutment pads, but upon said pivotal movement occuring, relative movement of said cam and recess surfaces effect movement of the locating surface over the spigot and of the mirror subassembly outwardly away from the base against pressure exerted by the spring means.

4. A spigot type breakway mirror according to claim 3 wherein said spring means comprises a spring box carried by the mirror subassembly, a spring housed in said spring box, and a pressure pad which bears against said spigot constraining surface in an intermediate plane between said first and second plane thereby releasably retaining said cam surface in engagement with said recess surface.

5. A spigot type breakway mirror according to claim 4 wherein an upper end of said spigot has at least one rigid radially extending retaining lip and a chamfer lead-in surface, said chamfer surface facilitating assembly of the mirror subassembly to said spigot, and said lip inhibiting subsequent axial movement of said mirror subassembly relative to said spigot.

6. A spigot type breakaway mirror according to claim 5 wherein said cam surface is a surface of a single cam pad which extends radially outwardly from the base in said radial plane, said abutment pads comprise two pads on the base which are spaced equally on opposite sides of the radial plane, and two pads on the mirror subassembly co-acting therewith, and said spring means comprises a spring carried by the mirror subassembly.

7. A spigot type breakaway mirror for automobile exterior use according to claim 3 wherein the support platform comprises said cam surface and said recess surface is a surface of the mirror subassembly.

8. A spigot type breakaway mirror according to claim 3 wherein said spigot has a cylindrical surface circularly curved about an axis of said spigot, the generally circular surface containing axially extending surfaces which define there circumferentially spaced recesses, each extending at least part way along the spigot,

the mirror subassembly comprising a radially inward projection which selectively enters said recess surfaces.

9. A breakaway mirror for automobile exterior use comprising:

a base having a mounting portion adapted to abut against a vehicle body and a support platform projecting laterally from the mounting portion,

a spigot upstanding on the support platform and having a curved constraining surface extending for at least some of its length,

a mirror subassembly having a locating surface engageable with the spigot constraining surface thereby constraining pivotal movement of the mirror subassembly to be about a pivotal axis of the spigot,

cam and recess surfaces on the base and mirror subassembly located to one side of and spaced from said spigot,

spring means exerting a force between the spigot and the mirror subassembly in a direction at right angles to the pivot axis of the spigot to retain the cam and recess surfaces in engagement,

abutment pads co-acting between the base and mirror subassembly and located on the opposite side of said spigot to the cam and recess surfaces,

whereby, upon said pivotal movement occurring, relative movement of said cam and recess surfaces effects movement against said force exerted by the spring means, of the locating surface over the spigot and of the mirror subassembly outwardly away from the mounting portion of the base, the abutment pads being retained in abutment by said spring means when said cam and recess surfaces are in engagement, but moving out of abutment upon said outward movement of the mirror subassembly.

10. A spigot type breakaway mirror for automobile exterior use according to claim 9 wherein the support platform comprises said cam surface and said recess surface is a surface of the mirror subassembly.

11. A spigot type breakaway mirror according to claim 9 wherein said spigot has a cylindrical surface circularly curved about an axis of said spigot, the generally circular surface containing axially extending surfaces which define three circumferentially spaced recesses, each extending at least part way along the spigot,

the mirror subassembly comprising a radially inward projection which selectively enters said spaced recesses of the spigot.

12. A spigot type breakaway mirror according to claim 9 wherein said mirror subassembly is moveable in a generally radial direction with respect to said axis of said spigot, said spring means being operative to bias said mirror subassembly in a first generally radial direction with respect to said axis and said cam and recess surfaces being operative to effect generally radial movement of said mirror subassembly in a second movement of said mirror assembly.

13. A spigot type breakaway mirror according to claim 9 wherein said cam and recess surfaces are operative to effect generally radial movement of said mirror subassembly with respect to said axis or said spigot in response to pivotal movement of said mirror subassembly.

14. A spigot type breakaway mirror according to claim 9 wherein said abutment pads comprise two pads on said mirror subassembly and on said base, said abutment pads being radially spaced from said axis of said spigot, axially spaced from said cam and recess surfaces and circumferentially spaced from said cam and recess surfaces, said abutment pads cooperating with said cam and recess surfaces to stabilize said mirror subassembly when said mirror subassembly is in an operative position.