Outside mirror for a vehicle

• US 5,475,530 A
• Filed: 08/31/1990
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ito, Koji, Fujie, Naofumi, Kawai, Taneichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US07/576,212
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 350/582, 350/586, 350/588, 350/589, 350/590, 219/219, 219/202, 219/505, 359/507, 359/512, 359/509
• US Class Current: 359/512
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/845 specially adapted for reflecting surfaces, e.g. bathroom - or rearview mirrors

Abstract

An outside mirror for a vehicle has a ultrasonic vibrator and a heating member in order to quickly remove the foreign substances from the entire surface of a mirror member. The ultrasonic vibrator is rigidly fixed to a supporting member. The supporting member is rigidly fixed to outer edges of the mirror member. A space is provided between the mirror member and the supporting member. The heating member is installed in the space. The ultrasonic vibrator atomizes water drops on the mirror member. The heating member melts ice, frost or other foreign substances on the mirror member. The ice, frost or the other foreign substances which are melted by the heating member are removed by the ultrasonic vibrator.

Claims

1. A mirror comprising:

a mirror member having an edge;

a second member connected to the mirror member;

a space between the mirror member and the second member;

vibrating means connected to the second member for vibrating the mirror member; and

a heating means between the mirror member and the second member for heating the mirror member.

2. The mirror in claim 1, wherein the second member further includes a connecting portion tightly fixed to outer edges of the mirror member.

3. The mirror in claim 2, wherein the second member further includes a plate portion having substantially the same curvature as the mirror member.

4. The mirror in claim 3, wherein the plate portion further includes a hole which is covered with a water proof member having good aeration.

5. The mirror in claim 1, wherein the second member further includes a hole which is covered with a water proof member having good aeration.

6. The mirror in claim 1, wherein the second member is smaller than the mirror member.

7. The mirror in claim 1, wherein the second member further includes an encircled step portion, and the curvature of the encircled step portion on each corner is larger than that of the mirror member.

8. The mirror in claim 1, wherein the second member is made from a material having a similar coefficient of linear expansion to the mirror member.

9. The mirror in claim 1, wherein the heating means is fixed to the second member.

10. The mirror in claim 9, wherein the heating means is bent so that a center area of the heating means contacts the mirror member.

11. The mirror in claim 9, wherein the heating means includes a positive temperature coefficient thermistor.

12. The mirror in claim 1, wherein the heating means is held in contact with the mirror member by a spacer.

13. The mirror in claim 12, wherein the spacer is fixed to the center of the heating means.

14. The mirror in claim 12, wherein the spacer is made from a material which does not transmit oscillations from the vibrating means to the heating means.