Adjustable truck mirror

• US 5,483,385 A
• Filed: 10/19/1994
• Issued: 01/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LOWE Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: LOWE Engineering Company
• Inventors: Boddy, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US08/325,617
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841, 359/865, 359/872, 359/881, 248/476, 248/477, 248/478, 248/479, 248/480
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing

Abstract

A side-view mirror comprises a fixed support fixed to the vehicle, and a U-shaped member including a bight portion secured to the fixed support and a plurality of legs extending from the bight portion outwardly from the vehicle. A moveable mirror housing has a receiving portion constructed and arranged to receive the legs of the U-shaped member, the mirror housing being manually engageable to be moved along a length of the legs upon application of sufficient manual force thereto to enable desired lateral positioning thereof for optimal side-view visibility. An engagement element is constructed and arranged to provide sufficient engagement between the receiving portion of the mirror housing and at least one of the legs of the U-shaped member to inhibit unwanted movement of the mirror housing along the legs when application of the manual force thereto is discontinued. In addition, a moveable mirror unit is secured to the mirror housing in angularly moveable relation with respect thereto to enable desired angular positioning of the mirror unit.

Claims

1. A side-view mirror assembly for a vehicle which is controllably movable inwardly towards or outwardly away from said vehicle comprising:

a fixed support adapted to be fixed to said vehicle;

a U-shaped member including a bight portion secured to said fixed support and a pair of parallel legs extending from said bight portion outwardly away from said vehicle;

a movable mirror housing having a pair of spaced receiving portions constructed and arranged to receive said legs of said U-shaped member, said mirror housing being manually engageable to be moved into different positions of adjustment along a length of said legs upon application of sufficient manual force thereto to enable desired lateral positioning thereof;

at least one engagement element each constructed and arranged to provide sufficient engagement between one of said receiving portions of said mirror housing and a respective one of said legs of said U-shaped member to inhibit movement of said mirror housing along said legs when application of said manual force thereto is discontinued; and

a movable mirror unit secured to said mirror housing in angularly movable relation with respect thereto to enable desired angular positioning of said mirror unit.

2. The side-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said U-shaped member is substantially hollowed, and each said at least one engagement element being disposed within said hollowed U-shaped member and therein, said engagement element having a portion thereof resiliently biased through an opening in said respective one of said legs and into engagement with said one of the receiving portions so as to inhibit said movement of said mirror housing along said legs when application of said manual force thereto is discontinued.

3. The side-view mirror assembly according to claim 2, wherein said respective receiving portion has a plurality of spaced notches, and wherein said mirror housing is movable along said legs to enable said engagement element to be selectively engaged with a desired one of said plurality of spaced notches to latch the mirror housing at the desired lateral position thereof.

4. The side-view mirror assembly according to claim 1,

wherein said bight portion has a substantially cylindrical outer surface and

wherein said fixed support comprises a pair of clamp halves defining a cylindrical mounting surface for securedly engaging said cylindrical outer surface of said bight portion

5. The side-view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fixed support provides sufficient engagement with said bight portion to inhibit unwanted pivotal movement of said U-shaped member, and to permit pivotal movement of said U-shaped member upon application of an unwanted forward or rearward impact of predetermined force on said mirror assembly.

6. The side-view mirror according to claim 5, further comprising an aesthetic cover for covering said fixed support.

7. The side-view mirror according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism constructed and arranged to effect angular movement of said mirror unit so as to effect a desired angular position of said mirror unit in response to a remote manual movement by a user.

8. A side-view mirror assembly for a vehicle which is controllably movable inwardly towards or outwardly away from said vehicle comprising:

a fixed support adapted to be fixed to said vehicle and defining a mounting surface;

a U-shaped member including a bight portion having an outer surface disposed in engagement with said mounting surface, and a pair of parallel legs extending from said bight portion outwardly away from said vehicle and terminating in free ends;

a mirror housing having a pair of spaced receiving portions, said spaced receiving portions being constructed and arranged to telescopingly receive said free ends of said legs of said U-shaped member, said mirror housing being movable along the legs of said U-shaped member into different positions of adjustment toward and away from the vehicle to enable desired lateral positioning thereof;

a movement controlling mechanism constructed and arranged to control the position of said mirror housing along said legs; and

a movable mirror unit secured to said mirror housing in angularly movable relation with respect thereto to enable desired angular positioning of said mirror unit.