Automatically adjustable passenger mirror assembly for a trailered vehicle
First Claim
1. A mirror rotation assembly for a vehicle having a tractor and a pivotally connected semi-detached trailer, the assembly comprising:
- an elongated arm having first and second ends, the first end pivotally mountable to a support on a chassis of the tractor with the arm generally transverse to an axis defined by the tractor and the trailer, the second end supporting a rotatable wheel;
a pivot assembly connected to the arm and connectable to the chassis, and configured to pivot the arm from a disengaged position proximate the chassis to an engaged position with the wheel in rolling contact with an underside of the trailer;
a counter operable to count a number of rotations or partial rotations of the wheel as the trailer pivots with respect to the tractor during a vehicle turn and transmit the counted number of rotations or partial rotations;
a motor connectable to a rotatable mirror on the tractor; and
a processor electrically connected to the motor, programmed to receive the number of wheel rotations or partial rotations transmitted by the counter, calculate a degree of vehicle turn corresponding to the number of wheel rotations or partial rotations, calculate a degree of mirror rotation corresponding to the degree of vehicle turn, and instruct the motor to rotate the mirror according to the calculated degree of mirror rotation.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic mirror rotation assembly for a vehicle including a tractor and semi-detached trailer is provided. An elongated arm supporting a rotatable wheel attaches to a support mounted at a selected position on the tractor chassis. The arm is pivoted upward until the wheel contacts the underside of the trailer, and is kept engaged with substantially constant pressure. As the vehicle turns, the rotation of the trailer with respect to the tractor is measured by counting rotations or partial rotations of the wheel against the underside surface of the trailer. A corresponding degree of passenger-side rear view mirror is calculated, and a motor automatically rotates the mirror.
28 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A mirror rotation assembly for a vehicle having a tractor and a pivotally connected semi-detached trailer, the assembly comprising:
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an elongated arm having first and second ends, the first end pivotally mountable to a support on a chassis of the tractor with the arm generally transverse to an axis defined by the tractor and the trailer, the second end supporting a rotatable wheel; a pivot assembly connected to the arm and connectable to the chassis, and configured to pivot the arm from a disengaged position proximate the chassis to an engaged position with the wheel in rolling contact with an underside of the trailer; a counter operable to count a number of rotations or partial rotations of the wheel as the trailer pivots with respect to the tractor during a vehicle turn and transmit the counted number of rotations or partial rotations; a motor connectable to a rotatable mirror on the tractor; and a processor electrically connected to the motor, programmed to receive the number of wheel rotations or partial rotations transmitted by the counter, calculate a degree of vehicle turn corresponding to the number of wheel rotations or partial rotations, calculate a degree of mirror rotation corresponding to the degree of vehicle turn, and instruct the motor to rotate the mirror according to the calculated degree of mirror rotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18)
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12. A mirror rotation assembly for a vehicle having a tractor and a pivotally connected semi-detached trailer, the assembly comprising:
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an elongated arm having first and second ends, the first end pivotally mountable to a support on a chassis of the tractor with the arm generally transverse to an axis defined by the tractor and the trailer, the second end supporting a rotatable wheel; a pivot assembly connected to the arm and connectable to the chassis, and configured to pivot the arm from a disengaged position proximate the chassis to an engaged position with the wheel in rolling contact with an underside of the trailer; a counter operable to count a number of rotations or partial rotations of the wheel as the trailer pivots with respect to the tractor during a vehicle turn, and transmit the counted number of rotations or partial rotations; a mirror assembly pivotally mountable to a side of the tractor, including a motor operatively connected to pivot the mirror; and a processor electrically connected to the motor, programmed to receive the number of wheel rotations or partial rotations transmitted by the counter, calculate a degree of vehicle turn corresponding to the number of wheel rotations or partial rotations, calculate a degree of mirror rotation corresponding to the degree of vehicle turn, and instruct the motor to rotate the mirror according to the calculated degree of mirror rotation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
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21. A method for remotely rotating a mirror on a vehicle having a tractor and a pivotally connected semi-detached trailor, comprising the steps of:
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pivotally attaching a first end of an elongated arm to a support on a chassis of the tractor generally transverse to an axis defined by the tractor and the trailor, a second end of the arm rotatably supporting a wheel; pivoting the control arm up to an engaged position with the wheel in rolling contact with an underside of the trailer; counting a number of rotations or partial rotations of the wheel as the trailer pivots with respect to the tractor during a vehicle turn; calculating a degree of vehicle turn corresponding to the number of rotations or partial rotations of the wheel; calculating a degree of mirror rotation corresponding to the degree of vehicle turn; and automatically rotating the mirror in accordance with the calculated degree of mirror rotation. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification