Rear-view mirror assembly

• US 5,760,980 A
• Filed: 03/22/1996
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Heinrich Lang, Sabine Lang
• Inventors: Lang, Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US08/620,282
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 359/864, 359/865, 359/571, 359/872, 359/873, 359/874, 359/875, 359/877, 359/862, 248/474, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/486
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0612 by electrically actuated means

Abstract

A rear-view mirror assembly is provided for motor vehicles, particularly commercial trucks. A housing defines an interior volume and at least one mirror glass assembly is removably attached to the open front side of the housing. A non-rotatable longitudinal support rod extends completely through the interior volume of the housing in a longitudinal vertical direction. Portions of the support rod extend from the housing at the top and bottom thereof for attaching the mirror to a support structure of the motor vehicle. The housing is manually or remotely rotatable relative to the longitudinal support rod.

Claims

1. A rear-view mirror for motor vehicles, comprising:

a housing, said housing having a back side, an open front side, and an interior volume;

at least one mirror glass assembly removably attached to said open front side of said housing;

a non-rotatable longitudinal support rod extending completely through said housing interior volume in a longitudinal vertical direction with portions of said support rod extending from said housing at a top and bottom thereof,

at least one support rod bearing structure defined within said housing interior volume on said housing back side and configured to support rotation of said housing relative to said support rod, said housing being remotely adjustable relative to the longitudinal support rod;

means for non-rotatably mounting said extending portions to a motor vehicle support member; and

a motor drive unit with a drive gear supported by said housing and a stationary gear supported entirely on said longitudinal support rod within said housing interior volume, said drive gear engaging said stationary gear causing said housing to rotate relative to said longitudinal support rod.

2. The rear-view mirror as in claim 1, wherein said housing is formed of a plastic material, and said support rod bearing structure comprises a plastic-bearing block molded integral with said housing.

3. The rear-view mirror as in claim 1, wherein said housing back side comprises a convex configuration.

4. The rear-view mirror as in claim 1, wherein said mirror glass assembly comprises a mirror glass support plate removably attached to said housing front side, and a mirror glass fixed to said mirror glass support plate.

5. The rear-view mirror as in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises at lest two sets of longitudinally spaced apart motor mounts formed thereon within said interior volume, said motor drive unit being interchangeable between said sets of motor mounts so that said rear-view mirror can be used as a right-hand or left-hand mirror.

6. The rear-view mirror as in claim 5, wherein said housing is formed of a plastic material and said motor mounts are molded integral with said housing.

7. The rear-view mirror as in claim 1, wherein said means for non-rotatably mounting said extending portions comprises a threaded nut and bolt assembly for attaching said extending portions to retaining arms of a vehicle support member.

8. The rear-view mirror as in claim 1, further comprising an additional mirror glass assembly removably attached to said housing wherein said rear-view mirror has at least two vertically aligned mirror surfaces.

9. A rear-view mirror for motor vehicles, particularly commercial trucks, comprising:

a housing, said housing formed of a plastic material and having a back side, an open front side, top and bottom surfaces, and an interior volume, said housing further comprising at least a first set of motor mounts formed on said back side facing said interior volume;

a mirror glass support plate removably attached to said open front side of said housing;

a mirror glass fixed to a front side of said mirror glass support plate;

a longitudinal support rod extending completely through said housing interior volume in a longitudinal vertical direction with portions of said support rod extending from said housing top and bottom surfaces, said longitudinal support rod further comprising a non-rotatable gear fixed at a longitudinal position thereon;

a plurality of rod bearing web structures within said housing interior volume formed integral on said housing back side and configured to support rotation of said housing relative to said support rod;

a motor drive mechanism removably attached to said motor mounts within said interior volume between at least two of said rod bearing web structures, said motor drive mechanism comprising a drive gear configured in driving engagement with said fixed gear on said longitudinal support rod; and

wherein said housing is automatically adjustably rotatable relative to said longitudinal support rod by remote actuation of said motor drive mechanism whereby rotation of said drive gear relative to said fixed gear causes said housing to rotate relative to said longitudinal support rod.

10. The rear-view mirror as in claim 9, further comprising at least one additional set of said motor mounts longitudinally spaced from said first set of motor mounts, said motor drive mechanism being interchangeable between said motor mounts.

11. The rear-view mirror as in claim 10, wherein said rear-view mirror is a left-hand or right-hand mirror and can be used on either side of a motor vehicle by flipping said housing and repositioning said motor drive mechanism to said additional set of motor mounts.

12. A rear-view mirror assembly for motor vehicles, comprising:

a vehicle support member configured for mounting on a motor vehicle, said vehicle support member further comprising longitudinally spaced retaining arms;

means for mounting said vehicle support member to a motor vehicle;

an interchangeable left-hand or right-hand mirror mountable to said vehicle support member retaining arms, said mirror further comprising

a housing, said housing having a variable radius convex back side, an open front side, top and bottom surfaces, and an interior volume, said housing further comprising at least two sets of motor mounts formed integral on said back side facing said interior volume;

a mirror glass support plate removably attached to said open front side of said housing, and a mirror glass fixed to a front side of said mirror glass support plate;

a longitudinal support rod extending completely through said housing interior volume in a longitudinal vertical direction with portions of said support rod extending from said housing top and bottom surfaces, said support rod further comprising a non-rotatable gear fixed thereon;

a plurality of rod bearing web structures within said housing interior volume formed integral on said housing back side and configured to support rotation of said housing relative to said support rod;

a motor drive mechanism removably mounted to one set of motor mounts within said interior volume between at least two of said rod bearing web structures, said motor drive mechanism comprising a drive gear configured in driving engagement with said fixed gear; and

wherein said housing is automatically adjustably rotatable relative to said longitudinal support rod by remote actuation of said motor drive mechanism whereby rotation of said drive gear rotates relative to said fixed gear causes said housing to rotate relative to said longitudinal support rod.

13. A rear-view mirror assembly for motor vehicles for receiving a mirror glass assembly and for attachment to a motor vehicle support member, the rear-view mirror assembly comprising:

a housing, said housing having a back side, an open front side, and an interior volume, the mirror glass assembly being removably attachable to said open front side of said housing;

a non-rotatable longitudinal support rod extending completely through said housing interior volume in a longitudinal vertical direction with portions of said support rod extending from said housing at a top and bottom thereof;

at least one support rod bearing structure defined within said housing interior volume on said housing back side and configured to support rotation of said housing relative to said support rod, said housing being remotely adjustably rotatable relative to said longitudinal support rod;

means for non-rotatably mounting said extending portions to the motor vehicle support member; and

a motor drive unit with a drive gear supported by said housing and a stationary gear supported entirely on said longitudinal support rod within said housing interior volume, said drive gear engaging said stationary gear causing said housing to rotate relative to said longitudinal support rod.

14. The rear-view mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein said housing is formed of a plastic material and said support rod bearing structure comprises a plastic bearing block molded integral with said housing.

15. The rear-view mirror assembly as in claim 14, wherein said housing back side comprises a convex configuration.

16. The rear-view mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein said housing comprises at lest two sets of longitudinally spaced apart motor mounts formed thereon within said interior volume, said motor drive unit being interchangeable between said sets of motor mounts so that said rear-view mirror assembly can be used as a right-hand or left-hand mirror.

17. The rear-view mirror assembly as in claim 16, wherein said housing is formed of a plastic material and said motor mounts are molded integral with said housing.

18. The rear-view mirror assembly as in claim 13, wherein said means for non-rotatably mounting said extending portions comprises a threaded nut and bolt assembly for attaching said extending portions to retaining arms of the vehicle support member.

19. A rear-view mirror assembly for motor vehicles for receiving a mirror glass assembly comprising:

a housing, said housing formed of a plastic material and having a back side, an open front side, top and bottom surfaces, and an interior volume, said housing further comprising at least a first set of motor mounts formed on said back side facing said interior volume, the mirror glass assembly being removably attachable to said open front side of said housing;

a longitudinal support rod extending completely through said housing interior volume in a longitudinal vertical direction with portions of said support rod extending from said housing top and bottom surfaces, said longitudinal support rod further comprising a non-rotatable gear fixed at a longitudinal position thereon;

a plurality of rod bearing web structures within said housing interior volume formed integral on said housing back side and configured to support rotation of said housing relative to said support rod;

a motor drive mechanism removably attached to said motor mounts within said interior volume between at least two of said rod bearing web structures, said motor drive mechanism comprising a drive gear configured in driving engagement with said fixed gear on said longitudinal support rod; and

wherein said housing is automatically adjustably rotatable relative to said longitudinal support rod by remote actuation of said motor drive mechanism whereby rotation of said drive gear relative to said fixed gear causes said housing to rotate relative to said longitudinal support rod.

20. The rear-view mirror assembly as in claim 19, further comprising at least one additional set of said motor mounts longitudinally spaced from said first set of motor mounts, said motor drive mechanism being interchangeable between said motor mounts.

21. The rear-view mirror assembly as in claim 20, wherein said rear-view mirror assembly is a left-hand or right-hand mirror and can be used on either side of a motor vehicle by flipping said housing and repositioning said motor drive mechanism to said additional set of motor mounts.

22. An interchangeable left-hand or right-hand rear-view mirror assembly for motor vehicles for receiving a mirror glass assembly and mountable to vehicle support member retaining arms, the rear-view mirror assembly comprising:

a housing, said housing having a variable radius convex back side, an open front side, top and bottom surfaces, and an interior volume, said housing further comprising at least two sets of motor mounts formed integral on said back side facing said interior volume, the mirror glass assembly being removably attachable to said open front side of said housing;

a longitudinal support rod extending completely through said housing interior volume in a longitudinal vertical direction with portions of said support rod extending from said housing top and bottom surfaces, said support rod further comprising a non-rotatable gear fixed thereon;

a plurality of rod bearing web structures within said housing interior volume formed integral on said housing back side and configured to support rotation of said housing relative to said support rod;

a motor drive mechanism removably mounted to one set of motor mounts within said interior volume between at least two of said rod bearing web structures, said motor drive mechanism comprising a drive gear configured in driving engagement with said fixed gear; and

wherein said housing is automatically adjustably rotatable relative to said longitudinal support rod by remote actuation of said motor drive mechanism whereby rotation of said drive gear rotates relative to said fixed gear causes said housing to rotate relative to said longitudinal support rod.