Mirror assembly

• US 5,971,554 A
• Filed: 04/25/1997
• Issued: 10/26/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Britax Vision Systems (North America) Inc.
• Original Assignee: Britax Vision Systems (North America) Inc.
• Inventors: Henion, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US08/845,681
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 359/872, 359/871, 359/875, 359/214, 248/477, 248/479, 248/480, 248/481, 248/482
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

An exterior rear view mirror for a motor vehicle of the breakaway design is disclosed which a mirror support member having a one piece integrally formed clamp mechanism for securing the mirror housing to the pivot post and in which the clamping pressure may be easily and conveniently adjusted without requiring removal of the mirror or its outer housing.

Claims

1. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a bracket frame member adapted to be secured to a motor vehicle, said bracket frame member including a pivot post;

a mirror support frame having a mounting portion receiving said pivot post and a clamp for applying a clamping force to said pivot post whereby said mirror support frame is pivotably secured to said pivot post of said bracket frame member;

a member for adjusting the clamping force exerted on said pivot post by said clamp;

a casing surrounding said mirror support frame and defining an opening therein;

a mirror positioned movably within said opening and supported by said mirror support frame;

said clamping force adjusting member being positioned within said casing such that said adjusting member is accessible through said opening without removal of said mirror.

2. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjusting member is substantially concealed by said casing and said mirror when said mirror is positioned in a normal operative relationship to said casing.

3. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a flange portion surrounding said opening, said flange portion including a cutout portion to afford access to said adjusting member.

4. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said adjusting member comprises a threaded fastener threadedly engaging said mirror support frame.

5. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clamp is integrally formed with said mirror support frame.

6. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said mounting portion includes an elongated pivot post opening formed in said mirror support frame, said pivot post being telescopically received within said pivot post opening.

7. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said clamp includes a slotted opening extending generally radially outwardly from said pivot post opening, said slotted opening being defined by first and second spaced opposed wall portions.

8. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein said clamping force adjusting member extends between said first and second wall portions and operates to draw said wall portions toward each other.

9. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said clamping force adjusting member comprises a threaded fastener.

10. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 8 further comprising an end wall extending between the radially outer ends of said first and second wall portions.

11. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said slotted opening has an axial length coextensive with the axial length of said pivot post opening.

12. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a bracket frame member adapted to be secured to a motor vehicle, said bracket frame including a pivot post;

a mirror;

a mirror support frame having a first portion for movably supporting said mirror and a second portion having a cylindrical opening provided therein, said pivot post being telescopically received within said opening; and

means for reducing the diameter of said cylindrical opening to exert a clamping force on said pivot post to retain said mirror support frame thereon.

13. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 12 wherein said diameter reducing means includes a slotted opening defined by first and second opposed spaced sidewalls extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical opening and an adjustment member operative to move said first and second sidewalls toward each other to adjust said clamping force.

14. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 13 further comprising an outer casing surrounding at least said second portion of said mirror support frame and defining an opening for receiving said mirror, said adjustment member being accessible through said opening whereby said clamping force may be adjusted without requiring disassembly of said mirror assembly.

15. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said adjustment member comprises a threaded fastener extending through one of said first and second sidewalls and threadedly engaging an opening in the other of said first and second sidewalls.

16. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 13 further comprising an end wall extending between said first and second sidewalls at the outer end thereof.

17. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said slotted opening has a length at least equal to the axial length of said cylindrical opening.

18. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said casing includes a flange surrounding said opening, said casing, said flange and said mirror cooperating to substantially conceal said adjustment member when said mirror is in a normal operative position.

19. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 18 wherein said casing includes a cutout portion provided in said flange, said mirror being movable to a position in which access to said adjustment member is afforded through said cutout portion.

20. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 19 wherein said cutout portion is substantially concealed by said mirror when said mirror is in a normal operative position.

21. An exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a bracket adapted to be secured to a motor vehicle, said bracket including a post;

a mirror support assembly having a mounting portion cooperating with said post to mount said support assembly on said post;

an adjustable member operative to exert a force between said mounting portion and said post so as to resist relative movement between said mirror support and said bracket;

a casing surrounding said mirror support assembly and defining an opening therein;

a mirror movably positioned within said opening and supported within said casing by said mirror support assembly;

said adjustable member being positioned within said casing in a location so as to be adjustably accessible through said opening without removal of said mirror.

22. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said post and said mounting portion include opposed generally cylindrical surfaces, said force being exerted between said surfaces.

23. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 22 wherein said post and said mounting portion are telescopically interconnected.

24. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 23 wherein one of said post and said mounting portion include a flange portion operative to limit telescopic movement therebetween.

25. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said adjustable member is substantially concealed by said casing and said mirror when said mirror is positioned in a normal operative relationship to said casing.

26. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 25 wherein said casing includes a flange portion surrounding said opening, said flange portion including a cutout portion to afford access to said adjusting member.

27. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said mirror support assembly is pivotably supported on said post.

28. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 21 wherein said mounting portion is integrally formed on said mirror support assembly.

29. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 28 wherein said mirror support assembly is formed from a polymeric composition.

30. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 29 wherein said mounting portion comprises an elongated cylindrical opening adapted to telescopically receive said post.

31. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 30 further comprising a slot extending generally radially outwardly from said opening, said adjustable member being operative to reduce the diameter of said opening.

32. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 30 further comprising a plurality of generally radially outwardly extending axially spaced reinforcing flanges extending circumferentially around at least a portion of said opening.

33. An exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 30 further comprising a circumferentially extending radially inwardly projecting flange portion provided at one end of said generally cylindrical opening, said flange portion being operative to limit telescopic movement of said post through said opening.

34. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a bracket frame member adapted to be secured to a portion of a motor vehicle, said bracket frame member including an upstanding pivot post provided thereon;

a mirror support frame having a main body portion and a mounting portion extending laterally outwardly from said main body portion, said mounting portion defining a generally cylindrically shaped elongated opening telescopically receiving said pivot post and a slotted opening extending generally radially outwardly from said generally cylindrical opening, said slot being defined by first and second spaced opposed wall portions;

a member extending between said first and second opposed wall portions, said member being operative to adjustably vary the spacing between said first and second opposed wall portions whereby a clamping force may be exerted on said pivot post by said mounting portion;

a casing surrounding said mirror support frame and defining an opening therein;

a mirror movably supported on said main body portion of said mirror support frame, said mirror substantially filling said opening defined by said casing;

said member being positioned within said casing such that said member may be accessed for adjustment through said opening without removing said mirror.

35. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 34 wherein said casing includes a flange portion extending inwardly around the periphery of said opening, said flange portion including a cutout portion to afford access to said member.

36. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 34 wherein said member is a threaded fastener.

37. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 34 wherein said mounting portion includes a plurality of axially spaced radially outwardly and circumferentially extending reinforcing flanges.

38. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 34 wherein said mounting portion includes a flange portion at one end thereof extending radially inwardly with respect to said opening, said flange being operative to limit telescopic movement of said pivot post.

39. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly as set forth in claim 34 wherein said mirror support frame is integrally formed from a polymeric composition.

40. A breakaway exterior rear view mirror assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a bracket frame member adapted to be secured to a motor vehicle;

a mirror;

a mirror support frame having a first portion for movably supporting said mirror and a second portion;

one of said bracket and said second portion of said mirror support frame having a pivot post provided thereon and the other of said bracket and said second portion of said mirror support frame having a cylindrical opening telescopically receiving said pivot post; and

means for reducing the diameter of said cylindrical opening to exert a clamping force on said pivot post to retain said mirror support frame and said bracket frame together.