Non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus

• US 6,015,215 A
• Filed: 02/28/1997
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: K. Source, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Herman
• Inventors: Herman, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US08/810,628
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 359/850, 359/864, 359/866, 359/871, 359/883, 359/841, 248/467
• US Class Current: 359/864
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors

Abstract

A non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus to generally provide a driver of a vehicle with a full view of the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus is preferably mounted to a non-mirror reflective, support member of a factory-mounted side view mirror assembly. The support member being positioned between a reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly and an exterior surface of a vehicle. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus is preferably mounted to the support member in the absence of engagement to or contact with, the reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, and in the absence of obstructing the driver'"'"'s view of any portion of the reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, while generally providing the driver with a full view of the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot.

Claims

1. A non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus to generally provide the driver of a vehicle with a full view of the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot, while generally avoiding any obstruction of and contact to a reflective mirror surface of a collapsible factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, comprising:

a non-circular, convex mirror body;

a mounting bracket having a planar back portion and an open front portion to receive said non-circular, convex mirror body; and

a mounting apparatus affixed to the back of said mounting bracket to affix said mounting bracket to a support member of the collapsible, factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, wherein said convex mirror body is positioned on the support member wholly laterally inboard of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, and said non-circular, convex mirror body and mounting bracket are mounted on the support member between a reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly and an exterior surface of the vehicle, to provide cooperation between said convex mirror body and a fixed mounting bracket of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly such that when said factory-mounted side view mirror is in a collapsed engagement to the fixed mounting bracket of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, there is no contact between said convex mirror body and the fixed mounting bracket of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly.

2. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting bracket is comprised of a polymer material.

3. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting apparatus comprises a sheet-like, flexible material having a first side and a second side, the first side having a first coating of adhesive thereon and the second side having a second coating of adhesive material thereon, wherein the first coating of adhesive affixes the first side to a back portion of said mounting bracket.

4. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 3, wherein the second side and second coating of adhesive is releasably affixed to a removable adhesive covering.

5. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 4, wherein the removal of the adhesive covering of the second side and second coating of adhesive and contact of said second side and second coating of adhesive with the non-mirror reflective support member of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, generally provides the driver of the vehicle with full view of the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot, in the absence of obstruction to any portion of the reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly.

6. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said non-circular convex mirror body, said mounting bracket and said mounting apparatus attach to the support member of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, in the absence of exposing any portion of said non-circular convex mirror body, said mounting bracket and said mounting apparatus laterally outboard of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly and in the absence of obstructing any portion of the reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly.

7. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said non-circular, convex mirror body, said mounting bracket and said mounting apparatus attach to the support member of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, in the absence of exposing any portion of said non-circular, convex mirror body, said mounting bracket and said mounting apparatus to oncoming wind, to which the front surface of the vehicle may otherwise be exposed.

8. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein said non-circular, convex mirror body, said mounting bracket and said mounting apparatus attach to the support member of the factorymounted side view mirror assembly, in the absence of exposing any portion of said non-circular, convex mirror body, said mounting bracket and said mounting apparatus to oncoming road debris, to which the front surface of the vehicle may otherwise be exposed.

9. The non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and mounting apparatus, as defined in claim 1, wherein an x axis of said non-circular, convex mirror body is generally greater than a y axis of said non-circular, convex mirror body.

10. A non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and non-obstructive mounting apparatus to generally provide the driver of a vehicle with a full view of the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot, comprising:

a non-circular, convex mirror body, having generally a longer x axis as compared to a y axis;

a non-circular, mounting bracket being similarly shaped as said convex mirror body and having a planar back portion and open front portion, the planar back portion being designed for compact engagement with a support member of a factorymounted side view mirror assembly; and

a mounting apparatus comprising a pressure sensitive, double-sided, adhesive strip affixed to the back of said mounting bracket to engage said mounting bracket and said convex mirror body to the support member of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly such that when the factory-mounted side view mirror is in a collapsed engagement there is cooperation to avoid contact with or damage to the non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly and a fixed mounting bracket of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly, wherein said convex mirror body and said mounting bracket are mounted wholly laterally inboard to the support member and positioned between a reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly and an exterior surface of the vehicle, such that the non-obstructive, auxiliary rear view mirror assembly generally avoids contact with or obstruction of the reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror assembly at all times, to provide the driver of the vehicle with a full and non-obstructed view of the reflective mirror surface of the factory-mounted side view mirror and a full view of the vehicle'"'"'s blind spot through said non-circular, convex mirror body.