Mirror operating mechanism

• US 6,322,221 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1998
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Britax Rainsfords Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Britax Rainsfords Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: van de Loo, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/085,708
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841, 359/872, 359/877, 248/479
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/074 for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle

Abstract

This invention describes a mirror operating mechanism for rotating a mirror head from a deployed position to a parked position. The mirror head (12) is mounted to a mirror mounting bracket (10) via a spigot (11) on the mounting bracket. The mirror head (12) is supported on a mounting bracket (10) for rotation with respect to the spigot (11). At least one detent (17) is placed between the mirror mounting bracket (10) and the mirror head (12) to hold the mirror head (12) in the required position. Resilient means (23) acts between the mirror mounting bracket (10) and the mirror head (12) with respect to the detent (17) so that the detents (17) are held in engaged positions. Drive means is operatively coupled to the spigot (11) to cause the mirror head (12) to rotate with respect to the spigot (11). The drive means includes an actuator (56, 50 or 92) that is moved upon initial operation of the drive means while the detents (17) resist rotation of the mirror head (12). The actuator (56, 50 or 92) movement applies a force to the resilient means (23) to in turn compress it and to allow movement of the mirror head (12) so that the detents (17) may disengage to thereby allow rotation of the mirror head (12) by the drive means. The advantage of the invention is that the drive means does not require excessive force to disengage the detents (17). This results from the operating mechanism first disengaging the detent (17) before requiring the drive means to rotate the mirror head (12).

Claims

1. An exterior rear view mirror comprising:

a mirror mounting bracket,

a spigot on said mounting bracket,

a mirror head supported on said mounting bracket for rotation with respect to said spigot,

at least one detent located between said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head for holding said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head in position,

resilient means acting between said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head, with respect to said detent, for holding said detent engaged thereby restraining movement of said mirror head,

drive means operatively coupling said spigot to said mirror head for rotating said mirror head with respect to said spigot, and

an actuator incorporated within said drive means which is moved by said drive means, relative to the spigot, upon initial operation of the drive means while said detent remains at least partially engaged and therefore initially resists rotation of said mirror head with respect to said mirror mounting bracket, the initial movement of said actuator applying a force to said resilient means which, in turn, compresses said resilient means and, once said resilient means is sufficiently compressed by movement of said actuator so that said detent becomes sufficiently disengaged to allow relative movement between said mirror head and said mirror mounting bracket, said actuator ceases movement, relative to the spigot, and further operation of said drive means, in turn, causes rotation of said mirror head with respect to said spigot.

2. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 1 wherein said drive means includes:

a gear wheel mounted with respect to said spigot so its axis of rotation is coaxial with a longitudinal axis of said spigot, and

drive gear engaging said gear wheel so that when said drive means is operated, and when said force applied to said detent is sufficiently relieved, said drive gear rotates around a periphery of said gear wheel to thereby rotate said mirror head.

3. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 2 wherein said resilient means acts against said gear wheel and said gear wheel abuts against a portion of said mirror head to thereby transfer force to said detent.

4. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 3 wherein said actuator comprises the combination of a first ramp surface on said gear wheel that engages a second ramp surface that is held with respect to said spigot so that, upon initial operation of said drive means, said ramp surfaces causes linear movement of said gear wheel with respect to the longitudinal axis of said spigot, as said gear wheel rotates, so as to relieve a holding force applied to said detent.

5. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 4 further comprising a plurality of combined first and second ramped surfaces.

6. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 5 wherein said gear wheel is journalled to said spigot with said resilient means acting between an upper end of said spigot and a base of said spigot.

7. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 6 wherein said plurality of second ramp surfaces are located at a base of said spigot.

8. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 7 further comprising:

a clutch plate located between a lower surface of said gear wheel and the base of said spigot, said plurality of second ramped surfaces located on an upper surface of said clutch plate, and

a clutch detent between the lower surface of said clutch plate and said spigot that has sufficient holding force to restrain movement between said clutch plate and spigot when said drive means is operated but allows rotation of said mirror head when sufficient force is applied to said mirror head through the disengagement of said clutch detent.

9. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 8 wherein said clutch detent comprises a plurality of projections on said mirror mounting bracket at the base of said spigot and a plurality of recesses in a base of said clutch plate in which said projections locate.

10. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 9 further comprising a rotation limiter between said clutch plate and gear wheel that limits the amount of relative rotation between said clutch plate and said gear wheel.

11. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 10 wherein said rotation limiter comprises a plurality of engaging vertical surfaces on both said clutch plate and gear wheel that abut to prevent relative rotation, said engaging vertical surfaces in one direction of rotation being spaced to allow for sufficient movement between said first and second ramped surfaces.

12. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 11 wherein said second ramped surface further comprises a vertical edge adjacent its highest end that engages a corresponding vertical surface on said gear wheel that prevents relative rotation.

13. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 12 wherein further vertical surfaces comprise posts on said clutch plate that extend into recesses in said gear wheel, said recesses having surfaces that engage said posts, said surfaces being sufficiently spaced from said posts to allow sufficient movement between said first and second ramped surfaces before said posts and recess surfaces engage and prevent relative rotation.

14. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 6 further comprising:

a clutch plate located between an upper surface of said gear wheel and said resilient means that is restrained from rotation with respect to said spigot, and

a clutch detent between the upper surface of said gear wheel and a lower surface of said clutch plate that has sufficient holding force to restrain movement between said clutch plate and said gear wheel when said drive means is operated but which allows rotation of said mirror head when sufficient force is applied to said mirror head through the disengagement of said clutch detent.

15. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 14 wherein said clutch detent comprises a plurality of projections on said upper surface of said gear wheel and a plurality of recesses in said clutch plate in which said projections locate.

16. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 6 further comprising:

a lifting plate located between a lower surface of said gear wheel and a base of said spigot and journalled to said spigot, said plurality of second ramped surfaces located on the upper surface of said lifting plate,

a helper plate located above said gear wheel having a third ramped surface that engages with a corresponding fourth ramped surface on the top of said gear wheel, the direction of inclination of said third and fourth ramped surfaces being the same as said first and second ramped surfaces and the degree of inclination with respect to the horizontal of said third and fourth ramped surfaces being less than said first and second ramped surfaces, said helper plate being linked to said lifting plate so that they are not able to rotate independently,

a clutch plate located between a lower surface of said clutch plate that has sufficient holding force to restrain movement between said clutch plate and combination of said lifting plate, gear wheel and helper plate when said drive means is operated but which allows rotation of said mirror head, when sufficient force is applied to said mirror head, by disengagement of said clutch detent.

17. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 16 wherein said clutch detent comprises a plurality of projections on said upper surface of said helper plate and a plurality of recesses in said clutch plate in which said projections locate.

18. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 4 wherein said spigot is tubular.

19. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 18 wherein said gear wheel is located above an end of said spigot.

20. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 19 wherein resilient means further comprises:

a tube that locates within, and extends beyond, said spigot, said gear wheel journalled to said tube,

a flange extending radially outwardly at a lower end of said tube,

a lifting plate held within an upper end of said spigot so that said lifting plate can rotate with respect to said spigot, and a plurality of second ramped surfaces located on an upper surface of said lifting plate, and

a compressed coil spring positioned around said tube and located between said flange and lifting plate, and a retainer on said tube that bears against said gear wheel and applies a downward force to said gear wheel.

21. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 20 further comprising a rotation limiter between said lifting plate and said gear wheel that limits the amount of relative rotation between said lifting plate and said gear wheel.

22. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 21 further comprising:

a clutch plate located between the upper surface of said gear wheel and said retainer, that is held with respect to, but able to move along, said tube,

means for preventing relative rotation between said clutch plate and said lifting plate, and

a clutch detent between the upper surface of said clutch plate and the lower surface of said retainer that has sufficient holding force to restrain movement between said clutch plate and said retainer when said drive means is operated but which allows rotation of said mirror head, when sufficient force is applied to said mirror head, by disengagement of said clutch detent.

23. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 22 wherein said clutch detent comprises a plurality of projections on said clutch plate and a corresponding plurality of recesses on said retainer in which said projections locate.

24. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 23 wherein said clutch plate has third ramped surfaces and the upper surface of said gear wheel has fourth ramped surfaces that engage said third ramped surfaces, the direction of inclination of said third and fourth ramped surfaces being the same as said first and second ramped surfaces and the degree of inclination, with respect to the horizontal, of said third and fourth ramped surfaces being less than said first and second ramped surfaces.

25. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 3 wherein said actuator comprises:

a shaft slidably journalled with respect to said mirror head, and

a worm drive on said shaft that engages said gear wheel so that upon initial operation of said drive means, the rotation of said worm moves said shaft along its longitudinal axis so that an end of said shaft moves said mirror head against said resilient means so that the force applied to said detent is relieved.

26. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 25 further comprising a housing journalled to said spigot, that is slidably engaged by said mirror head, said resilient means comprising a coil spring located between said housing and said mirror head that acts to engage said detent, said shaft being slidably journalled in said housing so that upon operation of said drive means, said worm moves said shaft so that the end of said shaft pushes against said mirror head and compresses said spring so that the force acting on said detent is relieved.

27. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 26 further comprising a clutch detent between said gear wheel and said spigot, and a spring acting between said gear wheel and said spigot to hold said clutch detent so that movement of said gear wheel with respect to said clutch detent is prevented when said drive means is operated but which allows rotation of said mirror head when sufficient force is applied to said mirror head by the disengagement of said clutch detent.

28. An exterior rear view mirror comprising:

a mirror mounting bracket,

a spigot on said mounting bracket,

a mirror head supported on said mounting bracket for rotation with respect to said spigot,

at least one detent located between said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head for holding said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head in position,

resilient means acting between said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head, with respect to said detent, for holding said detent engaged thereby restraining movement of said mirror head,

drive means operatively coupling said spigot to said mirror head for rotating said mirror head with respect to said spigot,

an actuator incorporated within said drive means which is moved by said drive means, relative to the spigot, upon initial operation of the drive means while said detent remains at least partially engaged and therefore initially resists rotation of said mirror head with respect to said mirror mounting bracket, the initial movement of said actuator applying a force to said resilient means which, in turn, compresses said resilient means and, once said resilient means is sufficiently compressed by movement of said actuator so that said detent becomes sufficiently disengaged to allow relative movement of said mirror head and said mirror mounting bracket, said actuator ceases movement, relative to the spigot, and said drive means, in turn, causes rotation of said mirror head with respect to said spigot,

a gear wheel mounted with respect to said spigot, and

said resilient means further comprises;

a tube that locates within, and extends beyond, said spigot, said gear wheel is journalled to said tube,

a flange extending radially outwardly at a lower end of said tube,

a spigot ledge extending radially inwardly at an upper end of said spigot,

a compressed coil spring positioned around said tube and located between said flange and said ledge, and

a retainer on the lower end of said tube that bears against said gear wheel and applies a downward force to said gear wheel.

29. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 28 wherein:

said gear wheel has an upper surface and a lower surface,

said actuator comprises a first ramp surface on said gear wheel that engages with a second ramp surface held with respect to said spigot so that, upon initial operation of said drive means, said ramp surfaces causes linear movement of said gear wheel with respect to a longitudinal axis of said spigot, as said gear wheel rotates, so as to relieve a holding force applied to said detent, and

a lifting plate located below the lower surface of said gear wheel and journalled to said tube and held with respect to said spigot, said second ramped surface located on an upper surface of said lifting plate.

30. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 29 further comprising a rotation limiter between said lifting plate and said gear wheel that limits the amount of relative rotation between said lifting plate and said gear wheel.

31. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 30 wherein said rotation limiter comprises a plurality of engaging vertical surfaces on both said lifting plate and gear wheel that abut to prevent relative rotation, said engaging vertical surfaces in a first direction of rotation being spaced to allow for sufficient movement between said first and second ramped surfaces.

32. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 31 wherein said lifting plate comprises a plurality of second ramped surfaces, each of said plurality of second ramped surfaces has a first vertical surface positioned at an upper end thereof and extending vertically therefrom;

and

said gear wheel has corresponding first vertical surfaces which are normally spaced from said vertical surfaces of said plurality of second ramped surfaces so that relative movement occurs between said first and second ramped surfaces before said first vertical surfaces of said gear wheel engage with said first vertical surfaces of said lifting plate.

33. An exterior view mirror according to claim 32 wherein:

said lifting plate has a plurality of second vertical surfaces, each of the plurality of second vertical surfaces of the lifting plate is adjacent one of said plurality of second ramped surfaces of said lifting plate;

said gear wheel has corresponding second vertical surfaces, each of said corresponding second vertical surfaces of said gear wheel abut with one of the plurality of second vertical surfaces of the lifting plate and prevent rotation in a second direction that is opposite to a first direction of rotation.

34. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 29 further comprising:

a clutch plate located between said spigot ledge and the end of said coil spring that is held with respect to, but able to move along, said tube and restrained from rotating with respect to said lifting plate, and

a clutch detent between an upper surface of said clutch plate and a lower surface of said ledge that has sufficient holding force to restrain movement between said clutch plate and said spigot when said drive means is operated but which allows rotation of said mirror head, when sufficient force is applied to said mirror head, by disengagement of said clutch detent.

35. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 34 wherein said clutch detent comprises a plurality of projections on said spigot ledge and a corresponding plurality of recesses on said clutch plate in which said projections locate.

36. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 35 wherein said spigot ledge comprises a plurality of ledge segments spaced around an interior surface of said spigot and each of said ledge segments supports a projection which engages with one of said recesses of said clutch plate.

37. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 34 wherein said tube has a plurality of longitudinal channels, and said clutch plate has a plurality of lugs that engage said channels, that prevent rotation of said clutch plate with respect to said tube but allow movement of said clutch plate therealong.

38. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 34 wherein said clutch plate has a plurality of posts and said lifting plate has a plurality of recesses within which posts locate to prevent relative rotation therebetween but which allow separation of said clutch plate with respect to said lifting plate.

39. An exterior rear view mirror according to claim 28 wherein said retainer has third ramped surfaces and the upper surface of said gear wheel has fourth ramped surfaces that engage said third ramped surfaces, the direction of inclination of said third and fourth ramped surfaces being the same as said first and second ramped surfaces and the degree of inclination, with respect to the horizontal of said third and fourth ramped surfaces, being less than said first and second ramped surfaces, said retainer restrained from rotation with respect to said tube.

40. An exterior rear view mirror comprising:

a mirror mounting bracket;

a spigot on said mounting bracket;

a mirror head supported on said mounting bracket for rotation with respect to said spigot;

at least one detent located between said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head for holding said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head in position;

resilient means acting between said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head, with respect to said detent, for holding said detent engaged thereby restraining movement of said mirror head;

drive means operatively coupling said spigot to said mirror head for rotating said mirror head with respect to said spigot;

an over ride clutch to facilitate manual movement of the mirror head relative to the mirror mounting bracket and prevent jamming of the mirror head during operation of said drive means; and

an actuator incorporated within said drive means is moved by said drive means, relative to the spigot, upon initial operation of the drive means while said detent remains at least partially engaged and therefore initially resists rotation of said mirror head with respect to said mirror mounting bracket, the initial movement of said actuator applying a force to said resilient means which, in turn, compresses said resilient means and, once said resilient means is sufficiently compressed by movement of said actuator so that said detent becomes sufficiently disengaged to allow relative movement between said mirror head and said mirror mounting bracket, said actuator ceases movement, relative to the spigot, and further operation of said drive means, in turn, causes rotation of said mirror head with respect to said spigot.