Door mirror for automobile

• US 6,702,448 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2002
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US10/195,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20030026008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 359/838, 359/841, 359/844, 359/507, 359/508, 359/509, 359/511
• US Class Current: 359/838
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

A plurality of baffle rails (4C) extending along a front-rear direction of a vehicle body are provided on a periphery of a mirror body (4) of an automotive door mirror (1), at least on a surface (4A) opposite a side of the vehicle body. Wind that sweeps along the periphery of the mirror body (4) during driving of the automobile passes along the baffle rails (4C) to the end of the surface (4A) without deviating partway from the surface (4A). Accordingly, the wind noise of about 1-3 kHz like a whistle may be reduced. The baffle rails (4C), which may serve as an accent of patterning, are provided without marring the beautifully designed appearance of the mirror body (4). The automotive door mirror (1) with the baffle rails (4C) lends itself to injection molding of the mirror body (4), and thus may be easily manufactured.

Claims

1. An automotive door mirror comprising:

a mirror body mounted on a side of a vehicle body and having an outer peripheral surface facing the side of the vehicle body; and

a plurality of baffle rails provided on the outer peripheral surface to extend along a front-rear direction of the vehicle body in order to reduce wind noise.

2. An automotive door mirror according to claim 1, wherein each of the baffle rails has a width of 0.5 mm through 1.5 mm, and a protrusion height of 0.1 mm through 0.3 mm.

3. An automotive door mirror according to claim 1, wherein a number of the baffle rails is any one of 3 through 5.

4. An automotive door mirror according to claim 1, wherein the mirror body is comprised of an injection-molded casting integrally formed of plastic;

and wherein the baffle rails extend along a direction in which the mold for the mirror body opens.

5. An automotive door mirror according to claim 1, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.

6. An automotive door mirror according to claim 2, wherein a number of the baffle rails is any one of 3 through 5.

7. An automotive door mirror according to claim 2, wherein the mirror body is comprised of an injection-molded casting integrally formed of plastic;

and wherein the baffle rails extend along a direction in which the mold for the mirror body opens.

8. An automotive door mirror according to claim 3, wherein the mirror body is comprised of an injection-molded casting integrally formed of plastic;

and wherein the baffle rails extend along a direction in which the mold for the mirror body opens.

9. An automotive door mirror according to claim 6, wherein the mirror body is comprised of an injection-molded casting integrally formed of plastic;

and wherein the baffle rails extend along a direction in which the mold for the mirror body opens.

10. An automotive door mirror according to claim 2, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.

11. An automotive door mirror according to claim 3, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.

12. An automotive door mirror according to claim 4, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.

13. An automotive door mirror according to claim 6, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.

14. An automotive door mirror according to claim 7, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.

15. An automotive door mirror according to claim 8, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.

16. An automotive door mirror according to claim 9, wherein the baffle rails are formed in advance on a sheet member to be stuck on the mirror body.