Back-up mirror system for vehicle safety when backing into lane(s) of cross-traffic with back-up mirror method

• US 6,871,971 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Lawrence Morrison
• Original Assignee: William Lawrence Morrison
• Inventors: Morrison, William Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US09/893,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20030007263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 359/857, 359/861, 359/862, 359/863, 359/844, 359/850, 248/467
• US Class Current: 359/850
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/007 specially adapted for covering the lateral blind spot not covered by the usual rear-view mirror

Abstract

A back-up mirror system for passenger vehicles allowing a driver to have an alternative view of any nearby oncoming cross-traffic imminently passing behind the vehicle before deciding to back up into that lane of cross-traffic, which is especially useful when an adjacent obstruction blocks direct views. The first mirror in the back-up mirror system is the standard rear-view mirror (10) generally positioned inside the passenger compartment at the top edge of the front windshield at the center of the vehicle'"'"'s width and whose reflective surface is generally facing the rear window of the vehicle, and the second mirror, the back-up mirror (6), also mounted inside the passenger compartment, is mounted in a region behind the driver'"'"'s seat, and whose reflective surface is generally facing a side of the vehicle (left-looking or right-looking). The back-up mirror system is especially useful when a backing-up driver has a limited range of neck movement preventing a direct look at oncoming cross-traffic. The back-up mirror method comprises the same back-up mirror (6), which provides an alternative view of any nearby oncoming cross-traffic for a driver backing up, which view is especially useful when direct views are blocked by an adjacent obstruction.

Claims

1. A back-up mirror system to improve safety when a driver begins driving a passenger vehicle in reverse into a lane of cross-traffic, comprising:

(a) a passenger vehicle, including a driver'"'"'s side and a passenger side, said sides include doors, a rear bumper fixed at the rear end of said vehicle, a passenger compartment, a driver'"'"'seat, a window at the rear of said passenger compartment, and

(b) a rear-view mirror consisting of a single optical element physically positioned with mounting means inside said passenger compartment in a location generally in front of said driver'"'"'s seat row, said rear-view mirror'"'"'s reflecting surface generally lying in substantially vertical plane and which reflecting surface faces generally toward the aft of said vehicle lying in a plane substantially parallel with said rear bumper, and

(c) a back-up mirror consisting of a single optical element physically positioned with mounting means inside said passenger compartment at a location aft of said driver'"'"'s seat row, said location also lying enough forward of said rear end so that a ray emanating from a rear bumper of an adjacent obstruction(4) towards said back-up mirror position is blocked by said vehicle(21) itself, said location also generally against a non-door surface of said passenger compartment'"'"'s driver'"'"'s side, said back-up mirror'"'"'s reflecting surface lying in a substantially vertical plane, and which plane is also generally parallel with said vehicle'"'"'s sides,

all of whose relative physical locations and reflecting relationships form a physical structure wherein an image of

a nearby oncoming cross-traffic object approaching from said passenger side and traveling in a lane of cross-traffic crossing behind said vehicle

arrives at said driver'"'"'s seat region via said rear-view mirror'"'"'s image of said back-up mirror'"'"'s image,

whereby a driver sees a view of said nearby oncoming cross-traffic object, which information is needed at the moment of deciding the safety of driving said vehicle in reverse into said lane of cross-traffic, whereby a collision can be better avoided, whereby the back-up mirror element does not substantially obstruct existing rear-views through said window at the rear of said passenger compartment.

2. A back-up mirror system to improve safety when a driver begins driving a passenger vehicle in reverse into a lane of cross-traffic, comprising:

(a) a passenger vehicle, including a driver'"'"'s side and a passenger side, said sides include doors, a rear bumper fixed at the rear end of said vehicle, a passenger compartment, a driver'"'"'s seat, a window at the rear of said passenger compartment, and

(b) a rear-view mirror consisting of a single optical element physically positioned with mounting means inside said passenger compartment in a location generally in front of said driver'"'"'s seat row, said rear-view mirror'"'"'s reflecting surface generally lying in a substantially vertical plane and which reflecting surface faces generally toward the aft of said vehicle lying in a plane substantially parallel with said rear bumper, and

(c) a back-up mirror consisting of a single optical element physically positioned with mounting means inside said passenger compartment at a location aft of said driver'"'"'s seat row, said location also lying enough forward of said rear end so that a ray emanating from a rear bumper of an adjacent obstruction(4) parked alongside the drivers'"'"'s-side of said vehicle toward said back-up mirror position is blocked by said vehicle(21) itself, said location also generally against a non-door surface of said passenger compartment'"'"'s passenger side, said back-up mirror'"'"'s reflecting surface lying in a substantially vertical plane, and which plane is also generally parallel with said vehicle'"'"'s sides,

all of whose relative physical locations and reflecting relationships form a physical structure wherein an image of

a nearby oncoming cross-traffic object approaching from said driver'"'"'s side and traveling in a lane of cross-traffic crossing behind said vehicle

arrives at said driver'"'"'s seat region via said rear-view mirror'"'"'s image of said back-up mirror'"'"'s image,

whereby a driver sees a view of said nearby oncoming cross-traffic object, which information is needed at the moment of deciding the safety of driving said vehicle in reverse into said lane of cross-traffic, whereby a collision can be better avoided, whereby the back-up mirror element does not substantially obstruct existing rear-views through said window at the rear of said passenger compartment.