Vehicle mirror device, method for manufacturing mirror device for vehicle, and vehicle

• US 7,070,288 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Itou, Masaaki, Aoki, Masakazu, Iwatsuki, Masakazu, Okatsu, Yasunobu, Mizutani, Toshinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US10/508,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 359/507, 359/509, 359/841, 359/871, 359/872
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

In a vehicle door mirror device (10), an outer side surface (20B), with respect to a vehicle, of a projection (20) of a door mirror stay (16) is made to be flat. Further, an angle of the outer side surface (20B) with respect to a front-rear direction of the vehicle, inward or outward with respect to the vehicle, is not more than 2 degrees. Therefore, wind arriving at the outer side surface (20B) flows rearward with respect to the vehicle with fluctuation thereof being suppressed, and its flow is straightened. Furthermore, a radius of curvature of a corner portion (20E) at an outer rear side, with respect to the vehicle, of the projection (20) is not more than 15 mm. Therefore, wind arriving at the outer side surface (20B) of the projection (20) is suppressed from flowing along the corner portion (20E), and its flow is straightened. Thus, wind noise performance of the door mirror stay (16) can be improved. In addition, wind drawn in by the door mirror stay (16) toward a mirror and toward a side window can be reduced, and impairment of visibility can be suppressed.

Claims

1. A vehicle mirror device comprising:

a holding member for holding a mirror for providing a rearward view with respect to a vehicle;

a supporting member disposed at a vehicle body side for supporting the holding member; and

a projection disposed at the supporting member and projecting inward or outward with respect to the vehicle,

wherein substantially all of a projecting end surface of the projection is substantially flat,

an angle of the projecting end surface of the projection with respect to a front-rear direction of the vehicle, inward or outward with respect to the vehicle, is not more than 2 degrees,

a radius of curvature of a first corner portion of the projection, wherein said first corner portion is at a side in a projecting direction of the projection and at a front side with respect to the vehicle, is not less than 20 mm, and

a radius of curvature of a second corner portion of the projection, wherein said second corner portion is at the side in the projecting direction of the projection and at a rear side with respect to the vehicle, is not more than 15 mm.

2. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radius of curvature of the second corner portion of the projection, wherein said second corner portion is at the side in the projecting direction of the projection and at the rear side with respect to the vehicle, is not more than 10 mm.

3. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front side surface, with respect to the vehicle, of the projection is inclined in the projecting direction of the projection and in a rearward direction with respect to the vehicle.

4. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 3, wherein an angle of the front side surface of the projection with respect to the rearward direction is about 45 degrees.

5. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rear side surface, with respect to the vehicle, of the projection is substantially parallel to a width direction of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a connecting portion between a portion of the supporting member other than the projection and at least one of a front side surface and a rear side surface, with respect to the vehicle, of the projection comprises a smoothly curved surface.

7. A vehicle comprising the vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 1.

8. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projecting end surface of the projection defines a free end of the supporting member that is opposite from an end of said supporting member mounted on said vehicle body.

9. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said holding member has a bottom wall, that is mounted to a top surface of said supporting member.

10. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said holding member is rotationally mounted onto said top surface of said supporting member.

11. A vehicle mirror device comprising:

a holding member for holding a mirror for providing a rearward view with respect to a vehicle;

a supporting member disposed at a vehicle body side for supporting the holding member; and

a projection disposed at the supporting member and projecting inward or outward with respect to the vehicle,

wherein a radius of curvature of a first corner portion of the projection, wherein said first corner portion is at a side in a projecting direction of the projection and at a rear side with respect to the vehicle, is not more than 15 mm, and

a radius of curvature of a second corner portion of the projection, wherein said second corner portion is at the side in the projecting direction of the projection and at a front side with respect to the vehicle, is not less than 20 mm.

12. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the radius of curvature of the first corner portion of the projection, wherein said first corner portion is at the side in the projecting direction of the projection and at the rear side with respect to the vehicle, is not more than 10 mm.

13. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a front side surface, with respect to the vehicle, of the projection is inclined in the projecting direction of the projection and in a rearward direction with respect to the vehicle.

14. The vehicle minor device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a rear side surface, with respect to the vehicle, of the projection is substantially parallel to a width direction of the vehicle.

15. The vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a connecting portion between a portion of the supporting member other than the projection and at least one of a front side surface and a rear side surface, with respect to the vehicle, of the projection comprises a smoothly curved surface.

16. A vehicle comprising the vehicle mirror device as claimed in claim 11.