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Open vehicle rearview mirror system for switching between normal and blind-spot views

  • US 7,837,339 B2
  • Filed: 08/31/2007
  • Issued: 11/23/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An open vehicle rear view system for use with an open vehicle having a vehicle body and a handlebar, the system comprising:

  • a pair of mirrors for obtaining a rear view, the mirrors being disposed on left and right portions of the vehicle body or the handlebar in front of a driver;

    mirror housings mounted on the left and right portions of the vehicle body or the handlebar;

    mirror holders each having a holder plate that holds the mirror, and being supported on the mirror housing so that the mirror holder can pivot between a normal view position for obtaining a normal rear view and a changed view position which is changed from the normal view position;

    actuators enclosed within a continuous outer surface of an actuator case, each actuator including an electric motor rotatable in forward and reverse directions and a reduction mechanism for reducing output of the electric motor, each actuator being provided between the mirror housing and the mirror holder to exert power for pivoting the mirror holder, the actuator case having first and second restricting faces defined by the continuous outer surface of the actuator case;

    an operating member operated by the driver in order to select the normal view position or the changed view position of the mirror holders; and

    a drive control circuit including two pairs of position detection switches which are disposed at fixed positions within the two mirror housings in order to detect the normal view position and the changed view position of the mirror holders and determine a timing for terminating operation of the electric motors, and controlling operation of the electric motors so as to pivot the two mirror holders simultaneously according to operation of the operating member, wherein the normal view position is detected when the first restricting face abuts against the holder plate and the changed view position is detected when the second restricting face abuts against the holder plate.

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