Vehicle outside mirror device

• US 7,883,224 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2007
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Onuki, Hiroyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US11/905,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841, 359/872, 359/873, 359/877
• 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

A rotation range control mechanism includes a clutch holder provided around a shaft, a washer fixed to a casing, a control convex portion arranged on the clutch holder, and contact portions arranged on the washer.

Claims

1. An outside mirror device for a vehicle, comprising:

a mirror assembly; and

an electric retracting unit that includes;

a shaft holder that is fixed to a base,

a shaft that is provided on the shaft holder,

a casing to which the mirror assembly is attached, the casing rotatably mounted around the shaft, such that the mirror assembly is rotatably attached to a body of the vehicle through the electric retracting unit and the base,

a motor that outputs a rotational force,

a transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational force to the mirror assembly, and

a rotation range control mechanism that is arranged in the casing and that controls a rotation range of the mirror assembly, the rotation range control mechanism including;

a clutch gear that has a plurality of clutch portions on a surface thereof, and that is rotatably provided about the shaft to be axially movable,

a clutch member of the transmission mechanism that has a plurality of fitting portions that fit the plurality of clutch portions of the clutch gear on a surface facing the clutch gear, and that is replaceable and is provided around the shaft to be axially movable,

a washer that is replaceable and is fixed to the casing within the casing,

a control convex portion integrally arranged on at least one of the clutch member and the washer,

a contact portion that is arranged on at least other one of the clutch member and the washer and with which the control convex portion comes into close contact to control the rotation range of the mirror assembly, and

a sliding path that is arranged on at least the other one of the clutch member and the washer within the casing, and includes the contact portion, wherein the sliding path is configured to be concentric with the shaft, and a top surface of the control convex portion is arranged to slide on the sliding path.

2. The outside mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the clutch member and the washer are capable of replacing an existing clutch holder and an existing washer.

3. The outside mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the clutch member and the washer are made of metal.

4. The outside mirror device according to claim 1, wherein when the mirror assembly is rotated to a forward inclined position side, the clutch member moves in an axial direction of the shaft.

5. The outside mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is arranged integrally with at least the other one of the clutch member and the washer.

6. The outside mirror device according to claim 1, further comprising a stopper member for preventing the mirror assembly from coming into close contact with the body of the vehicle.

7. The outside mirror device according to claim 1, wherein the sliding path further includes a rising inclined surface to reduce a rotation speed of the mirror assembly.

8. The outside mirror device according to claim 7, further comprising a switch circuit that stops a current supply to the motor when the minor assembly reaches a predetermined position at a time when the control convex portion comes into close contact with the contact portion or when the control convex portion climbs and moves on the rising inclined surface.

9. The outside minor device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch circuit that stops a current supply to the motor when the mirror assembly reaches a predetermined position at a time when the control convex portion comes into close contact with the contact portion.

10. The outside mirror device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a stopper member for preventing the mirror assembly from coming into close contact with the body of the vehicle.