Asymmetric multiple constant radii of curvature convex mirrors

• US 8,047,666 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Inventors: Englander, Benjamin, Serer, Julian
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAFER, RICKY D
• Application Number:
  US12/856,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20110007412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 359/851, 359/866, 359/868, 359/871
• US Class Current: 359/868
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0605 specially adapted for mounting on trucks, e.g. by C-shaped support means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/10 Front-view mirror arrangements; specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; Periscope arrangements , i.e. optical devices using combinations of mirrors, lenses, prisms or the like specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; for viewing traffic-lights B60R1/005; Other mirror arrangements giving a view from above or under the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/10 with curved faces

Abstract

An asymmetrical mirror lens, usable on front fenders of school buses and similar vehicles, which has a plurality of mirror sections, each having a distinct constant radius of curvature to reduce image distortion. Optional sections located between sections of the constant radius of curvature have a step-wise changing radii of curvature to smooth the image sizes as an object moves across the mirror lens.

Claims

1. An asymmetric convex mirror lens, comprising:

an asymmetric convex mirror dome lens having a peripheral edge which defines a width-wise extending axis and an height-wise extending axis and a plurality of sections of constant radius of curvature arranged width-wise along the mirror dome lens, said convex mirror dome lens comprising;

a first section having a first constant radius of curvature, located to one side relative to the height-wise axis of the mirror dome lens;

a second section having a second constant radius of curvature which is different from the first constant radius of curvature, located to the left of the height-wise extending axis of the mirror dome lens; and

at least one third section having a third constant radius of curvature which is different from the first and second constant radius of curvature and joined to, and in between, said first and second sections,

wherein the mirror dome lens defines a base with the peripheral edge lying in a flat plane, the peripheral edge of the base asymmetrically shaped and which is neither circular, nor oval, nor elliptical in shape and is asymmetric with respect to both the width-wise extending axis and the height-wise extending axis.

2. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, wherein said convex mirror dome lens further comprises a first distance from the height-wise axis to a right edge of the mirror dome lens at the peripheral edge that is different than a second distance from the height-wise axis to a left edge of the mirror dome lens, producing an asymmetric lens surface.

3. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge lying in the flat plane defines in that flat plane a closed curve which has a width and a height dimension, where the width dimension is measured along the width-wise axis and the height dimension is measured along the height-wise axis.

4. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one fourth section comprising a substantially narrow strip of a changing curvature mirror surface joined with at least one of said first and second sections or said second and third sections producing a smoothly changing image size.

5. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one fourth section comprising a substantially narrow strip of at least one of a constant and changing curvature mirror surface joined to, and in between, said first and third sections, producing a smoothly changing image size between said first and third sections.

6. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 5, further comprising:

at least one fifth section comprising a substantially narrow strip of at least one of a constant and changing curvature mirror surface joined to, and in between, said second and third sections, producing a smoothly changing image size between said second and third sections.

7. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one fourth section comprising a substantially narrow strip of a step-wise changing curvature mirror surface joined to, and in between, said first and third sections, producing a smoothly changing image size between said first and third sections.

8. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one fifth section comprising a substantially narrow strip of a step-wise changing curvature mirror surface joined to, and in between, said second and third sections, producing a smoothly changing image size between said second and third sections.

9. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, wherein said convex mirror dome lens further comprises a cross-view mirror dome lens.

10. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, further comprising:

a support panel secured to said convex mirror dome lens; and

a mounting structure attached to said support panel and adapted to be to and external surface of a vehicle for viewing objects both in front of and alongside the vehicle or both in back of and alongside the vehicle.

11. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1, wherein said convex mirror dome lens further comprises:

a cross-view mirror dome lens;

a support panel secured to said convex mirror dome lens; and

a mounting structure attached to said support panel and adapted to be to and external surface of a vehicle for viewing objects both in front of and alongside the vehicle or both in back of and alongside the vehicle.