Adjustable auxiliary mirror assembly

• US 8,172,410 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Rummer, Andrew M, Vize, Robert M
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US11/876,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20090103197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 359/840, 359/850, 359/864, 359/865
• US Class Current: 359/864
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/007 specially adapted for covering the lateral blind spot not covered by the usual rear-view mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0605 specially adapted for mounting on trucks, e.g. by C-shaped support means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors

Abstract

A mirror assembly comprising primary and auxiliary mirror assemblies having complimentary recesses and protrusions on respective frame portions of the assemblies, the auxiliary mirror assembly adapted to be disposed at a plurality of positions along the primary mirror assembly when the recesses and protrusions are disposed in interfitting engagement.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly comprising

a primary mirror assembly, the primary mirror assembly including

a primary mirror having a reflective face and including opposed side edges, and

a frame including portions extending along at least a portion of the opposed side edges of the primary mirror, at least one of said frame portions including at least one of a plurality of recesses or protrusions,

an auxiliary mirror assembly, the auxiliary mirror assembly comprising:

an auxiliary mirror having opposed side edges,

a frame including portions extending along at least a portion of opposed side edges of the auxiliary mirror, the auxiliary mirror frame portions being adapted to be disposed substantially adjacent at least a portion of the primary mirror frame portions to at least partially superimpose the auxiliary mirror assembly along the face of the primary mirror, at least one of said auxiliary mirror frame portions including at least one recess or protrusion configured for interfitting engagement with at least two of the recesses or protrusions of the primary mirror frame portions to position the auxiliary mirror assembly in at least two positions along the primary mirror assembly.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1 further including at least one spring biasing the recess or protrusion of the auxiliary mirror frame portion into interfitting engagement with the recesses or protrusions of the primary mirror frame portion when said auxiliary mirror assembly is disposed substantially adjacent the primary mirror assembly.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 1 further comprising at least one handle operatively connected to at least portion of the recesses or protrusions of the auxiliary mirror frame portion.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein said auxiliary mirror frame portions include at least one flange, the flange including at least one said recess or protrusion of the auxiliary mirror frame portions.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 4 wherein a plurality of recesses or protrusions of at least one of the auxiliary mirror frame portions is disposed on said flange.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 4 wherein said auxiliary mirror frame portions each include at least one said flange and at least one protrusion, said flanges including at least one bore therethrough, said at least one auxiliary mirror frame portion protrusion extending through said bore.

7. The mirror assembly of claim 6 wherein said protrusion of the auxiliary mirror frame portion is spring biased relative to said flange.

8. The mirror assembly of claim 7 wherein the spring extends about said protrusion.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 4 wherein said flange is pivotably coupled to said auxiliary mirror frame, the mirror assembly further including at least one spring biasing said flange toward said primary mirror frame.

10. The mirror assembly of claim 9 wherein said at least one spring comprises at least one torsion spring biasing said flange toward said primary mirror frame when the auxiliary mirror assembly is disposed on said primary mirror assembly.

11. The mirror assembly of claim 4 further comprising at least one handle operatively connected to at least a portion of the recesses or protrusions of the auxiliary mirror frame portion.

12. The mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein the face of the primary mirror is partially visible when said auxiliary mirror assembly is coupled thereto.

13. An auxiliary mirror assembly for coupling to a primary mirror assembly, the primary mirror assembly including a primary mirror including opposed side edges, and a frame including portions extending along at least a portion of the opposed side edges of the primary mirror, the auxiliary mirror assembly comprising:

an auxiliary mirror having opposed side edges,

a frame including portions extending along at least a portion of opposed side edges of the auxiliary mirror, the auxiliary mirror frame portions being adapted to be disposed substantially adjacent at least a portion of the primary mirror frame portions, and

at least one torsion spring, said torsion spring biasing at least one of said auxiliary mirror frame portions into engagement with at least one of said primary mirror frame portions.

14. The auxiliary mirror assembly of claim 13 wherein the at least one of said frame portions extending along at least a portion of the opposed side edges of the primary mirror includes at least one recess or protrusion, and the at least one of said frame portions extending along at least a portion of opposed side edges of the auxiliary mirror includes the other of said at least one recess or protrusion configured for interfitting engagement with the recess or protrusion of the primary mirror frame portion to couple the auxiliary mirror assembly to the primary mirror assembly.

15. The auxiliary mirror assembly of claim 13 wherein the at least one of the frame portions extending along at least a portion of the opposed side edges of the auxiliary mirror comprises a flange, said spring biasing said at least one of the auxiliary mirror frame portions into engagement with said at least one primary mirror frame portion.

16. An auxiliary mirror retrofit arrangement for use with a primary mirror assembly, the primary mirror assembly having a reflective face and including a primary mirror including opposed side edges, and a frame including portions extending along at least a portion of the opposed side edges of the primary mirror, the retrofit arrangement comprising

at least one strip of material adapted to be secured to at least one of the primary mirror frame portions, said strip including at least one of a plurality of recesses or protrusions,

an auxiliary mirror assembly, the auxiliary mirror assembly comprising:

an auxiliary mirror having side edges,

a frame including portions extending along at least a portion of opposed side edges of the auxiliary mirror to superimpose at least a portion of the auxiliary mirror assembly on the face of the primary mirror, the auxiliary mirror frame portions being adapted to be disposed substantially adjacent at least a portion of said strip when secured to the primary mirror frame portion, at least one of said auxiliary mirror frame portions including at least one recess or protrusion configured for interfitting engagement with at least a portion of the recesses or protrusions of the strip to position the auxiliary mirror assembly in at least two positions along the primary mirror assembly.

17. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein the strip is formed of a metal material.

18. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein the strip is adapted to be secured to the primary mirror assembly by at least one of an adhesive, a weld, a rivet or a threaded fastener.

19. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein the auxiliary mirror assembly is adapted to be coupled to the strip at a plurality of locations.

20. The arrangement of claim 16 wherein a pair of strips is provided, said strips including a plurality of recesses, and said auxiliary mirror frame portions include a plurality of protrusions, said protrusions being configured to position the auxiliary mirror assembly at a plurality of positions along the strips.