Vehicle side view mirror system

• US 8,317,346 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rick Corum
• Original Assignee: Rick Corum
• Inventors: Corum, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Chwasz, Jade R
• Application Number:
  US12/643,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20100208373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 359/860, 359/844
• US Class Current: 359/860
• 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 1/10 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

Abstract

A mirror assembly for a vehicle that has a double curved mirror positioned next to a vehicle side view mirror and said double curved mirror along with said side view mirror allows a user to view the lower perimeter of the vehicle in the side view mirror while operating the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle mirror system comprising:

a vehicle having a first mirror being an existing exterior vehicle side view mirror having a reflective mirror surface positioned in a housing, said housing encloses said existing exterior vehicle side view mirror; and

a second mirror being a double curved reflecting mirror;

said second mirror mounted on said housing of said exterior vehicle side view mirror; and

said second mirror having a reflective surface opposing and facing said side view mirror, said double curved reflecting mirror being oriented to reflect an image of an area along a lower perimeter of a vehicle onto said side view mirror such that said image is viewable on said side view mirror by a driver operating the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said double curved mirror is in a housing and said housing is attached to a vehicle side view mirror or a vehicle side view mirror housing.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said double curved side view mirror has a first curvature along a vertical axis and a second curvature along a horizontal axis.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said double curved side view mirror has a first curvature along a vertical axis and a second curvature along a horizontal axis, said first curvature and said second curvature being of unequal degrees of curvature.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said double curved mirror is in a housing that is adjustable.

6. A method of viewing an area along a lower perimeter of a vehicle with a side view mirror while operating the vehicle, comprising:

providing a second mirror being a double curved reflecting mirror attached to a housing of a first mirror being an existing exterior vehicle side view mirror, said housing encloses said existing exterior vehicle side view mirror, said double curved mirror having a reflective surface opposing and facing said vehicle side view mirror; and

reflecting an image of an area from said double curved reflecting mirror onto said vehicle side view mirror such that a vehicle operator in a vehicle operating position can view said image on the surface of said vehicle side view mirror;

wherein said image includes a surface on which said vehicle resides.