Adjustable extremely large mirror for a vehicle

• US 9,187,040 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Ebert
• Original Assignee: William Ebert
• Inventors: Ebert, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US13/694,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20140153125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 359/845, 359/872, 359/876, 359/877, 359/878
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0615 by hydraulically or pneumatically actuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0625 by hydraulically or pneumatically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/066 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/183 specially adapted for very large mirrors, e.g. for astronomy, or solar concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/198 with means for adjusting the mirror relative to its support G02B7/1822 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention is a vehicular mirror assembly for a rectangular shaped mirror typically found on industrial trucks, earthmovers, and dump trucks. The mirror is placed in a holder with two or more pillow block bearings secured on the back of the holder. A circular rod, creating a first axis, extends longitudinally through the pillow block bearings and is swivelly secured to a mounting bracket thereby forming a second axis. A remotely controlled ram is secured to the mounting bracket and proximate to the edge of the holder allowing operator control of the left/right motion around the second axis; a second remotely controlled ram is swivelly secured to the circular rod for up/down adjustment by the operator for movement of the second axis.

Claims

1. A vehicular mirror assembly comprising:

a) a rectangular mirror holder having a slot for placement of a mirror being at least three feet by ten inches, said mirror being positioned on a forward surface thereof, said rectangular mirror holder having on its rear surface, at least two pillow block bearings secured thereto;

b) a circular rod extending longitudinally through said at least two pillow block bearings and forming thereby a first axis;

c) a mounting bracket being securable to a vehicle at a first end thereof, a second end of said mounting bracket having two swivel pillow blocks swivelly securing said mounting bracket to said circular rod and forming a second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis;

d) a first ram, a first end thereof secured to said mounting bracket and a second end thereof secured at a lateral position of the rear surface of said rectangular mirror holder, a portion of said first ram being substantially in line with the second axis;

e) a second ram, a first end thereof secured to said mounting bracket and a second end secured to the circular rod; and

,

f) a manually controlled switch activating said first ram and the second ram.

2. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 1, further including:

a) a horizontal circular rod extending horizontally and being swivelly secured to said rectangular mirror holder in line with the second axis; and

,

b) a block connector swivelly securing said circular rod and the horizontal circular rod to each other.

3. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 2, further including a first dampening mechanism, a first end of the first dampening mechanism secured to the mounting bracket, a second end of the first dampening mechanism secured to a lateral position of the rear surface of the rectangular mirror holder.

4. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 3, further including a second dampening mechanism, a first end of the second dampening mechanism secured to the mounting bracket, a second end of the second dampening mechanism secured to said circular rod.

5. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 4, further including at least two mirrored surfaces contained within the slot on the rectangular mirror holder.

6. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 5, wherein one of said at least two mirrored surfaces is convex shaped.

7. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 6, wherein one of said at least two mirrored surfaces is substantially planar.

8. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 7, wherein the convex shaped mirror surface includes a vibration resistant border adapted to engage the slot on the rectangular mirror holder.

9. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 8, further including an inflatable bladder secure to the slot of said rectangular mirror holder such that, when inflated, said inflatable bladder engages said at least two mirrored surfaces.

10. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 7, wherein said substantially planar mirror surface is positioned above the convex shaped mirror surface within the slot of the rectangular mirror holder.

11. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 10, further including a second convex shaped mirror surface positioned above the substantially planar mirror surface in the slot of the rectangular mirror holder.

12. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 7, wherein the substantially planar mirror surface is positioned below the convex shaped mirror surface within the slot of the rectangular mirror holder.

13. A rectangular vehicular mirror assembly comprising:

a) at least two pillow block bearings secured to a back of a rectangular mirror;

b) a longitudinal circular rod extending longitudinally through said at least two pillow block bearings forming a first axis thereby;

c) a horizontal circular rod extending horizontally and being swivelly secured to said rectangular mirror in line with the second axis; and

,

d) a block connector swivelly securing said circular rod and the horizontal circular rod to each other;

e) a mounting bracket being securable to a vehicle at a first end thereof, a second end of said mounting bracket being swivelly secured to said longitudinal circular rod;

f) a first ram, a first end thereof secured to the first end of said mounting bracket and a second end thereof secured at a lateral position of the horizontal circular rod;

g) a second ram, a first end thereof secured to the first end of said mounting bracket and a second end secured to said longitudinal circular rod.

14. The rectangular vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 13, further including:

a) a first dampening mechanism, a first end of the first dampening mechanism secured to the mounting bracket, a second end of the first dampening mechanism secured to a lateral position of the horizontal circular rod; and

,

b) a second dampening mechanism, a first end of the second dampening mechanism secured to the mounting bracket, a second end of the second dampening mechanism secured to said longitudinal circular rod.

15. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 14,

a) wherein said mirror consist of a flat mirrored surface and convex shaped mirrored surface;

and,

b) further including a bracket slideably holding said flat mirrored surface and the convex mirrored surface mirror.

16. A vehicular mirror assembly comprising:

a) four pillow block bearings secured to a back of a mirror, said four pillow block bearings arranged in a linear fashion;

b) a circular rod extending longitudinally through said four pillow block bearings forming a first axis;

c) a mounting bracket being securable to a vehicle at a first end thereof, a second end of said mounting bracket being swivelly secured to said circular rod and forming a second axis being substantially perpendicular to the first axis; and

,

d) a ram system being remotely activatable, said ram system having,

1) a first ram, a first end thereof secured to said mounting bracket and a second end thereof secured at a lateral position of a rear surface of a rectangular mirror holder such that a portion of said first ram substantially is in line with the first axis, and,

2) second ram, a first end thereof secured to said mounting bracket and a second end secured to circular rod.

17. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 16, further including a dampening system comprising:

a) a first dampening mechanism, a first end of the first dampening mechanism secured to the mounting bracket, a second end of the first dampening mechanism secured to the lateral position of the rear surface of the rectangular mirror holder; and

,

b) a second dampening mechanism, a first end of the second dampening mechanism secured to the mounting bracket, a second end of the second dampening mechanism secured to said circular rod.

18. The vehicular mirror assembly according to claim 16, further including:

a) a horizontal circular rod extending horizontally and being swivelly secured to said rectangular mirror holder in line with the second axis; and

,

b) a block connector swivelly securing said circular rod and the horizontal circular rod to each other.