Asymmetric sectioned convex mirrors

• US 9,302,625 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• 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:
  US14/218,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20140334025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 359/850, 359/851, 359/868, 359/871, 359/858, 359/866
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/00 Optical viewing arrangements; Real-time viewing arrangements for drivers or passengers using optical image capturing systems, e.g. cameras or video systems specially adapted for use in or on vehicles
• 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 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 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 5/09 Multifaceted or polygonal mirrors , e.g. polygonal scanning mirrors; Fresnel mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/10 with curved faces

Abstract

Asymmetric sectioned mirrors are presented. The mirrors include, for example, constant radius of curvature sections that are selected to increase the sizes and improve the definitions of images, for example images of children milling, walking and/or standing about either the front or alongside regions of a school bus. The mirrors may be asymmetric in either or both the horizontal and vertical directions. The mirrors may include a mounting system capable of using both ball mounts and tunnel mounts.

Claims

1. An asymmetric mirror comprising:

a convex mirror dome lens which defines at least one substantially width-wise extending axis and at least one substantially height-wise extending axis, wherein the convex mirror dome lens is asymmetric with respect to both the width-wise extending axis and the height-wise extending axis, including a plurality of mirror lens sections arranged at least width-wise along the mirror dome lens, said plurality of mirror lens sections including;

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

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

a third mirror lens section having a third radius of curvature and located between the first and second mirror lens sections and occupying at least part of a middle section of the mirror dome lens, wherein the third radius of curvature is a constant radius of curvature, which is smaller than at least one of the first and second varying radius of curvature.

2. The asymmetric mirror of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth mirror lens section having at least one of a constant and changing radius of curvature located between the first mirror lens section and the third mirror lens section; and

a fifth mirror lens section having at least one of a constant and changing radius of curvature located between the second mirror lens section and the third mirror lens section.

3. The asymmetric mirror of claim 1, wherein the convex mirror dome lens defines a base with a peripheral edge lying in a flat plane, and the peripheral edge of the base asymmetrically shaped 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.

4. The asymmetric mirror of claim 1, further comprising at least one fourth lens 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 asymmetric mirror of claim 1, further comprising at least one fourth lens 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 asymmetric mirror of claim 5, further comprising at least one fourth lens 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 asymmetric mirror of claim 1, further comprising at least one fourth lens 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 asymmetric mirror of claim 7, further comprising at least one fifth lens 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 asymmetric mirror 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.

10. An asymmetric mirror comprising:

a convex mirror lens which defines at least one substantially width-wise extending axis and at least one substantially height-wise extending axis, wherein the convex mirror lens defines a base with a peripheral edge lying in a flat plane, and the peripheral edge of the base asymmetrical shaped 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, including a plurality of mirror lens sections arranged at least width-wise along the mirror lens, said plurality of mirror lens sections including;

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

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

a third mirror lens section having a third radius of curvature and located between the first and second mirror lens sections and occupying at least part of a middle section of the convex mirror lens where an intersection of the width-wise extending axis and height-wise extending axis is located.

11. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first, second and third radius of curvature comprises a varying radius of curvature, and at least another of the first, second and third radius of curvature comprises a constant radius of curvature.

12. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10, wherein the third radius of curvature is a constant radius of curvature which is larger than the first and second radius of curvature.

13. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10, wherein the third radius of curvature is a varying radius of curvature which is larger than the first and second radius of curvature.

14. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10, further comprising:

a fourth mirror lens section having at least one of a constant and changing radius of curvature located between the first mirror lens section and the third mirror lens section; and

a fifth mirror lens section having at least one of a constant and changing radius of curvature located between the second mirror lens section and the third mirror lens section.

15. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10, wherein the convex mirror lens is asymmetric with respect to both the width-wise extending axis and the height-wise extending axis.

16. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10, further comprising at least one fourth lens 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.

17. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10 further comprising at least one fourth lens 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.

18. The asymmetric mirror of claim 17, further comprising at least one fifth lens 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.

19. The asymmetric mirror of claim 10, further comprising at least one fourth lens section comprising a substantially narrow strip of a step-wise changing curvature mirror surface joined to, and in between, at least one of said first and third sections or said second and third sections, producing a smoothly changing image size between said first and third sections.