Interior mirror with a drive mechanism for adjusting a wedge mirror glass

• US 20050248847A1
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Donnelly GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Magna Donnelly GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Fuchs, Hans-Joachim, Weimer, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 7,258,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/604
• 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 1/087 with remote or automatic control means

Abstract

An interior mirror (01) for a motor vehicle having a carrier arm (06) which can be mounted in the vehicle and having an adjustment mechanism (04) which is adjustably mounted on the carrying arm (06), whereby a wedge mirror glass (03) is directly or indirectly mounted on the adjustment mechanism (04) and whereby the wedge mirror glass (03) is adjustable between a normal position and an anti-glare position by operation of the adjustment mechanism (04) and whereby a drive mechanism (05) is provided for operation of the adjustment mechanism (04). At least one elastic tension element (31) is provided in the interior mirror (01); with this tension element, the adjustment mechanism (04) is put under elastic tension in the normal position and/or in the anti-glare position.

Claims

1. An interior mirror for a vehicle, the interior mirror comprising:

a carrying arm which can be mounted in the vehicle;

an adjustment mechanism which is adjustably mounted on the carrying arm;

a wedge mirror glass directly or indirectly mounted on the adjustment mechanism, the wedge mirror glass being adjustable between a normal position and an anti-glare position by operation of the adjustment mechanism;

a drive mechanism provided for operation of the adjustment mechanism; and

elastic tension element in the interior mirror, the elastic tension element placing the adjustment mechanism under elastic tension in the normal position and/or in the anti-glare position.

2. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the tension element is formed by a spring element

3. The interior mirror according to claim 2, wherein the spring element is designed in the manner of a torsion spring or a bracing spring.

4. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the normal position is defined by a first end stop and/or the anti-glare position as defined by a second end stop whereby the tension element puts the adjustment mechanism under tension against the first end stop and/or the second end stop.

5. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises an electric drive motor.

6. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism comprises a mechanical gear.

7. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the tension element exerts a tension force on the adjustment mechanism along the entire actuator travel of the adjustment mechanism between the normal position and the anti-glare position, whereby the tension force of the tension element changes the direction of force at a dead center which is located along the actuator travel path between the normal position and the anti-glare position.

8. The interior mirror according to claim 6, wherein a free-wheeling device is provided in the gear of the drive mechanism, making it possible for the adjustment mechanism to be driven by the tension force of the tension device after passing the dead center, independently of the adjustment of the drive mechanism.

9. The interior mirror according to claim 8, wherein the free-wheeling device is designed in the manner of a claw clutch.

10. The interior mirror according to claim 8, wherein the free-wheeling device is designed in the manner of a slip clutch.

11. The interior mirror according to claim 8, wherein the free-wheeling device is formed by a drive screw which is mounted so that it is axially displaceable on a drive shaft between two stop elements.

12. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is mounted on a carrier element which can be mounted as a separate special equipment element with coupling to the gear of the adjustment mechanism.

13. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is driven by a light-sensitive sensor, in particular a differential light sensor.

14. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the drive mechanism is triggered by a switch element which can be operated by the driver of the vehicle.

15. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the switch element can be operated by a non-contact method.

16. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the switch element is arranged on the interior mirror.

17. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the switch element is arranged on the steering wheel of the vehicle.

18. The interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein a timing element is provided in the drive mechanism whereby the timing element shuts down the drive mechanism a certain period of time after triggering of the drive mechanism.