Mirror and angle detection device

• US 20060066966A1
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Hidenori, Yamada, Ayako
• Granted Patent: US 7,320,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A vehicle mirror comprises: a mirror surface; an actuator 100 which tilts the mirror surface; a plate pivot 110, which changes its direction together with the mirror surface; a spring 112, which applies a resilient force to the plate pivot 110 in the direction substantially vertical to the mirror surface; a guide spring 114 which is fitted to the end of the spring 112 at the side far from the interlocking member; a semiconductor pressure sensor 116, which is in contact with the guide spring at substantially one point so as to detect a load loaded on the one point from the pressing member; and a signal outputting portion which outputs a signal depending upon the tilted angle of the mirror surface based on the force detected by the semiconductor pressure sensor 116.

Claims

1. A vehicle mirror comprising:

a mirror surface;

an actuator which tilts the mirror surface around an axis parallel to said mirror surface as a center;

an interlocking member, which changes its direction together with the mirror surface so as to be directed toward the direction same as the direction of the mirror surface;

a spring, which applies a resilient force to said interlocking member in the direction substantially the vertical to the mirror surface;

a pressing member which is fitted to the end of the spring at the side far from the interlocking member;

a sensor for detecting a pressing force, which is in contact with said pressing member at substantially one point so as to detect a load loaded on said one point from the pressing member; and

a signal outputting portion which outputs a signal depending upon the tilted angle of said mirror surface based on the force detected by said sensor for detecting a pressing force.

2. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein said sensor for detecting a pressing force is a semiconductor pressure sensor.

3. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein said spring is a helical spring;

and

said pressing member is a globular member provided between the edge of said helical spring and said sensor for detecting a pressing force.

4. The mirror according to claim 2, wherein said spring is a helical spring;

and

said pressing member is a globular member provided between the edge of said helical spring and said sensor for detecting a pressing force.

5. The mirror according to claim 1, wherein said actuator possesses a slide rod which moves toward or backward the rear surface of said mirror surface to thereby tilt said mirror surface;

and

at least part of said spring is inserted into said slide rod to apply a resilient force to said interlocking member via said slide rod.

6. The mirror according to claim 2, wherein said actuator possesses a slide rod which moves toward or backward the rear surface of said mirror surface to thereby tilt said mirror surface;

and

at least part of said spring is inserted into said slide rod to apply a resilient force to said interlocking member via said slide rod.

7. The mirror according to claim 3, wherein said actuator possesses a slide rod which moves toward or backward the rear surface of said mirror surface to thereby tilt said mirror surface;

and

at least part of said spring is inserted into said slide rod to apply a resilient force to said interlocking member via said slide rod.

8. The mirror according to claim 4, wherein said actuator possesses a slide rod which moves toward or backward the rear surface of said mirror surface to thereby tilt said mirror surface;

and

at least part of said spring is inserted into said slide rod to apply a resilient force to said interlocking member via said slide rod.

9. An angle detecting device for detecting the tilted angle of the mirror surface of a vehicle mirror, comprising:

a spring, which applies a resilient force to an interlocking member, which changes its direction together with the mirror surface so as to be directed toward the direction same as the direction of the mirror surface, in the direction substantially the vertical to the mirror surface;

a pressing member which is fitted to the end of the spring at the side far from the interlocking member;

a sensor for detecting a pressing force, which is in contact with said pressing member at substantially one point so as to detect a load loaded on said one point from the pressing member; and

a signal outputting portion which outputs a signal depending upon the tilted angle of said mirror surface based on the force detected by said sensor for detecting a pressing force.