Blind spot curved mirror

• US 20060238906A1
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bob Bernard Stonecypher
• Original Assignee: Bob Bernard Stonecypher
• Inventors: Stonecypher, Bob Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,156,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors

Abstract

The Blind Spot Curved Mirror reflector has a constant radius curve from top to bottom, and straight from left to right sides, as a section of a cylinder. The outer shell has a section removed for installation alignment on an original equipment outer shell. The removed section form'"'"'s a basic alignment for a vehicle driver'"'"'s blind spot area. The blind spot curved mirror will image the same area as a larger flat mirror with a smaller profile. The smaller profile will restrict less vision area than a larger flat mirror. The blind spot curved mirror with it'"'"'s outer shell may be attached to an existing side mirror as an auxiliary mirror or included in an original equipment mirror outer shell with the original flat mirror and give the same blind spot effect.

Claims

1. A retrofitted mirror apparatus comprising:

a mirror housing, wherein said mirror housing includes a mounting side and said housing is attachable at said mounting side to an existing external side-view mirror of a vehicle, said mirror apparatus aligned to enable a user positioned to have a forward view, to view objects in a opposing rearward adjacent blind spot area;

an obtusely angled portion removed from the mounting side to form an alignment indicium on said mounting side wherein said alignment indicium enables proper placement of the mirror apparatus on said existing external side-view mirror of the vehicle to form an effective angle in the horizontal plane, thereby being roughly and statically aimed into the blind spot area for reflecting images therein to said user;

said alignment indicium is recessed back from a forward most plane formed by the mirror housing;

said alignment indicium further including a center angle A, said center angle A being in the range of about 136 degrees to about 176 degrees;

said alignment indicium further including an outer angle B formed by the angle incident between a plane parallel to the forward most plane of the mirror housing and alignment indicium wherein said outer angle B being in the range of about 2 degrees to about 22 degrees;

a curved reflecting means for reflecting to the user a view of objects in the blind spot area, comprising a reflective surface located in said forward most plane, wherein said reflective surface has a reflective side and a mounting side, said reflective surface being singly curved thereby having a vertical curved plane (top to bottom) and a straight horizontal plane (left to right);

and wherein said curved reflecting means reflects the view so as to show;

a true reflection of horizontal width size of the objects,

a true reflection of horizontal position of the objects,

and a wide angle vertical reflection of the objects,

a mounting means for mounting and supporting said reflecting means in an approximately parallel position with respect to the forward plane, said mounting means having a first end onto which said reflecting means is affixed, and a second end;

a positioning means for positioning said mounting means and said curved reflecting means, wherein said positioning means pivotal attaches to said second end of said mounting means, allowing the observer to aim the curved reflecting means into the blind spot area;

said attached positioning means, said mounting means, and said curve reflecting means further comprising an internal assembly;

said internal assembly being disposed inside the mirror housing; and

,

further including an attachment means affixed to the mirror housing, wherein said attachment means joins the mirror housing to an existing external side-view mirror of a vehicle to enable a user to view via said retrofitted mirror apparatus.