MIRROR FOR CHECKING BLIND SPOT

• US 20150293276A1
• Filed: 05/10/2013
• Published: 10/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Komy Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: Komy Co., Ltd
• Inventors: Iwata, Yoshiyuki, Takeda, Hisanaga, Koyama, Yoshinori, Yokota, Tetsuo, Shinozaki, Masaki
• Application Number:
  US14/438,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293276A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors
• 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

A mirror, when attached along a curved surface, facilitates recognition of an image in a blind spot by reducing a feeling of strangeness caused by the aspect ratio of the image. Many linearly-extending strip reflective surfaces 5a are arranged on a surface of a sheet 2 to be parallel and adjacent to one another. An inclination angle A formed between a width direction of each of the strip reflective surfaces 5a and a surface direction of the sheet 2 is sequentially changed with an increase in a distance in a direction transverse to an extension direction of the strip reflective surfaces 5a. An aggregate of the strip reflective surfaces 5a has a cylindrical convex mirror function, and the mirror 1 is bendable in a cylindrical shape about an axis parallel to the direction transverse to the extension direction of the strip reflective surfaces 5a.

Claims

1. A mirror for checking a blind spot wherein

a large number of linearly-extending strip reflective surfaces are arranged in a surface of a sheet to be parallel and adjacent to one another,

an inclination angle formed between a width direction of each of the strip reflective surfaces and a surface direction of the sheet is sequentially changed with an increase in a distance in a direction transverse to an extension direction of the strip reflective surfaces,

an aggregate of the strip reflective surfaces has a cylindrical convex mirror function, and

the sheet is bendable in a cylindrical shape about an axis parallel to the direction transverse to the extension direction of the strip reflective surfaces.

2. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle is sequentially increased with an increase in a distance from a center portion of the sheet in directions toward both outer sides, respectively.

3. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 1, wherein the sheet is attached to a curved surface of a structure with the extension direction of the strip reflective surfaces aligned with a circumferential direction of the curved surface, the structure standing in a region where a plurality of passages intersect each other in such a relationship that passers-by passing through the respective passages are blind to each other.

4. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of passages include a passage in which a height of a passage surface sequentially changes in an up-down direction and a passage which extends such that a height of a passage surface is the same in a horizontal direction.

5. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 4, wherein

the passage in which the height of the passage surface sequentially changes in the up-down direction is a stairway or an escalator, and

the passage which extends such that a height of a passage surface is the same in a horizontal direction is a platform of a railway station.

6. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 1, wherein

the sheet is formed such that a large number of the strip reflective surfaces are formed on a back surface of a transparent resin plate and a coating layer is laminated on the strip reflective surfaces, and

the thickness of the sheet is 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm.

7. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 3, wherein a radius of curvature Rm set to provide the mirror with the convex mirror function is set within a range of (1±

0.5)×

Rp, where Rp is a radius of curvature of the curved surface of the structure.

8. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 4, wherein a radius of curvature Rm set to provide the mirror with the convex mirror function is set within a range of (1±

0.5)×

Rp, where Rp is a radius of curvature of the curved surface of the structure.

9. The mirror for checking a blind spot according to claim 5, wherein a radius of curvature Rm set to provide the mirror with the convex mirror function is set within a range of (1±

0.5)×

Rp, where Rp is a radius of curvature of the curved surface of the structure.