Exterior driving mirror for an automobile vehicle

• US 3,887,156 A
• Filed: 01/25/1974
• Issued: 06/03/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles Hugonnier
• Original Assignee: Charles Hugonnier
• Inventors: Hugonnier, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Schultz, William H.
• Application Number:
  US05/436,811
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 403/225,226,227,326 248/204,475B,475A
• US Class Current: 248/549
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/457 including axially acting compressing means

Abstract

The end of the arm remote from the mirror is mounted in the bore of a socket on a base in such manner as to be released from the base upon application of a blow of predetermined magnitude. The base is adapted to be secured to a vehicle. The end of the arm carries a screw which holds an expanding collar on the arm. The collar has an outer surface which is convergent toward the arm and is inserted in an elastomeric retaining ring interposed between the collar and the bore of the socket. The screw, in axially clamping the collar against the arm, radially compresses the ring between the convergent surface of the collar and the bore and thereby secures the arm to the base while allowing the arm to become automatically released from the base when said blow is applied to the arm.

Claims

1. An exterior driving mirror for an automobile vehicle comprising a base for securing to a vehicle body, an arm having a first end portion and a second end portion, a mirror mounted on said first end portion of the arm, the base having a socket defining a bore having a longitudinal axis, means for securing said second end portion of the arm to said socket in such manner that a blow on the arm of a predetermined magnitude causes release of the arm from the base, said means comprising a first abutment surface on the arm, a second abutment surface on the base, the first abutment and second abutment surfaces being in abutting relation axially of the bore when the arm is assembled with the base, a retaining ring of deformable material having an inner surface and an outer surface which is engaged in and in contact with the bore, a ring-expanding collar having an outer surface which is convergent toward said second end portion of the arm and coaxial with the bore and engaged in the ring in contact with said inner surface, means defining a rigid axial abutment for the ring in the bore adjacent said second end portion of the arm, an element securing the collar to said second end portion of the arm and exerting on the collar a force axially of the bore toward said second end portion of the arm and urging the convergent outer surface of the collar axially of the bore and the ring and thereby clamping the ring against the bore and radially compressing the ring and axially compressing the ring against said axial abutment, the ring being capable of elastically deforming and withdrawing from between the collar and the bore upon application of said blow.

2. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ring is of an elastomeric material.

3. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 1, comprising a shoulder on said second end portion of the arm, the collar being in abutting relation to the shoulder.

4. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bore of the socket is convergent toward said second end portion of the arm.

5. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bore is frustoconical.

6. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bore has a shoulder acting as said axial abutment for the deformable ring.

7. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second end portion of the arm has an annular projection constituting an annular axial abutment constituting said axial abutment for the ring.

8. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second end portion of the arm has a stem which is disposed in the bore and has a tapped hole, said element being a screw screwthreadedly engaged in the tapped hole.

9. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 8, wherein the stem has a smooth end portion and the expanding collar is mounted on and centered by the smooth end portion.

10. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deformable ring is an O-section ring in the free undeformed state of the ring.

11. A driving mirror as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the expanding collar is frustoconical.