Electric remote control mirror with half-ball portion

• US 4,555,166 A
• Filed: 04/30/1982
• Issued: 11/26/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Enomoto, Masao
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, David
• Application Number:
  US06/373,783
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 350/289, 74/501 M, 74/625, 248/900, 248/479, 248/481, 248/483, 403/90, 403/124, 403/125, 403/140
• US Class Current: 359/874
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

An electric remote control mirror apparatus comprising boss portion mounted on a mirror body fixing the mirror, a concave surface formed at the portion integrally formed with the mirror housing for receiving the mirror body, a pivot connection being composed of the boss portion and the concave surface, a pressure applying member having the surface to be connected to the inner surface of the boss portion and the end portion to be connected to the portion of the mirror housing by passing through the boss portion, a coil spring for pressing the member to the boss portion, thereby to surely support the mirror body within the mirror housing, wherein the rotating resistance of the pivot connection can be easily and precisely adjustable, the rotation of the mirror body around the pivot axis is prevented thereby to avoid vibration and change of inclination of the mirror body.

Claims

1. An electric remote control mirror apparatus comprising

a mirror,

a mirror body fixed to said mirror,

a mirror housing receiving said mirror body,

support means fixed within said mirror housing for holding said mirror body in said mirror housing, said support means including a pivot connection for pivotably supporting said mirror body thereto,

two ball bases connected to said mirror housing and located on respective lines perpendicular to each other and crossing at said pivot connection, a pair of threaded rods each of which has a ball member at the end thereof and a threaded peripheral surface thereof, a screw member drivingly connected to each of said threaded rods, transmission means for respectively transmitting driving force to each of said screw members, electric motor means for driving said screw members through said transmission means,

said pivot connection including a ball base having a concave surface integrally formed with said support means, means defining a cylindrical hole extending inwardly away from the central portion of said concave surface coaxially with the pivot axis, at least one elongated projection formed so as to extend along the inner wall of said cylindrical hole in the direction of the pivot axis, means defining a column at the central bottom portion of said cylindrical hole means, said column means extending toward said concave surface coaxially with said pivot axis, said column means further including means defining an elongated threaded interior opening;

a hollow convex shaped portion integrally formed with said mirror body for fitting within said concave surface of said ball base and having means defining an opening in the central portion of said hollow convex shaped portion;

a pressure applying member having a convex shaped portion to be fitted to the inner surface of said hollow convex shaped portion of said mirror body, and a cylindrical portion to be inserted into said cylindrical hole means through said opening means in said hollow convex shaped portion, said cylindrical portion having means defining at least oen slot for engaging said at least one elongated projection for preventing rotation around the pivot axis, a coil spring disposed within said cylindrical portion about said column, one end thereof being in contact with a seat adjustably mounted at the top of said column and the other end thereof being positioned against the end wall of said cylindrical portion for urging said pressure applying member against said ball base; and

wherein each of said threaded rods includes an elongated slot for guiding the movement of said threaded rod housing means for receiving said threaded rods therethrough and projection means provided on said housing means to be connected to said elongated slot for supporting said threaded rod and guiding it along the rod'"'"'s axis thereby prohibiting rotation of said threaded rod around the rod'"'"'s axis.

2. An electric remote control mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein either one of said hollow convex shaped portion and said convex shaped portion having at least one projection, and the other thereof having at least one slot to be connected to said projection, thereby preventing a rotation of said hollow convex shaped portion around the pivot axis.

3. An electric remote control mirror apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a waterproof cover which can be fitted to a cover mounting members for protectively enveloping said threaded rods.

4. An electric remote control mirror apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said screw member has a cylindrical and central through hole adapted to fit the threaded rod, and hold a spring member for adapted to be movable in the surface perpendicular to the rod'"'"'s axis pinching the valleys of the screw of said threaded rod.

5. An electric remote control mirror apparatus comprising

a mirror having a backing member,

mirror housing means for receiving said mirror,

means for pivotally mounting said mirror within said mirror housing means to thereby define a pivoting axis, said pivotal mounting means including a housing member secured within said mirror housing means,

a pivot connection comprised of a partial ball base having a concave surface integrally formed with and extending outwardly from said housing member, means defining a cylindrical hole extending inwardly away from the central portion of said concave surface coaxially with the pivot axis to a bottom portion, at least one elongated projection formed so as to extend along the inner wall of said cylindrical hole in the direction of the pivot axis, means defining a column at the central bottom portion of said cylindrical hole means, said column means extending outwardly away from said bottom portion toward said concave surface coaxially with said pivot axis, said column means further including means defining an elongated interior opening, said backing member including a hollow convex shaped partial spherical projection integrally formed therewith and dimensioned to fit within said concave surface and having means defining a centrally positioned opening therein,

a pressure applying member having integrally formed upper and lower portions, said upper portion comprising a convex shaped partial spherical member dimensioned to fit within the interior of said hollow convex shaped portion of said backing member, said lower portion comprising a cylindrical member dimensioned to fit into said cylindrical hole means and through said opening means in said hollow convex shaped projection, said cylindrical portion having an annular end wall for fitting around said column means and means defining at least one slot for engaging said at least one elongated projection for preventing rotation of said mirror around the pivot axis, and

a coil spring disposed within said cylindrical portion about said column, one end thereof being in contact with a seat adjustably mounted at the top of said column and the other end thereof being held against said annular end wall for urging said pressure applying member toward said ball base so that said hollow convex shaped projection is retained between said ball base and said pressure applying member.

6. An electric remote control mirror as in claim 5, wherein said mirror pivoting means includes two ball bases positioned, respectively, on lines perpendicular to each other and crossing at said pivot connection, a pair of control rods having a threaded portion and being operatively connected to said backing member, drive means operatively connected to the threaded portion of said control rods for moving said control rods to pivot said mirror, wherein said threaded portion includes an elongated slot extending therealong, said housing member for said pivoting means including means defining an opening through which said threaded portion can move axially, said housing member opening including projection means for engaging said elongated slot and guiding said control rod so that rotation of said threaded portion is prohibited.

7. An electric remote control mirror as in claim 5 wherein said seat is adjustably mounted by means of a screw threadedly engaged within said elongated interior opeining in said column means.

8. An electric remote control mirror as in claim 5, wherein rotation prevention means are provided between the upper portion of said pressure applying member and said backing member.