Shock absorbing mechanism for rearview mirror assembly of motor vehicle

• US 4,592,529 A
• Filed: 11/04/1983
• Issued: 06/03/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha AZA NODA
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Fosse, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/548,870
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 248/475.1, 248/900, 248/549, 350/631, 350/632, 16/286, 16/303, 16/304, 404/10
• US Class Current: 248/475.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/076 yieldable to excessive external force and provided with an indexed use position B60R1/0617, B60R1/074 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/90 Movable or disengageable on impact or overload

Abstract

A shock absorbing mechanism for a rearview mirror assembly of a motor vehicle includes a mirror body movable in a horizontal direction with respect to a mounting stay mounted to the motor vehicle in such a manner that the mirror body is initially located at the neutral standing position and is movably supported to be inclined when an external force is applied thereto. The mirror body is automatically returned to the standing position upon removal of the external force or is inclined toward one side of the motor vehicle upon necessity.

Claims

1. A shock absorbing mechanism for rearview mirror assembly of a motor vehicle which mechanism arranges a mirror body to be movably supported in a horizontal direction with respect to a mounting stay mounted on the motor vehicle, comprising:

a pair of rotary stays each protruding from opposite walls at an engaging portion between the mounting stay and the mirror body and rotatably connected with each other by an axial shaft,

a cam plate having an index groove formed in one of the opposite walls, and

a follower piece resiliently fitted into the groove provided in another one of the opposite walls, said groove of the cam plate having a central notch for a standing position and at least one side notch for an inclined position formed, respectively, in the center and in one side of the cam plate, said central and side notches forming fixed angles with each other,

whereby the mirror body is returned to the standing position by the force caused through the engagement between the follower piece and the central notch for the standing position when the mirror body is moved within fixed angles centering around the standing position, while the mirror body is kept in the inclined position through the engagement of the follower piece with the side notch for the inclined position when the mirror body is moved beyond the fixed angles.

2. The shock absorbing mechanism as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

means for covering the connecting means and guiding means so that said connecting means and guiding means are not disposed to the outside.

3. The shock absorbing mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said connecting means includes a pair of rotary stays each provided on the mirror body and the mounting stay, respectively, said pair of rotary stays being connected by the shaft to be rotatable against each other.

4. The shock absorbing mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said guiding means further includes a guide block means, provided onto one of the mirror body and the mounting stay, for guiding the movement of the follower piece to attach to the cam plate.

5. The shock absorbing mechanism as defined in claim 1, wherein said follower piece is a roller.