Remote control rear view mirror, electrically operated

• US 4,701,037 A
• Filed: 02/13/1986
• Issued: 10/20/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lacks Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lacks Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Bramer, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US06/829,010
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 350/634, 350/633, 350/637, 350/636, 248/481-484, 248/487, 248/477-479, 403/143, 403/114-117
• US Class Current: 359/874
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/068 using cables
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32803 Separable socket sections

Abstract

A remote control rear view mirror which includes a housing having a mirror receptive opening provided therein and a mounting plate that is received in the opening and is fastened to the back wall of the housing, a drive motor unit that includes two separate electric motors in a common housing that is fastened to the mounting plate and are connected to an electrical power source, a mirror glass supporting frame member that has a ball-and-socket connection with the drive motor unit housing and includes a drive connection with each of the electric motors, and a retainer ring that is adapted to be mounted and supported on the mounting plate and to have a pivotal support and be restrictively engaged with the mirror glass supporting frame member.

Claims

1. A remote control rear view mirror, comprising:

a housing having a mirror receptive opening provided therein and a mounting plate that is received therein and is adapted to be fastened to the inner back wall thereof,

a drive motor unit including two separate electrical motors provided on said mounting plate and having means providing a connection to a source of electrical power,

a mirror glass supporting frame member having a ball-and-socket connection with said drive motor unit and a drive connection with each of said electrical motors,

a retainer ring adapted to be mounted and supported on said mounting plate and to have pivotal support and restrictive engagement with said frame member,

said frame member having a rearwardly projected back wall part and said retainer ring including two complementary parts adapted for fitted engagement with said frame member back wall part,

said back wall part and said retainer ring parts being formed for spherical surfaced pivotal engagement therebetween and with the same axial center as said ball-and-socket connection,

means provided within said ball-and-socket connection and between said back wall and retainer ring parts for restricting and limiting the pivotal movement otherwise afforded thereto and therebetween,

said means including a couple of locating pins on said back wall part for complementary engagement with slots in said retainer ring parts,

a disc-like member provided on the back wall of said frame member centrally within said rearwardly projecting back wall part and being formed to provide the ball head part of said ball-and-socket connection and with a pair of relatively transversely spaced and flexible screw threaded members extending outwardly therefrom,

said disc-like member being provided with tabs extending from the circumference thereof for alignment of said member with recesses in said back wall part,

said drive motor unit having the socket joint of said ball-and-socket connecting provided thereon and having the electric motors thereof inclusive of worm gear drive operatively engaged with said screw threaded members on the back wall of said mirror supporting frame member part for providing the drive connection therebetween.