Wide angled rear view mirror

• US 4,738,519 A
• Filed: 06/01/1987
• Issued: 04/19/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rally Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wink Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watkins, Donald
• Application Number:
  US07/056,608
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 350/600, 350/604, 350/605, 350/606, 350/610, 350/611, 350/612, 350/627, 350/631, 350/632, 248/466, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/479, 248/481, 248/482, 248/484, 248/485
• US Class Current: 359/850
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/08 involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots , e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors

Abstract

An auxiliary vehicle mirror device comprising a frame having a plurality of spaced apart rear view mirror panels enabling a wide angled view to the rear of a vehicle in which the device is used. The mirror device comprises a first attachment mechanism for attachment to a first fixed structure of the vehicle, as for example, the frame element surrounding an automotive vehicle windshield in the interior passenger compartment. The auxiliary vehicle mirror comprises a second attachment mechanism capable of being attached to a second fixed structure of the automotive vehicle, as for example, to a stud or the like secured to the vehicle windshield.

Claims

1. An auxiliary vehicle mirror assembly for attachment to a first portion of a vehicle through a first attachment means or alternatively to a second portion of the vehicle through a second attachment means, said auxiliary vehicle mirror assembly comprising:

(a) a mirror housing,

(b) a mirror carried by said housing enabling a view to a rear of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is attached to the vehicle,

(c) first attachment means on said housing comprising a pair of spaced apart brackets located in proximity to opposite ends of said housing for securement to a first portion of the vehicle,

(d) second attachment means comprising a rearwardly located boss on a rearwardly facing portion of said housing, an internally threaded section in said boss facing rearwardly thereof, and

(e) a stud having at least one threaded end for attachment in said boss and also being adapted for attachment to a member on another portion of the vehicle when said first attachment means is not used.

2. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that said brackets are secured to the first portion of the vehicle with mechanical fasteners securing the brackets to the first portion of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that said stud has an opposite threaded end for attachment to a plate which is secured to the windshield of a vehicle.

4. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that a plurality of spaced apart mirrors are carried by said housing.

5. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that said second attachment means comprises a fitting which is carried in an interior bore of the boss and includes the internally threaded section adapted to receive a threaded end of said stud.

6. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 5 further characterized in that a ball joint is located intermediate the opposite ends of said stud.

7. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 6 further characterized in that one end of said stud is provided with a bracket having a slot receiving a plate for securement to an automotive vehicle windshield.

8. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that a stud extends from said housing in proximity to each of the ends thereof and comprises a separate plate for engagement with each said stud and each said plate being adapted for attachment to a separate one of said brackets.

9. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 1 further characterized in that each stud extends thrugh an opening in each said plate and is secured thereto.

10. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 9 further characterized in that a nut is threadedly secured to the stud and is engageable with the plate.

11. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 10 is further characterized in that each plate is secured to the bracket at that end by mechanical fasteners.

12. A vehicle mirror assembly for attachment to a first portion of a vehicle through an attachment means in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said vehicle mirror assembly comprising:

(a) a mirror housing,

(b) a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart mirror panels carried by said housing enabling a view to a rear of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is attached to the vehicle, and

(c) a separate attachment means in proximity to each of the opposite ends of the housing, each said attachment means comprising;

(1) a stud extending from the housing in proximity to each of the opposite ends,

(2) a plate for engagement with said stud,

(3) a bracket adapted for securement to said plate, and

(4) means for securing the bracket to a fixed portion of the vehicle in the passenger compartment thereof.

13. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 12 further characterized in that each stud extends through an opening in each said plate and is secured thereto.

14. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 13 further characterized in that a nut is threadedly secured to the stud and is engageable with the plate.

15. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 14 further characterized in that each plate is secured to the bracket at that end by mechanical fasteners.

16. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 12 further characterized in that said mirror assembly comprises:

(a) second attachment means including a rearwardly located boss on a rearwardly facing portion of said housing,

(b) an internally threaded section in said boss facing rearwardly thereof, and

(c) a stud having at least one threaded end for attachment in said boss and also being adapted for attachment to a member on another portion of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 16 further characterized in that said stud has an opposite threaded end for attachment to a button on the windshield of a vehicle.

18. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 17 further characterized in that said second attachment means comprises a fitting which is carried in an interior bore of the boss and includes the internally threaded section adapted to receive a threaded end of said stud.

19. An auxiliary vehicle mirror assembly for attachment to a first portion of a vehicle through a first attachment means or alternatively to a second portion of the vehicle through a second attachment means, said auxiliary vehicle mirror assembly comprising:

(a) a mirror housing,

(b) a mirror carried by said housing enabling a view to a rear of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is attached to the vehicle,

(c) first attachment means on said housing comprising a pair of spaced apart brackets located in proximity to opposite ends of said housing for securement to a first portion of the vehicle,

(d) second attachment means comprising a rearwardly located stud attachment section on a rearwardly facing portion of said housing, and

(e) a stud having at least one first end for attachment to said stud attachment section and also being adapted for attachment to a member on another portion of the vehicle when said first attachment means is not used.

20. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 19 further characterized in that said brackets are secured to the first portion of the vehicle with mechanical fasteners securing the brackets to the first portion of the vehicle.

21. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 19 further characterized in that said stud has a second end for attachment to a plate which is secured to the windshield of a vehicle.

22. A vehicle mirror assembly for attachment to a first portion of a vehicle through an attachment means in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said vehicle mirror assembly comprising:

(a) a mirror housing,

(b) a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart mirror panels carried by said housing enabling a view to a rear of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is attached to the vehicle, and

(c) a separate attachment means on a rearward portion of the housing, said separate attachment means comprising;

(1) a stud extending from the housing in proximity to each of the opposite ends,

(2) a plate for engagement with said stud,

(3) a bracket adapted for the securement to said plate, and

(4) means for securing the bracket to a fixed portion of the vehicle in the passenger compartment thereof.

23. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 22 further characterized in that said stud extends through an opening in said plate and is secured thereto.