Rearview mirror

• US 5,005,962 A
• Filed: 04/06/1990
• Issued: 04/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karl W. Edelman
• Original Assignee: Karl W. Edelman
• Inventors: Edelman, Karl W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RYAN, JAY
• Application Number:
  US07/505,603
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 350/612, 350/616, 350/625, 350/627, 350/629
• US Class Current: 359/864
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08

Abstract

A rearview mirror conventional in apparance but which allows a vehicle operator to see the "blind spot" that is associated with conventional mirrors. A concave area is on the back surface of the mirror, which when viewed from the front of the mirror is a convex area, and the area has a constant rate of convexity. The concave area is disposed outwardly of the remainder of the mirror, which has a flat reflective surface. The instantaneous transfer of images from the flat to the convex area eliminates distortion of the object being viewed. The mirror may have a backer for protecting the reflective surface and for facilitating securing the mirror in a conventional rearview mirror frame.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror comprising:

a one piece sheet having a flat front face and a back face;

said back face having a flat section and a convex section when viewed from the front face,

and a reflective coating covering the back face, wherein the convex section is a spherical surface and the highest point on the spherical surface is adjacent to the plane of the flat section.

2. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 1, wherein the convex section is immediately adjacent the flat section.

3. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 2, wherein the highest point of the spherical surface is in the plane of the flat section.

4. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 3, wherein a backer face is attached to the back face for protecting the coating and for facilitating easy mounting of the rearview mirror in a frame.

5. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 1, wherein a backer face is attached to the back face for protecting the coating and for facilitating easy mounting of the rearview mirror in a frame.

6. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 1, wherein the one piece sheet is plastic.

7. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 1, wherein the one piece sheet is glass.

8. A rearview mirror comprising:

a one piece mirror having a flat reflective surface and a convex reflective surface when viewed from the front of the mirror, said convex reflective surface lying immediately adjacent the flat reflective surface;

said convex surface being a spherical surface with the highest point of the spherical surface lying immediately adjacent the flat surface.

9. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 8, wherein said mirror has a flat front surface parallel to the flat reflective surface.

10. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 9, wherein a reference marking is provided on the mirror to indicate the line of demarcation between the flat and convex reflective surfaces.

11. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 8, wherein the highest point of the spherical surface lies in the plane of the flat reflective surface.

12. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 8, wherein the one piece mirror is plastic.

13. A rearview mirror as set forth in claim 9, wherein the one piece mirror is glass.