External rear view mirror assembly for vehicles

• US 5,073,019 A
• Filed: 01/10/1990
• Issued: 12/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Metagal Indãºstria E Comã©Rcio LTDA
• Original Assignee: Metagal Indãºstria E Comã©Rcio LTDA
• Inventors: Ferreira do Espirito Santo, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafer, R. D.
• Application Number:
  US07/462,759
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 350/606, 350/631, 350/632, 350/639, 350/604, 248/476-487
• US Class Current: 359/872
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors

Abstract

A vehicle external rear view mirror assembly comprising a frame, a mirror secured in frame, a base for securing the frame with the mirror to a vehicle body, a lever assembly for rotatably connecting the frame with the mirror to the base, and an articulation assembly for pivotally attaching the frame with the mirror to the lever assembly.

Claims

1. An external rear view mirror assembly for vehicles, comprising a frame;

a mirror;

means for securing said mirror in said frame;

a base for securing said frame to a vehicle body;

lever means for rotatably connecting said frame to said base; and

articulation means for pivotally attaching said frame to said lever means;

said lever means including a lever having an intermediate hollow section and two end sections extending vertically at opposite ends of said intermediate hollow section, and rotating means rotatably connecting one of said two end sections with said base, said base having a seat, said rotating means including a stub projecting from said one of said two end sections in said seat of said base, a crown secured to said stub and having radial cut-outs, a washer spaced from said crown and secured in an annular groove formed in said stub, a pin extending transversely through said stub and engaging said cut-outs in said crown, and a coil spring extending between said crown and said washer and surrounding said stub, said stub having a threaded end portion to be received in a nut.

2. An external rear view mirror assembly for vehicles, comprising a frame;

a mirror;

means for securing said mirror in said frame;

a base for securing said frame to a vehicle body;

lever means for rotatably connecting said frame to said base; and

articulation means for pivotally attaching said frame to said lever means, said lever means including a lever having an intermediate hollow section and two end sections extending vertically at opposite ends of said intermediate hollow section, and rotating means rotatably connecting one of said two end sections with said base, said articulation means including a plate seat and a projection from another of said two end sections of said lever, extending through an opening in said frame, and pivotably received in said plate seat, said frame comprising a U-shaped plate secured in an area defining said opening in said frame through which said projection extends, said plate seat overlying said U-shaped plate and comprising a semi-circular ring and a plate having an opening and a surface portion extending beyond an outer circumference of said semi-circular ring, said articulation device further comprising a second plate spaced from said plate seat and a headed pin having a head portion and a pin portion received in an opening in said second plate, and a spring extending between said head portion and said second plate and surrounding said pin portion, said projection having a spherical end portion pivotably received within said head portion.