Water-drop-repellent mirror including a vibration plate and heating means

• US 5,155,625 A
• Filed: 03/22/1990
• Issued: 10/13/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murakami Kaimedio Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Murakami Kaimedio Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Hidenori, Itoh, Yasutoshi, Komatsu, Toru, Iwanabe, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US07/497,401
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 350/582, 350/588, 219/219, 15/250 B, 15/250 R, 310/321-321, 359/507, 359/512
• US Class Current: 359/512
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing

Abstract

A waterdrop repellent mirror provide a vibration plate which piezoelectric oscillator is affixed on the back side of the mirror, and a heater is placed therein to heat up the mirror surface. The piezoelectric oscillator on the rear surface of the mirror give ultra sonic wave vibration to the mirror through the vibration plate. When mirror surface resonate by inputting the vibration of the oscillator to the mirror, any waterdrop sticked on the mirror surface are dispersed. Re-sticked fine mist of waterdrop or frozen frost on the mirror surface can be removed by heated up the mirror, thereby clear mirror surface can be secured.

Claims

1. A water drop repellent mirror for outdoor use, comprising a mirror glass having a rear surface with a edge and provided with a light reflecting layer at a rear side;

a vibration plate connected with at least a part of said edge of said rear surface of said mirror glass arranged so as to from a clearance between said mirror glass arranged so as to form a clearance between said mirror glass and said vibration plate;

vibration wave generating means connected with said vibration plate; and

heating means arranged on said rear side of said mirror glass so as to heat up said mirror glass.

2. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said vibration plate is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, industrial purpose nickel, zirconium and amorphous metal.

3. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said vibration plate has an acoustic impedance substantially the same as that of said mirror glass.

4. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said mirror glass and said vibration plate consist of tempered glass.

5. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said vibration wave generating means is a piezoelectric oscillator connected to said vibration plate to resonate said mirror glass.

6. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 5, wherein said piezoelectric oscillator consists of piezoelectric ceramic.

7. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said vibration plate has a circular edge fixed with said circular edge of said rear surface of said mirror glass;

and further comprising means for fixing said edges of said vibration plate and said mirror glass with one another.

8. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 7, wherein said fixing means includes a thermosetting epoxy adhesive.

9. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said heating means includes a heater panel mounted on said vibration plate.

10. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said heating means includes an electrically conductive thin film heater formed as a membrane on said rear surface of said mirror glass.

11. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 9, wherein said heater panel is formed as a positive thermal coefficient heater panel operative for maintaining a constant temperature.

12. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, wherein said heating means includes an electrically conductive thin film heater formed as a membrane in said rear surface of said mirror glass, and a positive thermal coefficient heating panel with a characteristics of constant temperature heating control and mounted on said vibration plate.

13. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 9, and further comprising a vibration insulating member interposed between said vibration plate and said heater panel.

14. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 9, wherein said heater panel is arranged in said clearance.

15. A water drop repellent mirror as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a thin film provided on said rear surface of said mirror glass for preventing scattering of broken pieces of said mirror glass.

16. A outer mirror for vehicles, comprising a mirror glass having a rear surface with an edge and a light reflecting layer on a rear side of said mirror glass;

a vibration plate connected to said edge of said rear surface of said mirror glass and having acoustic impedance substantially the same as that of said mirror glass, said vibration plate being arranged so as to provide a clearance between said vibration plate and said mirror glass;

a synthetic resin mirror holder retained on said mirror glass and said vibration plate to protect said rear surface;

a piezoelectric oscillator mounted on said vibration plate;

a thin film adhering to said rear surface of said mirror glass for preventing scattering of broken pieces of said mirror glass; and

a positive thermal coefficient heater panel with operative for maintaining a constant temperature and mounted on said vibration plate in said clearance to heat up said mirror glass.

17. An outer mirror as defined in claim 16, and further comprising a vibration insulating member arranged between said vibration plate and said heater panel.

18. AN outer mirror as defined in claim 16, wherein said vibration wave generating means has control means including a sweep generator connected to said piezoelectric oscillator, am amplifier control circuit, a generator start-up operation switch, and a power source.

19. An outer mirror as defined in claim 16, wherein said positive thermal coefficient heater panel has control means including a heater control switch and a power source.

20. An outer mirror as defined in claim 16, and further comprising a mirror holder, and a cushion sheet having an air layer and interposed between said mirror holder and edges of said mirror glass and said vibration plate.

21. An outer mirror as defined in claim 16, and further comprising a mirror holder;

and a sliding sheet composed of high polymer material and having rigidity and low coefficient of friction, said sliding sheet being interposed between said mirror holder and edges of said mirror glass and said vibration plate.