Vehicular visual safety device

• US 5,237,459 A
• Filed: 05/06/1991
• Issued: 08/17/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Casting Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arthur Strauss
• Inventors: Strauss, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAFER, RICKY D
• Application Number:
  US07/695,964
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 350/612, 350/616, 350/618, 350/623, 350/624, 350/625, 350/626, 350/632, 350/639, 248/467, 248/474, 248/480, 248/481, 248/484, 248/485, 359/850, 359/855, 359/856, 359/862, 359/864, 359/865, 359/872, 359/881, 359/863
• US Class Current: 359/863
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/002 specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08

Abstract

This specification relates to the invention of a vehicular visual safety device. The device utilizes a planar object, and an opposed convex reflecting mirror mounted on the inside surface of a vehicle windshield enabling the driver to see objects lateral, forward and below the level of the front windshield and front portion of the vehicle on the side of the vehicle opposite and lateral to the driver (passenger side) which heretofore encompassed a dangerous blind spots.

Claims

1. A vehicular visual safety device comprising:

a main frame, said frame having a superior, inferior, forward, aft, right lateral, and left lateral surface;

a means for affixing said main frame to an inside surface of a vehicular windshield on a passenger side of a vehicle;

a convex object mirror affixed to the inferior surface of said main frame with an adjustable fixation means so that said convex object mirror is adjustable so as to face the area lateral to the vehicle in which said main frame is mounted on the passenger side forward and lateral to the convex object mirror;

a planar reflecting mirror affixed to the inferior surface of the main frame and said reflecting mirror provided with an adjustable fixation means so as to allow said reflecting mirror to reflect an image provided by said convex object mirror;

wherein

the convex object mirror has a spherical radius of curvature sufficient to transmit an image of an area lateral, forward and below the windshield on the passenger side of the vehicle and subsequently reflects said image by means of said reflecting mirror to the driver so that visualization of this area by the driver is provided.

2. The vehicular visual safety device of claim 1 wherein the means for affixing the main frame to the internal surface of a vehicle windshield comprises two adjustable mounting arms and an articulating arm, said adjustable arms and articulating arm are each provided with a suction cup device at one terminus for affixation to the windshield, and a means at the opposite terminus for fixation to the main frame.

3. The vehicular safety device of claim 2 wherein one of the suction cup devices are affixed to one terminus of each of the adjustable arms and one terminus of the articulating arm with a ball and socket type joint, the other terminus of the articulating arm being affixed to the main frame by means of a ball and socket joint, the articulating arm having an articulating joint approximately midway between its termini, and the adjustable arms being affixed to said main frame by means of a nut and bolt, said bolt passing through a slot defined by the right and left lateral surfaces of said main frame wherein said articulating arm and said adjustable arms provide adjustability for the main frame so as to allow proper angulation of the device with windshields of differing rake.

4. The vehicular visual safety device of claim 1 wherein said object and said reflecting mirror are affixed to said inferior surface of said main frame by means of a ball and socket type joint.

5. The vehicular visual safety device of claim 1 wherein said object and reflecting mirrors are affixed within a mirror housing frame, a ball member of a ball and socket joint being affixed to a superior surface of said mirror housing frame, said ball member articulating with one of two socket members affixed to the inferior surface of the main frame so that both the object and reflecting mirrors are fully adjustable throughout said ball and socket joints rotation.

6. A vehicular visual safety device for vehicles utilizing left side driver controls comprising:

a main frame having a superior, inferior, forward, aft, right lateral and left lateral surface, said main frame further having two parallel adjustment slots aligned parallel to, and equidistant from said lateral surfaces of said main frame, said main frame also having an aperture for the fixation of a ball member of a ball and socket type joint extending from a position located approximately midway between the right and left lateral surfaces, at the forward, superior surface of said main frame and said main frame having two socket members of two ball and socket joints extending from the inferior surface of the main frame, one of said socket members being affixed to the forward right portion of the inferior surface of the main frame, and the other of said socket members being located along the aft portion of the inferior surface of the main frame;

two adjustable mounting arms, each consisting of a calibrated extension rail having a socket member of a ball and socket joint at one terminus of said extension rail, and said extension rail containing an adjustment bolt of a diameter less then the width of the adjustment slots on the main frame, so that the adjustment bolt passes through said adjustment slot, and adjustment nut calibrated to engage the adjustment bolt after said adjustment bolt is passed through the adjustment slot so as to hold the extension rail in a fixed relation to the main frame, the ball of the ball and socket joint is attached to the socket member of the adjustable mounting arms at one terminus and attached to a resilient suction cup at its opposite terminus, said resilient suction cups providing adhesion of the device to the inside surface of a vehicle windshield;

an articulating support arm consisting of two support rails, each support rail defining a support rail aperture at one end, a support arm bolt of a diameter less than the support rail aperture, a support arm nut calibrated to engage the support arm bolt so that when the support arm bolt is passed through both support rail apertures the support arm nut engages the support rails which are affixed to each other at an adjustable angulation, each support rail having at its terminus opposite the support rail aperture a socket member of a ball and socket joint, one socket articulating with the ball member affixed to the superior surface of the main frame and the other socket articulating with a ball member affixed to a resilient suction cup;

a convex object mirror element consisting of a mirror housing frame, a ball member of a ball and socket joint, said ball member articulating with the one of said two socket members affixed to the inferior surface of the main frame at the forward right position of the main frame and said ball member being affixed to a midpoint of an upper edge of the mirror housing frame, a convex object mirror supported and affixed to the mirror housing frame so that the convex object mirror element is freely adjustable through rotation in its relation to the main frame;

a planar reflecting mirror element consisting of a planar housing frame, a ball member of a ball and socket joint, said ball member being affixed to the planar housing frame at a position located at about the midpoint of an upper edge of the planar housing frame, said ball member articulating with the socket member located on the inferior surface of the main frame approximating the aft portion of said main frame, a planar reflecting mirror mounted and affixed to the planar housing frame so that the planar reflecting mirror is freely adjustable through rotation in its relation to the main frame wherein the convex object mirror has a spherical radius of curvature sufficient to provide an image of a blind spot located lateral, forward and below the windshield on the passenger side.

7. A vehicular visual safety device for vehicles utilizing right side driver controls comprising:

a main frame having a superior, inferior, forward, aft, right lateral and left lateral surface, said main frame further having two parallel adjustment slots aligned parallel to, and equidistant from said lateral surfaces of said main frame, said main frame also having an aperture for the fixation of a ball member of a ball and socket type joint extending from a position located approximately midway between the right and left lateral surfaces, at the forward, superior surface of said main frame and said main frame having two socket members of two ball and socket joints extending from the inferior surface of the main frame, one of said socket members being affixed to the forward left portion of the inferior surface of the main frame, and the other of said socket members being located along the aft portion of the inferior surface of the main frame;

two adjustable mounting arms, each consisting of a calibrated extension rail having a socket member of a ball and socket joint at one terminus of said extension rail, and said extension rail containing an adjustment bolt of a diameter less then the width of the adjustment slots on the main frame, so that the adjustment bolt passes through said adjustment slot, an adjustment nut calibrated to engage the adjustment bolt after said adjustment bolt is passes through the adjustment slot so as to hold the extension rail in a fixed relation tot he main frame, the ball of the ball and socket joint is attached to the socket member of the adjustable mounting arms at one terminus and attached to a resilient suction cup at its opposite terminus, said resilient suction cups providing adhesion of the device to the inside surface of a vehicle windshield;

an articulating support arm consisting of two support rails, each support rail defining a support rail aperture at one end, a support arm bolt of a diameter less than the support rail aperture, a support arm nut calibrated to engage the support arm bolt so that when the support arm bolt is passed through both support rail apertures and the support arm nut engages the support rails which are affixed to each other at an adjustable angulation, each support rail having at its terminus opposite the support rail aperture a socket member of a ball and socket joint, one socket articulating with the ball member affixed to the superior surface of the main frame and the other socket articulating with a ball member affixed to a resilient suction cup;

a convex object mirror element consisting of a mirror housing frame, a ball member of a ball and socket joint, said ball member articulating with the one of said two socket members affixed to the inferior surface of the main frame at the forward left position of the main frame and said ball member being affixed to a midpoint of an upper edge of the mirror housing frame, a convex object mirror supported and affixed to the mirror housing frame so that the convex object mirror element is freely adjustable through rotation in its relation to the main frame;

a planar reflecting mirror element consisting of a planar housing frame, a ball member of a ball and socket joint, said ball member being affixed to the planar housing frame at a position located at about the midpoint of an upper edge of the planar housing frame, said ball member articulating with the socket member located on the inferior surface of the main frame approximating the aft portion of said main frame, a planar reflecting mirror mounted and affixed to the planar housing frame so that the planar reflecting mirror is freely adjustable through rotation in its relation to the main frame wherein the convex object mirror has a spherical radius of curvature sufficient to provide an image of a blind spot located lateral, forward and below the windshield on the passenger side.