Foldable vehicle outside rearview mirror having a detachable cap

• US 5,245,480 A
• Filed: 12/13/1990
• Issued: 09/14/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HOHE KG
• Original Assignee: HOHE KG
• Inventors: Polzer, Herwig
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAFER, RICKY D
• Application Number:
  US07/626,772
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 350/604, 350/631, 350/632, 350/637, 350/638, 350/639, 248/457, 248/477, 248/479, 248/488, 248/900, 359/841, 359/872, 359/873, 359/877
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/90 Movable or disengageable on impact or overload

Abstract

Disclosed is an outside rearview mirror for a vehicle which has a mirror base adapted to be mounted to a car body, and a mirror housing mounted to a support plate. The support plate is fastened foldably to the mirror base by a joint. The mirror housing has the form of a frame surrounding a mirror glass which is mounted by an adjustment device to the rearward face of the support plate. A cap is detachably clamped to the front face of the support plate and continues the outer contour of the mirror housing. Thereby the transfer of vibrations from the mirror housing to the mirror glass is cut down to a minimum and shifted to a frequency range which does not influence the perception of the image the mirror glass is presenting to the driver of the car.

Claims

1. An outside rearview mirror for a vehicle, said outside rearview mirror comprising

a mirror base for mounting to a vehicle body,

a mirror housing,

a mirror glass, said mirror housing forming a frame laterally surrounding said mirror glass,

a support plate having a laterally projecting extension, said extension being directly and pivotally connected to said mirror base, said mirror housing being mounted on a rear face of said support plate, and

said mirror glass being adjustably mounted on said rear face of said support plate,

a cap detachably clamped to a front face of the support plate, the cap fitting into engagement with the mirror housing and forming a portion of a continuing outer contour with the mirror housing, and said cap covering a front face of the support plate.

2. Outside rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of resilient posts project from a bottom of the cap for clamping the support plate.

3. Outside rearview mirror according to claim 2, wherein each post comprises a pair of elastic fingers, a free end of each finger including a catch nose.

4. Outside rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein the mirror housing has an inner continuous web mounted to the support plate.

5. An outside rearview mirror for a vehicle, said outside rearview mirror comprising

a mirror base for mounting to a vehicle body,

a mirror housing,

a mirror glass, said mirror housing forming a frame laterally surrounding said mirror glass,

a support plate having a laterally projecting extension, said extension being directly and pivotally connected to said mirror base, said mirror housing being mounted on a rear face of said support plate,

said mirror glass being adjustably mounted on said rear face of said support plate,

a cap detachably clamped to a front face of the support plate, the cap fitting into engagement with the mirror housing and forming a portion of a continuing contour with the mirror housing, and said cap covering a front face of the support plate,

a plurality of resilient posts projecting from a bottom of the cap for clamping the support plate,

each post including a pair of elastic fingers, and

a free end of each finger including a catch nose.