Interior rearview mirror for vehicles

• US 5,582,383 A
• Filed: 05/26/1995
• Issued: 12/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Mertens, Jens, Weller, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US08/450,504
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 248/481, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/479, 248/483, 248/484, 359/872, 359/873
• US Class Current: 248/484
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/086 using a mirror angularly movable between a position of use and a non-glare position reflecting a dark field to the user, e.g. situated behind a transparent glass used as low-reflecting surface; Wedge-shaped mirrors

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror for a vehicle. The mirror includes a mirror bracket that by means of a ball-and-socket joint carries a mirror housing that is provided with a mirror glass mounted on a glass carrier that together with the housing can be shifted between a first position and a second position by a knob. The glass carrier is pivotably connected to a support, and a swivel plate is fixedly connected to the knob. A guide pin is disposed on the swivel plate and engages a guide of the support for interconnecting the support and the swivel plate. A stop is disposed on the swivel plate and in one of the positions of the glass carrier rests against the outer surface of the guide.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror for a vehicle, including a mirror bracket that by means of a ball-and-socket joint carries a mirror housing that is provided with a mirror glass mounted on a glass carrier that together with said mirror housing can be shifted between a first position and a second position by means of a knob, said mirror further comprising:

a support means to which said glass carrier is pivotably connected;

a swivel means that is fixedly connected to said knob;

a guide means disposed on said support means;

a guide pin that is disposed on said swivel means and engages said guide means of said support means for interconnecting said support means and said swivel means; and

a stop means that is disposed on said swivel means and that in one of said positions of said glass carrier rests against an outer surface of said guide means.

2. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said support means is mounted on said mirror bracket by means of a ball-and-socket joint.

3. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said guide means is formed by a continuous wall that projects from said support means.

4. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 3, wherein said guide means is provided with an arresting seat for receiving said guide pin in said one position of said glass carrier.

5. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said swivel means is loaded in at least one of said positions in such a way that said guide pin is pressed against said guide means.

6. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 5, wherein opposite sides of said swivel means, relative to an axis of rotation thereof, are engaged by a respective spring means.

7. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 6, wherein each of said spring means is a leg spring.

8. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 6, wherein said spring means is connected to said glass carrier.

9. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 8, wherein said glass carrier is provided on a side thereof remote from said mirror glass with a member that projects therefrom, and wherein said spring means are connected to said member.

10. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 6, wherein said guide means, when viewed in the direction of said axis of rotation of said swivel means, extends linearly perpendicular to said axis of said rotation.

11. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 10, wherein said guide means, when viewed in the direction of said axis of rotation of said swivel means, extends at an acute angle relative to a pivot axis of said glass carrier.

12. An interior rearview mirror according to claim 11, wherein a straight line extending between the points of engagement of said two spring means on said swivel means forms a working line that in both of said positions of said glass carrier extends at an angle relative to said pivot axis of said glass carrier when viewed in the direction of said axis of rotation of said swivel means.