Mirror assembly with friction drive

• US 5,838,507 A
• Filed: 12/19/1996
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LOWE Engineering Company
• Original Assignee: LOWE Engineering Company
• Inventors: Boddy, Ian, Foote, Keith D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US08/769,352
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 359/872, 359/876, 359/877, 359/874, 248/468, 248/474, 248/481
• US Class Current: 359/877
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly comprises a mirror unit, a mirror unit support, and a central connection between the mirror unit and support mounting the mirror unit for pivotal movement about first and second generally intersecting perpendicular axes. A first arm is mounted on the support for pivotal movement about the first axis and connected with the mirror unit for limited pivotal movement about the second axis at a position spaced from the first axis. A second arm is mounted on the support for pivotal movement about the second axis and connected with the mirror unit for compound movement for compound movement which includes limited lateral movement with respect to the first axis and pivotal movement about an axis which is either coincident with or slightly angularly related with the first axis depending upon the position of relative lateral movement. First and second power-transmitting surfaces on the first and second arms respectively are arcuate about the first and second axis respectively. First and second power-operated rotary members are constructed and arranged with respect to the first and second power-transmitting surfaces respectively (1) to move under power in peripheral rolling contact therewith to effect movement of the first and second arms respectively and (2) to move under power in peripheral sliding relation therewith in the event that movement of the first and second arms respectively is otherwise prevented.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly comprising

a mirror unit having a mirror side and an opposite side,

a mirror unit support disposed in facing relation to the opposite side of said mirror unit,

a central connection between the opposite side of said mirror unit and said support mounting said mirror unit on said support for pivotal movement about first and second generally intersecting perpendicular axes,

a first arm mounted on said support for pivotal movement between limits with respect to said support about said first axis and connected with the opposite side of said mirror unit for limited pivotal movement with respect to said mirror unit about said second axis at a position spaced from said first axis,

a second arm mounted on said support for pivotal movement between limits with respect to said support about said second axis and connected with the opposite side of said mirror unit for compound movement with respect to said mirror unit at a position spaced from said second axis which compound movement includes limited lateral movement with respect to said first axis and pivotal movement about an axis which is either coincident with or slightly angularly related with said first axis depending upon the position of relative lateral movement, and

a remotely controlled power-operated mechanism carried in part by said support for effecting a desired movement of said mirror unit together with a corresponding movement of either one or both of said first and second arms with respect to said support in response to a remote manual movement by a user,

said remotely controlled power-operated mechanism including first and second power-transmitting surfaces on said first and second arms respectively arcuate about said first and second axis respectively, and first and second power-operated rotary members being annular in cross-section and engaged with said first and second power-transmitting surfaces respectively, said first and second power-transmitting surfaces being substantially smooth and said first and second power-operated rotary members having substantially smooth peripheral surfaces,

said first and second power-operated rotary members being constructed and arranged with respect to said first and second power transmitting surfaces respectively (1) to move under power in peripheral rolling contact therewith to effect movement of the first and second arms respectively and (2) to move under power in peripheral sliding relation therewith in the event that movement of the first and second arms respectively is otherwise prevented.

2. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein a first housing part has first and second openings therein through which said first and second arms respectively extend, said first and second openings being constructed and arranged to closely surround the first and second arms respectively with a clearance space which is substantially constant throughout the movement of said first and second arms respectively therethrough.

3. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said support includes first and second separate housing parts disposed in fixed cooperating relation with one another so that said second housing part faces the opposite side of said mirror unit and defines with said first housing part an interior housing space.

4. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said mirror unit includes a mirror and a mirror holder within which said mirror is mounted, said mirror holder defining the opposite side of said mirror unit, said central connection including a first connecting structure fixed to the exterior of said mirror holder and extending toward said second housing part and a second connecting structure fixed to the exterior of said second housing part and extending toward said mirror holder, said connecting structures being operable to be moved into cooperating relation with one another by a snap action.

5. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said connecting structures comprises a projecting base portion having an enlarged portion on a projecting end of said base portion, said enlarged portion having a first convex connecting surface disposed within a first imaginary spherical surface having a first pair of parallel truncations one of which is defined by an intersection with said base portion, said enlarged portion having a first concave connecting surface facing away from said base portion disposed within a first imaginary spherical segmental surface having (1) a center coincident with the center of said first imaginary spherical surface and (2) a radius smaller than the radius of first imaginary spherical surface, the other of said connecting structures comprising a projecting annular wall having a second concave connecting surface disposed within a second imaginary spherical surface having (1) a radius generally equal to the radius of said first imaginary spherical surface and (2) a second pair of parallel truncations, and a projecting central portion within said annular wall having a second convex connecting surface facing in the direction of projection of said annular wall disposed within a second imaginary spherical segmental surface having (1) a center coincident with the center of said second imaginary spherical surface and (2) a radius equal to the radius of said first imaginary spherical segmental surface, the construction of said annular wall being such that said annular wall is operable in response to the movement of said enlarged portion therein to resiliently yield and resiliently return to bring (1) the first convex connecting surface of said enlarged portion into engagement with the second concave connecting surface of said annular wall so as to retain said first and second integral connecting structures against movement in a direction away from one another and (2) said first concave connecting surface of said enlarged portion into engagement with the second convex connecting surface of said projecting central portion so as to limit the movement of said first and second integral connecting structures in a direction toward one another, the engagement of said connecting surfaces permitting relative sliding movement therebetween so as to retain the members in cooperating relation in a multiplicity of different positions of pivotal movement of said mirror unit with respect to said support along said two intersecting perpendicular axes.

6. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein the connections between said arms and said mirror unit include structure enabling each connection to be established by a snap action.

7. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the snap action structure of the connection between said first arm and said mirror unit includes a first cylindrical connecting element on said first arm having an axis aligned with said second axis, said mirror unit having first surfaces receiving an outer peripheral portion of said first cylindrical connecting element and a pair of flexible cantilevered arcuate walls for engaging on opposite sides of an inner peripheral portion of said first cylindrical connecting element.

8. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein the snap action structure of the connection between said second arm and said mirror unit includes a second cylindrical connecting element on said second arm having an axis aligned with said first axis, said mirror unit having second surfaces slidably receiving an outer peripheral portion of said second cylindrical connecting element for limited lateral movement and a pair of flexible cantilevered L-shaped walls for engaging opposite ends of an inner peripheral portion of said second cylindrical connecting element.

9. A mirror assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said first arm includes a first pair of arcuate flanges extending from opposite sides thereof, said first pair of flanges being arcuate about said first axis, said second arm including a second pair of arcuate flanges extending from opposite sides thereof, said second pair of flanges being arcuate about said second axis, said first housing part having first and second arcuately spaced pairs of first parallel rail sections fixed therein within said interior space, said first and second arcuately spaced pairs of first parallel rail sections having first and second radially spaced arcuate concave surfaces slidably engaging convex surfaces of said first and second pairs of arcuate flanges respectively, said second housing part having first and second arcuately spaced pairs of second parallel rail sections fixed therein within said interior housing space, said first and second arcuately spaced pairs of second parallel rail sections having first and second radially spaced arcuate convex surfaces slidably engaging concave surfaces of said first and second arcuate flanges respectively.

10. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said remotely controlled power-operated mechanism includes first and second electric motors, a worm drivingly connected with each electric motor, a worm pinion rotatably mounted between said housing parts and drivingly connected with each worm, a spiral gear fixed to rotate with each worm pinion, a toothed wheel disposed in meshing relation with each spiral gear and rotatably mounted in said support, said rotary member being rotatably mounted in said support concentrically with and alongside each toothed wheel for rotary movement therewith.

11. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 10 including a first potentiometer carried in part by said first arm and in part by said support for generating an electrical signal indicative of the position of pivotal movement between said limits of said first arm with respect to said support, a second potentiometer carried in part by said second arm and in part by said support for generating an electrical signal indicative of the position of pivotal movement between said limits of said second arm with respect to said support, a microprocessor electrically connected to said first and second potentiometers and to said first and second electric motors, said microprocessor being capable, upon manually applied storage command, of storing the electrical signals generated by said first and second potentiometers for at least one selected position of said mirror unit, and of causing said mirror unit to be selectively returned to said one selected position at which said storage command was applied by starting said first and second motors and causing the same to continue to run and move mirror unit until the signals generated by said first and second potentiometers are equal to said storage signals, whereupon said microprocessor then stops said first and second motors.

33. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second power-operated rotary members are circular in cross-section.

34. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second power-operated rotary members includes a cylindrical shaft surrounded by polyurethane.

12. A rearview mirror assembly comprising

a mirror unit having a mirror side and an opposite side,

a mirror unit support disposed on the opposite side of said mirror unit,

a first member unit mounted on said support for pivotal movement between limits with respect to said support about a first axis,

said first member including a first pair of spaced arms extending from said support toward said mirror unit and forming first spaced connections with the opposite side of said mirror unit at positions spaced in opposite directions from said first axis, said first member being constructed and arranged to enable limited pivotal movement of said mirror unit with respect to said first member about a second axis disposed in generally intersecting perpendicular relation with said first axis,

a second member mounted on said support for pivotal movement between limits with respect to said support about said second axis,

said second member including a second pair of spaced arms extending from said support toward said mirror unit and forming second spaced connections with the opposite side of said mirror unit at positions spaced in opposite directions from said second axis, said second member being constructed and arranged to enable limited pivotal movement of said mirror unit with respect to said second member about said first axis, and

a remotely controlled power-operated mirror unit moving mechanism carried in part by said support for effecting a desired movement of said mirror unit together with a corresponding movement of either one or both of said first and second members with respect to said support in response to a remote manual movement by a user,

said remotely controlled power-operated mirror unit moving mechanism including first and second power transmitting surfaces on one of said first and second pairs of arms respectively and first and second power-operated rotary members being annular in cross-section and engaged with said first and second power-transmitting surfaces respectively, said first and second power-transmitting surfaces being substantially smooth and said first and second power-operated rotary members having substantially smooth peripheral surfaces,

said first and second power-operated rotary members being constructed and arranged with respect to said first and second power transmitting surfaces respectively (1) to move under power in peripheral rolling contact therewith to effect movement of the first and second members respectively and (2) to move under power in peripheral sliding relation therewith in the event that movement of the first and second members respectively is otherwise prevented.

13. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said remotely controlled power-operated mirror unit moving mechanism comprises a first electric motor carried by said support operatively connected with said first rotary member to effect pivotal movement of said first member between said limits and hence said mirror unit about said connections with said second pair of arms, a second electric motor carried by said support and operatively connected with said second rotary member to effect pivotal movement of said second member between said limits and hence said mirror unit about said connections with said first pair of arms.

14. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said first and second electric motors are operatively connected with said first and second rotary members by first and second gear trains respectively, each of which includes a worm drivingly connected with the associated electric motor, a worm pinion rotatably mounted between said housing parts and drivingly connected with said worm, a spiral gear fixed to rotate with said worm pinion, a toothed wheel disposed in meshing relation with said spiral gear and rotatably mount ed in said support and connected to rotate with the associated rotary member.

15. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 13 including a first potentiometer carried in part by one arm of said first pair of arms and in part by said support for generating an electrical signal indicative of the position of pivotal movement between said limits of said first member with respect to said support, a second potentiometer carried in part by one arm of said second pair of arms and in part by said support for generating an electrical signal indicative of the position of pivotal movement between said limits of said second member with respect to said support, a microprocessor electrically connected to said first and second potentiometers and to said first and second electric motors, said microprocessor being capable, upon manually applied storage command, of storing the electrical signals generated by said first and second potentiometers for at least one selected position of said mirror unit, and of causing said mirror unit to be selectively returned to said one selected position at which said storage command was applied by starting said first and second motors and causing the same to continue to run and move mirror unit until the signals generated by said first and second potentiometers are equal to said storage signals, whereupon said microprocessor then stops said first and second motors.

16. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein the connections between said arms and said mirror unit include structure enabling each connection to be established by a snap action.

17. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein the snap action structure of the connection between said first pair of arms and said mirror unit includes a first cylindrical connecting element on each arm of said first pair of arms having an axis aligned with said second axis, said mirror unit having first surfaces receiving an outer peripheral portion of each first cylindrical connecting element and a pair of flexible cantilevered arcuate walls for engaging on opposite sides of an inner peripheral portion of each first cylindrical connecting element.

18. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein the snap action structure of the connection between said second pair of arms and said mirror unit includes a second cylindrical connecting element on each arm of said second pair of arms having an axis aligned with said first axis, said mirror unit having second surfaces receiving an outer peripheral portion of each second cylindrical connecting element and a pair of flexible cantilevered arcuate walls for engaging on opposite sides of an inner peripheral portion of each second cylindrical connecting element.

19. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein said support includes first and second separate housing parts disposed in fixed cooperating relation with one another so that said second housing part faces the opposite side of said mirror unit and defines with said first housing part an interior housing space.

20. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein said first member includes a first central portion between said first pair of arms having a first pair of arcuate flanges extending from opposite sides thereof, said first pair of flanges being arcuate about said first axis, said second member including a second central portion between said second pair of arms having a second pair of arcuate flanges extending from opposite sides thereof, said second pair of flanges being arcuate about said second axis, said first housing part having first and second arcuately spaced pairs of first parallel rail sections fixed therein within said interior space, said first and second arcuately spaced pairs of first parallel rail sections having first and second radially spaced arcuate concave surfaces slidably engaging convex surfaces of said first and second pairs of arcuate flanges respectively, said second housing part having first and second arcuately spaced pairs of second parallel rail sections fixed therein within said interior housing space, said first and second arcuately spaced pairs of second parallel rail sections having first and second radially spaced arcuate convex surfaces slidably engaging concave surfaces of said first and second arcuate flanges respectively.

21. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 12 wherein a first housing part has first and second pairs of openings therein through which said first and second pairs of arms respectively extend, said first and second pairs of openings being constructed and arranged to closely surround the first and second pairs of arms respectively with a clearance space which is substantially constant throughout the movement of said first and second pairs of arms respectively therethrough.

35. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said first and second power-operated rotary members are circular in cross-section.

36. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said first and second power-operated rotary members includes a cylindrical shaft surrounded by polyurethane.

22. A rearview mirror assembly comprising

a mirror unit having a mirror side and an opposite side,

a mirror unit support disposed in facing relation to the opposite side of said mirror unit,

a central connection between the opposite side of said mirror unit and said support mounting said mirror unit on said support for pivotal movement about first and second generally intersecting perpendicular axes,

a first member mounted on said support for pivotal movement between limits with respect to said support about said first axis,

said first member including a first pair of spaced arms extending from said support toward said mirror unit and connected with the opposite side of said mirror unit for limited pivotal movement with respect to said mirror unit about said second axis at a positions spaced in opposite directions from said first axis for limited pivotal movement with respect to said mirror unit about said second axis,

a second member mounted on said support for pivotal movement between limits with respect to said support about said second axis,

said second member including a second pair of arms extending from said support toward said mirror unit and connected with the opposite side of said mirror unit for compound movement with respect to thereto at positions spaced in opposite directions from said second axis which compound movement includes limited lateral movement with respect to said first axis and pivotal movement about an axis which is either coincident with or slightly angularly related with said first axis depending upon the position of relative lateral movement, and

a remotely controlled power-operated mechanism carried in part by said support for effecting a desired movement of said mirror unit together with a corresponding movement of either one or both of said first and second arms with respect to said support in response to a remote manual movement by a user,

said remotely controlled power-operated mechanism including first and second power-transmitting surfaces on said first and second arms respectively arcuate about said first and second axis respectively, and first and second power-operated rotary members being annular in cross-section and engaged with said first and second power-transmitting surfaces respectively, said first and second power-transmitting surfaces being substantially smooth and said first and second power-operated rotary members having substantially smooth peripheral surfaces,

said first and second power-operated rotary members being constructed and arranged with respect to said first and second power transmitting surfaces respectively (1) to move under power in peripheral rolling contact therewith to effect movement of the first and second arms respectively and (2) to move under power in peripheral sliding relation therewith in the event that movement of the first and second arms respectively is otherwise prevented.

23. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein said support includes first and second separate housing parts disposed in fixed cooperating relation with one another so that said second housing part faces the opposite side of said mirror unit and defines with said first housing part an interior housing space.

24. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 23 wherein said mirror unit includes a mirror and a mirror holder within which said mirror is mounted, said mirror holder defining the opposite side of said mirror unit, said central connection including a first connecting structure fixed to the exterior of said mirror holder and extending toward said second housing part and a second connecting structure fixed to the exterior of said second housing part and extending toward said mirror holder, said connecting structures being operable to be moved into cooperating relation with one another by a snap action.

25. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 23 wherein the connections between said arms and said mirror unit include structure enabling each connection to be established by a snap action.

26. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 25 wherein the snap action structure of the connection between said first pair of arms and said mirror unit includes a first cylindrical connecting element on each arm of said first pair of arms having an axis aligned with said second axis, said mirror unit having first surfaces receiving an outer peripheral portion of each first cylindrical connecting element and a pair of flexible cantilevered arcuate walls for engaging on opposite sides of an inner peripheral portion of each first cylindrical connecting element.

27. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 26 wherein the snap action structure of the connection between said second pair of arms and said mirror unit includes a second cylindrical connecting element on each arm of said second pair of arms having an axis aligned with said first axis, said mirror unit having second surfaces slidably receiving an outer peripheral portion of each second cylindrical connecting element for limited lateral movement and a pair of flexible cantilevered L-shaped walls for engaging opposite ends of an inner peripheral portion of each second cylindrical connecting element.

28. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 23 wherein said first member includes a first central portion between said first pair of arms having a first pair of arcuate flanges extending from opposite sides thereof, said first pair of flanges being arcuate about said first axis, said second member including a second central portion between said second pair of arms having a second pair of arcuate flanges extending from opposite sides thereof, said second pair of flanges being arcuate about said second axis, said first housing part having first and second arcuately spaced pairs of first parallel rail sections fixed therein within said interior space, said first and second arcuately spaced pairs of first parallel rail sections having first and second radially spaced arcuate concave surfaces slidably engaging convex surfaces of said first and second pairs of arcuate flanges respectively, said second housing part having first and second arcuately spaced pairs of second parallel rail sections fixed therein within said interior housing space, said first and second arcuately spaced pairs of second parallel rail sections having first and second radially spaced arcuate convex surfaces slidably engaging concave surfaces of said first and second arcuate flanges respectively.

29. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein said remotely controlled power-operated mechanism comprises a first electric motor carried by said support operatively connected with said first rotary member to effect pivotal movement of said first member between said limits and hence said mirror unit about said central connection and said connections with said second pair of arms, a second electric motor carried by said support operatively connected with said second rotary member to effect pivotal movement of said second member between said limits and hence said mirror unit about said central connection and said connections with said first pair of arms.

30. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 29 wherein said first and second electric motors are operatively connected with said first and second gear trains respectively, each of which includes a worm drivingly connected with the associated electric motor, a worm pinion rotatably mounted between said housing parts and drivingly connected with said worm, a spiral gear fixed to rotate with said worm pinion, a toothed wheel disposed in meshing relation with said spiral gear and rotatably mounted in said support and connected to rotate with the associated rotary member.

31. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 29 including a first potentiometer carried in part by one arm of said first pair of arms and in part by said support for generating an electrical signal indicative of the position of pivotal movement between said limits of said first member with respect to said support, a second potentiometer carried in part by one arm of said second pair of arms and in part by said support for generating an electrical signal indicative of the position of pivotal movement between said limits of said second member with respect to said support, a microprocessor electrically connected to said first and second potentiometers and to said first and second electric motors, said microprocessor being capable, upon manually applied storage command, of storing the electrical signals generated by said first and second potentiometers for at least one selected position of said mirror unit, and of causing said mirror unit to be selectively returned to said one selected position at which said storage command was applied by starting said first and second motors and causing the same to continue to run and move mirror unit until the signals generated by said first and second potentiometers are equal to said storage signals, whereupon said microprocessor then stops said first and second motors.

32. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 22 wherein a first housing part having first and second openings therein through which said first and second arms respectively extend, said first and second openings being constructed and arranged to closely surround the first and second arms respectively with a clearance space which is substantially constant throughout the movement of said first and second arms respectively therethrough.

37. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 22, wherein said first and second power-operated rotary members are circular in cross-section.

38. A rearview mirror assembly as defined in claim 22, wherein each of said first and second power-operated rotary members includes a cylindrical shaft surrounded by polyurethane.