Rear view mirror for a vehicle

• US 6,183,096 B1
• Filed: 11/14/1994
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Galicia
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Galicia
• Inventors: Galicia, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US08/340,339
• Time in Patent Office: 2,276 Days
• Field of Search: 359/850, 359/851, 359/853, 359/855, 359/871, 359/872, 359/877, 359/865, 359/861, 359/874, 359/843, 359/844, 359/873, 359/876, 359/881, 248/466, 248/476, 248/477, 248/481, 248/475.1
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/007 specially adapted for covering the lateral blind spot not covered by the usual rear-view mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/081 avoiding blind spots, e.g. by using a side-by-side association of mirrors

Abstract

One embodiment of a mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a first mirror attached externally to the vehicle for providing a side rear view along a side of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, and a second mirror attached internally to the vehicle to a roof-supporting column of the vehicle for providing a blind spot view to the driver, with the first and second mirrors being separately adjustable. Another embodiment includes a third mirror attached externally to the vehicle for providing a side rear view along another side of the vehicle to the driver of the vehicle, and a fourth mirror attached internally to the vehicle to another roof-supporting column of the vehicle for providing a blind spot view to the driver, with the third and fourth mirrors being separately adjustable.

Claims

1. A mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a first mirror attached externally to the vehicle for providing a side rear view along a side of the vehicle to a driver of the vehicle; and

a second mirror attached internally to the vehicle to a roof-supporting column of the vehicle for providing a blind spot view to the driver, the roof-supporting column supporting a roof of the vehicle,

the first and second mirrors being separately adjustable.

2. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second mirrors are disposed with respect to each other so that a reflected image of the first mirror and a reflected image of the second mirror appear to the driver to have substantially no gap between the respective reflected images of the first and second mirrors.

3. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, where the first and second mirrors are adjustable along the roof-supporting column.

4. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a control system coupled to the first and second mirrors for adjusting the first and second mirrors by remote control.

5. The mirror assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control system includes a memory for storing a plurality of preset positions of the first and second mirrors.

6. The mirror assembly according to claim 4, wherein the control system adjusts the first and second mirrors in unison.

7. The mirror assembly according to claim 4, wherein the first mirror is mounted to the vehicle on a telescoping arm, and the control system further controls a position of a telescoping arm.

8. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second mirrors includes a plurality of partially reflecting mirrors.

9. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first mirror is a convex mirror.

10. The mirror assembly according to claim 9, wherein the second mirror is a convex mirror.

11. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third mirror attached externally to the vehicle for providing a side rear view along another side of the vehicle to the driver of the vehicle; and

a fourth mirror attached internally to the vehicle to another roof-supporting column of the vehicle for providing a blind spot view to the driver, the another roof-supporting column supporting the roof of the vehicle,

the third and fourth mirrors being separately adjustable.

12. The mirror assembly according to claim 11, wherein the third and fourth mirrors are disposed with respect to each other so that a reflected image of the third mirror and a reflected image of the fourth mirror appear to the driver to have substantially no gap between the respective reflected images of the third and fourth mirrors.

13. The mirror assembly according to claim 11, further comprising a control system coupled to the first, second, third and fourth mirrors for adjusting the first, second, third and fourth mirrors by remote control.

14. The mirror assembly according to claim 13, wherein the control system includes a memory for storing a plurality of preset positions of the first, second, third and fourth mirrors.

15. The mirror assembly according to claim 13, wherein the control system adjusts the third and fourth mirrors in unison.

16. The mirror assembly according to claim 13, wherein the first mirror is mounted to the vehicle on a first telescoping arm and third mirror is mounted to the vehicle on a second telescoping arm, and the control system controls a position of each of the first and second telescoping arms.

17. The mirror assembly according to claim 12, where the first and second mirrors are adjustable along the roof-supporting column, the third and fourth mirrors are adjustable along the another roof-supporting column.