Exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular, motor vehicles

• US 6,422,708 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Härer, Jörg
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US09/849,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 359/879, 359/880, 359/838, 359/841, 359/850, 359/871, 359/872, 359/873, 359/877, 248/475.1, 248/477, 248/479
• US Class Current: 359/879
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

An exterior rearview mirror for vehicles has a mirror base and a mirror head connected to the mirror base so as to be pivotable between a position of use and a parking position. A locking member locks the mirror head in the parking position. The mirror head has a counter locking member interacting in a locking position with the locking member for locking the mirror head in the parking position. A guide guides the counter locking member from the locking position into a release position when the mirror head is moved from the parking position into the position of use.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror for vehicles, the exterior rearview mirror comprising:

a mirror base (2);

a mirror head (5) connected to said mirror base (2) so as to be pivotable between a viewing position and a parking position;

a locking member (4) having a locking recess (12) configured to lock said mirror head (5) in said parking position;

said mirror head (5) comprising a counter locking member (16) configured to interact in a locking position with said locking recess (12) of said locking member (4) for locking said mirror head (5) in said parking position;

a guide (28) configured to guide said counter locking member (16) from said locking position into a release position when said mirror head (5) is moved from said parking position into said viewing position;

wherein said locking member (4) has a spring (9) with a spring section projecting into said locking recess (12), wherein said spring section forms said guide (28).

2. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said locking member (4) is bar-shaped and has a rectangular cross-section.

3. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said locking member (4) is pivotably supported on said mirror base (2).

4. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said mirror head (5) further comprises an intermediate joint (3) connecting said mirror head (5) to said mirror base (2), wherein said counter locking member (16) is connected to said intermediate joint (3).

5. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said mirror base (2) comprises an axle (18) and wherein said locking member (4) has a first end (13) supported on said axle (18).

6. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 5, wherein said locking member (4) has a second end (11) and wherein said second end (11) has a locking recess (12) configured to receive said counter locking member (16).

7. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 6, wherein said locking member (4) is configured to be spring-loaded in a direction toward said intermediate joint (3).

8. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 7, further comprising a spring (9) connected to said mirror base (2) and resting against said locking member (4) over an entire length of said locking member (4).

9. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 8, wherein said spring (9) has a first end (10) projecting past said first end (13) of said locking member (4), wherein said first end (10) of said spring (9) is fastened to said mirror base (2).

10. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 9, wherein said spring (9) has an end portion (27) and wherein said end portion (27) projects past said locking recess (12).

11. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 8, wherein said spring (9) is a leaf spring.

12. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 8, wherein said spring (9) covers said second end of said locking member (4).

13. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 11, wherein said second end (11) is a free end on which said locking recess (12) is provided.

14. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 10, wherein said end portion (27) of said spring (9) has a spring section projecting into said locking recess (12), wherein said spring section forms said guide (28).

15. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 14, comprising at least one insertion aid (30) located in a movement path of said counter locking member (16) when said mirror head (5) is pivoted into said parking position.

16. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 15, wherein said end portion (27) has an angled end and wherein said angled end forms said insertion aid (30).

17. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 15, wherein said insertion aid (30) delimits an insertion opening (37) for said counter locking element (16), wherein said insertion opening (37) widens in a direction counter to the movement path of said counter locking member (16).

18. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 14, wherein said end portion (27) of said spring (9) has an exit cutout (42) configured to allow said counter locking member (16) to exit from said locking recess (12), wherein said exit cutout (42) is positioned adjacent to said guide (28).

19. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 10, wherein said guide (28) is formed by bending said end portion (27) of said spring (9).

20. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 17, wherein said insertion opening (37) is delimited by a portion of a sidewall (29) of said locking member (4).

21. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 20, wherein said locking member (4) has a slant (38) connecting said sidewall (29) to a bottom of said locking recess (12).

22. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said intermediate joint (3) is U-shaped with a first leg (17) and a second leg (19), wherein said locking member (4) is positioned adjacent to said first leg (17).

23. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 22, wherein said first leg (17) has a inner side facing said second leg (19), wherein said locking member (16) projects past said inner side of said leg (17).

24. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said locking member (4) and said intermediate joint (3) are pivotable toward one another.

25. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 22, wherein said intermediate joint (3) has a transverse stay (20) connecting said first and second legs (17,19), wherein said transverse stay (21) has outwardly projecting connectors (21) configured to connect said mirror head (5) to said intermediate joint (3).

26. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 25, wherein said intermediate joint (3) comprises a connecting stay (25) connecting ends of said first and second legs (17, 18) remote from said transverse stay to one another.

27. The exterior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said counter locking member (16) is spring-loaded against said locking member (4) when said mirror head (5) is in said position of use.