Sideview mirror for vehicles and angle adjusting device thereof

• US 6,590,725 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Myung Duk Kho
• Original Assignee: Myung Duk Kho
• Inventors: Kho, Myung Duk
• Primary Examiner(s): CHERRY, EUNCHA P
• Application Number:
  US09/988,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20020063976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 359/831, 359/833, 359/834, 359/836, 359/838, 359/871, 359/872, 248/479, 248/481
• US Class Current: 359/834
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/10 Front-view mirror arrangements; specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; Periscope arrangements , i.e. optical devices using combinations of mirrors, lenses, prisms or the like specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle B60R1/002; for viewing traffic-lights B60R1/005; Other mirror arrangements giving a view from above or under the vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sideview mirror for vehicles and an angle adjusting device thereof which includes a housing pivotable on the inner and outer guide lines of the vehicle; an Amici type prism installed within the focal length of an object lens so as to reflect the ray passing through the object lens for refracting the ray passing through an outer rearward portion of the vehicle to be converged; a reflector installed beyond the focal length of the object lens and adapted to reflect the ray reflected by the prism to an inner aperture portion of the housing; and an eye lens system magnifying and refracting the ray reflected by the reflector so as to form an image having unit magnification for thereby forming an afocal system. In addition, an angle adjusting device for automatically or manually adjusting the angle of the sideview mirror for vehicles is provided to make the driver see the view at the rear of the vehicle with respect to the movement direction of the vehicle accurately and easily and at the same time automatically or manually adjust the angle of the sideview mirror according to the physical conditions of the driver.

Claims

1. A sideview mirror for vehicles, comprising:

a housing connected to a forward portion of a driver'"'"'s side of a vehicle so that a first aperture formed at one side of the housing is arranged outside the vehicle and is directed to an outer rearward portion of the vehicle and a second aperture at an other side of the housing is arranged inside the vehicle;

an object lens system including;

at least one object lens of a convex lens type connected to the first aperture,

an upper reflecting unit arranged in the housing at a predetermined angle within a focal length of the object lens so as to reflect a first ray passing through an upper portion of a horizontal center line of the object lens to an interior of the vehicle, and

a lower reflecting unit arranged in the housing so that the upper reflecting unit is at a right angle with respect to the lower reflecting unit and a contact line located at an intersection of the lower reflecting unit and the upper reflecting unit corresponds to the horizontal center line of the object lens and the lower reflecting unit is adapted to reflect a second ray passing through a lower portion of the horizontal center line of the object lens; and

an eye lens system having;

a third reflecting unit arranged beyond the focal length of the object lens and adapted to reflect the first and second rays to the second aperture of the housing, and

at least one eye lens of a convex lens type connected to the second aperture of the housing and adapted to magnify and refract the first and second rays reflected by the third reflecting unit to form an image having either an unit magnification or a predetermined magnification for thereby forming an afocal system.

2. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the upper reflecting unit and the lower reflecting unit are Amici type prisms integral with each other.

3. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the object lens, upper reflecting unit, and lower reflecting unit are Amici type prisms integral with one another.

4. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the third reflecting unit is a planar reflector.

5. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the third reflecting unit and the eye lens are integral with each other.

6. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 5, wherein the third reflecting unit is a prism.

7. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the eye lens includes a plano-convex lens arranged in the second aperture of the housing and a concave-convex lens arranged between the plano-convex lens and the third reflecting unit.

8. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes an outer tubular unit having a spherical unit at one end exposed to the interior of the vehicle to be connected thereto and an inner tubular unit pivotably connected to the spherical unit.

9. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 8, wherein the sideview mirror for vehicles further includes an outer duct connected to a circumference of the outer tubular unit to surround the same and having an air inlet formed at one end and a first branching pipe for guiding air introduced through the outer duct to a surface of the object lens.

10. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 9, wherein the sideview mirror for vehicles further includes an inner duct connected to a circumference of the inner tubular unit to surround the same and of which one end is communicated with the outer duct and a second branching pipe for guiding air introduced through an air inlet to the surface of the eye lens arranged in the second aperture of the housing.

11. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 9, the sideview mirror for vehicles further includes a heating unit arranged in a flow channel of the air introduced through the air inlet and adapted to heat the air.

12. The sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 9, the sideview mirror for vehicles further includes a blower arranged in the outer tubular duct and adapted to enable air from outside the vehicle to be introduced into the outer duct through the air inlet.

16. An angle adjusting device of a sideview mirror for vehicles, comprising a device capable of automatically or manually adjusting a horizontal and a vertical angle of the sideview mirror for vehicles according to claim 1.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the angle adjusting device of a sideview mirror for vehicles comprises:

an auto driving box of which one end portion is rotatably mounted in a door panel of a driver'"'"'s seat and passenger'"'"'s seat and adapted to interlock an inner tubular unit of a sideview mirror housing;

a driving source mounted within the auto driving box and adapted to be driven in order to transmit driving power during automatic adjusting of the horizontal angle and the vertical angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing;

a horizontal driving unit driven by the driving power of the driving source during adjusting of the horizontal angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing;

a vertical driving unit driven by the driving power of the driving source during adjusting of the vertical angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing; and

a clutch unit having one or more relay gears for selectively interrupting the driving power transmitted between the horizontal and vertical driving units.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the horizontal driving unit comprises:

a driving gear installed at an end of an axis of a motor that is the driving source and adapted to be rotated by rotating power of the motor axis;

a horizontal power transmission gear rotated by the rotating power transmitted from the driving gear, a plurality of reduction gears, and the clutch unit in order to adjust the horizontal angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing; and

a horizontal adjusting gear installed to be engaged between the horizontal power transmission gear and a horizontal rack gear formed at the door panel and adapted to be rotated by the rotating power from the horizontal power transmission gear in order to adjust the horizontal angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing toward a horizontal direction by moving along the horizontal rack gear.

19. The device according to claim 17, wherein the vertical driving unit comprises:

a driving gear installed at an end of an axis of a motor that is a driving source and adapted to be rotated by rotating power of the motor axis;

a vertical power transmission gear rotated by the rotating power transmitted from the driving gear, a plurality of reduction gears, and the clutch unit in order to adjust the vertical angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing;

a vertical rotating axis installed in a center of the vertical power transmission gear and adapted to be rotated by the rotating power from the vertical power transmission gear; and

a vertical adjusting member of which an upper end portion is hingeably connected to a center of a lower end of a connecting member installed in the inner tubular unit of the housing and in which a guide ring penetrated by the vertical rotating axis to be engaged therewith is fixed for thereby raising and lowering the inner tubular unit of the housing by rotation of the vertical rotating axis.

20. The device according to claim 17, wherein:

the horizontal driving unit includes;

a driving gear installed at an end of an axis of a motor tat is the driving source and adapted to be rotated by rotating power of the motor axis; and

a horizontal power transmission gear rotated by the rotating power transmitted from the driving gear, a plurality of reduction gears, and the clutch unit in order to adjust the horizontal angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing;

the vertical driving unit includes a vertical power transmission gear rotated by the rotating power transmitted from the driving gear, the plurality of reduction gears, and the clutch unit in order to adjust the vertical angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing; and

the clutch unit further includes;

a power conversion link rotatably installed between the horizontal power transmission gear and the vertical power transmission gear;

a first relay gear installed at one side of an upper portion of the power conversion link to be engaged with the plurality of reduction gears and adapted to be rotated by the rotating power;

a second relay gear installed at an other side of the upper portion of the power conversion link to be engaged with the first relay gear and adapted to be selectively engaged with the horizontal power transmission gear and the vertical power transmission gear by rotation of the power conversion link;

a guiding member of which one end is connected to a long guiding hole formed at an end portion of the power conversion link and which has an actuating flap formed at an other end thereof for thereby guiding the rotation of the power conversion link;

a clutch box facing to the actuating flap and having an electromagnet attached thereto and contacted by the actuating flap as power is applied during adjusting of the vertical angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing; and

a spring installed between the actuating flap and an interior of the clutch box and adapted to provide springback force to the actuating flap when the power transmitted to the electromagnet is turned off.

21. The device according to claim 17, wherein a guide rail is installed in a forward portion of a mounting groove formed inside the door panel, and a roller for guiding horizontal movement of the auto driving box along the guide rail and supporting the auto driving box at a predetermined height is rotatably installed at a lower portion of the auto driving box facing to the guide rail.

22. The device according to claim 16, wherein the angle adjusting device of a sideview mirror for vehicles comprises:

a manual adjusting box of which one end portion is rotatably installed in a door panel of a driver'"'"'s seat and passenger'"'"'s seat and adapted to interlock an inner tubular unit of a sideview mirror housing;

a vertical driving unit driven during adjusting of a vertical angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing; and

a horizontal driving unit driven during adjusting of a horizontal angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the vertical driving unit comprises:

an adjusting axis installed inside the manual adjusting box;

a vertical driving gear installed at one end of the adjusting axis and adapted to be rotated by rotating power of the adjusting axis during adjusting of the vertical angle;

a vertical adjusting handle formed at an other end of the adjusting axis outside the door panel and adapted to be held during adjusting of the vertical angle;

a vertical power transmission gear installed to vertically cross the vertical driving gear and adapted to be rotated by the rotating power by engagement with the vertical driving gear during adjusting of the vertical angle of the inner tubular unit of the housing;

a vertical rotating axis installed at a center of the vertical power transmission gear and adapted to be rotated by the rotating power of the vertical power transmission gear; and

a vertical adjusting member of which an upper end portion is hingeably connected to a center of a lower end of a connecting member installed in the inner tubular unit of the housing and in which a guide ring penetrated by the vertical rotating axis to be engaged therewith is fixed for thereby raising and lowering the inner tubular unit of the housing by rotation of the vertical rotating axis.

24. The device according to claim 22, wherein the horizontal driving unit comprises:

an adjusting axis installed inside the manual adjusting box;

a horizontal flow preventing unit of a cone-type installed at the bottom surface of the manual adjusting box for thereby forming a spiral groove on an inner circumferential surface of the manual adjusting box;

a spring receiver installed inside the horizontal flow preventing unit;

a spring installed between an interior of the horizontal flow preventing unit and the spring receiver;

a cone-type friction gear inserted into the horizontal flow preventing unit to be engaged with the spiral groove at an other end portion of the adjusting axis;

a horizontal adjusting gear formed at a rear of the cone-type friction gear to be engaged with a horizontal rack gear formed in the door panel; and

a horizontal adjusting handle formed at a rear of the horizontal adjusting gear and adapted to be held for thereby rotating the horizontal adjusting gear during adjusting of the horizontal angle of the sideview mirror.

13. A sideview mirror for vehicles, comprising:

a housing connected to a forward portion of a driver'"'"'s side of a vehicle so that a first aperture formed at one side of the housing is arranged outside the vehicle and is directed to an outer rearward portion of the vehicle and a second aperture at an other side of the housing is arranged inside the vehicle;

an object lens of a convex lens type arranged in the first aperture;

an Amici type prism including;

an upper reflecting surface arranged at a predetermined angle within a focal length of the object lens so as to reflect a first ray passing through an upper portion of a horizontal center line of the object lens to the interior of the vehicle, and

a lower reflecting surface arranged so that the upper reflecting surface is at a right angle with respect to the lower reflecting surface and a contact line located at an intersection of the lower reflecting unit and the upper reflecting unit corresponds to the horizontal center line of the object lens and the lower reflecting unit is adapted to reflect a second ray passing through a lower portion of the horizontal center line of the object lens, wherein the upper reflecting surface and the lower reflecting surface are integral with each other;

a planar reflector arranged beyond the focal length of the object lens and adapted to reflect the first and second rays reflected by the prism to the second aperture of the housing; and

an eye lens system of a convex lens type connected to the second aperture of the housing and adapted to magnify and refract the first and second rays reflected by the planar reflector to form an image having unit magnification for thereby forming an afocal system.

14. A sideview mirror for vehicles, comprising:

a housing connected to a forward portion of a driver'"'"'s side of a vehicle so that a first aperture formed at one side of the housing is arranged outside the vehicle and is directed to an outer rearward portion of the vehicle and a second aperture at an other side of the housing is arranged inside the vehicle;

an optical transmission member including;

an object lens of a convex lens type arranged in the first aperture,

an upper reflecting surface arranged at a predetermined angle within a focal length of the abject lens so as to reflect a first ray passing through an upper portion of a horizontal center line of the object lens to an interior of the vehicle, and

a lower reflecting surface arranged so that the upper reflecting surface is at a right angle with respect to the lower reflecting surface and a contact line located at an intersection of the lower reflecting surface and the upper reflecting surface corresponds to the horizontal center line of the object lens and the lower reflecting surface is adapted to reflect a second ray passing through a lower portion of the horizontal center line of the object lens, wherein the upper reflecting surface and the lower reflecting surface are integral with one another;

a planar reflector arranged beyond the focal length of the object lens and adapted to reflect the first and second rays passing through the optical transmission member to the second aperture of the housing; and

an eye lens system of a convex lens type connected to the second aperture of the housing and adapted to magnify and refract the first and second rays reflected by the planar reflector to form an image having unit magnification for thereby forming an afocal system.

15. A sideview mirror for vehicles, comprising;

a housing connected to a forward portion of a driver'"'"'s side of a vehicle so that a first aperture formed at one side of the housing is arranged outside the vehicle and is directed to an outer rearward portion of the vehicle and a second aperture at an other side of the housing is arranged inside the vehicle;

an object lens of a convex lens type arranged in the first aperture;

a reflector including;

an upper planar reflecting surface arranged at a predetermined angle within a focal length of the object lens so as to reflect a first ray passing through an upper portion of a horizontal center line of the object lens to an interior of the vehicle, and

a lower planar reflecting surface arranged so that the upper planar reflecting surface is at a right angle with respect to the lower planar reflecting surface and a contact line located at an intersection of the lower planar reflecting surface and the upper planar reflecting surface corresponds to the horizontal center line of the object lens and the lower planar reflecting surface is adapted to reflect a second ray passing through a lower portion of the horizontal center line of the object lens, wherein the upper planar reflecting surface and the lower planar reflecting surface are integral with each other;

a planar reflector arranged beyond the focal length of the object lens and adapted to reflect the first and second rays passing through the object lens and through the reflector to the second aperture of the housing; and

an eye lens system of a convex lens type connected to the second aperture of the housing and adapted to magnify and refract the first and second rays reflected by the planar reflector to form an image having unit magnification for thereby forming an afocal system.