Inner mirror with built-in antenna

• US 6,808,277 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Sato, Hidenori, Matsuura, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Audrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Curtis, Craig
• Application Number:
  US10/270,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/379, 235/384, 343/13, 343/713, 359/876, 359/871, 359/872, 359/838
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1261 with antennae

Abstract

The present invention provides an inner mirror with a built-in antenna in which an antenna angle remains unchanged regardless of adjustment of a mirror angle. The upper end of a stay 10 is mounted on a ceiling in a vehicle room. A pivot 14 is formed at the lower end of the stay 10. The pivot 14 is inserted into a mirror body 16 and fitted into a pivot supporting pmember 20 to support the mirror body 16 pivotally in three-dimensional directions. An antenna 34 is mounted on one side of the pivot 14 through shafts 28 and 30. Since the antenna 34 is mounted on the pivot 14, the angle of the antenna 34 remains unchanged, even though the mirror angle adjustment is performed by pivoting the mirror body 16.

Claims

1. A vehicle interior mirror comprising:

a mirror body;

a mirror attached to the mirror body;

a stay connected to the mirror body to hold the mirror body; and

an antenna connected to the stay and provided in the mirror body, the mirror body being relatively movable with respect to the stay independently of movement of the antenna.

2. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the stay is connected to the mirror body via a flexible joint.

3. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 2, wherein the flexible joint comprises,

a retaining member connected to the mirror body, and

a sliding member which is retained in the retaining member to be slidable in the retaining member, the sliding member being connected to the stay and the antenna.

4. A vehicle interior mirror comprising:

a mirror body;

a mirror attached to the mirror body,

a stay connected to the mirror body to hold the mirror body, the mirror body being relatively movable with respect to the stay;

an antenna connected to and provided in the mirror body, the antenna being relatively movable with respect to the mirror body; and

a link connecting the stay and the antenna and configured to move the antenna according to a movement of the mirror body such that the antenna is directed to a substantially constant direction with respect to a vehicle.

5. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 4, wherein the link comprises,

a first gear fixed to the stay and connected to the mirror body rotatably around a first axis,

at least one second gear engaging with the first gear and connected to the mirror body rotatably around a second axis, a number of the at least one second gear being an odd number;

a third gear engaging with the at least one second gear and connected to the mirror body rotatably around a third axis, the antenna being fixed to the third gear.

6. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 5, wherein the first, second and third axes extend substantially in parallel and along a lateral direction of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 6, wherein said mirror body supports the mirror via a mirror angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting a mirror angle in left and right directions.

8. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 5, wherein a gear ratio of the first gear and the third gear is set to be 1.

9. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 5, wherein the first, second and third axes extend substantially in parallel and along a substantially vertical direction.

10. The vehicle interior mirror according to claim 9, wherein said mirror body supports the mirror via a mirror angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting a mirror angle in up and down directions.