Extendable foldable mirror

• US 7,114,817 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Inventors: Evans, Rob, Buckingham, Roy, Bottrill, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US10/380,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20040075921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841, 359/872, 359/877, 359/881
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/078 easily removable; mounted for bodily outward movement, e.g. when towing

Abstract

An extendable foldable mirror for use on a vehicle is a side view mirror that is longitudinally extendable. A mechanism is provided for moving the mirror (10) from a first normal viewing position to a second longitudinally extended position. The mirror element or mirror housing is adjusted in response to extension or retraction of the mirror to provide a consistent viewing picture.

Claims

1. A side view mirror assembly for a vehicle, wherein said side view mirror assembly is longitudinally extendable, said side view mirror assembly, comprising:

a mechanism operably associated with said side view mirror assembly and selectively operable to extend said side view mirror assembly from a first inboard position to a second extended towing position;

wherein said mechanism further comprises a mirror casing and a cassette member which are moveable relative to one another for extension and retraction of said side view mirror assembly;

wherein said mirror casing includes at least one track and said cassette member slideably engages said at least one track for providing movement therebetween;

wherein said at least one track in said mirror casing includes a stop at an end thereof, said mechanism being selectively operable for driving said mirror casing relative to said cassette member to said stop, and biasing said mechanism toward driving movement beyond said stop for placing structural tension on said side view mirror assembly;

wherein said at least one track is a slot and said cassette member includes an engagement member for sliding engagement of said slot.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mechanism further comprises a worm gear drive mechanism for creating relative movement between said mirror casing and said cassette member.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror casing includes a pair of tracks and said cassette member includes a pair of engagement members attached to said cassette member for engaging said pair of tracks.