Ellipsoid vehicular mirror

• US 7,267,448 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosco Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mirror Lite Company
• Inventors: Swain, Daniel M., Schmidt, William
• Primary Examiner(s): AMARI, ALESSANDRO V
• Application Number:
  US11/532,322
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 359/866, 359/868
• US Class Current: 359/868
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/082 using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors

Abstract

A mirror assembly is provided having a base member and a dome lens member. The dome lens member has a varying dome lens radius of curvature with a center surface portion having a center surface radius of curvature and a peripheral surface portion having a peripheral surface radius of curvature greater than the center surface radius of curvature.

Claims

1. A vehicle mirror assembly comprising:

a base comprising;

a first base portion defined by a first base longitudinal line and a first base periphery, said first base portion having a first base radius of curvature; and

a second base portion defined by said first base longitudinal line and a second base periphery, said second base portion having a second base radius of curvature; and

a dome lens conforming to said base, said dome lens having a varying dome lens radius of curvature, said dome lens comprising;

a center surface portion having a canter surface radius of curvature, said center surface radius corresponding to a position on said dome lens aligned with a first base longitudinal midpoint to said dome lens, said center surface radius perpendicular to said first base longitudinal line; and

a peripheral surface portion having a peripheral surface radius of curvature, said peripheral surface radius of curvature corresponding to said first base periphery, said peripheral surface radius of curvature greater than said center surface radius of curvature.

2. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 1, wherein said second base portion is perpendicular to said first base portion.

3. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 1, wherein said center surface portion forms a first proportion image view and said peripheral surface portion forms a second proportion image view, said first proportion image view generating smaller image proportions than said second proportion image view.

4. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 1, wherein said center surface portion is positioned between said first base periphery and said second base periphery.

5. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 1, wherein a dome depth is less than one third of a dome width.

6. A vehicle minor assembly as described in claim 1, wherein said first base radius of curvature is constant.

7. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 1, wherein said dome lens comprises a major axis tip portion of an ellipsoid.

8. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 7, wherein:

said first base portion divides said ellipsoid perpendicular to a major axis of said ellipsoid; and

said second base portion divides said ellipsoid parallel to said major axis of said ellipsoid.

9. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 7, wherein said major axis tip portion comprises a dome depth less than one tenth of a major axis length of said ellipsoid.

10. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 7, wherein said ellipsoid includes a minor axis length less than half of a major axis length.

11. A minor assembly comprising:

a base member;

a dome lens member attached to said base member, said dome lens member having a varying radius of curvature and comprising a major axis tip portion of an ellipsoid, said dome lens member comprising;

a center surface portion having a center surface radius of curvature; and

a peripheral surface portion having a peripheral surface radius of curvature, said peripheral surface radius of curvature greater than said center surface radius of curvature;

wherein said center surface portion forms a first proportion image view and said peripheral surface portion forms a second proportion image view, said first proportion image view generating smaller image proportions than said second proportion image view.

12. A mirror assembly as described in claim 11 wherein a dome depth is less than one third of a dome width.

13. A vehicle mirror as described in claim 11 wherein said major axis tip portion comprises a dome depth less than one tenth of a major axis length of said ellipsoid.

14. A vehicle mirror assembly as described in claim 11 wherein said ellipsoid includes a minor axis length less than half of a major axis length.

15. A mirror assembly comprising:

a base member; and

a dome lens member attached to said base member;

said base dome lens member comprising a major axis tip portion of an ellipsoid, said major axis tip portion formed by dividing said ellipsoid across a major axis, said dome lens member generating a first proportion image view and a second proportion image, said first proportion image view generating smaller image proportions than said second proportion image view, said first proportion image view positioned at an ellipsoid tip point.

16. A mirror assembly as described in claim 15 wherein said ellipsoid is divided perpendicular to said major axis and then further divided parallel to said major axis to form said major axis tip portion.

17. A mirror assembly as described in claim 15, wherein said ellipsoid includes a minor axis length less than half of a major axis length.