GB2460667A

GB2460667A - Protecting a motor vehicle external mirror assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2460667A
Application number: GB0810186A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Max Andre
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-06-04
Filing date: 2008-06-04
Publication date: 2009-12-09
Also published as: GB0810186D0

Abstract

A device 21 for protecting a motor vehicle external mirror assembly having a body, a mirror 18 and a mounting 14 for mounting the body on the vehicle comprises complementary shell portions (24, Fig 2) and 26 which can be assembled together and connected to form a shell having an internal surface that complements the external surface of the mirror assembly so that the shell encases the body of the mirror assembly. The assembled shell has a first aperture through which the mirror is visible and a second aperture through which the mounting projects. The shell portions are formed of a tough, rigid or semi-rigid, plastics material to protect the mirror assembly from superficial damage. The device can be replaced at less expense than the cost of replacing the complete mirror assembly. In the case where the mirror assembly has a direction indicator light 22, the shell is preferably transparent at least in the region of the direction indicator light. However, the whole of the shell is preferably transparent so that the colour of the body of the mirror assembly can be seen through the shell, and there is no need to colour-coordinate the device with the vehicle.

Description

TITLE

Device for protecting a motor vehicle external mirror assembly

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to devices for protecting external mirror assemblies of motor vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles and goods vehicles.

Motor vehicles are provided with external mirror assemblies to that the driver can see behind the vehicle and see the rear corners of the vehicle without turning their head. Such mirror assemblies used to be designed purely for their function and, in the case of an automobile, were typically fitted on the front wings of the vehicle. Nowadays, however, such mirror assemblies are typically mounted on the vehicle door, are typically colour-coordinated with the body colour of the vehicle, and are often shaped so as to follow the lines of the particular vehicle to which they are fitted and/or to provide low aerodynamic drag. Many modern mirrors have a housing containing an electrically operable actuator for adjusting the pan and tilt of the mirror, an electrical heater for warming the mirror to melt snow or ice and evaporate condensation, and a direction indicator repeater light. As a result, such mirror assemblies can be expensive to manufacture.

Such mirror assemblies are prone to damage, for example by striking another vehicle, a pedestrian or stationary obstacle such as a gate post. To mitigate against the risk of the mirror being broken, or the mirror assembly being broken off the vehicle, the mirror is conventionally mounted on a body which in turn is mounted on the vehicle by a hinging detent mechanism that normally holds the mirror in its proper position, but which allows the body to fold rearwards or forwards in the event that it is struck. The body can subsequently be opened out to its normal position and the detent re-engaged. Although such a mechanism can protect the mirror against structural damage, the body may nevertheless be damaged superficially, for example by its paintwork being scraped or chipped. Due to the prominence of the mirror assembly, such scratches and chips are very noticeable. The vehicle owner may therefore wish to replace the mirror assembly, either immediately, or when selling the vehicle, but that can be expensive, and it may be difficult to source a replacement mirror assembly for a particular model of automobile in a particular colour.

The present invention, or at least specific embodiments of it, is concerned with the problems discussed above.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for protecting a motor vehicle external mirror assembly of the type having a body, a mirror mounted on or in the body, and a mounting projecting from the body for mounting the body on the motor vehicle. The device comprises at least first and second complementary shell portions which can be assembled together, and means for connecting the shell portions together in their assembled state around the mirror assembly to form a shell having an internal surface that complements the external surface of the mirror assembly so that the shell encases the body of the mirror assembly. The assembled shell has a first aperture through which, in use, the mirror is visible and a second aperture through which, in use, the mounting projects. The shell portions are formed of a tough, rigid or semi-rigid, plastics material. The device therefore serves to protect the mirror assembly itself from superficial damage. Should the device become superficially damaged, it can be replaced by another, in all likelihood at less expense than the cost of replacing the complete mirror assembly, especially if the latter is remotely adjustable, electrically heated and has a direction indicator.

In the case where the device is for use with such a mirror assembly having a direction indicator light mounted on the body, the shell is preferably transparent at least in the region of the direction indicator light so that the direction indicator light can be seen through the shell.

However, the whole of the shell is preferably transparent. The colour of the body of the mirror assembly can therefore be seen through the shell, and there is no need to colour-coordinate the device.

In the case where the device is for use with such a mirror assembly in which the body has a rim surrounding the mirror, the shell preferably has a channel portion for engaging the rim of the body. The channel portion can therefore assist in holding the device in position and in providing the device with clean lines.

Various means may be provided for connecting the shell portions together in their assembled state. For example, the connecting means may simply comprise a strip of weatherproof adhesive tape, or a line of adhesive between abutting edges of the shell portions.

However, the connecting means is preferably provided by complementary surface formations on the shell portions which can be snap-fitted together.

A second aspect of the invention extends to a motor vehicle external mirror assembly in combination with a device, according to the first aspect of the invention, fitted thereto.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a typical automobile exterior mirror assembly; Figure 2 is an upside-down isometric view of a top shell half of a protector device for the mirror assembly; Figure 3 is an isometric view of a bottom shell half of the protector device; Figure 4 is an isometric view of the protector device fitted to the mirror assembly; Figure 5 is a detailed sectioned view of the area bounded by the circle 5 in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a detailed sectioned view of the area bounded by the circle 6 in Figure 4; and Figure 7 is a detailed sectioned view of the area bounded by the circle 7 in Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, an automobile exterior mirror assembly 10 has a hollow body 12. A mounting 14 projects from one side of the body 12 for mounting the assembly 10 onto an automobile door. The mounting 14 includes a conventional detent mechanism (not shown) to hold the body 12 in position normally, but to permit it to fold in case it is struck by an obstacle. The rear of the body 12 is formed with an aperture in which a mirror 18 is mounted, recessed slightly inside the body 12 so that a projecting rim 20 is formed by the body 12 around the mirror 18. The side of the body 12 opposite the mounting 14 is fitted with a lens 22, and a light bulb or LEDs are mounted inside the body 12 behind the lens 22 and electrically connected to the direction indicator circuit of the automobile. The body 12 also contains an electrically operated actuator mechanism for adjusting the pan and tilt of the mirror 18, and an electrical heater for warming the mirror 18.

A protector device 21 for the mirror assembly 10 is provided by an upper shell half 24 (Figure 2) and a lower shell half 26 (Figure 3), each injection moulded from a tough, optically-clear, plastics material, such as polymethyl methacrylate (acrylic glass), high-density polyfluoroethylene, polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate. The shell halves 24,26 are of sufficient thickness that they are semi-rigid. The shell halves 24,26 are shaped and sized so that they can be snugly fitted together around the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10 and abut along a join line 28. In other words, the interior surface of the upper shell half 24 complements the exterior surface of the upper half of the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10, and the interior surface of the lower shell half 26 complements the exterior surface of the lower half of the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10. The shell halves 24,26 have cutaways 30,32 that, when the shell halves 24,26 are fitted together around the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10, form an opening through which the mounting 14 of the mirror assembly 10 projects. Also, when the shell halves 24,26 are fitted together around the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10, they form an opening through which the mirror 18 of the mirror assembly 10 can be viewed. The rear edges of the shell halves 24,26 are formed with forwardly-facing channels 34,36 that fit around the rim 20 of the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10 (see in particular Figure 5). The lower shell half 26 is formed with one of more holes 38 so that any rain water than enters, or water that condenses inside, the protector device 21 can drain away.

The shell halves 24,26 may be joined together in any suitable manner, for example using a strip of weatherproof, transparent, adhesive tape along the join line 28, or by a line of adhesive between abutting edges of the shell halves 24,26 along the join line 28. However, in order to simplify fitting and obviate the risk of marking the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10 with adhesive, the shell halves 24,26 are preferably held together by complementary surface formations on the shell portions 24,26 which can be snap-fitted together. For example, Figures 2, 3, 6 and 7 show alternating tabs 40 on, and recesses 42 in, each shell half 24,26 along the join line 28 that engage with complementary tabs 40 on, and recesses 42 in, the other shell half 26,24, with ribs 44 and complementary grooves 46 providing a snap action to lock the shell halves 24,26 together. (Although the tabs 40 and recesses 42 are shown in Figures 2 and 3 adjacent the opening for the mirror 18, in practice they would be provided all the way along the join line 28.) It will be appreciated that, once the protector device 21 has been fitted to the mirror assembly 10, it will protect the mirror assembly 10 from scratches, abrasion and stone chips. If the protector device 21 itself becomes badly scratched or grazed, it can be removed by forcing or breaking the tabs 40 from their recesses 42, and can then be replaced with a new protector device 21. The colour of the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10 can be seen through the transparent shell halves 24,26, and so there is no need for the shell halves 24,26 to be colour-coordinated with the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10 or the bodywork of the automobile.

Also, the direction indicator lens 22 is visible through the transparent shell halves 24,26.

It will be appreciated that many modifications and developments may be made to the protector device 21 described above. It may, of course, be formed in other shapes and sizes to fit other shapes and sizes of mirror assemblies 10. Instead of the shells 24,26 themselves being a snug fit around the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10, they may be a clearance fit, in which case pads of resilient material may be provided between the shells 24,26 and the body 12 of the mirror assembly 10 to prevent the protector device 21 rattling on the body 12. Instead of being completely transparent, the shells 24,26 may be opaque, for example matt black or with a chrome-plated effect, and in this case, if used with a mirror assembly 10 having a direction indicator lens 22, the shells 24,26 may provide a transparent window for the direction indicator lens 22.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the invention has been described above purely by way of example and that many other modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A device for protecting a motor vehicle external mirror assembly of the type having a body, a mirror mounted on or in the body, and a mounting projecting from the body for mounting the body on the motor vehicle, the device comprising at least first and second complementary shell portions which can be assembled together, and means for connecting the shell portions together in their assembled state around the mirror assembly to form a shell having an internal surface that complements the external surface of the mirror assembly so that the shell encases the body of the mirror assembly, the assembled shell having a first aperture through which, in use, the mirror is visible and a second aperture through which, in use, the mounting projects, the shell portions being formed of a tough, rigid or semi-rigid, plastics material.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, for use with such a mirror assembly also having a direction indicator light mounted on the body, wherein the shell is transparent at least in the region of the direction indicator light so that the direction indicator light can be seen through the shell.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein substantially the whole of the shell is transparent.
4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, for use with such a mirror assembly in which the body has a rim surrounding the mirror, wherein the shell has a channel portion for engaging the rim of the body.
5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the connecting means comprises complementary surface formations on the shell portions which can be snap-fitted together.
6. A device for protecting a motor vehicle external mirror assembly, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
7. A motor vehicle external mirror assembly in combination with a device as claimed in any preceding claim fitted thereto.