GB2128564A

GB2128564A - Vehicle rear-view mirror assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2128564A
Application number: GB08326090A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Boddy
Original assignee: Britax PMG Ltd
Current assignee: Britax PMG Ltd
Priority date: 1982-10-08
Filing date: 1983-09-29
Publication date: 1984-05-02
Also published as: GB8326090D0; GB2128564B

Abstract

An exterior rear-view mirror assembly for a vehicle comprises a bracket 10 adapted to be secured to the vehicle body and having a projection with a spherical ball 22 on its outer end. A mirror housing 34 is mounted on a mirror carrier 26 which has a socket 28 arranged to engage with the ball 22 so as to form a universal coupling therewith. A lever 42 which projects into the interior of the vehicle, is pivotally coupled to the mirror carrier 26 for angular movement thereof both about a first axis through the ball 22 and a second axis perpendicular thereto. Resiliently disengageable detent means 42, 56 permits the mirror housing 30 to swing when subject to accidental impact. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle rear-view mirror assembly This invention relates to an exterior rear-view mirror for a vehicle, the orientation of which is adjustable from the interior of the vehicle.

Such remotely adjustable exterior rear-view mirrors are generally of two types. One type has a housing which is fixed relative to the vehicle and a mirror of which the orientation is adjustable relative to the housing. In the other type, the orientation of the housing is adjustable and the mirror is fixed therein. The present invention is concerned with a mirror of the latter type.

According to the invention, an exterior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprises a bracket adapted to be secured to the vehicle body and having a projection with a spherical ball on its outer end, a mirror carrier having a socket arranged to engage with said ball so as to form a universal coupling therewith, a mirror housing mounted on the mirror carrier, a lever having a first end projecting into the interior of the vehicle and a second end pivotally coupled to the mirror carrier for angular movement relative thereto about a first axis through said ball, resiliently disengageable detent means for resisting said relative angular movement and actuating means for causing angular movement of said one end of the lever both about said first and axis and about a second axis perpendicular thereto.

The second end of the lever may comprise a yoke adapted to embrace the socket on the mirror carrier, a detent formation being provided on one arm of the yoke for engagement with a complementary detent formation on the mirror carrier and spring means being arranged on the opposite side of the ball so as to urge the two detent formations into engagement with one another. Thus, the mirror carrier and the lever are normally coupled to one another for simultaneous movement relative to the brackets, but, in the event that the mirror housing is subject to impact, the two detent formations can disengage from one another, allowing the mirror housing to fold back against the body of the vehicle.

The actuating means may comprise a rod which is pivotally coupled to the first end of the lever for relative angular movement about an axis perpendicular to the first axis and having a screwthreaded end portion projecting through a slot in a member secured to the vehicle body, which slot extends generally parallel to said first axis. A knob has a groove in its periphery which engages with the edges of the slot and a screw-threaded bore into which the rod is screwed. Thus, rotation of the knob moves the first end of the lever towards and away from the slot, causing angular movement of the mirror carrier about said first axis. Movement of the knob along the slot causes angular movement about the second axis.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a rear-view mirror in accordance with the invention, viewed from the rear of the vehicle on which it is mounted, with a cover part thereof partially broken away to show the actuating mechanism, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the mirror shown in Figure 1, also partially broken away.

The drawings show a rear-view mirror having a bracket 10 provided with three studs 12, 1 3 and 14 whereby it may be secured to the body of a motor vehicle (not shown). The bracket 10 has a central opening 1 6 bounded by side walls 1 8 and 20 which carry a spherical ball 22 on their outer ends. The ball 22 has a series of parallel slots 24 formed therein so as to give it resilience in a direction generally parallel to the walls 18 and 20.

A mirror carrier 26 has a socket 28 at one end which engages with the ball 22 so as to form a universal joint. At its outer end, the mirror carrier 26 is secured by rivets 30 and 32 to a mirror housing 34 which carries a reflective member 36.

A tubular flexible gaiter 38 has one end trapped between the mirror carrier 26 and the mirror housing 34 and the other end engaging round the edge of the base 10.

The socket 28 has mutually parallel opposite end faces 38 and 40 (Figure 1). A Y-shaped operating lever 42 has its stem projecting through the opening 16 into the interior of the vehicle and its two side arms 44 and 46 embracing the mirror carrier 26 so as to confront the end faces 38 and 40 thereof. The assembly is held together by a bolt 48 which extends, from its head 50, through the side arm 44, the end face 38 and the corresponding part of the socket 28, the ball 22, the end face 40 and the corresponding part of the socket 28, and finally through the arm 46. The hole in the ball 22 through which the bolt 48 extends is considerably over-sized, as will be explained hereinafter. A stack of Belville washers 52 engage between a nut 54 on the bolt 48 and the end face 40.The Belville washers 50, together with the resilience provided by the slots 24 in the ball 22, resiliently urge the two parts of the socket 28 into engagement with the ball 22 and the end face 38 into engagement with the corresponding face of the arm 44 of the operating lever 42. The end face 38 has a triangular protuberance 56 which engages with a correspondingly shaped groove in the arm 44 so as to hold the lever 42 at a predetermined orientation to the mirror carrier 26. However, the protuberance 56 can be moved out of its complementary groove so as to allow relative movement between the lever 42 and the mirror carrier 26, by compressing the Belville washers 52.

A rod 60 is pivotally coupled to the free end of the stem of the layer 42 by a pivot pin 62 extending parallel to the bolt 48. The free end of the rod 60 carries a screw-thread 64 which engages in a complementary thread formed in a bore 66 in an operating knob 68. The knob 68 has an annular groove 70 which engages with the side walls of a slot in a member 72 secured to the vehicle body. This slot extends in a direction generally parallel to the axis of the bolt 48 and the pivot pin 62.

In use, with the base 10 secured to the body of a motor vehicle, the protuberance 56 is normally in engagement with the corresponding groove in the arm 44 so as to maintain the lever 42 at a predetermined angle to the mirror carrier 26. In order to adjust the orientation of the reflective member 36 in the horizontal direction, the knob 68 is rotated so as to draw the rod 60 further into or push it further out of the knob 68, thereby pivoting the lever 42, and with it the mirror carrier 26 and the mirror housing 30 thereon, about the bolt 48.In order to adjust the orientation of the reflective member 36 in the vertical direction, the knob 68 is moved along the slot in the member 72, thereby pivoting the arm 42 about an axis approximately coincident with its longitudinal direction and perpendicular to the bolt 48, such movement relative to the ball 22 being permitted by the oversize hole therein for the bolt 48.

In the event that the mirror housing 30 is subject to impact, it can be folded back along the side of the vehicle body, about the bolt 48 by disengaging the protuberance 56 from the corresponding slot in the arm 44 of the lever 42.

The lever 42 remains in its previous orientation and consequently the mirror can be restored to its previous setting merely by re-engaging the protuberance 56 in the complementary recess in the arm 44. Since adjustment of the orientation about the bolt 48 is controlled positively by the screw-thread 64 and the knob 68, there is no possibility of impact forcing alteration of this orientation prior to the disengagement of the protuberance 56.

Claims

1. An exterior rear-view mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising a bracket adapted to be secured to the vehicle body and having a projection with a spherical ball on its outer end, a mirror carrier having a socket arranged to engage with said ball so as to form a universal coupling therewith, a mirror housing mounted on the mirror carrier, a lever having a first end projecting into the interior of the vehicle and a second end pivotally coupled to the mirror carrier for angular movement relative thereto about a first axis through said ball, resiliently disengageable detent means for resisting said relative angular movement and actuating means for causing angular movement of said one end of the lever both about said first axis and about a second axis perpendicular thereto.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second end of the lever comprises a yoke adapted to embrace the socket on the mirror carrier, and the detent means comprises a detent formation on one arm of the yoke for engagement with a complementary detent formation on the mirror carrier and spring means arranged to urge the two detent formations into engagement with one another.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuating means comprises a rod which is pivotally coupled to the first end of the lever for relative angular movement about an axis perpendicular to the first axis and having a screwthreaded end portion projecting through a slot in a member secured to the vehicle body, which slot extends generally parallel to said first axis, a knob having a groove in its periphery which engages with the edges of the slot and a screw-threaded bore into which the rod is screwed.

4. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the ball has slots formed therein, said slots being perpendicular to the first axis.

5. An exterior rear-view mirror assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.