GB2213118A

GB2213118A - Forward viewing apparatus for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2213118A
Application number: GB8828377A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barrie William Storer
Original assignee: PROFILEX ENTERPRISES Ltd
Current assignee: PROFILEX ENTERPRISES Ltd
Priority date: 1987-12-04
Filing date: 1988-12-05
Publication date: 1989-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2008-12-05
Also published as: GB8828377D0; GB2213118B

Abstract

The mirror 2 has a protective casing and a pair of supporting arms attached to a pair of mountings which are attached to the internal surface of a vehicle windscreen 11. The arms pivot about the mountings so that the mirror 2 can be orientated at an angle which enables the vehicle driver to view the vista ahead of the vehicle through a distant portion of the windscreen. Separate means are provided for locking the mirror at a desired orientation. The supporting arms are formed from a low shear strength material to minimize injury in the event of an accident. Means are also provided for adjusting the minor from the drivers side of the vehicle (Figs 5, 6). <IMAGE>

Description

TITLE: Viewing Apparatus for a Motor Vehicle DESCRIPTION: The invention relates to apparatus for enabling the driver of a motor vehicle to view forwards through a distant portion of the vehicle windscreen.

Each country of the world has independently formulated its own motor vehicle traffic regulations. This independence has resulted in inconsistencies between the regulations of each country, and in particular has resulted in inconsistencies between the regulations concerning the position which must be assumed by a vehicle travelling along the carriageways of each country. Some countries stipulate that a vehicle must travel along the left hand portion of its carriageways whilst other countries stipulate that a vehicle must travel along the right hand portion. The majority of motor vehicles are designed to be driven in a specific country or countries with a driving position situated on the offside of the vehicle.

Consequently, a driver who travels to a foreign country can find that as a result of the contrary positioning on the carriageways assumed by the indigenous vehicles, his driving position will have effectively been transferred to the kerbside of the vehicle. However, the line of sight of a driver having a kerbside driving position differs considerably from the line of sight of a driver having an offside driving position and may result in restrictions to the field of vision of the driver. Should the driver wish to overtake another vehicle or an obstacle during his passage through the foreign Country, he may encounter a situation where his forward field of vision is insufficient accurately to assess any approaching hazards because the field of view experienced from his kerbside driving position is restricted by the vehicle or obstacle to be overtaken.If the driver is to make an accurate assessment of any potential hazards which are approaching his vehicle, then the driver has to drift towards the centre of the carriageway until such time as his forward vision is no longer obscured, but this in itself is a hazardous manoeuvre and could result in serious accident and injury.

The problem is to design apparatus capable of providing the driver of a vehicle having a kerbside driving position with the field of vision which would be experienced by the driver if he were driving the vehicle from an offside driving position, and thereby overcome restrictions to his vision which may prove hazardous.

The invention provides apparatus for enabling the driver of a vehicle to view forwards through a distant portion of the vehicle windscreen, comprising a mirror housed in a protective casing, at least one supporting arm extending between the mirror casing and , an associated mounting, means for securing the or each mounting to the inside surface of the vehicle windscreen, pivot means carried by the or each supporting arm for enabling the mirror to pivot relative to the vehicle windscreen when secured thereto, and means for holding the pivot means at an angle selected by the driver to permit viewing, through the mirror, of a portion of the vista ahead of the driver and offset from his normal field of vision.

The or each supporting arm may be any convenient shape, but is typically cranked. The pivot means may be a ball and socket joint or a hinge connection on the or each supporting arm, and defines a pivot point or pivotal axis for the mirror. The pivot point or pivotal axis may be at any convenient location along the supporting arm or arms, whether adjacent the mounting, adjacent the casing or at a mid point along the sup porting arm or arms. The securing means may comprise one or more suction pads or adhesive pads. The means for holding the pivot means at an angle selected by the driver is, in its simplest form, merely a pair of interengaging friction surfaces forming part of the pivot means. The frictional force between the friction surfaces is sufficient to prevent accidental movement of the mirror in use, but not sufficient to prevent manual adjustment.

A rubber grommet or grommets in the pivot means provides a good frictional contact between relatively movable parts of the pivot means.

If desired, the pivot means may be provided with a locknut which can be tightened after the mirror has been correctly positioned, thus eliminating the possibility of accidental disturbance.

The means provided to the driver to select or adjust the angle of the mirror may comprise a remote link from the drivers side of the vehicle to the pivot means. If the pivot means includes the rubber grommet referred to above or other resilient means, then that remote link may be simply a cord or nylon filament by means of which the driver can move the mirror in one direction, with the inherent resilience in the rubber grommet being sufficient to provide the necessary limited return movement for easy and accurate adjustment.

DRAWINGS: Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 3 is a side view of the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 4 is an internal view of a motor vehicle installed with the apparatus according to the invention; Figure 5 is an internal view of a motor vehicle installed with a slightly modified apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 6 is a- section through one of the pivotal connections used in the apparatus of Figure 5.

With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, viewing apparatus indicated generally at 1 has a mirror 2 housed in a protective casing 3. Each of a pair of cranked supporting arms 4 and 5 has one end fixed fast to the protective casing 3 and the other end pivotably connected to a respective one of a pair of mountings 6 and 7 respectively. The supporting arms 4 and 5 are constructed from a material having a low shear strength so that in the event of a traffic accident only minimal resistance is presented to a colliding object. The pivotal connections between the supporting arms 4 and 5 and the mountings 6 and 7 enable the mirror 2 to pivot about an axis defined by the mountings 6 and 7 and parallel to the plane of the mirror 2. The mounting 7 is provided with a releasable locking screw 8. The mountings 6 and 7 are provided with suction pads 9 and 10.

With reference to Figure 4, the apparatus indicated generally at 1 is secured to the inside surface of a vehicle windscreen 11 by the suction pads 9 and 10. The apparatus 1 is secured adjacent a distant portion 13 of the windscreen 11 at a height most comfortably suited to the driver 12. The pivotal connection between the mirror 2 and the mountings 6 and 7, as shown in Figure 3, permits the mirror 2 to be adjusted by the driver until the angle of the mirror 2 relative to the windscreen 11 is such that the mirror 2 provides a forward field of vision through the distant portion 13 of the windscreen 11 suitable to the requirements of the driver. By tightening the releasable locking screw 8 shown in Figure 1 the mirror 2 is held at this selected angle until such time as further adjustments are required when the screw 8 may be released.The mirror 2 has a generally arcuate edge 14 with a radius of curvature centred upon the windscreen 11 to which the mirror 2 is secured. The field of vision provided by the mirror 2 is dependent upon the horizontal cross section 15 of the mirror 2. By having an arcuate edge 14, the mirror 2 provides a generally constant field of vision irrespective of the inclination of the windscreen 11.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate an improved embodiment of the invention, in which similar parts have been given the same reference numerals as those referred to above. In Figure 5 there is shown a nylon line 16 between an anchorage point 17 within reach of the driver and an outer surface of the casing 3. The line 16 is shown as passing through or around a guide eyelet 18, the guide eyelet 18 and anchorage point 17 being held to the windscreen by suction pads 19.

Figure 6 illustrates the construction of the pivotal connections between the supporting arms 4 and 5 and the mountings 6 and 7. A rubber grommet 20 provides a good frictional contact between the supporting arms 4 and 5 and the mountings 6 and 7 of the suction pads 9 and 10, and there is sufficient resilience in the rubber to give an element of return movement to the mirror during adjustment, even though the nylon line 16 can exert tension in one direction only.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Apparatus for enabling the driver of a vehicle to view forwards through a distant portion of the vehicle windscreen, comprising a mirror housed in a protective casing, at least one supporting arm extending between the mirror casing and an associated mounting, means for securing the or each mounting to the inside surface of the vehicle windscreen, pivot means carried by the or each supporting arm for enabling the mirror to pivot relative to the vehicle windscreen when secured thereto, and means for holding the pivot means at an angle selected by the driver to permit viewing, through the mirror, of a portion of the vista ahead of the driver and offset from his normal field of vision.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the or each supporting arm is cranked.

3. The apparatus according to either preceding claim, wherein the or each supporting arm is constructed from a material having a low shear strength.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the mirror pivots about a point or axis adjacent the mounting.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the mirror pivots about a point or axis adjacent the casing.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 4 wherein the holding means comprises means for releasably locking the pivot means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the releasable locking means comprises a locking screw and the pivot means has a female thread for receiving the screw.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the or each pivot means defines a pivotal axis parallel with the reflective surface of the mirror.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the or each pivot means comprises a ball and socket joint.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the securing means comprises at least one suction pad.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the securing means comprises at least one adhesive pad.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein the mirror has a substantially straight edge adjacent the windscreen and a generally arcuate edge with a radius of curvature centred on the inside surface of the windscreen.

13. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising means extending to the driver's side of the vehicle for varying the selected angle of the mirror.

14. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 substantially as described herein with reference- to Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings.