GB2248595A

GB2248595A - A mirror for a motor vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2248595A
Application number: GB9119107A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Heinrich Lang; Wolfgang Seiboth
Original assignee: Mekra Rangau Plastics GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Mekra Rangau Plastics GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1990-10-11
Filing date: 1991-09-06
Publication date: 1992-04-15
Also published as: GB9119107D0; DE9014136U1; FR2667830A3; FR2667830B3

Abstract

A ramp mirror for a motor vehicle, which enables the driver to see the wheels of the vehicle for manoeuvring at ramps, has a housing 1 receiving and maintaining a mirror glass 3, and a support rod 7 connected to the vehicle by a lockable rotatable bearing element 10 and connected to the housing 1 through a clamping bearing 14 which enables the housing 1 to be rotated about and moved along the support rod 7. <IMAGE>

Description

A mirror for a motor-vehicle, in particular a ramp mirror The invention relates to a mirror for a motor-vehicle, in a particular ramp mirror, with a housing receiving and retaining a mirror glass and with a support rod connected with the housing and to be tightly connected with the motor-vehicle.

Mirrors of the generic type have a universal joint arranged on the outside of the housing, by means of which the housing can be pivoted with the mirror glass for adjustment. Such constructions have proved satisfying in practice; but they are expensive in construction and consequently rather costly.

It is accordingly the object of the invention to embody a mirror of the generic kind such that it is particularly simple to manufacture and thus particularly cost-effective.

This object is attained in accordance with the invention by the support rod being rotatably and displaceably held in a clamping bearing arranged in the housing. The mounting of the support rod in the housing according to the invention helps to create a solution of particularly simple construction, the clamping bearing being located in the housing, i.e. not appearing optically and not offering any air resistance. Further, it is arranged for protection against corrosion. Longitudinal adjustments are possible, the end of the support rod protruding from the clamping bearing being invisibly located within the housing.

Detachment of the clamping bearing is achieved in a particularly simple and elegant way, when the clamping bearing has a bearing shell adapted to match the support rod and a correspondingly adapted clamp which can be released or tightened by means of at least one clamping screw and when the at least one clamping screw is arranged to be screwed from the outside in a recess of the housing. The clamping bearing can be adjusted such that longitudinal displacements of the housing relative to the support rod are not possible, but that pivoting about the longitudinal axis of the support rod is possible subject to corresponding friction. For longitudinal displacement the screws are released somewhat further.

The support rod is formed as a support tube, so as to obtain the necessary clamping surface on the support rod without its getting particularly heavy and without the necessity of corresponding material expenditure.

The further development according to which the support rod is guided into the housing through an opening in the housing matching in diameter results in that practically no humidity can enter even at the point of penetration of the housing and the support rod or support tube.

The further development according to which a swivel hinge is provided at the outer free end of the support rod, of which hinge the pivot axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support rod, ensures that the mirror can be adjusted or pivoted about two mutually perpendicular axes.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of an example of embodiment taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a mirror according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the mirror according to the section line II-II in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the mirror perpendicular in relation to the cross-section of Fig. 2 according to the section line E-III in Fig. 1.

The motor-vehicle mirror illustrated in the drawing is a so-called ramp mirror secured to the side of the driver's cabin facing away from the driver, namely to the upper frame of the cabin above the door. The mir- ror is adjusted such that the driver can see the wheels of the vehicle on the corresponding side for manoeuvring at ramps.

The mirror has a housing 1 in which supporting webs 2 are formed on which is supported a convex mirror glass. The housing 1 has a retaining rim 4 overlapping the edge zone of the mirror glass 3, so that the latter is retained in the housing 1.

As seen in Fig. 1, the mirror glass 3 and thus also the housing 1 is approximately rectangular in the plan view. It has two mutually perpendicular axes of symmetry 5, 6, the axis of symmetry 5 being clearly longer than the axis of symmetry 6.

A support tube 7 is secured to the housing 1 and extends parallel to the short axis of symmetry 6. At its free end this support tube 7 is mounted to a swivel hinge 8 having a bearing plate 9, which may be secured to the upper frame of the driver's cabin. The support tube 7 is secured to this bearing plate 9 by means of a tubular or cylindrical bearing element 10 by means of a screw 11. The pivot axis 12 of this swivel hinge 8 extends parallel to the long axis of symmetry 5.

The support tube 7 is piloted into the housing 1 through a matching circular opening 13 of approximately identical diameter in the housing 1.

There it is held in a clamping bearing 14, which has an approximately semi-cylindrical bearing shell 15 formed in the housing 1 and integrally connected with it and an approximately semi-cylindrical clamp 16. The clamp 16 has flanges 17 on which threaded sleeves 18 are formed. Associated with these threaded sleeves 18 recesses 19 open to the outside are provided in the bearing shell 15, through which pass clamping screws 20 from outwards, which are screwed into the threaded sleeves 18. The heads 21 of the screws 20 lie open to the outside so that the clamp 16 can be tightened or released from outside.Depending on how much the clamping screws 20 are tightened the support tube 7 is completely tightly connected with the housing 1 or the frictional locking between the clamping bearing 14 and the support tube 7 is sufficient to allow the housing 1 with the mirror glass 3 to be pivoted about the longitudinal axis 22 of the support tube 7 without, however, any possibility of longitudinal displacement in the direction of the lonitudinal axis 22. The latter is the usual operating adjustment. For displacement of the housing 1 on the support tube 7 in the direction of the latter's longitudinal axis 22, the clamping screws 22 are somewhat further released and tightened again after the adjustment.

The swivel hinge 8 can be adjusted by correspondingly tightening the screw 11 in like manner such that the support tube 7 together with the housing 1 can be pivoted about the latter's pivot axis 12 overcoming a certain friction, but that vibrations of the vehicle do not cause any displacements. The screw 11 can also be tightened such that any pivoting is excluded.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A mirror for a motor-vehicle, in particular ramp mirror, with a housing receiving and retaining a mirror glass and with a support rod connected with the housing and to be tightly connected with the motor-vehicle, wherein the support rod is rotatably and displaceably held in a clamping bearing arranged in the housing.

2. A mirror according to claim 1, wherein the clamping bearing has a bearing shell adapted to match the support rod and a correspondingly adapted clamp which can be released or tightened by means of at least one clamping screw.

3. A mirror according to claim 2, wherein the at least one clamping screw is arranged to be screwed from the outside in a recess of the housing.

4. A mirror according to one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the support rod is formed as a support tube.

5. A mirror according to one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the support rod is guided into the housing through an opening in the housing matching in diameter.

6. A mirror according to one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein a swivel hinge is provided at the outer free end of the support rod, of which hinge the pivot axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support rod.

7. A mirror according to claim 6, wherein the swivel hinge is variably releasable or arrestable.

8. A mirror for a motor vehicle, substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.