GB2279631A

GB2279631A - Swing-out mirrors

Info

Publication number: GB2279631A
Application number: GB9312809A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Cecil Cummins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-06-22
Filing date: 1993-06-22
Publication date: 1995-01-11
Also published as: GB9312809D0

Abstract

A device which causes rear-view mirrors to swing outwards in order to recover the lost view due to the angle between the vehicle and the kerb, (the pre-determined angle or PDA) and to return them when no longer required. <IMAGE>

Description

SWING-OUT MIRI?O1?S This invention relates to moving exteriorly mounted rear view mirrors for vehicles.

Rear view mirrors on vehicles are required by law. Those mounted on the vehicle's doors are well kown, in particular a type which is enclosed in a shell or case and is adjustable from within the vehicle, manually or otherwise. There are limitations to their usefulness when moving away from a kerb-side and the essential view is lost. The view may be recovered by auxiliary mirrors attached to the existing ones.

These have the disadvantages of being small, of having a different degree of diminution from and reducing the effective width of the existing ones.

The present invention provides a device which causes rear view mirrors to swing outwards, thus recovering the lost view due to the angle between the vehicle and the kerb,(the pre-determined angle, or PDA) and to return when no longer required. or to swing out simultaneously.

An explicit description of the invention will now follow with reference to the following drawings in which: Fig. 1. shows the scope of a rear view mirror Fig. 2. shows the loss of useful view.

Fig. 3. shows the recovery of useful view with the mirror swung out.

Fig. 4. shows a wiring diagram for a manual switch. Switched off.

Fig. 5. shows a wiring diagram for a full installation. Switched off.

Fig. 6. shows Figs. 4 & 5 set for a right turn signal.

Fig. 7. shows Figs. 4 & 5 set for a wider view Figs. 1-3 illustrate the movement of the right hand mirror. The driver's eye is (21) and the swing-out mirror is (22). For a left hand mirror the geometry is the same but the angles are different.

The cases or shells in which the mirrors are housed are themselves adjustable from within the vehicle to suit different drivers.

Movements of the mirrors take place within their shells, the PDA being discrete to the vehicle type.

Referring to Fig.4: This shows the manual self-centring switch, which in this example is mounted vertically. Substituting this for the area (1) in Fig. 5., moving the lever S20) to the right closes the contacts (5) and energises the mirror solenoid (3). Moving the lever to the left closes contacts (7) and energises the mirror solenoid (4). The groove (19) shown has three notches. The lever (20) is spring loaded towards the driver so that at either end of its throw it enters a notch where it is retained until given a slight forward push to disengage and centre it. Pushing it into the central notch closes contacts (2) and energises solenoids (3) BE (4) simultaneously as long as held in that position.

Referring to Fig. 6: Area (1 > shows extra contacts contained within the direction indicator switch. Moving the indicator lever to the right closes contacts (5) & (6) and, the gearbox being in 1st speed, switch (9), similar to the reverse light switch, is closed, the solenoid switch (10) in the H.T. circuit closes and energises the gyro (or digital substitute) in the memory unit (14) via the terminals (15), withdraws the keeper (17) from the magnet (16) setting free the memory unit and allowing its axis to remain parallel to the kerb as the vehicle moves out until the PDA has been reached. This closes the contacts (13) thus completing the circuit to solenoid (3) and swinging out the right hand mirror. Note that (23) is a non-ferrous link to avoid conflicting magnetic fields. Moving the indicator to the left closes contacts (7) in place of (5), (8) in place of (6), and completes the circuit to solenoid (4) as soon as contacts (12) are closed. When the self-cancelling feature of the direction indicator mechanism operates, solenoid switch (10), is de-energised, allowing the keeper (17) to come within the field of the magnet (16) and return the axis of the memory unit (14) to the axis of the vehicle.

Referring to Fig. 7: Moving the direction indicator switch upwards or closes the contacts (2) and swings out both mirrors simultaneously as long as held in that position.

Contacts (6) & (8) may be incorporated into the manually operated switch (See Fig. 4.) instead of the direction indicator switch, but with the loss of the self-cancelling feature.

Claims

CL A IM S

S W I N G - O U T M IRRORS 1. Rear view mirrors for vehicles comprising seperate mirrors for left and right hand vision, capable of being swung outwards to recover loss of essential view due to the angle of the vehicle with the kerbside when leaving the parked position from either side (the pre-determined angle or PDA), and returned to the original position
2 Rear view mirrors as in Claim 1. capable of being swung out simultaneously.
3. Rear view mirrors as in Claims 1 a 2 whereof the movement is caused electrically by solenoids energised by a switch with four positions: off, right, left a both.
4. Rear view mirrors as in Claim 1. wherein movement of either is caused when the axis of the vehicle makes the PDA with the kerb (or other datum) as held in a memory unit incorporating a gyroscope (or any digital substitute)
5. Rear view mirrors as in Claims 2 or 4 wherein the switch contacts are incorporated into a regular direction indicator switch.
6. Rear view mirrors as in Claim 4. wherein starting the gyroscope is prevented above a chosen speed.
7. Rear view mirrors as described in Claims 1 - 6 wherein each mirror moves within a shell or case which is adjustable to suit individual drivers.