JPH09207670A - Support structure of shaft member and mirror assembly in motor-driven storage and manual mirror surface adjusting type mirror device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly rotate a shaft member and a mirror assembly. SOLUTION: Shaft members 2, 3 and a mirror assembly 4 are rotatably fitted to each other in two, upper and lower parts. Accordingly, when the mirror assembly 4 is turned on the transversal axis Y-Y at the time of vertically manually adjusting the mirror surface round the transversal axis Y-Y, the turning force is transmitted to the shaft members 2, 3 through the fitting parts of the above two, upper and lower parts, so that the shaft members 2, 3 and the mirror assembly 4 are smoothly rotated in a body without twisting.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a mirror device as an external rearview mirror mounted on, for example, a door or a fender of an automobile. In particular, the mirror surface of the mirror assembly can be manually moved in the left-right direction and the vertical direction. The present invention relates to a support structure for a shaft member and a mirror assembly in an electrically retractable / manual mirror surface adjustment type mirror device that can be adjusted and that can be electrically retracted and restored.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a mirror device of this type, a mirror device for manually adjusting the mirror surface of a mirror assembly in the left and right direction and an up and down direction, and manually storing and returning the mirror assembly, and a mirror device for remote control. Adjust the mirror surface of the assembly left and right and up and down, or store the mirror assembly electrically.
There is a mirror device that restores it.

[0003]

However, conventionally, no mirror device has been developed which manually adjusts the mirror surface of the mirror assembly in the left-right direction and the up-down direction, and electrically stores and returns the mirror assembly.

Therefore, the applicant of the present invention is capable of manually adjusting the mirror surface of the mirror assembly in the left-right direction and the vertical direction, and is capable of storing and returning the mirror assembly electrically. Provided an adjustable mirror device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a shaft member capable of smoothly rotating the mirror assembly and the shaft member around the horizontal axis with respect to the fixed bracket in the above-mentioned electric storage type / manual mirror surface adjusting type mirror device. It is to provide a support structure with a mirror assembly.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized in that a shaft member and the mirror assembly are rotatably fitted and supported at two positions.

As a result, when the mirror assembly is rotated about the horizontal axis during manual mirror surface adjustment in the vertical direction about the horizontal axis, the rotational force is applied to the shaft member via the above-mentioned two upper and lower fitting portions. Since it is transmitted, the shaft member and the mirror assembly rotate smoothly without being twisted.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a supporting structure for a shaft member and a mirror assembly in an electrically retractable and manual mirror surface adjusting mirror device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this example, as shown in FIG. 1, a door mirror mounted on a door D of an automobile C will be described.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a bracket made of, for example, die casting. A spherical washer 13 made of synthetic resin, for example, is fixed to the bracket 1. The bracket 1 is fixed to the door D of the automobile C, that is, the vehicle body via the mirror base 12. In the figure, 2 and 3 are, for example, a metal shaft and a die-cast shaft holder that constitute the shaft member. The head of the shaft 2 has, for example, a spherical guide 2 made of synthetic resin.
4 is fixed. The shaft 2 is passed through the through hole of the shaft portion 31 of the shaft holder 3. Since the outer surface of the shaft 2 and the inner surface of the through hole of the shaft holder 3 are provided with two flat chamfers, the shaft 2 and the shaft holder 3 rotate about the shaft axis (the central axis of the shaft 2) relative to each other. The shaft member is configured so as to be impossible and movable in the axial direction of the shaft.

The above-mentioned shaft members 2 and 3 are attached to the above-mentioned bracket 1 via a pivot mechanism so as to be rotatable and the shaft axes of the shaft members 2 and 3 pass through the rotation center O. Next, the structure of the above-mentioned pivot mechanism will be described. That is, the bracket 1
The spherical washer 13 is formed with a spherical surface portion (a spherical surface portion including a central portion and a peripheral portion via a step portion), and the outer pressure contact spherical surface 1 including the bracket 1 is formed in the central portion of the spherical surface portion.
10 is provided, and an inner press-contact spherical surface 130 composed of a spherical washer 13 is provided around the spherical surface portion. Further, the spherical guide 24 of the shaft 2 is provided with an inner press-contact spherical surface 240 that press-contacts with the outer press-contact spherical surface 110 of the bracket 1, while the shaft holder 3
Is provided with an outer press-contact spherical surface 301 that press-contacts the inner press-contact spherical surface 130 of the bracket 1. The shaft members 2 and 3 are inserted in the circular through hole 111 of the bracket 1.
Is inserted. A spring pressing washer 25 is attached to the end of the shaft 2 opposite to the head, and an E-ring 26 is fixed in an annular groove at the end of the shaft 2 opposite to the head. There is. A first coil spring 27 for compression type pivot torque is interposed between the lower surface of the spring pressing washer 25 and the upper end surface of the shaft portion 31 of the shaft holder 3.

The above-mentioned shaft members 2 and 3 are provided with respect to the above-mentioned bracket 1 by a guide mechanism around the axis of ordinate XX which is the shaft axis thereof, and through the rotation center O and along the axis of ordinate XX. They are guided so as to rotate around the horizontal axes Y-Y which are orthogonal to each other. That is, the guide plane 112 parallel to the horizontal axis Y-Y is provided on the peripheral edge of the spherical surface portion of the bracket 1. On the other hand, guide shafts 32 and 33 are integrally provided so as to project from the periphery of the shaft holder 3 in the horizontal axis YY direction coaxially with the horizontal axis YY. This one guide shaft 32 has a cylindrical shape, and the other guide shaft 3
3 has a semi-cylindrical shape. A guide mechanism is configured by pressing the guide shafts 32 and 33 onto the guide plane 112 by the spring force of the first coil spring 27.

A mirror assembly 4 is manually supported by the above-mentioned shuff members 2 and 3 so that the mirror surface can be adjusted in the left-right direction around the vertical axis XX and in the vertical direction around the horizontal axis YY. The mirror assembly 4 includes a mirror housing 42 having openings 40 and 41 on the front and side surfaces thereof, and a front opening 40 of the mirror housing 42.
The mirror 43 fixed to the
Fixed inside by a screw 48 and on the side opening 41
It is composed of unit housings 44 and 45 protruding from the outside. Also, the unit housings 44 and 4 described above
5 is composed of an upper housing (44) and a lower housing (45) which are divided into two.
4 has a circular recess 44 on the upper inner surface side of the end protruding outside.
2 is provided, while a circular through hole 451 is provided at the center of the lower surface of the end portion of the lower housing 45 which projects to the outside. Further, the upper surface of the shaft holder 3 described above forms a circular plane including the horizontal axis Y-Y and centered on the center O of the spherical surface of the pivot mechanism.

The circular recess 442 of the unit housing (upper housing 44) of the mirror assembly 4 is rotatably fitted to the tip of the shaft portion 21 of the shaft 2 described above, and the cylindrical shape of the shaft holder 3 described above. The circular through hole 451 of the unit housing (lower housing 45) of the mirror assembly 4 described above is rotatably fitted to the shaft portion 31 of the mirror assembly 4, and the unit housing of the mirror assembly 4 (lower housing) is attached on the circular upper surface of the shaft holder 3. The lower surface of the housing 45) is placed and the shaft holder 3
A circular washer 46 having a circular through hole is interposed between the upper surface of the mirror and the lower surface of the mirror assembly 4. A second coil spring 28 for compression type pivot torque and clutch torque is provided outside the first coil spring 27 between the spring pressing washer 25 and a clutch gear 60 as a final stage gear described later. Is installed coaxially. In addition, the upper housing 44 and the lower housing 45 of the unit housing described above are attached to the bolt 5
7, the nut 58 and the screw 47 are integrally fixed.

Between the above-mentioned mirror assembly 4 and the above-mentioned shaft members 2 and 3, the mirror assembly 4 is disposed around the longitudinal axis XX in the use position (see FIGS. 3 and 4) and the storage position (see FIG. 3). Also, a motor 5 and a deceleration mechanism 50, which are rotationally displaced between the motor 5 and the deceleration mechanism 50, are interposed. That is, the motor 5 and the speed reduction mechanism 50 are built in and fixedly supported in the unit housings 44 and 45 of the above-mentioned mirror assembly 4, respectively. The speed reduction mechanism 50 described above
Is a first worm whose rotary shaft is connected to the output shaft of the motor 5 via a joint, a first worm wheel of a helical gear that meshes with the first worm, and a second worm coaxial with the first worm wheel. , A second worm wheel (helical gear) that meshes with this second worm
And a clutch gear 60 that meshes with the second worm wheel and is mounted on the shaft members 2 and 3 as the final stage gear.

A regulation mechanism for regulating the use position and the storage position of the mirror assembly 4 is provided between the mirror assembly 4 and the shaft members 2 and 3. That is, two balls 454 are held at equal intervals on the lower surface of the unit housing (lower housing 45) of the mirror assembly 4 described above. On the other hand, on the upper surface of the shaft holder 3 described above, two arc-shaped long grooves 302 are provided in a circular shape centered on the center O of the pivot mechanism. The balls 454 described above are housed in the long grooves 302.

Further, although not shown in the drawing, when the motor 5 is energized and the mirror assembly 4 is rotationally displaced by driving the motor 5, the energization to the motor 5 is cut off when the mirror assembly 4 is in the use position or the storage position. A switch device for stopping the mirror assembly 4 in the use position or the storage position is
It is equipped. Note that, as the power supply interruption control for the motor 5 of this switch device, there are current control of the PTC element or the like, combined use of a clutch and a limit switch, combined use of a clutch and a pattern switch, and the like.

A clutch mechanism 6 is interposed between the shaft members 2 and 3 and the clutch gear 60 as the final gear of the speed reduction mechanism 50. This clutch mechanism 6 is held on the lower surface of the clutch gear 60 described above.
It is composed of individual balls and a clutch plate. The clutch gear 60 is attached to the shaft members 2 and 3 and the mirror assembly 4 so as to be rotatable and movable in the vertical axis XX direction. The balls of the clutch gear 60 are fitted into the small circular through holes of the clutch plate.

The clutch torque for fitting and holding the ball of the clutch gear 60 and the small circular through hole of the clutch plate is obtained by the spring force of the second coil spring 28 described above. The spring force of the second coil spring 28 is
The above-mentioned clutch gear 60, ball, clutch plate, washer, ball 454, washer 46, and shaft holder 3
Through the spherical surfaces 110, 130 of the pivot mechanism described above,
It also functions as a pivot torque for holding 240 and 301 in pressure contact.

A stopper mechanism is provided between the bracket 1 and the shaft members 2 and 3 for restricting the manual mirror surface adjustment angle of the mirror assembly 4 in the left-right direction. The bracket 1 is provided with a pair of stopper wall portions 14 facing each other around the vertical axis XX. The above-mentioned shaft member 2 is provided between the pair of stopper wall portions 14.
The cylindrical guide shafts 32 and 3 are arranged.

A boot 7 is interposed between the bracket 1 and the mirror assembly 4 described above. The boot 7 has a bellows shape made of rubber and a tubular shape with an oval cross section (see FIG. 8), and openings are provided at both ends, and a flange portion is provided around the opening. Each is provided. On the other hand, the above-mentioned mirror assembly 4
The unit housings 44 and 45 each have an elliptical flange portion 49 integrally formed thereon.

The openings at both ends of the boot 7 are fitted around the bracket 1 and around the flanges 49 of the unit housings 44 and 45 of the mirror assembly 4, respectively. 1 and the mirror base 12, and the flange portions 4 of the unit housings 44 and 45 of the mirror assembly 4.
9 and the peripheral edge of the side surface opening 41 of the mirror housing 42, respectively.

The operation operation will be described below. First, when the mirror assembly 4 is manually rotated about the vertical axis XX, the clutch gear 60 and the shaft members 2 and 3 are rotated about the vertical axis XX via the clutch mechanism 6 in the connecting state. The mirror surface adjustment in the left-right direction around the vertical axis XX of the mirror assembly 4 is performed. On the other hand, when the mirror assembly 4 is manually rotated about the horizontal axis Y-Y, the shaft members 2 and 3 are rotated about the horizontal axis Y-Y via the clutch mechanism 6 in the disengaged state. The vertical mirror surface adjustment around the axis Y-Y is performed. When the motor 5 is energized to drive the motor 5, as shown in FIG. 3, the mirror assembly 4 is rotationally displaced about the vertical axis X-X from the use position to the storage position or from the storage position to the use position. To do.

As described above, the mirror surface (mirror 43) of the mirror assembly 4 can be manually adjusted in the left-right direction and the up-down direction, and the mirror assembly 4 can be stored and returned electrically.

At this time, an electric torque for rotationally displacing the mirror assembly 4 between the use position and the storage position by driving the motor 5 is manually applied.
By making the torque smaller than the pivot adjustment torque for adjusting the mirror surface, it is possible to reliably perform the manual mirror surface adjustment and the electric storage.

In particular, in this embodiment, the tip of the shaft portion 21 of the shaft 2 of the shaft member is rotatably fitted in the circular recess 442 of the unit housing (upper housing 44) of the mirror assembly 4, and The cylindrical shaft portion 31 of the shaft holder 3 of the shaft member is the unit housing (lower housing 45) of the mirror assembly 4.
The circular through hole 451 is rotatably fitted. That is, since the shaft members 2 and 3 and the unit housings 44 and 45 of the mirror assembly 4 are rotatably fitted in two places at the top and bottom, manual mirror surface adjustment in the vertical direction about the horizontal axis Y-Y is performed. At this time, when the mirror assembly 4 is rotated about the horizontal axis Y-Y, the rotational force is generated by the shaft members 2 and 3 via the above-mentioned two upper and lower fitting portions.
Therefore, the shaft members 2 and 3 and the unit housings 44 and 45 of the mirror assembly 4 rotate smoothly without being twisted.

Further, since the fitting support position between the tip of the shaft 2 and the circular recess 442 of the upper housing 44 of the mirror assembly 4 is farther from the horizontal axis Y--Y, the length of the arm of the lever is increased. Becomes longer, the rotational force at the fitting and supporting portion between the tip of the shaft 2 and the circular recess 442 of the mirror assembly 4 becomes correspondingly larger, and the above-described rotation becomes smoother.

Although the right-side door mirror has been described in the above embodiment, the left-side door mirror has substantially the same structure.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above, the supporting structure for the shaft member and the mirror assembly in the electrically retractable / manual mirror surface adjusting mirror device of the present invention has the shaft member and the mirror assembly at two locations. Since the mirror assembly is rotatably fitted and supported on the mirror assembly, when the mirror assembly is rotated around the horizontal axis during the manual mirror surface adjustment in the vertical direction around the horizontal axis, the rotational force is generated at the above-mentioned two upper and lower fitting positions. Since it is transmitted to the shaft member through the portion, the shaft member and the mirror assembly rotate smoothly without being twisted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a support structure for a shaft member and a mirror assembly in an electrically retractable / manual mirror surface adjustment type mirror device of the present invention, in a state in which it is equipped as a door mirror on a door of an automobile. ..

FIG. 2 is a perspective view in which part II of FIG. 1 is cut away.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the outline of the internal mechanism of the right side door mirror, with the upper housing removed.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view showing the internal mechanism of the right side door mirror, with the upper housing removed.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Bracket, 110 ... Outer side pressure contact spherical surface (pivot mechanism), 111 ... Circular through hole, 112 ... Guide plane (guide mechanism), 12 ... Mirror base, 13 ... Spherical washer, 1
30 ... Inner pressure contact spherical surface (pivot mechanism), 14 ... Stopper wall portion (stopper mechanism), 2 ... Shaft (shaft member), 24 ... Spherical guide, 240 ... Inner pressure contact spherical surface (pivot mechanism), 25 ... Spring press washer, 26 ...
E-ring, 27 ... First coil spring, 28 ... Second coil spring, 3 ... Shaft holder (shaft member), 301 ... Outer pressure contact spherical surface (pivot mechanism), 302
... Long groove (regulating mechanism), 31 ... Shaft part, 32 ... Guide shaft (guide mechanism / stopper mechanism), 33 ... Guide shaft (guide mechanism), 4 ... Mirror assembly, 40 ... Front opening part, 41
... Side opening, 42 ... Mirror housing, 43 ... Mirror, 44 ... Upper housing (unit housing), 44
2 ... Circular recess, 45 ... Lower housing (unit housing), 451 ... Circular through hole, 454 ... Ball (regulating mechanism), 46 ... Washers, 47 and 48 ... Screw, 4
9 ... Flange portion, 5 ... Motor, 50 ... Reduction mechanism, 57 ...
Bolts, 58 ... Nuts, 6 ... Clutch mechanism, 60 ... Clutch gear (final stage gear of reduction mechanism 50), 7 ... Boots,
C ... Automotive, D ... Door, O ... Center of spherical surface of pivot mechanism, XX ... Vertical axis, YY ... Horizontal axis.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A bracket fixed to a vehicle body, a shaft member having a shaft, and a pivot mechanism in which the shaft member is rotatably attached to the bracket so that a shaft axis of the shaft member passes through the rotation center. A guide mechanism for guiding rotation of the shaft member with respect to the bracket about a vertical axis that is the shaft axis and around a horizontal axis that passes through the rotation center and is orthogonal to the vertical axis; A mirror assembly that is supported by a member and is manually adjusted with respect to the bracket in the left-right direction about the vertical axis and in the vertical direction about the horizontal axis; and a mirror assembly interposed between the mirror assembly and the shaft member. Mounted on the mirror assembly to rotationally displace the mirror assembly about the longitudinal axis between a use position and a storage position. In the electric retractable / manual mirror surface adjustment type mirror device including a rotary unit and a speed reduction mechanism, the shaft member and the mirror assembly are rotatably fitted and supported at two positions. A support structure for a shaft member and a mirror assembly in an electrically retractable and manual mirror surface adjustment type mirror device. 2. The electrically-powered retractable dual-purpose storage device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of two fitting supports of the shaft member and the mirror assembly is separated from the horizontal axis. A support structure for a shaft member and a mirror assembly in a manual mirror surface adjustment type mirror device.