KR100242816B1 - Rear view mirror for automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

The rearview mirror for a vehicle according to the present invention provides a mirror system having a planar mirror member and a convex mirror member specially combined to provide a better field of view for a vehicle driver. In one embodiment of the invention, the convex mirror member overlaps with the planar mirror member so that it can be pivoted and laterally positioned with respect to the planar mirror member. In another embodiment of the present invention, the planar and convex mirror members are adjacent in the horizontal direction, and the third embodiment is universally mounted so that the convex mirror member mounted to be adjustable in position with respect to the flat mirror member is horizontally flat. It is disposed on the mirror member.

Description

Car rearview mirror

1 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle equipped with a conventional flat glass rearview mirror,

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing a field of view according to the first embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing a view that can be obtained from the second embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 11 to 14;

4 is a schematic plan view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing a field of view according to the third embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 15 to 17;

5 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention;

6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5,

7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5,

8 is a view for explaining a state in which the convex mirror member is opened and folded;

9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the field of view by the mirror of FIG. 5 in the position shown in FIG.

11 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention;

12 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11,

FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 in FIG. 11,

FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view illustrating a viewing range according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.

15 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention;

16 shows a partial cross sectional view along line 16-16 of FIG. 15, and

FIG. 17 is a schematic plan view illustrating a viewing range according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 15;

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to automotive rearview mirrors, and more particularly to adjustable rearview mirrors that provide improved visibility using flat or convex mirrors.

Since automobiles are faster and have a faster operating response than conventional wagons, the role of the rearview mirror of the vehicle has been very important to secure the driver's vision as the speed increases.

Moreover, as traffic volume increases and the speed of the vehicle becomes faster, it is more important to have an optimal view because the driver must observe not only the front of the vehicle but also the rear and side directions as much as possible.

Thus, while many cars are intentionally designed to provide good ambient and rear vision by optimizing the window space around the vehicle driver's seat, sometimes aesthetic design becomes undesired from the point of view of view beyond practicality.

Moreover, conventional rearview mirrors typically have a planar mirror that provides a fixed field of view for the vehicle driver even though the range of field of view is adjustable by universal mounting of the mirrors on the window of the vehicle.

However, since such a rearview mirror is usually made of a flat mirror having a flat mirror surface, the vehicle driver can only observe a certain range of vision. That is, even if the direction of the rearview mirror is adjusted, the angle of view is already determined by the rearview mirror itself, so that a better angle of view cannot be obtained. This is because the width and width of the rearview mirror are determined in recent years.

Various attempts have been made to broaden the rear view of the vehicle driver. One such approach involves the installation of rearview mirrors of a plurality of planar mirrors in the side space of the vehicle, which can be combined at a predetermined angle to each other to provide a variety of viewing angles for the driver of the vehicle, and arranged at different angles. The mirror allows the driver of the vehicle to have a wider angle of view at the rear. Another approach is to attach a separate attachment to the interior rearview mirror, in which a convex mirror is removably attached to a conventional flat car rearview mirror. Is even wider. This convex mirror was applied on the back of an existing flat mirror by applying an adhesive to it, thereby allowing a wider field of view.

In this case, however, the driver usually uses only the convex mirror mainly because the convex mirror overlaps with an important part of the flat mirror. However, as is well known, the convex mirror has a distorted clock to some extent, so that the driver of the vehicle has to provide a distorted rear clock.

The present invention has been made to solve these conventional problems.

Automotive rearview mirrors of the present invention are designed in several embodiments in which a pair of mirror surfaces are combined in various forms with flat and other convex surfaces.

The mirror surfaces are mutually coupled so that the driver of the vehicle can selectively use either or both of the mirror surfaces at the same time so as to have an optimal rear vision.

In one embodiment of the invention, the convex mirrors are combined using hinges on a planar mirror such that the mirror surfaces can be individually selected to provide a separate and independent field of view. In another embodiment of the present invention, by attaching the convex mirror in the longitudinal direction of the horizontally mirrored flat mirror, the flat mirror makes it possible to see the rear of the vehicle, and the convex mirror further expands the right direction of the vehicle. Make it visible

In another embodiment of the present invention, the convex mirror is adjustablely attached adjacent to the right side of the flat mirror, so that the flat mirror is used to look behind the vehicle, and the adjustable convex mirror adjusts the Magnify the rear part for viewing.

The rearview mirror according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a better rear vision while the vehicle driver is driving the vehicle and also to adjust the clock at will. Other advantages, features and details of the present invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the rear view angle A of the driver 20 of the vehicle 22 using a conventional standard plane rearview mirror mounted inside on the windshield 26 of the vehicle. As can be seen from the figure, unless you take your eyes off the road in front of the vehicle, a significant area on the side of the vehicle will not be in the driver's field of view and will usually have an external rearview mirror 28 on the left side of the vehicle. The right side of the vehicle is a particularly serious problem.

A first embodiment 30 of a rearview mirror according to the invention is shown in FIG. The rearview mirror of this embodiment includes a mount 32 with an adhesive portion on the front surface, which is fixedly bonded to the windshield 26 of the vehicle or another mounting surface in the vehicle 22. The term "front / front" or "rear / rear" is used herein to refer to the front end or the rear end thereof based on the rearview mirror attached to the vehicle 22. The mounting arm 34 protruding rearward is firmly fixed or mounted on the mounting table 32. The mounting arms are slightly arcuate and slightly inclined rearward downward. The distal end or the rear end of the arm has an almost spherical head 36 which forms a male coupling element of the so-called universal connector which mutually couples the mounting arm 34 and the mirror system 38. .

The mirror system 38 includes a rear plate 40 having a recessed rear surface and a substantially rectangular rear plate 40, in which a conventional mirror 42 having a flat mirror surface 44 is disposed. Pivot plate 46 is back plate 40 by conventional hinges 48 and 50 along each plate upper horizontal distal end, so that the horizontal upper end of back plate 40 can be selectively moved with a pivot axis. Is coupled to. This pivoted plate includes convex mirror surfaces that are curved in both horizontal and vertical directions, as shown in FIG. When the back plate 40 and the pivot plate 46 face each other in an overlapping relationship as shown in FIG. 5, this convex mirror surface faces backwards.

The front face 54 of the back plate 40 includes a socket 56 formed at the geometric center, which forms the female screw element of the universal connector. The socket 56 is formed in a hemispherical or spherical shape, and is made of a somewhat elastic material so that the spherical head 36 on the mounting arm 34 is coupled into the socket 56 so as to be universally pivotable with respect to the mounting arm. Keep the mirror. Such mounting systems are known in the art, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

As can be seen from the figure, the convex and planar mirror surfaces 52, 44 of the mirror system 38 both extend horizontally and are approximately rectangular in shape. The hinges 48 and 50, which mutually couple the back plate 40 to the pivoting plate 46, have a first leg 58 attached to the top surface 60 of the back plate at a horizontally spaced position. As shown in FIG. 5, the hinge 50 disposed on the right side of the mirror system has a second leg 62, which is the front of the pivoted plate 46 for the reasons described below. Loosely attached to 64. As shown in FIG. 5, the second leg 62 at the hinge 48 on the left side of the mirror system is suspended downward between the back plate and the pivoted plate and into the space 68 formed in the back plate. It is fixed by the threaded nut 66 accommodated. The adjusting screw or pin 70 extends through the hole 72 of the pivoted plate 46 and has a male front end 74 and a thumbscrew head 76 on the rear end. The threaded end 74 is received in the threaded opening via the nut 66 and the shoulder 78 adjacent the thumb screw head is adjacent to the convex mirror surface 52 of the pivoted plate. Grooves or pockets 80 are formed on the front face 64 of the pivoted plate by being aligned with the holes 72 through the pivoted plate, and the snap ring 82 is fixedly disposed on the pin 70 in the grooved part 80. do. Rotating the adjustment pin 70 selectively moves the left end of the pivot plate 46 relative to the planar mirror surface 44 of the back plate, so that the distance between the pivot plate and the back plate on the left side of the mirror can be controlled. The driver can adjust the field of view while looking at the convex mirror. By loosely coupling the right hinge 50 to the pivoting plate, a small amount of pivoting motion occurs according to the axis adjustment of the adjustment pin. As can be appreciated from the above description and FIGS. 5 and 8, the rearview mirror according to the first embodiment of the present invention is movable between two positions including the position shown in FIG. 52) to allow for a wider rear angle of view. Pivoting the pivoted plate upwards along the hinge as shown in FIG. 8 exposes the flat mirror surface 44 of the rear plate, thereby allowing the driver of the vehicle to have a rear angle of view similar to that of a conventional car rearview mirror. Will have As described above, when the mirror is in the position shown in FIG. 5, the mirror is pivoted horizontally along the right hinge 50 through the rotational movement of the adjustment pin so that it can be selected as the position for the optimal rear vision. do.

FIG. 10 schematically shows the mirror 30 of the first embodiment described above, showing that the convex mirror 52 provides a rearward angle of view of 70 degrees. This is much greater than 35 degrees of viewing angle achievable by the planar mirror 44. FIG. 2 schematically shows the angle of view that can be obtained with the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 10, and when using the flat mirror 44 on the back plate, the driver (as shown in FIG. 1) As in the conventional mirror 24, it has the same field of view as the clock indicated by the letter A, but when the convex mirrors overlap with this planar mirror surface, the convex mirror surface 52 has the field of view of each A '. In other words, the convex mirror allows the driver of the vehicle to obtain a better field of view on the right side of the vehicle when looking rearward through the rearview mirror.

11 to 14 show a second embodiment of the invention, in which a mounting plate 86 having an adhesive front for adhering a mirror to a windshield of an automobile 22 or the like is provided, This mounting plate has a rear and downwardly projecting curved arm 88 having a spherical head 90 at its free end. The mirror system 92 of this embodiment is universally mounted on the spherical head 90 and includes a back plate 94 having a mirror surface 96 along its rear end 98. The front wall 100 of the back plate has a socket 102 made of a material that is hemispherical or spherical in shape and slightly resilient, so that the spherical head 90 on the mounting arm can be coupled to the socket, thereby providing a mirror system. 92 is held on the mounting arm in a conventional pivoting manner.

As shown in FIG. 11, the back plate 94 extends horizontally and has a substantially rectangular shape. The rear end 98 of the back plate becomes thinner toward the front and the right, as shown in FIG. The mirror surface 96 is flat over the region extending from the left end of the mirror to about 3/4 of the mirror length, and the approximately 1/4 region 112 on the right side of the mirror is formed as a convex surface. The convex portion 112 of the mirror provides a wider field of view than the field of view secured by a planar mirror, curved on both horizontal and vertical sides, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 degrees. Of course, this mirror is adjustable for the vehicle driver, and in Fig. 14 the various viewing angles obtainable by this mirror are shown schematically.

As can be seen from FIG. 14, the driver of the vehicle can look at the plane portion 110 of the mirror surface, for example, to obtain a 35 degree field of view, and to see the right side convex portion 112 of the mirror surface. By looking at the right side of the vehicle, an additional approximately 35 degrees of viewing angle can be obtained. This is shown schematically in FIG. 3, with each A showing a field of view that can be obtained through the mirror plane plane 110, and each B can be obtained through the mirror plane convex 112. It shows a clock.

15 to 17 show a third embodiment 114 of the present invention. The rearview mirror of this embodiment has a substantially rectangular mount 116 with a front surface having an adhesive surface that attaches the mirror to the windshield of the vehicle. This mounting target is provided with mounting arms 118 that are bent backwards and downwards, and a spherical head 120 is provided on its last end or distal end. The mirror system 122 is coupled to the mounting arm by a socket 124 formed on the back plate 126 of the mirror system. The socket 124 has a hemispherical or spherical shape and is made of a material that is slightly resilient, such that a spherical head 120 on the mounting arm is coupled within the socket 124 to mount the mirror system to the arm.

In addition, the back plate 126 includes a first rear opening recess 128 extending from the left side of the mirror system to an approximately 3/4 position, and a second rear opening recess which occupies approximately one quarter of the right side of the rear plate. It is a rectangular shape forming 130. These left and right recesses are divided by an internal divider 131 that projects rearward from the back plate. The right side 134 of the back plate widens slightly forward and right. A mirror 136 having a planar mirror surface is mounted on and moves integrally with the first recess 128 of the rear plate near the rear end thereof, and the second mirror 138 having a convex mirror surface has a second recess portion. 130 is mounted. The second mirror has a hemispherical or spherical shape, is made of a material having a slight elasticity, has a socket 140 formed on the front side, and is mounted on the second mounting arm 143 protruding rearward from the rear plate ( The spherical head 142 (on the support plate mounted on the back plate) is received therein and fixed. The second mounting arm 143 is supported by the support plate 144 fixedly attached to the rear surface of the rear plate and disposed in the second recess.

The second mirror 138 has a convex mirror surface capable of pivoting to extend the clock to the right to the vehicle driver to widen the clock. The rear view visible to the driver of a vehicle equipped with such a mirror system is shown in FIGS. 4 and 17. Referring first to FIG. 4, the viewing angle by the convex mirror 138 is represented by the angle B ′, the viewing angle by the plane mirror 136 is represented by the letter A, and the second mirror adjusts the position rather than the width. The solution can be adjacent to or overlapping with each A.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 17 shows the viewing angle of the planar mirror 136 of 35 degrees, and indicates that the viewing angle of the smaller convex mirror 138 is also 35 degrees. However, this convex mirror is arched and can be moved about five degrees so that it can be adjacent to or slightly overlapped with a watch by a flat mirror.

As can be appreciated from the above description, the mirror system of the present invention is a mirror system that combines a planar and convex mirror having a field of view selectively adjustable to enhance and improve the rear and side field of view of a vehicle. Or there are clear advantages over car mirrors with convex mirrors.

Although the present invention has been described in detail to some extent, the description of the embodiments of the present invention is merely an illustration of the present invention, and details and structural changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. There can be.

Claims (8)

In the rearview mirror for a car, A mount fixed to the vehicle in a position visible to the vehicle driver; And A mirror system that is adjustablely mounted to the mounting object to selectively change an angle with respect to a vehicle driver, wherein the mirror system includes a planar mirror member and a convex mirror member, the convex mirror member being selectively positioned to be substantially parallel and overlapping A hinge system for pivotally connecting the mirror member to the planar mirror member of the mirror system and operatively coupled with both mirror members to selectively change the angular relationship between the planar mirror member and the convex mirror member. And a control mechanism having an adjuster for selectively observing the rear of the vehicle through the planar mirror member or the convex mirror member. The method of claim 1, The planar mirror member and the convex mirror member each extend in the horizontal direction to form two horizontal ends arranged at a distance from each other, and the adjuster is positioned adjacent to one end of the mirror members and optionally these mirror members. A pivoting motion relative to the other end in a horizontal plane. The method according to claim 1 or 2 The mirror members each have an upper end, and the hinge system pivotally connects both mirror members along the upper end so that both mirror members can pivotally move relative to the upper end and the other end. Car rearview mirror. The method of claim 1, The adjuster includes an elongated male pin having a hand-operable head at one end, the male pin being rotatably extended through one of the mirror members and threaded into the other mirror member. Automotive rearview mirror, characterized in that. In the rearview mirror for a car, A mount fixed to the vehicle in a position visible to the vehicle driver; And A mirror system adjustablely mounted to the mounting object to selectively change an angle with respect to a vehicle driver, wherein the mirror system includes a flat mirror member, a convex mirror member extending horizontally from the flat mirror member, and the plane And a control mechanism for changing the relationship between the mirror member and the convex mirror member so that the vehicle driver can selectively observe the rear of the vehicle through the planar mirror member or the convex mirror member. In the rearview mirror for a car, A mount fixed to the vehicle in a position visible to the vehicle driver; And And a mirror system that is adjustablely mounted to the mounting object to selectively change an angle with respect to a vehicle driver, wherein the mirror system is fixedly connected to the rear plate, the convex mirror member, and the rear plate to move integrally. A pivotal mounting mechanism for connecting the mirror member, the convex mirror member to the rear plate, and the relationship between the planar mirror member and the convex mirror member so as to change the relationship between the mirror and the convex mirror member. An automobile rearview mirror comprising an adjustment mechanism for selectively viewing the rear side. The method of claim 6, The pivotal mounting mechanism is a vehicle rearview mirror, characterized in that the universal mounting member. In the rearview mirror for a car, Mounting station is fixed to the vehicle portion of the position visible to the vehicle driver; A mounting arm extending from the mount and finishing with an almost spherical head; It has a left side and a right side, and the right side has a rear plate which protrudes forward than the left side to form a predetermined angle with the left side, the rear of the left side of the back plate is the first groove portion, the right side of the back plate The rear part of the mirror comprises a mirror housing including an internal divider for dividing and partitioning into a second element groove; A socket fixedly installed in the first recess of the mirror housing to accommodate the spherical head of the mounting arm therein so that the mirror housing is adjustablely mounted to the mounting arm; A flat mirror member fixed to the first recess and moving integrally with the mirror housing; A second mounting arm mounted on the rear plate in the second recess and having a spherical head protruding from the rear of the rear plate; And And a convex mirror member having a socket for accommodating the spherical head of the second mounting arm therein, the convex mirror member being movable independently of the movement of the mirror housing in the second recess.