U.S. patent application number 09/760591 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for side break-away rear view mirror assembly with telescopic support brace.
Invention is credited to Englander, Benjamin.
Application Number | 20010012164 09/760591 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27533353 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010012164 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Englander, Benjamin |
August 9, 2001 |
Side break-away rear view mirror assembly with telescopic support
brace
Abstract
One or more side-view mirror assemblies located in shell
housings which are supported at a distance relative to a vehicle in
a manner which allows the shell housings to swing relative to the
support structure thereof, further includes a telescopic support
brace whose principle function is to reduce and substantially
eliminate vibration. The telescopic support brace has inner and
outer tubes which slide relative to one another and which are
releasably locked at a normal position, but which allow the mirror
holding shell to swing outwardly or inwardly in the event of a
collision with an object, thereby preventing permanent damage
thereto.
Inventors: |
Englander, Benjamin;
(Jamaica, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OSTROLENK FABER GERB & SOFFEN
1180 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
100368403
|
Family ID: |
27533353 |
Appl. No.: |
09/760591 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09760591 |
Jan 16, 2001 |
|
|
|
08711810 |
Sep 10, 1996 |
|
|
|
09760591 |
Jan 16, 2001 |
|
|
|
08799251 |
Feb 14, 1997 |
|
|
|
5889627 |
|
|
|
|
60176240 |
|
|
|
|
60009784 |
Jan 16, 1996 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
359/864 ;
359/871; 359/875 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60R 1/0605 20130101;
B60R 1/0612 20130101; B60R 1/0617 20130101; B60R 1/081
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
359/864 ;
359/871; 359/875 |
International
Class: |
G02B 005/10; G02B
007/182 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A vehicular side-view mirror, comprising: a shell housing; at
least one mirror unit having a first side-view mirror mounted to
the shell housing; a hinge plate member having a portion which is
rigidly affixed to a vehicle and another portion which has first
and second ends with the first end being hingedly mounted at the
hinge plate member and the second portion being pivotally attached
to the shell housing in a manner which is capable of holding the
shell housing at a distance from the vehicle, and such that the
shell housing is swingably mounted relative to the fixed portion of
the hinge plate member; and a telescopic support having one end
which is attached to the vehicle and another end which is attached
to the second portion of the hinge plate member and which is
operative to substantially reduce vibrational movements of the
shell housing and the at least one mirror unit mounted thereto.
2. The vehicular mirror of claim 1, in which the moveable second
portion of the hinge plate member comprises a horizontal portion
and a vertical portion and wherein the telescopic arm is connected
to the horizontal portion.
3. The vehicular mirror of claim 1, in which the telescopic arm
comprises an inner tube, slidable within an outer tube.
4. The vehicular mirror of claim 3, in which the telescopic arm has
a pre-determined position of the inner tube and outer tube at which
position they are releasably locked to one another by a locking
mechanism and the telescopic arm has extended positions and
retracted positions.
5. The vehicular mirror of claim 4, in which the locking mechanism
comprises through openings in both the inner and outer tubes which
are alignable with one another and a resiliently biased pin which
is slidable into and out of the openings to lock the inner and
outer tubes to one another.
6. The vehicular mirror of claim 5, in which the pin is
dome-shaped.
7. The vehicular mirror of claim 2, in which the telescopic support
has a first end which is connected to a mounting plate which is
attachable to the vehicle and the first end is pivotally connected
to the mounting plate, and a second end which is pivotally
connected to the horizontal portion of the hinge plate member.
8. The vehicular mirror of claim 6, in which the dome pin is biased
by means of a spring wire which is mounted in the inner tube.
9. The vehicular side-view mirror of claim 1, including a housing
member engageable with the shell housing.
10. The vehicular side-view mirror of claim 9, wherein the housing
member and the hinge plate member comprise a detent for fixing the
hinge plate member relative to the housing member in a position of
use, the detent exerting a force on the hinge plate member and
housing member that resists swingable movement and reduces
vibrations in the hinge member when the side-view mirror is in a
position of use, the detent permitting swingable movement of the
hinge plate member relative to the housing member when sufficient
torsional force is exerted on the hinge plate member relative to
the housing member.
11. The vehicular side-view mirror of claim 10, wherein the detent
comprises: a piston disposed in the housing member having a channel
therein for engaging a detent component; a spring disposed in the
housing member for outwardly pushing the piston and detent
component towards the hinge plate member; and an inward detent
channel disposed in the hinge plate member for engaging the
outwardly pushed detent component.
12. The vehicular side-view mirror of claim 9, wherein the hinge
plate is shaped to correspond to a stock plate of the vehicle such
that the stock plate may be removed and the hinge plate substituted
therefor.
13. The vehicular side-view mirror of claim 9, wherein the hinge
plate is fin-shaped to follow the body contour of the vehicle.
14. The vehicular side-view mirror of claim 9, wherein said at
least one mirror unit further includes an adjusting unit for
permitting manual adjustment of the mirror unit with respect to the
shell housing.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application claims priority and is entitled to the
filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/176,240
filed Jan. 14, 2000, and entitled "SIDE-BREAK-AWAY REAR VIEW MIRROR
ASSEMBLY WITH TELESCOPIC SUPPORT BRACE." The aforementioned
Provisional Application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
08/989,800, filed Dec. 12, 1997, entitled SINGLE SHELL, DOUBLE VIEW
VEHICULAR MIRROR HAVING MANUAL ADJUSTABILITY AND PRECISION HINGE
PLATE; which in turn is a continuation-in-part application of U.S.
Ser. No. 08/799,251, filed Feb. 14, 1997, entitled SINGLE SHELL,
DOUBLE VIEW VEHICULAR MIRROR HAVING MANUAL ADJUSTABILITY AND
PRECISION HINGE PLATE; which in turn is a continuation-in part of
U.S. Ser. No. 08/711,810, filed Sep. 10, 1996, entitled SINGLE
SHELL, DOUBLE VIEW MIRROR FOR VEHICLES; which in turn claims
priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/009,784, filed Jan.
16, 1996, entitled SINGLE SHELL, DOUBLE VIEW MIRROR FOR VEHICLES,
the entire disclosures of the foregoing applications are hereby
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to safety devices
for vehicles, and, in particular, to a side-view mirror assembly
for a vehicle in the form of and as described in the
aforementioned, incorporated by reference, patent applications, but
not necessarily limited to a single shell dual-view mirror
assembly. More specifically, the invention focuses on concerns and
a side break-away rear view mirror assembly with a telescopic
support brace.
[0003] In the aforementioned patent applications, the side-view
mirror assembly includes a support member which is coupled to the
vehicle; a shell housing having a mounting hole for receiving the
support member; a support member mounting plate formed of a
substantially rigid material, the support member mounting plate
being disposed in and coupled to the shell housing, the support
member being fixedly coupled to the support member; and a mirror
unit being disposed within the shell housing, but being coupled
directly to and supported by the support member mounting plate,
such that the mirror unit is substantially rigidly coupled to the
support member without being supported by the shell housing.
[0004] The disclosures incorporated by reference teach a hinge
member as well as a hinge plate and related structural components
which allow the mirror unit to swing away from its normal position
both to accommodate the operator's desire to adjust the position of
the mirror or to allow the shell housing to collapse due to
collision with an obstacle.
[0005] Despite the extensive measures taken in the construction of
the mirror support assembly disclosed in the incorporated by
reference applications, there is still a possibility under certain
circumstances for the mirror to be subject to vibrations.
[0006] The present application provides measures that deal with,
remedy or substantially eliminate such vibrations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a more effective, improved mirror assembly for vehicles
such as school buses, transit buses, trucks and the like.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
mirror assembly for vehicles which is diverse and easier to
use.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide the
mirror assembly with superior vibration damping features and
aerodynamic features for an improved field of view.
[0010] In accordance with the present invention, and in connection
with vehicular side-view mirror assemblies, which include a support
member which is coupled to the vehicle; a shell housing for holding
mirror units and mechanically coupled to the support member, there
is provided a further anti-vibration expedient in a form of a
telescopic arm which serves the dual functions of ameliorating
vibration of the housing during use of the mirror assembly while,
simultaneously, doing so in a non-rigid fixed mode so as to
accommodate the movement of the mirror assembly housing away from
the bus or toward the bus, as needed.
[0011] Other features and advantages of the invention will become
more apparent from the detailed description, which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mirror assembly mounted
to a school bus and providing a side-view thereof in accordance
with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mirror assembly of the
present invention from the front and not mounted to a vehicle;
[0014] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the mirror assembly of the
present invention;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a shell housing of the
mirror assembly of the present invention with the mirror elements
removed;
[0016] FIG. 4a is a view of the windward side of the mirror
assembly of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a side view of the mirror pole assembly of the
present invention to which the shell housing is attached;
[0018] FIG. 5a is a perspective view of a hinge plate of the mirror
pole assembly of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5b is a side view of a first housing member of the
mirror pole assembly of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a mirror unit of
the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 6a is an exploded perspective rear view of the mirror
unit of FIG. 6;
[0022] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a mirror unit of
the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 7a is an exploded perspective rear view of mirror unit
of FIG. 7;
[0024] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the mirror assembly of
the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the mirror assembly of
the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative
embodiment of the mirror assembly of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a spring plate of the mirror
assembly shown in FIG. 10;
[0028] FIG. 12a is a front elevational view of an alternative hinge
plate of the mirror assembly of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 12b is a side view of the hinge plate of FIG. 12a;
[0030] FIG. 12c is a rear elevational view of the hinge plate of
FIG. 12a;
[0031] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the hinge plate of FIG. 12a
mounted on a vehicle.
[0032] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the shell housing of the
mirror assembly of FIG. 4 which employs a mirror pole mounting
plate;
[0033] FIG. 15a is a top view of the mirror pole mounting plate of
FIG. 14; and
[0034] FIG. 15b is a side view of the mirror pole mounting plate of
FIG. 15a.
[0035] FIG. 16 shows the telescopic support brace of the present
invention under normal operating conditions.
[0036] FIG. 17 shows the telescopic support brace extended due to
collision with an obstacle.
[0037] FIG. 18 shows the telescopic support brace collapsed due to
collision with an obstacle.
[0038] FIG. 19 shows the telescopic support brace in a perspective
view that illustrates the swiveling modes of the mirror unit.
[0039] FIG. 20 is a cross section showing a releasable lock
mechanism of the telescopic support brace.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0040] The mirror assembly 1 of the present invention is mounted to
a school bus and provides an ample field of view along the side of
the vehicle as well as a view which is directed more towards the
ground. FIG. 2 shows a mirror assembly 1 which is not mounted to a
vehicle. The mirror assembly 1 comprises a shell housing 10, a
mirror pole 20 and a hinge member 30. The shell housing 10 has a
substantially rectangularly shaped opening 14 and interior space
and contains a rectangularly shaped first mirror unit 16 and a
convex-surfaced second mirror unit 18. An electrical cable section
(or harness) 35 extends from the hinge member 30 for providing
electrical connections between a motor control switch (not shown)
and the motors (not shown) contained in the first mirror unit 16
and the second mirror unit 18.
[0041] The exploded view (FIG. 3) of the mirror assembly 1 of the
present invention shows first and second mirror units 16, 18 which
are mounted in the shell housing 10 such that the reflecting
surfaces of the mirrors 60, 80 lie substantially parallel to the
plane of the opening 14. Mounting hole 11 provides an opening for
the mirror pole 20 to enter the shell housing 10. A grommet 22 is
disposed in the mounting hole 11 and prevents moisture, dirt and
the like from entering the shell housing 10 through the mounting
hole 11. The mirror pole 20 comprises a first support arm 26 and a
second support arm 28 each having a mounting hole 21 on its distal
end.
[0042] Note that the mirror assembly 1 may be mounted on a vehicle
body such that the shell housing 10 is below the hinge member 30
thereby being in the opposite vertical orientation from that shown
in FIGS. 2 and 3. When the mirror assembly 1 is in such opposite,
vertical orientation, the grommet 22 also prevents water, dirt of
the like from entering the shell housing 10 through the mounting
hole 11.
[0043] With reference to FIG. 4, the shell housing 10 comprises a
mounting hole 11, clamping plates 19, and longitudinal reinforcing
ribs 15 for accepting the mirror pole 20 and operatively connecting
the shell housing 10 and the mirror pole 20. The mirror pole 20 is
disposed through the mounting hole 11 and under the clamping plates
19. The longitudinal reinforcing ribs 15 are disposed along the
wall of the shell housing 10 to provide structural reinforcement
for clamping the mirror pole 20 to the shell housing 10. The height
of the outermost longitudinal reinforcing ribs 15, with respect to
the wall of the shell housing 10, are higher than the innermost
longitudinal reinforcing ribs 15 thereby defining an arcuate cross
section (or resting surface) for snugly engaging the mirror pole
20. Orthogonal reinforcing ribs 15a are disposed near the clamping
plates 19 to provide additional structural support. The clamping
plates 19 are securely engaged against the mirror pole 20 via rear
entry bolts 19a.
[0044] As best seen in FIG. 4a, the rear entry bolts 19a are
tightened from the rear (windward) side of the shell housing 10.
The shell housing 10 is provided with countersunk holes which
accept the rear entry bolts 19a and permit sub-flush disposition of
the bolts 19a. Further, rubber covers (not shown) are disposed over
the countersunk holes to provide a smooth and flush finish on the
windward side of the shell housing 10 which adds to the aerodynamic
design of the shell housing 10.
[0045] As best seen in FIG. 2, the housing shell 10 is
aerodynamically shaped. Specifically, the forward surface of the
shell housing 10 is narrow and tapers outward toward the opening
14, which accepts the mirror units 16, 18. Therefore, wind
resistance and vibrations caused by wind velocity are reduced and
the tendency for the shell housing 10 to shift or turn as a result
of torsional forces developed on the mirror pole 20 from wind are
mitigated.
[0046] The shell housing 10 further comprises a cover 12a which
snugly fits over the maintenance opening 12. As will be discussed
in more detail below, the maintenance opening 12 provides access to
the cabling between various electrical components of the mirror
assembly 1. The cover 12a fits flush with respect to the surface of
the shell housing 10 thereby maintaining the aerodynamic features
of the mirror assembly 1. Furthermore, the cover 12 provides a
surface for the display of a company name, trademark or other
indicia, which display can be easily changed without requiring
re-stenciling of the shell housing 10 of the mirror assembly 1.
Rather, the simple and inexpensive step of replacing the cover 12a
with a new cover displaying the new indicia completes the
process.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 4, the shell housing 10 is provided with
oppositely disposed supporting ribs 17 which extend along the wall
of the shell housing 10 and terminate on end surfaces of the shell
housing 10. Integral with the supporting ribs 17 are long standoffs
13 and short standoffs 13a. Four long standoffs 13 are disposed at
each of the ends of the shell housing 10. Ten short standoffs 13a
are disposed between the long standoffs 13 and are also integral to
the support ribs 17. As will be discussed below, the long standoffs
13 and the short standoffs 13a provide a supporting structure for
the first and second mirror units 16, 18.
[0048] With reference to FIG. 5, the mirror pole 20 and the hinge
member 30 are shown. The hinge member 30 comprises a first housing
member 32 and a second housing member 34 which fit snugly around
the first and second support arms 26, 28. As shown in FIG. 5a,
hinge plate 36 operatively connects to the first housing member 32
via a nut 31a and precision bolt 31b and anti-scoring washers
37.
[0049] First and second support arms 26, 28 which extend from the
mirror pole 20 are insertable into the hinge member 30 by way of
arcuate recesses in the first and second housing members 32, 34 of
the hinge member 30. More specifically, the second housing member
34 is removable from the first housing member 32 thereby exposing
the arcuate recesses for engaging the first and second support arms
26, 28. The first and second support arms 26, 28 are inserted into
the arcuate recess of the first housing member 32 and the mounting
holes 21, disposed on the distal ends of first and second support
arms 26, 28, are lined up with the holes 21a of the first and
second housing members 32, 34. Allen-type bolts are inserted into
the holes 21a which clamp the first and second housing members 32
and 34 together and further engage the first and second support
arms 26, 28 of the mirror pole 20.
[0050] The second housing member 34 of the hinge member 30
operatively connects to the hinge plate 36 via a nut and a
precision bolt 31a, 31b (FIG. 5a), anti-scoring washers 37 and a
precision bore 40. Thus, the precision bolt 31b passing through the
first housing member 32, the anti-scoring washers 37 and the
precision bore 40 of the hinge plate 36 enable the hinge plate 36
to swivel with respect to the first housing member 32. Accordingly,
the mirror assembly 1 can swivel with respect to the vehicle to
which it is mounted if sufficient force is exerted in torsional
relation to the hinge member 30.
[0051] Further, anti-scoring washers 37 mitigate any deterioration
in the precision dimensions of the hinge plate 36 and, in
particular, the precision bore 40 when the hinge plate 36 is
swivelled in relation to the first housing member 32. It is
preferred that anti-scoring washers 37 be fabricated from a softer
material than the hinge plate 6. For example, when the hinge plate
6 is formed of steel, it is preferred that the anti-scoring washers
37 be fabricated from brass.
[0052] The first housing member 32 and the hinge plate 36 are
provided with a detent means for fixing the relative position of
the hinge plate 36 with respect to the first housing member 32.
Specifically, the first housing member 32 is provided with a cavity
42. Cavity 42 contains a spring (not shown) and a piston 44
disposed forward of the spring and extending beyond the surface of
the first housing member 32. As best seen in FIG. 5b, the piston 44
comprises a channel 45 extending diametrically across the top
surface of the piston 44. The surface of the first housing member
32 comprises a cooperating notch 46 with the channel 45 in the
piston 44 for engagement with a detent member 33. When the hinge
plate 36 is in position, with the precision bolt 31b passing
through the first housing member 32 and the precision bore 40 of
the hinge plate 36, the detent member 33 operatively engages both
the channel 45 and an inward detent 38 of the hinge plate 36. The
notch 46 in the surface of the first housing member 32 provides
relief for accepting the detent member 33 so that the detent member
does not contact the first housing member 32. Thus, the hinge plate
36 is held in a fixed relationship with respect to the first
housing member 32 and, accordingly, the mirror assembly 1 is held
in a fixed relationship with respect to the vehicle to which it is
attached.
[0053] However, sufficient torsional force on the hinge plate 36
with respect to the first housing member 32 will force the piston
44 inwardly and release the detent member 33 from the channel 45
and the inward detent 38, thereby permitting swingable movement of
the mirror pole 20 with respect to the hinge plate 36. When the
hinge plate 36 is rotated sufficiently with respect to the first
housing member 32, the outward detent 39 will engage the channel 45
of the piston 44 and the hinge plate 36 will again be fixed in
position relative to the first housing member 32, but at a
different position. The cooperation of the outward detent 39 and
the channel 45 of the piston 44 define a maximum rotational
position to prevent vehicle damage when the mirror assembly 1 is
rotated with respect to the vehicle, for example, when an object is
struck while in motion.
[0054] Moreover, the precise sizing of the precision bolt 31b and
the precision bore 40 coupled with the high force provided by the
spring, the channel 45, the detent member 33, and the inward detent
38, minimizes vibrations developed during vehicular travel, which
vibrations tend to propagate through the hinge plate 36, the hinge
member 30 and the mirror pole 20 to the first and second mirror
units 16, 18.
[0055] Furthermore, for large vehicles, the first and second
support arms 26, 28 are extended and protrude much further from the
arcuate recesses of the first and second housing members 32, 34. To
mitigate against vibrations developing in the support arms 26 and
28, a core material 23 is added to the inside volume of the first
and second support arms 26, 28 and the mirror pole 20. It is
preferred that the core material 23 is of a dissimilar metal than
that of the mirror pole 20 and the first and second support arms
26, 28 because experiments have shown that vibrations are reduced
when dissimilar metals are used. Specifically, it is preferred that
the mirror pole 20 and the first and second support arms 26, 28 are
fabricated from steel tubing and the core material 23 is fabricated
from aluminum tubing.
[0056] The novel, sturdy and aerodynamic features of the shell
housing 10, the mirror pole 20 and the hinge member 30, described
above, enable one-point connection of the mirror assembly 1 to the
vehicle via hinge plate 36 without sacrificing vibration dampening
characteristics.
[0057] With reference to FIGS. 12a, 12b, 12c and 13 an alternate
embodiment of a hinge plate 36' is shown. As shown, the hinge plate
36' is fin shaped having a contoured edge 200 shaped to fit along
door member 218 and an edge 216 of window 212. Integrally coupled
to the hinge plate 36' is a mounting member 202 which includes a
precision bore 40' and inward detent 38' which function in a
substantially similar manner as the precision bore 40 and inward
detent 38' of the hinge plate 36 discussed above.
[0058] As best seen in FIG. 13, the hinge plate 36' is precisely
formed and contoured to mount to the door 214 of a vehicle. FIG. 13
illustrates the relationship between the windshield 210, the
driver's side door 214, the driver's side window 212 and the hinge
plate 36'. A stock mounting plate (similar to the hinge plate 36'
but without the mounting member 202) is provided on some vehicles
by the vehicle manufacturer, for example, on some Ford buses.
Without the mounting member 202, a mirror assembly 1 cannot be
immediately attached to the stock plate; however, as shown in FIG.
13, the first and second housing members 32, 34 may readily be
coupled to the mounting member 202 of the hinge plate 36'.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 12b, the mounting member 202 preferably
extends from the hinge plate 36' at an angle such that, when the
hinge plate 36' is mounted on a vehicle. The mounting member 202
extends away from the hinge plate with the bore 40' extending
substantially vertically and the support arms 26, 28 extending from
the housing member 34. The hinge plate 36' is provided with
mounting holes 220 which are positioned in accordance with the
positions of the mounting holes of the stock plate (not shown) such
that new mounting holes need not be formed on the hinge plate 36'.
The mounting holes 220 may be internally threaded.
[0060] With reference to FIG. 6, the rectangularly shaped first
mirror unit 16 is shown in greater detail. The first mirror unit 16
comprises a flat mirror 60, a flat mounting plate 61, a cup 65 and
a swivel mechanism 66. The swivel mechanism 66 moves in
relationship to the cup 65. The cup 65 is dome shaped on the bottom
and operatively engages the dome shaped member of the swivel
mechanism 66 which provides a swivelling motion in both horizontal
and vertical directions. Gearing and swivel members (not shown) are
connected to the cup 65 and to two motors (not shown) of the swivel
mechanism 66 to enable motorized swiveling of the cup 65 with
respect to the swivel mechanism 66 in a manner well known in the
art. A boot (not shown) covers the critical elements of the swivel
mechanism 66 and the cup 65 to prevent debris from deteriorating
the operation of the first mirror unit 16.
[0061] The flat mirror 60 is disposed on a flat mounting plate 61
and secured at its edges by a long snap 62 and a short snap 63.
Relative ease of installation of the flat mirror 60 onto the flat
mounting plate 61 is achieved by first inserting one edge of flat
mirror 60 under one of the long snap 62 and the short snap 63 and
then pressing the other end of flat mirror 60 under the remaining
snap to obtain secure engagement of the flat mirror 60 to the flat
mounting plate 61. It is preferred that one edge of the flat mirror
60 is first placed under the long snap 62 and then the other end of
flat mirror 60 is snapped under short snap 63.
[0062] The ease with which the flat mirror 60 is secured to, and
removed from, the flat mounting plate 61 enables field
replaceability and retrofitability of the flat mirror 60, for
example, when the flat mirror 60 is accidentally broken.
[0063] Vibration tabs 64 extend somewhat above the plane of the
flat mounting plate 61 and are elastically biased to engage the
rear surface of the flat mirror 60 when the mirror is engaged under
the long snap 62 and the short snap 63. The force exerted by the
vibration tabs 64 to the rear surface of the flat mirror 60
prevents vibrations in the flat mirror 60 when the vehicle is in
motion or when vibrations are transmitted to the first mirror unit
16 from other sources such as, for example, from the engine of the
vehicle.
[0064] With reference to FIG. 6a, an electromechanical solenoid 76
may be coupled to the mounting plate 61, which solenoid 76
comprises a core 78 and a spring (not shown). The mounting plate 61
is provided with a hole so that the core 78 projects out of the
hole. The spring forces the core 78 outwardly from the solenoid
body when the solenoid 76 is not energized. When the solenoid is
energized, the core 78 moves inwardly and overcomes the force
exerted by the spring, which spring tends to keep the core 78 in
the outward position.
[0065] The solenoid 76 is positioned such that the core 78 contacts
the inside surface of the shell housing 10 when the solenoid is not
energized and the spring forces the core 78 into its outward
position. Therefore, when the solenoid is not energized, vibrations
of the flat mounting plate 61 with respect to the shell housing 10
are damped.
[0066] However, when it is desired that the position of the first
mirror unit 16 be changed via the motors of the swivel mechanism
66, the solenoid 76 is concurrently energized with the motors (via
the motor control switch) such that the core 78 is drawn inwardly
and away from the inside surface of the shell housing 10 thus
enabling free movement of the flat plate 61 with respect to the
swivel mechanism 66. Further, when the first mirror unit 16 has
reached the desired position and the motors of the swivel mechanism
66 are deactivated, the solenoid 76 is also deactivated and the
core 78 returns to its resting position against the inside surface
of the shell housing 10.
[0067] With reference to FIG. 7, a more detailed drawing of the
convex-surfaced second mirror unit 18 is shown. The second mirror
unit 18 comprises a convex mirror 80, a convex mounting plate 81, a
cup 85 and a swivel mechanism 86. The swivel mechanism 86 comprises
two motors (not shown) which are coupled via gearing to the cup 85
to enable motorized swiveling of the cup with respect to the swivel
mechanism 86. The convex mounting plate 81 comprises a long snap
82, a short snap 83, and vibration tabs 84. The swivel mechanism 86
may optionally comprise an electromechanical solenoid 96, where the
solenoid comprises a core 98 and a spring (not shown). The
operation of the motorized features and anti-vibration features of
the convex-surfaced second mirror unit 18 are substantially similar
to the same features of the rectangularly shaped first mirror unit
16 and, therefore, a detailed recitation of the interconnection and
operation of the aforementioned elements of the second mirror unit
18 is omitted.
[0068] With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, an alternate embodiment
of the second mirror unit 18' is now described. The embodiment of
the second mirror unit 18' enables a user to manually adjust the
convex mounting plate 81 rather than requiring motorized swiveling.
In order to provide manual adjustment, the second mirror unit 18'
includes a ball joint 100 journaled between a fixed plate 102 and a
spring plate 104. The ball joint 100 is integrally coupled to a
base portion 100a where the base portion 100a fixes the ball joint
100 to the connecting plate 93 via a threaded member 100b and a nut
110.
[0069] The fixed plate 102 is mounted to the convex mounting plate
81 via any suitable means, e.g., glue and spring clips. The fixed
plate 102 includes a flanged opening 102a which operatively engages
the curved surface of the ball joint 100. The spring plate 104
includes cantilever members 120 formed by cutaway portions 122
which springably bias against the ball joint 100. The spring plate
104 also includes flanges 121 at the distal ends of the cantilever
members 120 for defining an opening 124 (FIG. 11), which flanges
121 operatively engage the ball joint 100.
[0070] Four threaded members 106 (preferably machine screws or the
like) extend from the fixed plate 102 to the spring plate 104 to
couple the plates together and capture the ball joint therebetween.
Only two threaded members 106 are shown in FIG. 10. Restraining
members 108 (preferably machine screw nuts) operatively engage the
threaded members 106 to move and urge the spring plate 104 towards
the fixed plate 102. As the nuts 108 are tightened, the cantilever
members 120 apply a spring force to the surface of the ball joint
100 which generates enough friction to maintain the convex mounting
member 81 in a desired position but also permits movement of the
mounting member 81 as desired.
[0071] It is noted that the cut away portions 122 of the spring
plate 104 are positioned such that, after a predetermined amount of
tightening of the nuts 108, the compression force of the cantilever
members 120 against the ball joint 100 does not substantially
change. In other words, after predetermined tightening, the
cantilever members 120 of the spring plate 104 exhibit a
substantially constant spring force despite further tightening of
the nuts 108. Among other advantages, such a configuration enables
efficient and inexpensive manufacture of the mirror unit 18'.
[0072] In FIG. 10, the distance ("d") between the free ends of the
screws 106 and the connecting plate 93 is carefully selected to
limit the maximum tilting angle of the convex mounting plate 81
relative to the stationary or immobile connecting plate 93. More
specifically, the spacing "d" is selected such that under maximum
tilting conditions, the convex mounting plate 81 does not protrude
beyond the opening 14 of the shell housing 10 (FIG. 3). The screws
106 therefore serve the dual purposes of adjusting the tension on
the ball joint 100 and limiting the maximum tilting angle of the
convex mirror mounting plate 81.
[0073] It has been found that the manual adjustability of the
mirror unit 18' is suitably accomplished when the ball joint 100 is
fabricated from a suitable plastic material and that the spring
plate 104 is fabricated from phosphor bronze although other
materials may be used.
[0074] It is noted that the manual adjusting feature discussed
hereinabove may be readily adapted for use on the flat mirror unit
16 as would be apparent to those skilled in the art.
[0075] With reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7, a description of the
interconnections between the first and second mirror units 16, 18
and the shell housing 10 will now be described. The first mirror
unit 16 may be positioned away from the mounting hole 11 towards
one end of the shell housing 10 and the second mirror unit 18 may
be positioned near the mounting hole 11 and below the first mirror
unit 16 as shown in FIG. 3. However, when the end user is desirous
to have the second mirror unit 18 positioned away from the mounting
hole 11 towards one end of the shell housing 10 and the first
mirror unit 16 positioned towards the mounting hole 11 and below
the second mirror unit 18, the mirror assembly 1 is easily
adapted.
[0076] For example, in some instances, attachment of the mirror
assembly 1 to the vehicle requires that the hinge plate 36 be
positioned above the shell housing 10, where the mounting hole 11
would be in a upward vertical orientation. In such a situation, the
end user of the mirror assembly 1 may desire to have the first
mirror unit 16 positioned above the second mirror unit 18 because
of the unique optical characteristics of a convex mirror versus a
flat mirror. Typically, mounting the mirror assembly 1 with the
hinge plate 36 above the shell housing 10 would result in the
convex-surfaced second mirror unit 18 being disposed above the
rectangularly shaped first mirror unit 16. However, with the novel
configuration of the shell housing 10 and the first and second
mirror units 16, 18 of the present invention, an inversely mounted
mirror assembly 1 (where the hinge plate 36 is mounted on the
vehicle above the shell housing 10) would not necessarily result in
the first mirror unit 16 being disposed beneath the second mirror
unit 18. Indeed, the first and second mirror units 16, 18 may be
readily interchanged and disposed at either end of shell housing
10.
[0077] To accommodate the above-described versatility (FIGS. 8 and
9), the long standoffs 13 are positioned at both ends of the shell
housing 10 and operatively connect to the swivel mechanism 86 of
the convex-surfaced second mirror unit 18 via connecting plate 93
when the second mirror unit 18 is disposed at one of the two ends
of the shell housing 10. The short standoffs 13a, which are
disposed between long standoffs 13 along the supporting ribs 17,
operatively connect with the swivel mechanism 66 of the
rectangularly shaped first mirror unit 16 via the connecting plate
73 when the first mirror unit 16 is disposed at one of the ends of
the shell housing 10. The longs standoffs 13 and short standoffs
13a are sized such that the long standoffs 13 do not interfere with
the connecting plate 73 of the rectangularly shaped first mirror
unit 16, irrespective of which end of the shell housing 10 the
first mirror unit 16 is disposed. Furthermore, if the end user is
desirous of a single mirror unit rather than the first and second
mirror units 16, 18 as discussed hereinabove, a larger mounting
plate (of the flat-type or convex-type) may be integrated with a
stationary cup and a swivel mechanism of the type described for the
larger, rectangularly shaped first mirror unit 16. In such a
situation, only the short standoffs 13a would be utilized to fasten
the coupling plate of the single mirror unit to the shell housing
10.
[0078] The shell housing 10, the flat mounting plate 61, the cup
65, the swivel mechanism 66, the connecting plate 73, the convex
mounting plate 81, the cup 85, the swivel mechanism 86 and the
connecting plate 93 may be manufactured from suitable plastics,
metals, composite materials or the like. It is preferred that the
above-listed elements be manufactured from suitable plastics. The
mirror pole 20 and the hinge member 30 may also be manufactured
from suitable plastics, metals, composite materials or the like;
however, it is preferred that these elements be manufactured from
suitable metals. As described above, it is most preferred that
mirror pole 20 and the first and second support arms 26, 28 be
manufactured from steel and the core material 23 be manufactured
from aluminum.
[0079] Installation of the mirror assembly 1 onto a vehicle
requires cabling from the motor control switch (typically mounted
inside the vehicle) to the respective motors of the swivel
mechanism 66 and the swivel mechanism 86. Therefore, the electrical
conductors of the electrical cables required to interconnect the
electrical components of the mirror assembly 1 are bundled in heat
shrinkable sleeves for stiffening and protecting the electrical
conductors. The cable section 35 extends from an opening in the
second housing member 34 through and to the opposite end of the
mirror pole 20. The end of the cable 35 which extends from the
bottom of hinge member 30 is electrically and mechanically
connected to the electrical conductors of the motor control switch.
The other end of the cable section 35 terminates near the
maintenance opening 12 of the shell housing 10 when the mirror pole
20 is inserted through the mounting hole 11. A cable section 35a
(as shown in FIG. 3) operatively connects to the respective motors
of the first mirror unit 16 and the second mirror unit 18 and
terminates near the maintenance opening 12 when the mirror units
are installed in the shell housing 10. Therefore, after
installation of both the mirror pole 20 and the first and second
mirror units 16, 18 the electrical connection of the cable section
35 and the cable section 35a may be conveniently made through the
maintenance opening 12.
[0080] Conversely, in mirror units of the prior art, cable
connections are awkwardly made through a mounting hole (similar to
mounting hole 11) or such connections are made before a mirror unit
is installed into a housing.
[0081] Advantageously, the cover 12a of the present invention,
which seals the maintenance opening 12, serves the dual purpose of
sealing the shell housing 10 after required cable connections are
made and provides a convenient and interchangeable surface for
displaying a company name, trademark or other indicia.
[0082] Still further, the invention contemplates providing a
heating element (not shown) inside the shell housing 10 to maintain
the mirrors at a desired temperature, so as to prevent fogging or
icing of the mirror elements 60, 80.
[0083] The mirror assembly 1 of the present invention can be
constructed such that the shell housing 10 has a width of
approximately 71/2 inches and a height of approximately 13-14
inches. The depth of the shell housing 10 tapers toward the center,
at its deepest point measuring approximately 3-4 inches.
[0084] The larger, first mirror unit 16 may have a width of
approximately 6 to 7 inches and a height of approximately 9-10
inches. The smaller, second mirror unit 18 has a height of
approximately 4 to 41/2 inches and a width of approximately 7
inches. These dimensions are significant in that they have been
selected to reduce the size of the blind spot in front of the
mirror assembly while providing a more than sufficient rearward
field of view, in full compliance with regulatory requirements.
[0085] With reference to FIG. 14, the mirror assembly 1 of the
present invention may include a mirror pole mounting plate 24 which
is operatively coupled to the mirror pole 20 and the shell housing
10. The mirror pole mounting plate 24 includes a longitudinal
receiving channel 24c for receiving the mirror pole 20. Bores 24a
are positioned through a lower portion of the receiving channel 24c
which align with the bores of the shell housing 10 which receive
the rear entry bolts 19a (see FIGS. 4 and 4a).
[0086] Preferably, the mirror pole mounting plate 24 is formed of a
relatively stiff metal material, such as aluminum, non-corrosive
steel, or the like. With reference to FIGS. 15a and 15b, the mirror
pole mounting plate 24 is preferably formed from sheet metal which
is bent (or stamped or extruded) along appropriate axis to form the
channel 24c.
[0087] The mirror pole mounting plate 24 is positioned within the
shell housing 10 and the mirror pole 20 is then slid into the
channel 24c. Clamping plates 19 (see FIG. 4) are preferably used to
fixedly clamp the mirror pole mounting plate 24 to the mirror pole
20.
[0088] An intermediate plate 25 is operatively coupled to the
mirror pole mounting plate 24 by way of suitable fastening means,
such as bolts or the like. Preferably bores 25a of the intermediate
plate 25 are aligned with threaded bores 24b of the mirror pole
mounting plate 24 and bolts (not shown) are used to fasten the
plates 24, 25 together. It is noted that the intermediate plate 25
may be integral to the mirror pole mounting plate 24 if
desired.
[0089] The shell housing 10 may also be fastened to the
intermediate plate by way of bores 25b which align with long
standoffs 13.
[0090] The connecting plates 73, 93 (See FIGS. 6-9) of the first
and second mirror units 16, 18, respectively, are coupled to the
intermediate plate 25 using any of the known methods. Resultantly,
the mirror units 16, 18 are directly, rigidly and stiffly coupled
to the mirror pole 20 by way of the mirror pole mounting plate 24.
This ensures that the mirror units 16, 18 are anchored to as solid
a point as possible and that vibrations of the mirror units 16, 18
with respect to the shell housing 10 are eliminated or
minimized.
[0091] Reference is now made to FIGS. 8 and 14 in order to compare
the embodiment of FIG. 14 (which utilizes the mirror pole mounting
plate 24) with the embodiment of FIG. 8 (which couples the mirror
pole directly to the shell housing 10).
[0092] In the embodiment of FIG. 8 the mirror assemblies 16, 18 are
coupled to and supported directly by the shell housing 10. The
shell housing 10 is separately coupled to the mirror pole 20. Thus,
under some circumstances, undesirable movement (or vibration) may
develop between the mirror pole 20 and the mirror assemblies 16,
18. This is in part due to the semi-flexible nature of the shell
housing 10, particularly when the shell housing 10 is formed of
plastic.
[0093] Conversely, in the embodiment of FIG. 14, the mirror
assemblies 16, 18 (not shown) are coupled to the mirror pole
mounting plate 24, a rigid plate, which is fixedly mounted to the
mirror pole 20. Therefore, the shell housing 10 is not directly
supporting the mirror assemblies 16, 18, rather, it is the mirror
pole 20 which is directly coupled to and supports the mirror
assemblies 16, 18 by way of the mirror pole mounting plate 24. It
is noted that the mirror pole mounting plate 24 may be formed
integral to the mirror pole 20 if desired. Consequently, the mirror
assemblies 16, 18 are rigidly anchored to the mirror pole 20 and,
therefore, firmly coupled to the frame of the vehicle.
[0094] Significant, advantageous and important benefits ensue from
the present invention in that it is directly applicable to and
mountable on school buses. It is self evident as well as understood
that society and government are particularly anxious to provide
special safety features for our youngsters during their travels to
and from school. School buses are often operated by different
drivers and it is imperative that each driver carefully position
his/her school bus mirrors to ensure optimal viewing of the
movement of both pupils and vehicles in and about the school bus.
The present invention aids in achieving that objective in that it
allows easy and rapid adjustment of mirrors which plays a
significant roll in reducing accidents and protecting our
youngsters.
[0095] Thus, as described above, due to the telescoping tubes and
the hinged pivotal connections provided by means of the bolts 304
and 318, the present invention allows the mirror housing to move
when sufficient pressure is applied, by forcing out the dome pin
from the through holes, clearing the external and internal tubes
and allowing the tubes to slide telescopically relative to one
another in a manner which is readily understood from the
drawings.
[0096] With reference to FIGS. 16-20, there is shown a bus body 300
with mounting surface 301 and 303 and with a mirror assembly
support structure mounted to the surface 301 in a manner which
supports a mirror shell housing 10 described heretofore. These
Figures further illustrate a telescopic arm 312 which has one end
that is hingedly or pivotally connected to a flange 302 that is
connected to the side surface 303 of the bus 300. To this end, as
shown in FIG. 19, the telescopic arms has as an end sleeve 306 with
a corresponding hole which is aligned with a hole formed in the
flange 302 through which a bolt 304 or the like provides a pivotal
connection. The telescopic arm has an external tube 308 and an
internal tube 310 which slide within one another as further
illustrated in FIG. 20. The other end of the telescopic arm 312 is
connected by a similar bolt, screw or the like 318 to a sleeve 316
which grips the support structure for the shell housing.
[0097] With reference to FIG. 20, the external tube 308 and the
internal tube 310 are fixed relative to one another by a dome pin
322 which penetrates through openings 324 in the external and
internal tubes. A spring wire 320 biases the dome pin 322 in a
normal position which releasably locks the external and internal
tubes. The normal position of the telescopic support brace 312 is
shown in FIG. 16 with the mirror housing positioned for the proper
viewing by the bus driver. FIG. 17 shows an arrow 326 which
indicates the direction of force when the mirror assembly becomes
extended due to a collision with an obstacle. FIG. 18 on the other
hand shows the direction of force along arrow 328 which compresses
the telescopic support brace 312 as shown.
[0098] With further reference to the drawings, FIGS. 16-18
illustrate the mirror assembly support structure and shell housing
described in the prior application mounted on a bus and further
illustrates a telescopic arm which has one end that is hingedly or
pivotably connected to a flange connected to the bus. The other end
of the telescopic arm is similarly hingedly connected to the
support arm for the shell housing (or the shell housing itself).
FIG. 16 shows a normal position of the shell housing, while FIGS.
17 and 18 show an out-of-position orientation of the shell housing
due to either a collision or the desire of a bus driver or operator
to place the mirror at a different location. In FIG. 17, the
telescopic arm is extended to accommodate the movement of the
mirror shell housing away from the bus while in FIG. 18 the
telescopic arm accommodates movement of the shell housing toward
the bus.
[0099] FIG. 19 shows the telescopic arm including its connection to
the support structure for the shell housing. FIG. 20 is a cross
section through the length of a portion of the telescopic arm and
shows a spring wire which is mounted to frictionally engage the
interior surfaces of the internal tube of the telescopic arm and
which includes one end which engages a dome pin that protrudes
through a hole that is formed through both the internal and
external outer tubes of the telescopic arm. When sufficient
pressure is applied, the dome pin will be forced out of the through
hole, clearing the internal and external tubes to allow the
internal and external tubes to slide telescopically relative to one
another in a manner which is readily understood from the
drawings.
[0100] Although the present invention has been described in
relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations
and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those
skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present
invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but
only by the appended claims.
* * * * *