Patent ID: 6530110
Filing Date: 2003-03-11
Classification: B60R,B60S

Abstract:
A mirror cleaning system for washing and wiping side view mirrors of trucks and like vehicles comprising, in combination:a mirror having an exposed front surface with a long vertically extending interior side edge and parallel exterior side edge with a short horizontally extending top edge and a short horizontally extending bottom edge; a mirror support assembly having a horizontally extending top plate with an aperture formed therein and a parallel bottom plate with a back plate coupled thereto forming an enclosure, the top and bottom plates supporting the mirror and with a first side plate and a second side plate, and with brackets secured to the support assembly for coupling to a vehicle; a pair of drive assemblies positioned on each side of the mirror within the support assembly, each drive assembly having an upper pulley fixedly positioned in proximity with the top plate of the support assembly and a lower pulley fixedly positioned in proximity with the bottom plate of the support assembly, each upper drive pulley operatively coupled with an associated lower pulley with one of a pair of toothed belts spanning the associated pulley; a drive shaft coupling the top pulleys of each drive assembly to effect concurrent rotation; a speed reducer supported adjacent one of the upper drive pulleys and coupled to the shaft adjacent one of the drive pulleys; an electric motor coupled with said speed reducer supported upon the back plate beneath the speed reducer and adapted to be coupled by a wire to a source of electricity; a pair of cam lobes coupled to the shaft for rotation therewith and located adjacent the speed reducer; a pair of limit switches mounted to the back plate adjacent the cam lobes for periodic contacts therewith; a hollow cross piece with an open end block and a closed end block, the end blocks each adapted to receive and ride upon one of the toothed belts, and with an axial recess facing the mirror, and including a supported double bladed elongated wiper arm of an elastomeric material in sliding contact with the front surface of the mirror for cleaning purposes during reciprocation of the cross piece, the wiper arm being supported along its length by the recess, the cross piece having a pair of apertures spaced along the length thereof for spraying a cleaning fluid onto the surface of the mirror; and a length of hollow flexible tubing having a first end adapted to be coupled to a source of pressurized cleaning fluid exterior of the mirror support assembly, an intermediate extent passing through the aperture in the top plate of the mirror assembly and formed in a loop within the first side plate of the support assembly, and a second end coupled to the open end block of the cross piece adapted to deliver a supply of cleaning fluid to and through the cross piece onto the mirror.