Patent ID: 6010222
Filing Date: 2000-01-04
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
In a vehicle mirror, of a vertically elongated generally rectangular type having a housing comprising a forward facing aerodynamically shaped exterior shell that terminates in a generally rectangular peripheral rearward trailing edge, and a rearwardly facing reflecting surface mounted in said housing, such that when a vehicle is moving in the forward direction there is laminar air flow over the forward facing aerodynamically shaped exterior shell, toward the rear of the vehicle, which laminar air flow separates from the aerodynamically shaped exterior shell at separation points forward of the rearward trailing edge, wherein the improvement comprises:said aerodynamically shaped exterior shell including a vehicle-side side wall adapted to be disposed adjacent the vehicle, and an outside-side side wall adapted to be disposed away from the vehicle;a boundary layer control device integral with and extending directly from said vehicle-side and outside-side side walls, such that there is no air space between said aerodynamically shaped exterior shell and said boundary layer control device, said boundary layer control device located slightly upstream of the separation points for the laminar air flow.