Automatic tilting side view mirror

An automatic tilting side view mirror comprising a housing, a mirror pivotally connected to the housing, and a solenoid link pivotally connected to both the mirror and the housing. The solenoid link moves the mirror from a normal viewing position to its antiglare viewing position when the driver manually shifts the rear view mirror to an anti-glare viewing position or when the rear view mirror is automatically shifted to an anti-glare viewing position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to an automatic tilting side view mirror. More 
particularly, the invention relates to an external side view mirror for an 
automobile which shifts from a normal viewing position to an anti-glare 
viewing position when the automobile's interior rear view mirror is set to 
its anti-glare viewing position. 
Night driving can be very dangerous. Aside from the lack of visibility, a 
driver also has to deal with the veritable problem of glare. The 
headlights of an approaching vehicle can cause a glaring light to 
propagate from both the rear view mirror and the side view mirrors of an 
automobile. Aside from causing discomfort, this glare can be quite 
precarious because it can obstruct a driver's vision from road obstacles 
ahead. 
The prior art does not disclose a side view mirror which automatically acts 
to prevent the effects of glare. However, interior rear view mirrors with 
adjustable mirror surfaces that prevent some of the effects of glare have 
become known in the art. The conventional rear view mirror has a manual 
switch which selectively moves the rear view mirror between a normal 
viewing position and an anti-glare viewing position. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,404 to Greene et al. discloses an anti-glare rear view 
mirror which is manually operated by the driver using a switch located 
within the motor vehicle. Actuation of said switch causes the mirror to 
pivot between two predetermined operating positions to provide high and 
low brightness images. The mirror is supported by a housing for pivotal 
motion. Two permanent magnets are secured to the rear surface of the 
mirror. An adjustable plate is also supported by the housing. Two 
solenoids are secured to a front surface of the adjustable plate in 
opposed relationship to the permanent magnets. When the switch is actuated 
by the driver the solenoids energize and attract the magnets on the back 
surface of the mirror thereby shifting the mirror into a anti-glare 
viewing position. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,856 to Wainright also discloses an interior rear view 
mirror device having a mirror element which pivots from a normal position 
to an anti-glare position in response to headlight glare. However, the 
pivoting of the mirror is automatic. A photosensor located behind a partly 
silvered region of the mirror glass measures the intensity of light at the 
mirror surface. In response to an overly bright light, the photosensor 
actuates a solenoid in the housing which shifts the mirror into an 
anti-glare viewing position. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,650 Stewart et al. discloses a rear view mirror which 
also senses glare by means of a photosensor. However, the mirror glass is 
shifted to an anti-glare position by means of an annular cam formation 
attached between a mirror and a housing. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,436 to Armbruster discloses an anti-glare rear view 
mirror which is manually operated by the driver by means of a 
feather-touch switch secured to the rear view mirror. 
A disadvantage of the conventional side view mirror is that it operates 
independent of the rear view mirror. If the rear view mirror is set to an 
anti-glare viewing position the side view mirrors will remain in their 
original position and will continue to reflect an annoying and dangerous 
glare. The above mentioned problem may be eased in part by manually moving 
each of the side view mirrors to divert the glare. However, doing so while 
driving without the aid of a passenger is practically impossible. 
Electrically controlled side view mirrors can be adjusted manually each 
time the driver senses a glare, however, this would require the driver to 
stop the vehicle to readjust the mirrors. Further, the two side view 
mirrors must normally be adjusted separately. Attempting to readjust the 
side view mirrors while driving can be very dangerous because it diverts 
the drivers attention away from the road. 
While the conventional side view mirror systems may be suitable for the 
particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as 
suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention to produce a side view mirror which 
prevents the effects of glare. 
It is another object of the invention to produce a side view mirror which 
automatically shifts from a normal viewing position to an anti-glare 
viewing position when the automobile's interior rear view mirror is 
manually shifted into an anti-glare viewing position. 
It is another object of the invention to produce a side view mirror which 
cooperates with an automatic anti-glare rear view mirror to prevent the 
effects of glare. 
The invention is an automatic tilting side view mirror comprising a 
housing, a mirror pivotally connected to the housing, and a solenoid link 
pivotally connected to both the mirror and the housing. The solenoid link 
moves the mirror from a normal viewing position to its antiglare viewing 
position when the driver manually shifts the rear view mirror to an 
anti-glare viewing position or when the rear view mirror is automatically 
shifted to an anti-glare viewing position. 
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be 
embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention 
is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. 
Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 illustrates an automatic tilting side view mirror apparatus 10 
comprising a side view mirror having anti-glare capability 20 and a 
concave housing 12. The housing is secured to the exterior of a vehicle by 
means of a housing attachment 18. 
As illustrated in FIG. 2 the concave housing 12 has an open end 13, a 
housing inner surface 14 and a housing inner surface bracket 16. The 
housing inner surface bracket 16 has a housing inner surface bracket bore 
17. The mirror 20 has a top end 20A, a bottom end 20B, a mirror inner 
surface 22, a mirror inner surface top bracket 24 having a mirror inner 
surface top bracket bore 26, and a mirror inner surface bottom bracket 28 
having a mirror inner surface bottom bracket bore 30. The mirror inner 
surface bottom bracket 28 and the mirror inner surface top bracket 24 
project from the mirror inner surface 22 and are spaced a predetermined 
distance apart. The mirror inner surface bottom bracket 28 is attached to 
the housing 12 by a first pivot pin 32 for pivotal motion between two 
predetermined operating positions to provide images of varying brightness. 
A solenoid link 38 attaches between the mirror inner surface top bracket 
24 and the housing inner surface bracket 16. The solenoid link 38 has a 
solenoid link plunger top portion bore 44 and a solenoid link bottom end 
portion bore 50. A second pivot pin 34 is snapped into both the mirror 
inner surface top bracket bore 26 and the solenoid link plunger top 
portion bore 44. Said second pivot pin 34 attaches the solenoid link 38 to 
the mirror 20 allowing the two elements to pivot relative to each other. A 
third pivot pin 36 is snapped into both the solenoid link bottom end 
portion bore 50 and the housing inner surface bracket bore 17. Said third 
pivot pin 36 attaches the solenoid link 38 to the housing 12 allowing the 
two elements to pivot relative to each other. The mirror inner surface top 
bracket 24 and the housing inner surface bracket 16 lie in the same plane. 
To produce the desired anti-glare effect, the side-view mirror must face 
toward a dark surface. The embodiment of the invention as previously 
discussed has the side view mirror facing upward towards the dark sky in 
the anti-glare position. Alternatively, the mirror can pivot on the top 
and face downward in the ant-glare position facing the dark road surface 
as shown in FIG. 3. 
FIG. 4 illustrates the solenoid link 38 having a solenoid link plunger 40, 
a solenoid link solenoid 54, a solenoid link top end portion 56, and a 
solenoid link bottom end portion 48. The solenoid link solenoid 54 has a 
solenoid link solenoid bore 55. The solenoid link top end portion 56 has a 
solenoid link top end portion bottom surface 60 and a solenoid link top 
end portion bore 58. The solenoid link solenoid 54 envelopes a solenoid 
link compression spring 61 and the solenoid link plunger 40. The solenoid 
link plunger 40 has a solenoid link plunger top portion 42 and a solenoid 
link plunger bottom portion 46. The solenoid link plunger bottom portion 
46 has a solenoid link plunger bottom portion top surface 47 and a 
solenoid link plunger bottom portion bottom surface 51. The solenoid link 
plunger bottom portion 46 has a larger diameter than the solenoid link 
plunger top portion 42. The solenoid link plunger bottom portion 46 has a 
smaller diameter than the diameter of the solenoid link solenoid bore 55. 
The solenoid link plunger bottom portion 46 is contained within the 
solenoid link solenoid bore 55 between the solenoid link top end portion 
bottom surface 60 and the solenoid link bottom end portion 48. The 
solenoid link compression spring 61 is located inside the solenoid link 
solenoid bore 55 between the solenoid link plunger bottom portion 46 and 
the solenoid link bottom end portion 48. The solenoid link compression 
spring 61 contacts the solenoid link plunger bottom portion bottom surface 
51 and maintains contact between the solenoid link plunger bottom portion 
top surface 47 and the solenoid link top end portion bottom surface 60. 
When the solenoid link plunger bottom portion top surface 47 and the 
solenoid link top end portion bottom surface 60 are in contact, as 
illustrated in FIG. 3, the mirror 20 is in the normal viewing position. 
When the solenoid link solenoid 54 is energized the solenoid link plunger 
40 is drawn towards the solenoid link bottom end portion 48 compressing 
the compression spring 61 and pivoting the mirror 20 about the second 
pivot pin 34 into an antiglare viewing position. 
FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of the major components of the automatic 
tilting side view mirror 10. A rear view mirror sensor 64 attached to a 
rear view mirror senses when the driver manually shifts the rear view 
mirror to an anti-glare viewing position or when the rear view mirror is 
automatically electronically shifted to an antiglare viewing position, and 
generates a rear view mirror movement signal 68. A control unit 62 is 
connected between the rear view mirror sensor 64 and the solenoid link 38. 
The control unit 62 generates a side view mirror movement signal 66 when 
the control unit 62 detects the rear view mirror movement signal 68. The 
solenoid link 38 shifts the mirror 20 into an anti-glare viewing position 
when it receives the side view mirror movement signal 66 from the control 
unit 62. 
In conclusion, herein is presented a system for automatically pivoting the 
side view mirrors of a vehicle when the rear view mirror is either 
manually or automatically moved to its antiglare position.