Remote control device for outside rearview mirror adjustable from inside of a motor vehicle

Remote control device for outside rearview mirrors adjustable from inside a vehicle by means of a cable transmission, comprising a body in which the cables are guided in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the said body. The body 1 is fitted on the vehicle door with its longitudinal axis XX.sub.1 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and the semi-spherical control member 8 is integral with an operating lever 14 perpendicular to the axis of the said semi-spherical member 8 and extending inside the vehicle at right angle with the longitudinal axis of the body 1 when the said semi-spherical member is in the neutral position, the said body being provided with openings 16, 17, 17a the edges of which ensure the guiding of the operating lever and of the semi-spherical control member. The invention is used for the remote control of rearview mirrors.

For controlling an outside rearview mirror from inside a vehicle, it is 
known to use devices such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,245 
wherein the mirror is pivotally mounted in a casing by means of a ball 
joint connected by three transmission cables to a control means 
constituted by a ball joint provided with a control lever. The control 
device which is generally mounted on the door panel of the vehicle is 
arranged in such a way that, in its neutral position, the axis of the 
control lever is parallel to the transmission cables at their outlet from 
the said device, and perpendicular or substantially so to the window. 
In large-sized vehicles, the outlines of the doors are very thick, which 
makes it possible to fit the said control device on the door panel without 
any difficulty. But, in the standard-size vehicles, the outline of the 
door being thinner, it is virtually impossible, due to the space length 
required by the said control device, to fit it on the door panel because 
of the position of the transmission cables at their outlet from the device 
and which come into abutment against the door window. 
To overcome this cramped situation and reduce the space required by the 
control device in the inside part of the vehicle door, between the outer 
panel thereof and the window, control devices have been designed which are 
described in particular in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,552,228, 3,719,105 and 
3,838,608. 
Said control devices are mounted on the door panel in such a way that the 
axis of the operating lever is always at right angle with the window when 
in the neutral position whereas the axis of the transmission members at 
their outlet from the device is parallel to the window. 
To this end, the cables which are fixed to the ball and socket integral 
with the operating lever are subjected in the body of the control device, 
to a change of direction of an angle substantially equal to 90.degree.. 
However, such a change in the direction of the cables involve harmful 
frictions in the transmission thereby necessitating an increase of the 
manoeuvering force with respect to the direct control indicated above. 
Also, there could result a faster wear of the cables in their sheath. 
According to the present invention, a remote control device is used for 
outside rearview mirrors adjustable from inside the vehicle by means of a 
cable transmission, comprising a body in which the cables are guided in 
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the said body which is provided with 
a spherical housing against which rests a semi-spherical control member 
which is fast with one of the cable ends, wherein the said member is 
fitted on the vehicle door with its longitudinal axis parallel to the 
longitudinal axis of the vehicle and wherein the semi-spherical control 
member is fast with an operating lever which is perpendicular to the axis 
of the said semi-spherical member and extending inside the said vehicle at 
right angle with the longitudinal axis of the body when the said 
semi-spherical member is in the neutral position, said body being provided 
with openings whose edges ensure the guiding of the operating lever and of 
the semi-spherical control member. 
This arrangement makes it possible to use an operating lever whose axis is 
perpendicular to the window when the spherical control member is in 
neutral and to dispose the axis of the transmission cables at their outlet 
from the device, in parallel to the window. 
The transmission cables, on the contrary, are mounted directly on the ball 
and socket as in U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,245, without necessitating any 
detrimental change of direction. 
According to one characteristic of the invention, the semi-spherical 
control member is provided in its spherical part, with a truncated 
cone-shaped cavity of quadrangular cross-section in which is engaged one 
of the ends of the central rod mounted on the body, so that the 
semi-spherical member and next, the mirror, are guided along a 
quadrangular movement. 
It is possible with this arrangement to obtain a displacement of the mirror 
along a quadrangular path, which is impossible to obtain with the known 
devices. 
According to another characteristic of the invention, the body is provided 
with a groove whose axis is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the said 
body and in which the operating lever, integral with the semi-spherical 
control member is mounted to slide and to pivot about its axis. 
It has been noted that the operating lever can operate in the same way with 
a longitudinal guide means situated, not in the body, but rather in the 
decorative flange mounted on the body and resting on the inside lining of 
the door. 
According to another characteristic, there is provided on the lever a 
toothed ring wedged thereon and meshing with differential pinions driven 
in rotation by a planetary pinion, integral with an operating knob which 
is fast with the said decorative flange. The object of this arrangement is 
to reduce the control in rotation of the operating knob actuating the 
operating lever and to obtain a control which requires much less power to 
actuate the operating knob, and a more accurate adjustment of the mirror.

The control device according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is 
intended to ensure the remote control of a mirror, not shown, pivotally 
mounted in a casing by means of a ball joint or the like, connected by 
three transmission cables to the said control device. 
The part corresponding to the fitting of the mirror in its casing which is 
well known, will neither be described nor shown, but mention will be made 
throughout the description, of the position of the mirror which can move 
in a "sky-to-ground" direction or in a "left-to-right" direction, said 
directions corresponding to movements of the control lever of said device. 
FIGS. 1 to 4 show one embodiment of the control device which comprises a 
cylindrical body 1, mounted on the inside panel plate 2 of a vehicle door 
by means of a flat part provided with a tapped hole 3 in which is engaged 
a fastening screw 4 on the plate 2 provided with a hole into which is 
engaged an indexing lug 5 formed in the body 1, so that said body 1 is 
positioned between the window 6 (FIG. 4) and the plate 2 with its 
longitudinal axis XX.sub.1 parallel to the axis of the vehicle, the wheels 
of which rest on the ground 7. 
The body 1 is provided at one of its ends, with a spherical housing 1a 
(FIG. 3) in which a semi-spherical control member 8 is mounted to 
oscillate (FIGS. 3 and 6), which member has a plane face 8a comprising 
slots 8b in which are engaged transmission cables 9, 10, 11, which cables 
are provided at their ends with bosses 12 resting against the plane face 
8a of the control member 8 and are connected at their other end to the 
means provided for pivoting the mirror, which means is not shown in the 
drawing. 
The cables 8, 9, 10 are placed in parallel to the axis XX.sub.1 of the body 
in passages 13 one of which at least is provided with a slot 13a 
communicating with the outside. 
At right angle with the axis of the semi-spherical control member 8, there 
is mounted on the latter an operating lever 14 which extends inside the 
vehicle beyond the lining 15 of the door along a direction perpendicular 
to the axis XX.sub.1 of the body when the semi-spherical control member 8 
is in the neutral position O, i.e. when its axis merges with the axis 
XX.sub.1. The operating lever 14 extends outside the body 1 by an opening 
16 of quadrangular shape. 
On either side of the said opening 16 there are provided two diametrically 
opposed openings 17, 17a (FIG. 8) inside which move studs 18, 18a integral 
with the semi-spherical member 8, against helical gradients 19 of the said 
openings thereby converting the rectilinear movement of the lever 14 into 
a pivoting movement of the spherical member 8 as shown in FIGS. 9a and 9d. 
Co-axially to the axis XX.sub.1, there is mounted in the body 1, a rod 20, 
one of the ends 20a of which extends inside a truncated cone-shaped cavity 
21 of quadrangular cross-section provided in the spherical portion of the 
semi-spherical member, so that the said member and as a result, the 
mirror, are guided along a quadrangular path. 
On the rod 20 on the side opposite the semi-spherical member 8, is slidably 
mounted a stop washer 22 (FIGS 1,2,3 and 5) provided with openings 23 for 
the free passage of the cables 9, 10, 11 whose sheaths 24 are supported on 
the said stop washer 22 against the action of a spring 25 provided around 
the rod 20 and resting respectively against the body 1 and against the 
washer 22. This arrangement makes it possible to control the tension on 
each cable and the breaking of the semi-spherical member 8 in its housing 
1a. 
A special way to assemble the cables 10 and 11 is prescribed in order to 
allow the control of their tension and tapped holes 23a , 23b, are 
provided in the washer to this effect, in which holes are screwed sleeves 
26 allowing the free passage of the cables 10, 11 and against which rests 
the sheaths 24a of the said cables. 
Between the door panel 15 and the control device, there is provided a 
bellows 27 made of resilient material whose central portion is extended by 
a tubular part 27a covering up the operating lever 14 which extends inside 
the vehicle and the peripheral edge of which is provided with a groove 27b 
in which is engaged the edge of the door panel 15. 
FIG. 10 shows a variant way to assemble the body 1 on the panel 2 wherein 
the screw 4 was replaced by a tubular extension 28 of the body 1 in which 
is engaged the operating lever 14 the said extension 28 being mounted in a 
hole 29 of the panel plate of the car door on which is fastened the body 1 
by means of a nut 30 screwed on a threaded portion of the tubular 
extension 28. A decorative protection member 31 placed between the lining 
panel 15 and the control device is screwed on the threaded part of the 
tubular extension 28. 
The control device according to the invention operates as follows: 
To obtain the "sky-to-ground" movement of the mirror, the lever 14 which is 
initially in the neutral position O (FIGS. 4 and 9a to 9d) is actuated and 
brought to the position A or to the position B. 
During this rectilinear vertical displacement of the lever 14, the 
semi-spherical control member 8 is guided by means of radial studs 18, 18a 
which are in contact with helical gradients 19 of the openings 17, 17a of 
the body 1. As a result, the rectilinear movement of the lever 14 is 
converted into a rotation movement of the control member 8, which acts on 
the cables 10 and 11, connected to the support of the mirror, in order to 
urge same with a "sky-to-ground" movement. 
To obtain the "left-to-right" movement of the mirror, the lever 14, 
initially in the neutral position O (FIG. 3) is actuated in order to bring 
it to the position C or to the position D. During this rectilinear and 
horizontal displacement of the lever, the control member 8 rotates about 
the axis perpendicular to the axis XX.sub.1, i.e. along the axis of the 
radial studs 18, 18a. There results therefrom an action on the cables 9, 
10, 11 which are connected to the mirror support in order to act on same 
with a "left-to-right" movement. The displacement of the semi-spherical 
control member 8 is defined in both cases by the action of the rod 20 on 
the faces of the truncated cone-shaped housing 21 thereby giving a square 
or quadrangular course to the member 8 and to the mirror. 
FIGS. 11 to 15 show a variant embodiment of the rearview mirror control 
device according to the invention which is arranged in the same way and 
which is composed of the same members as those previously described. 
However, the guiding of the semi-spherical member in the body has been 
modified in that the studs 18, 18a have been removed as well as the 
openings 17, 17a in the body. 
In this case, there is provided in the body 1 a groove or slot 32 whose 
axis is parallel to the longitudinal axis XX.sub.1 of the said body and in 
which the lever 14 is mounted to slide and to pivot about its axis, which 
lever comprises at its end, a knob 33 of quadrangular cross-section to 
facilitate the gripping in rotation. 
As shown in FIG. 14, all three passages 13 for the cables 9, 10, 11 in the 
body are provided with a slot 13a for introducing the said cables into 
their passages. 
In this embodiment, the semi-spherical member 8 is guided only from the 
groove 32 provided in the body. 
In order to obtain the "sky-to-ground" movement of the mirror, the knob 33 
of the lever 14 is actuated, said lever being initially in the neutral 
position O, so as to bring said knob to the position A or to the position 
B by rotation along arrow F2 about the axis of the lever 14. 
During this rotational movement of the lever 14, the semi-spherical member 
8 acts on the cables 10 and 11 connected to the mirror support, in order 
to urge it with a "sky-to-ground" movement. 
To obtain the "left-to-right" movement of the mirror, the knob of the lever 
14 initially in the neutral position O, is actuated and brought to the 
position C or to the position D. During this rectilinear and horizontal 
movement of the lever 14 guided in the groove 32, the control member 8 is 
rotated along an axis perpendicular to the axis XX.sub.1 and there results 
therefrom an action on the cables 9, 10, 11 which cables act on the mirror 
support in order to move it according to a "left-to-right" movement. 
FIG. 16 shows a variant embodiment of the device shown in FIG. 11, wherein 
the semi-spherical member 8 is provided with two studs 18, 18a which are 
mounted to slide and to pivot in the grooves 34 of the body 1 whose axes 
are parallel to the axis XX.sub.1 of the said body. 
FIGS. 17, 18 and 19 show an embodiment of the rearview mirror remote 
control device similar to the one indicated hereinabove and comprising a 
body 1 provided with a semi-spherical housing in which a semi-spherical 
control member 8 is mounted to oscillably mounted, and on which member are 
fastened by one of their other end to the mirror pivoting means. 
Sideways, the body 1 is provided with an extension 28 which is engaged in a 
hole 29 of a door panel plate 2 with interposition of a support plate 35, 
the said extension 28 having a threaded portion on which is screwed a nut 
36 retaining a crosspiece 37 in position of abutment against the plate 2, 
which crosspiece crosses through the lining 15 of the door and is 
supported by the latter. 
On said crosspiece 37 is secured a decorative piece 38 mounted for example 
by clipping and provided with a groove 39 whose axis is parallel to the 
longitudinal axis of the body 1 and in which an operating lever 14 is 
mounted to slide and to pivot about its axis, said lever 14 being at one 
of its ends integral with the semi-spherical control member 8 and of which 
the other end extending outside the decorative piece is provided with an 
actuating knob. 
This arrangement makes it possible to act on the semi-spherical control 
member by removing the groove on the body 1. 
FIGS. 20, 21, 22 show a variant embodiment wherein a reduction is 
interposed between the actuating knob and the rod 14 to facilitate the 
rotation movement. 
At one end of the rod 14 opposite the semi-spherical member 8, there is 
provided a flat piece 41 on which is engaged a toothed wheel 42 whose 
inner teeth 42a mesh with satellite pinions 43 rotatably mounted on the 
axes 44 of a planet-holder 45 comprising two lugs 45a, 45b engaged in a 
groove 46 provided on the outer face of the decorative piece 38. Said 
arrangement permits to immobilize the planet holder 45 with respect to the 
decorative piece 38. 
The satellite pinions 43 mesh with a planetary or central pinion 47 which 
is fast with an actuating knob 48 and which is mounted for free rotation 
on the end of the axis 14 which is provided with a cylindrical part coming 
next to the flat portion 41. 
The knob 48 is held in position by means of a circular groove 49 which is 
engaged in a corresponding groove provided on the planet-holder 45. 
To set the rod 14 in rotation, it is necessary to actuate the knob 48 whose 
planetary pinion 47 drives, by means of the satellite pinions 43, the 
toothed wheel 42 which is fast with the axis 14. As a result, a reduction 
occurs between the actuating knob 48 and the axis 14 ensuring an easier 
operation. 
Various modifications may of course be made by any one skilled in the art 
to the processes or devices hereinabove described, by way of example only 
and not restrictively, without departing from the scope of the invention.