Abstract:
A mirror mount includes a one-piece molecularly continuous base member and a mirror arm. The mirror arm fastens a mirror to the base member. The base member may also have first and second ends, a side portion, and a reinforcement. The side portion extends between the first and second ends. The first end is generally vertical when the base member is affixed to a fender, and the first end receives a generally horizontal fastener that passes through the first end, through two portions of the fender, and into the base member so as to fasten the base member to the fender. The side portion has a contour that generally follows a profile of the fender. The reinforcement reinforces the first end.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The apparatus disclosed herein relates to a mirror mount such as mirror mount that mounts a mirror to the fender of a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Mirrors mounted on fenders of vehicles such as buses and trucks are well known. These mirrors are typically mounted using a plurality of mirror support arms that form a mounting frame in which some of the arms in the frame are fastened to the fender of the vehicle and some of the arms in the frame are fastened to the mirror. 
         [0003]    It is also known to mount a mirror to the fender of a vehicle using a base member that is clamped to the vehicle at the fender. The base member is generally in the shape of an L that wraps around or hugs the exterior of the fender. A bracket has a first end that is fastened such as by screws or bolts to the upper portion of the base member and a second end that extends under the hood of the vehicle to clamp the upper portion of the base member to the vehicle. Straps clamp the lower portion of the base member to the vehicle such as by use of the wheel well. 
         [0004]    As is obvious, the second end of the bracket can be bolted or screwed to the vehicle frame under the hood in order to add strength to this mount. It is also known to bolt or screw the lower portion of the base member to the fender. 
         [0005]    These mounting arrangements lack sufficient stiffness for a rugged and stable mirror mount. They also lack strength and do not add to fender stability and driver visibility. 
         [0006]    The present invention overcomes one or more of these or other problems. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a mirror mount that mounts a mirror to a fender of a vehicle; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a base member of the mirror mount of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is another isometric view of the base member of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a back view of the base member of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the base member of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the base member of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is still another isometric view of the base member of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view showing the base member attached to a fender; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is cut away view showing the attachment of the base member to a fender; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  illustrates an exploded view pivot assembly that mounts the mirror arm to the pivot support; and, 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  illustrates a cross section of the assembled pivot assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a mirror mount  10  includes a base member  12  that mounts a mirror  14  to the fender  16  of a vehicle  18 . A mirror support arm  20  has one of its end suitably fastened to the mirror  14  and another of its ends pivotally attached to the base member  12  by way of a pivot  22 . 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIGS. 2-9 , the base member  12  has an interior contour  24  that generally follows the profile of the fender  16  to hug the fender  16  when the base member  12  is applied to the vehicle  18 . The base member  12  has an end  26  that extends into the compartment of the vehicle  18  under a hood  28  of the vehicle  18  between the hood  28  and the fender  16 . The end  26  has holes  30  and  32  to receive fasteners such as screws or bolts to fasten the end  26  to the vehicle  18  as more fully explained below. Thus, when the base member is affixed to the fender  16 , the end  26  extends generally in a downward, vertical direction and the holes  30  and  32  are generally horizontal. 
         [0020]    The base member  12  has a further end  34  that extends down alongside the exterior of the fender  16 . The end  34  has holes  36  and  38  to receive fasteners such as screws or bolts to fasten the end  34  to the fender  16  of the vehicle  18 . 
         [0021]    The base member  12  has a top portion  40  that rests on the top of the fender  16  and that is integrally formed with the end  26 . The base member  12  includes ribs  42  that are formed between the end  26  and the top portion  40 . The ribs  42  are reinforcing ribs that improve the stiffness of the mirror mount  10  over the known mirror mounts described above. The ribs  42  are integrally formed with top portion  40  and the end  26 . 
         [0022]    The base member  12  also has a side portion  44  that extends along the exterior of the fender  16  in a downward direction and generally closely profiles the exterior contour of the fender  16 . The side portion  44  is integrally formed with the end  34  and the top portion  40 . 
         [0023]    The base member  12  includes a pivot support  46  that supports the pivot  22  attaching the mirror support arm  20  to the base member  12 . 
         [0024]    The pivot support  46  is integrally formed with the other portions of the base member  12  described herein so that the base member  12  is molecularly continuous. For example, the base member  12  may be a one-piece cast member. 
         [0025]    The base member  12  has a neck  48  near the pivot support  46 . The pivot  22  is suitably affixed to the pivot support  46  and pivots within the curvature of the neck  48  so that the mirror  14  can be pivoted between a viewing position as shown in  FIG. 1  where the mirror  14  provides a rear facing view and a retracted position. 
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , the end  26  of the base member  12  extends between the fender  16  and the hood  28  and partially into the engine compartment of the vehicle  18 . Screws or bolts  50  and  52  extend through the holes  30  and  32  in order to affix the end  26  of the base member  12  to the fender  16 . Also, screws or bolts  54  and  56  extend through the holes  36  and  38  in order to affix the end  34  of the base member  12  to the fender  16 . 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 9 , the fender  16  includes a generally horizontal portion  58  that is suitably screwed or bolted to a frame  60  of the vehicle  18  under the hood  28 , a generally vertical portion  62  that extends alongside the hood  28  from the generally horizontal portion  58 , and a curved exterior portion  64 . The screw or bolt  50  is screwed or bolted through the generally vertical portion  62 , through the curved exterior portion  64 , and into a column  66  formed as an integral part of the base member  12 . Although not shown, the screw or bolt  52  is similarly screwed or bolted through the generally vertical portion  62 , through the curved exterior portion  64 , and into a column  68  formed as an integral part of the base member  12 . Thus, the screws or bolts  50  and  52  extend through the holes  30  and  32 , through the two portions  62  and  64  of the fender, and into the columns  66  and  68  of the side portion  44  in order to affix the end  26  of the base member  12  to the fender  16 . 
         [0028]    In this manner, the base member  12  at the end  26  is clamped to the fender  16 . This cross bolt feature provided by the screws or bolts  50  and  52  trap the fender  16  against the contour  24  of the base member  12  to strengthen and stabilize the fender  16  at the top portion of the base member  12 . The one piece base member  12  closely profiles the fender  16 . The reinforcing ribs  42  improves the stiffness of the base member  12  over current two piece designs to provide a rugged and stable mirror mount. The combination of the cross bolt feature and the one piece design of the base member  12  provide improved fender stability and, therefore, improved mirror stability and driver visibility over current two piece designs. 
         [0029]    A pivot post  80  is assembled into a base  82  of the pivot support  46 . The pivot post  80  includes a post  84 , and a downwardly directed face  86 , and an upwardly directed face  88 . The downwardly directed face  86  and the base  82  include aligning serrated teeth. The serrated teeth of the downwardly directed face  86  and the base  82  align in a pre-determined orientation. This pre-determined orientation sets the pivot post  80  in its home position location and prevents rotation of the pivot post  80  when cycling with the mating of these teeth serrations. This pre-determined home position places the mirror support arm  20  and the mirror  14  in the proper viewing position. The serration teeth in both the pivot post  80  and the base  82 , for example, may be equally spaced, such as every 6 degrees which would allow adjustment in 6 degree increments of the home position, if required. 
         [0030]    The bottom of the pivot  22  and the upwardly directed face  88  include ramps that mate when the pivot  22  is placed over the post  84  of the pivot post  80 , the mating ramps aligning for proper assembly position. 
         [0031]    A wear washer  90  and a tension spring  92  are placed inside the pivot  22  so that the wear washer  90  and the tension spring  92  are placed concentrically over the post  84  of the pivot post  80 . A coating of lubricating grease may be applied between the mating ramps of the bottom of the pivot  22  and the upwardly directed face  88  and may be applied at both ends of the tension spring  92  prior to assembly to minimize cycle rotation wear. 
         [0032]    A pivot cap  94  is then placed on top of the tension spring  92  such that a pivot bolt  96  extends through the pivot support  46  and the pivot base  80  and is threaded into the pivot cap  94 , which is tightened down on the pivot bolt  96  to an internal stop feature within a pre-determined torque range. This action compresses the tension spring  92  to produce proper force between the mating ramps of the pivot post  80  and the pivot  22 . 
         [0033]    Accordingly, the mirror support arm  20  and the mirror  14  can be rotated from the home position to the most forward or rearward positions, causing the ramps of the pivot  22  and the upwardly directed face  88  of the pivot post  80  to ride out and separate. When the mirror support arm  20  and the mirror  14  are rotated back to the original viewing position, the mirror support arm  20  will snap back into its original ramp alignment and home position. 
         [0034]    Modifications of the present invention will occur to those practicing in the art of the present invention. Accordingly, the description of the present invention is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims is reserved.