Abstract:
In some embodiments of outer rear-view mirrors, a mirror head ( 12 ) and a mirror base ( 11 ) are joined together in an articulated manner by a hinge ( 15, 16 ). The mirror head ( 12 ) can pivot out of a normal operational position in or against the travelling direction ( 10 ) and be fixed in the position swivelled against the travelling direction ( 10 ). For the outer rear-view mirror to be pivotable out of its normal operational position in or against the travelling direction ( 10 ), the intermediate joint ( 30 ) has two parallel joint axes arranged between the mirror base and the mirror head, and a U-shaped projection ( 37 ). The outer rear-view mirror is advantageously used in motor vehicles.

Description:
This patent application claims priority to a PCT Patent Application having application number PCT/EP2006/004283, claiming priority from a German patent application having application number DE 10 2005 021 757.5, filed on May 11, 2005. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention concerns an outside rear view mirror for motor vehicles. More particularly, the invention concerns an outside rear view mirror having a bidirectional pivot mechanism. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Outside rear view mirrors are known in the automotive field in which a mirror head and a mirror foot are hinged to each other on both sides via a hinge. It is possible by means of such a hinge for the mirror head to be pivoted from a normal operating position in or against the direction of travel. It is also known that the mirror head pivoted opposite the direction of travel must be securely locked in this pivoted position. Operation for this purpose can occur both by hand and by means of a motor. The outside rear view mirror should be held securely in the pivoted position, whereas operation as free from friction as possible and smooth is desired for the pivot process. 
     Such mirrors often use an intermediate articulation, which is connected on one side to pivot with the mirror foot and on the other side to pivot with the mirror head. These intermediate articulations, for reasons of stability, are generally made from metal (complex cast part structures) and have demanding bearing designs, stops and/or locking and fastening mechanisms. They require an installation space corresponding to their dimensions and are relatively heavy and cost-intensive to manufacture because of the metal design. The requirement for a mirror pivoted tightly against the vehicle and locked there is of considerable importance for the parking position of vehicles in close parking spaces or during passage during narrow gates. In addition, the hazard of injury to pedestrians by the retracted outside rear view mirrors is significantly reduced in parked vehicles. 
     The underlying task of the invention is to design the generic outside rear view mirror so that it can be pivoted in or against the direction of travel and is held in a secure parking position with limited force and can be pivoted back into the normal operating position, in which it is particularly compact and cost-effective to manufacture and satisfies all legal requirements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The intermediate articulation in the outside rear view mirror according to the invention has two parallel hinge axes that form the pivot axis of a front and rear hinge. The rear hinge in the travel direction can be pivoted in the mirror foot, the front hinge is mounted in the mirror head. Both arms are advantageously connected to each other via a connector whose shape follows the inside contour of the mirror foot and the mirror head. One of the hinge axes, preferably the rear hinge axis is advantageously provided with a U-shaped shoulder as pressure and sliding piece for a parking lock. The parking lock serves for a firm fastening of the mirror head in the normal operating position and in the position/parking position pivoted opposite the direction of travel. In the normal operating position the parking lock acts as a locking element and secures the mirror head from uncontrolled pivoting or oscillation, in which the parking lock forces the mirror head onto the mirror foot with continuous bias. During the pivot process into the parking position of the outside rear view mirror, the parking lock is pivoted from this locking position over the U-shaped shoulder and slides along a cam shape of the parking lock to a stop which corresponds to the parking position of the outside rear view mirror. 
     The U-shaped shoulder reduces friction between the parking lock and the support of the mirror head in that, in the plastic components (support, parking lock) of the U-shaped shoulder that come in contact when under load, the plastic components only touch linearly at two sites. To further reduce friction the U-shaped shoulder can be provided with an easily sliding coating. The U-shaped shoulder also has the task of transferring the force acting between the parking lock and the support and distributing it to the hinge axes. By this distribution of forces to several components and sections, damage or failure after frequent pivoting is reliably avoided. 
     Another variant represents the use of an additional securing element advantageously designed as a retaining clip to prevent overextension of the mirror head during a pivot movement forward in the direction of travel. In this case an additional, for example, U-shaped retaining clip is incorporated in the rear hinge receptacle to pivot together with the retaining clip acting as intermediate articulation. With its other end this additional retaining clip slides in an elongated hole of the support and because of its sliding possibility along the elongated hole it limits the pivot movement of the mirror head in the direction of travel. This additional retaining clip can be arranged in the internal region of the retaining clip forming the intermediate articulation. 
     Both retaining clips are simple bending parts made from a preferably non-corroding metal and can be produced simply and very cost effectively. The low weight and favorable distribution of the acting forces permits simple and less strongly dimensioned designs of the reinforcements and/or support sites in the mirror head and in the mirror foot. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Additional features of the invention are apparent from the additional claims, the description and the drawings. 
       The invention is further explained by mean of two practical examples depicted in the drawings. In the drawings 
         FIG. 1  shows a cross section through an outside rear view mirror in the deployed state opposite the direction of travel, 
         FIG. 2  shows a support with retaining clip, 
         FIG. 3  shows a section through the outside rear view mirror in the parking lock plane in the normal operating position, 
         FIG. 3   a  shows a top view of the retaining clip, 
         FIG. 3   b  shows a perspective view of  FIG. 3 , 
         FIG. 4  shows a section through the outside rear view mirror retracted in the direction of travel in the parking lock plane, 
         FIG. 4   a  shows a perspective view of  FIG. 4 , 
         FIG. 5  shows a section through the outside rear view mirror in the parking lock plane retracted relative to the direction of travel, 
         FIG. 5   a  shows a perspective view of  FIG. 5 , 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross section through the outside rear view mirror retracted in the direction of travel and a pivot limitation acting in the direction of travel, 
         FIG. 7  shows a cross section through an outside rear view mirror in the normal operating position and the resting pivot limitation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A cross section through an outside rear view mirror  5  in the state tilted opposite the travel direction  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The outside rear view mirror  5  consists essentially of the mirror head  12  and a mirror foot  11 , which is fastened in known fashion to a vehicle. The mirror head  12  is mounted to be tilted forward or rearward on mirror foot  11  in the direction of travel  10 . 
     The mirror head  12  has a housing  1  in which a mirror support  9  is arranged. It can be pivoted via an adjustment drive  6  and a gear mechanism  7  in the horizontal and/or vertical direction. The adjustment drive  6  is fastened in the rear area of the mirror  5  by common fastening devices, like screws, clips, etc. The gear mechanism  7  is firmly connected to a support  3  of the mirror head  12 . 
     A mounting space  31  for a retaining clip or hinge clip  30  is provided on the side of mirror head  12  facing mirror foot  11 . Mounting space  31  is limited essentially by a front housing wall  17  lying to the front in the direction of travel  10 , a rear housing wall  18  and a bottom  29  that connects the housing walls. A front support  19  and a rear support  20  are arranged adjacent to the two housing walls  17 ,  18 . The front support  19  has a front hinge  15 , which can engage in a front bearing  25  via a plug section  8  and a front hinge mount  27 . The rear support  20  is formed in the same manner. Here a rear hinge  16  is joined via the plug section  8  and a rear hinge mount  28  of a rear bearing  26 . 
     Continuing reference to  FIG. 1 , a partial section of an articulation wire  30  in the two hinges  15 ,  16  engages via the plug section  8  into a recess of bearings  25 ,  26  that accommodates the articulation wire  30 . Partial sections of the articulation wire  30  that are engaged here form a front and rear hinge/pivot legs  38 ,  39  ( FIG. 3 ), depending on the tilting direction of the mirror head  12 , around which the mirror head  12  can be pivoted relative to mirror foot  11 . 
     In the position of mirror head  12  according to  FIG. 1  the elements of the rear support  20  in the direction of travel  10  are engaged, in which case the rear hinge  16  is situated in the rear hinge mount  28 . If the mirror head  12  now pivots around this hinge  16 , removal of the mirror head  12  from the rear support  20  is prevented by the fact that the rear housing wall  18  of the mirror head  12  encloses the rear hinge mount  28 . This enclosure area becomes larger with increasing pivot angle of the mirror head  12 . 
     The rear hinge mount  28  is part of the rear bearing  26 , which in turn is designed as an L-shaped component in one piece with mirror foot  11 . If the mirror head  12  pivots rearward against the direction of travel  10 , the rear hinge  16  is forced into the rear hinge mount  28 . Reliable tilting/pivoting of the mirror head  12  is guaranteed merely by this type of movement. 
     Both bearings  25 ,  26  are designed in one piece with a bracket  2  of mirror foot  11 , from which they protrude vertically. Shoulders  4  are provided on mirror foot  11  on the side of bracket  2  opposite bearings  25 ,  26 . They are configured in their geometry so that they extend into corresponding recesses on the vehicle door or on another component attached to the vehicle and can be fastened. 
     A hinge axis  38 ,  39  is assigned to the hinges  15 ,  16  lying in the mounting space  31 , each of which are formed by a retaining clip segment or a wire section  32 ,  33  ( FIG. 3   a ). The sections  32 ,  33  are connected to each other by a connector  36 . The parallel running straight sections  32 ,  33 , which lie vertically relative to the outside rear view mirror  5 , and the connector  36  are designed in one piece with each other. 
     If the mirror head  12  tilts, as shown ( FIG. 1 ), opposite the direction of travel  10 , the pivot axis is formed by the rear hinge axis  39  of articulation wire  30 . The articulation wire  30  during such tilting of the mirror head  12  remains with its unengaged area in recess  31  of mirror head  12  during the entire pivot process. The articulation wire  30  therefore pivots in the same manner and same direction as mirror head  12 . During tilting in the direction of travel  10  of mirror head  12  the articulation wire  30  behaves in the opposite manner and remains essentially parallel to bracket  2 , positioned in both bearings  25 ,  26 . 
     As already mentioned, the bearings  25 ,  26  are one-piece L-shaped components molded onto bracket  2 . The free arm of the front bearing  25  points forward in the direction of travel  10 , whereas the free arm of the rear bearing  26  is aligned opposite the direction of travel  10 . In order to permit secure pivoting around the corresponding hinge legs  38 ,  39 , the corresponding retaining clip segment  38 ,  39  of articulation wire  30  engages in at least two L-shaped bearings  25 ,  26  lying one behind the other with spacing per pivot axis and side ( FIG. 2 ). Naturally several such L-shaped bearings  25 ,  26  per pivot axis and side can also be provided. If several L-shaped bearings  25 ,  26  are used in the rear or front support  20 ,  19 , the support forces are distributed over the number of corresponding L-shaped bearings  25 ,  26 . The design becomes more stable on this account and withstands greater loads. 
     A section through the outside rear view mirror  5  in the parking lock plane and in the normal operating position is shown in  FIG. 3 . In this section the essential components and design embodiments that were not shown in  FIG. 1  are depicted. 
     In the operating position or in the state tilted rearward in the direction of travel  10  the mirror head  12  must be securely fastenable in these positions. This fastening is necessary so that uncontrolled pivoting or oscillation of the mirror head  12  is prevented. Such a secured position is achieved by the use of a fastening component, the parking lock  45 . 
     In the normal operating position of the outside rear view mirror  5  the rear support  20  and the front support  19  are simultaneously engaged. The bottom  29  of the mounting space  31  is situated essentially in parallel alignment to bracket  2 , which in turn is again aligned essentially parallel to the corresponding mounting area of the vehicle. In order for lifting out of both or one of the supports  19 ,  20  to be prevented, the mirror head  12  is pulled with all its components into the bearings  25 ,  26  by at least one tension spring  40 . In this case, the straight articulation wire segments  32 ,  33  of the front and rear hinge legs  38 ,  39  are engaged with the bearings  25 ,  26  and transfer the pressure force that acts through tension spring  40 . 
     The tension spring  40  is suspended in a spring eye  46  of the parking lock  45 . Parking lock  45  serves as an intermediate element between tension spring  40  and bracket  2  and is mounted on bracket  2  with its slender end above a pivot axis  51 . Parking lock  45  has a cam-shaped shoulder  48  on its rear side in the direction of travel  10 , which is designed straight on the side facing pivot axis  51  and curved on the side facing spring  40 . The straight side of cam  48  is designed as a stop  50  of the parking lock  45 . In the normal operating position of the outside mirror  5  the stop  50  of parking lock  45  lies against a corresponding surface  56  of bracket  2 . 
     In this normal operating position the tension spring  40 , viewed in a top view according to  FIG. 3 , is sloped slightly rearward in direction of travel  10 . By the sloping of spring  40 , in the normal operating position the parking lock  45  with its stop  50  is permanently forced onto the stop  56  of bracket  2 . This stop  50 ,  56  is therefore always under bias so that a firm fastening between mirror foot  11  and mirror head  12  is guaranteed during operation. Oscillation and tilting of the mirror head  12  is therefore reliably prevented. In this position the articulation wire  30  with its front wire section  32  is engaged with the front support  19  and with its rear wire section  33  engaged with the rear support  20 . Both engaged wire sections  32 ,  33  are congruent in this position of the normal operating position with the two pivot axes  34  and  35  and lie in the same plane with them (see  FIG. 3   b ). 
       FIG. 3   a  shows a plane view of the articulation wire  30 . The front pivot axis  38  of articulation wire  30  is formed by the front wire section  32 . It lies essentially parallel to the rear wire section  33  that forms the rear pivot leg  39 . The spacing between the two wire sections  32  and  33  corresponds to the spacing between the bearing  25  and rear bearing  26 . Both wire sections  32 ,  33  are connected to each other via the connector  36  of articulation wire  30 . The other shaping of connector  36  corresponds to the geometric configurations and circumstances of mounting space  31  as well as possible geometric shapes of bracket  2 . On the side of the rear pivot leg  39  the rear wire section  33  is equipped with a U-shaped bend  37  near connector  36 . It has two parallel arms  41  that extend perpendicular to the wire section  33  in the direction toward wire section  32  and are connected to each other by an advantageously curved connector  42 . 
     During pivoting of mirror head  12  against the direction of travel  10 , the U-shaped bend  37  of articulation wire  30  slides along a curved sliding surface  49  of cam  48 , which is provided on the rear wall of parking lock  45  in the direction of travel  10 . Because of this sliding U-shaped bend  37  on sliding surface  49 , easy friction-reduced pivoting of the mirror head  12  is made possible. In addition, the sliding surface  49  of cam  48  as well as connector  42  are coated for further reduction with a friction-reducing coating. Since the cam  48  with its sliding surface  49  is preferably made of plastic, just like the counterstop  56  of bracket  2 , and experiences an elastic deformation during loading, this deformation, as well as mechanical damage, is largely prevented by sliding of the metal U-shaped bend  37  on sliding surface  49 . At the end of this pivot movement the U-shaped bend  37  of articulation wire  30  comes in contact with an eye-shaped shoulder  47  of cam  48  ( FIG. 4 ). This contact corresponds to the function of an end stop. The shoulder  47  has spring eye  46  and is provided on the side of cam  48  facing away from bracket  2 . 
     In the tilted back state the parking lock  45  is pivoted rearward against travel direction  10  around axis  51  far enough so that it assumes an oblique position ( FIG. 4 ). The slope of parking lock  48  relative to spring  40  causes continuous pressing of the U-shaped bend  37  against a support  55  of mirror head  12 . It is therefore secured in this pivoted position under bias free of tilting and oscillation. Because of the parking lock  45  and spring  40  lying in the almost extended position, loosening from the pivoted almost locked position is only possible with difficulty. When mirror head  12  is pivoted back into the operating position, reduced friction between the U-shaped bend  37  and parking lock  45  is advantageous. 
     If mirror head  12  pivots back into its normal operating position, the U-shaped bend  37  is forced by support  55  of mirror head  12  in the direction toward parking lock  45 . During this movement the force acting on the U-shaped bend  37  is supported via the rear hinge axis  39  of the rear hinge  16  over the rear bearing  26  in bracket  2 . This force acting on the U-shaped bend  37  is also transferred via connector  36  into the area of the front hinge  15 . The entire articulation wire  30  is therefore used for force transfer and therefore acts as an additional reinforcing component. As a result, wall sections, supports, struts and the like can be made weaker in the mirror head  12 , which results in a corresponding saving of material and therefore a reduction in weight, volume and cost. 
     The force introduced into the U-shaped bend  37  when during pivoting back over mirror head  12  seeks to overcome the U-shaped bend  37  supported via parking lock  45  relative to the rear hinge axis  39 . This torsion is prevented by the fact that the rear wire section  33  of the rear hinge axis  39  is connected via connector  36  to the front wire section  32  of the front hinge axis  38 . The torsion is therefore counteracted via the connector  36  and the front wire section  32 . 
     The front wire section  32  is fastened in the front hinge  15  of the mirror head  12 . Because of this the articulation wire  30  during pivoting against the travel direction  10  is always arranged in this position relative to the mirror head  12 . The U-shaped bend  37  is returned to its initial position during backward movement of mirror head  12  via the sliding surface  49  of cam  48 . The parking lock  45  is moved back again with its stop  50  onto the counterstop  56  of bracket  2  and the mirror head  12  is again locked on this account to the bracket  2  in a firmly fixed position. 
     In the perspective view of  FIG. 4   a  the positioning of the articulation wire  30  with the front rear hinge axis  38 ,  39  as well as the U-shaped bend  37  between the mirror head  12  and the cam  48  of the parking lock  45  are readily apparent. In this representation it is clear how the articulation wire  30  co-pivots according to the mounting space  31  of mirror head  12 . The front pivot axis  34  is held in the front hinge  15  of support  3 . 
     The mirror head  12  in  FIG. 5  is pivoted forward in travel direction  10 . The front support  19  of mirror head  12  is engaged with the front bearing  25 . During this pivot movement loosening of the front support  19  is also prevented by the housing wall  17  that engages in the front. Opposite the pivoting of mirror head  12  described with reference to  FIG. 4  in travel direction  10  rearward the articulation wire  30  in this case remains in an unpivoted position in which the articulation wire  30  is situated essentially parallel to bracket  2 . The rear support  20  in this case is free of force. 
     In the pivoted position according to  FIG. 5  the spring  40  and parking lock  45  are in the almost extended position. No area of cam  48  is in contact with the retaining clips  30  or another part of the support  2  or mirror head  12 . This is also not necessary, since during pivoting in travel direction  10  forward locking (fastening) of mirror  5  is not desired. For example, should the mirror  5  be tilted back by a passing vehicle in the travel direction, immediate return of the mirror  5  to the normal use position is desired. 
     The mirror head  12  can tilt forward from its use position according to  FIG. 3  without a problem in the travel direction  10  if a corresponding force is exerted on it. It pivots in the described manner around leg  38 . The parking lock  45  is pivoted in the same direction around axis  51  via tension spring  40 . The parking lock  48  is then raised with its stop  50  from the counterstop  56 . 
     By immediate release of parking lock  45  from its locked position and pivoting of parking lock  45  around pivot axis  51  in the direction of travel  10  forward it is possible for the mirror  5  to be moved forward very quickly and very easily in travel direction  10 . The position arrangement of the articulation wire  30  as well as the approximate extended position spring  40  and parking lock  45  are apparent in the perspective view of  FIG. 5   a . The parking lock  45  not in engagement with the U-shaped bend  37  is also apparent in this view. 
     As an additional variant to secure mirror head  12  a clamp  60  is incorporated in  FIG. 6  as a pivot limitation. This clamp  60  is bent U-shaped and arranged to pivot with one end in the rear hinge mount  28 . The opposite end of clamp  60  is accommodated in an elongated hole  61  in the mounting space  31  with support  3 . If the mirror head  12  is pivoted forward in travel direction  10  the end of clamp  60  facing mirror head  12  slides according to the extent of the elongated hole  61  up to the end  62  of the elongated hole  61  facing the rear hinge  16 . The clamp  60  in this case assumes an extended position limited by elongated hole  61  and therefore acts as a tension element between mirror head  12  and mirror foot  11 . Because of this pivot limitation of clamp  60  damage to the support  19 , especially the front bearing  25  and the front housing wall  17  by an unduly large pivot angle, is prevented. 
     The extent of the elongated hole  61  is chosen so that the clamp  60  cannot reach a blocking extended position between its mount on the bracket side and the mirror head  12 . This is necessary so that immediate return of the mirror head  12  is possible during pivoting in the travel direction  10 . Consequently, because of the extent and positioning of elongated hole  61 , locking of the mirror head  12  in the state tilted forward in travel direction  10  is prevented. If the mirror head  12  tilts back into its normal operating position, the end of clamp  60  facing the mirror head  12  slides in elongated hole  61  until the clamp  60  and elongated hole  61  are situated in the plane congruent with the plane of the normal operating position. The elongated hole  61  and clamp  60  are then situated together in mounting space  31  (see  FIG. 7 ). Naturally the end of clamp  60  facing mirror foot  11  can also be mounted to pivot on another location of the rear bearing  26  or bracket  2 . More than one clamp  60  can also be used for pivot angle limitation.