Abstract:
A retractable mirror assembly for a vehicle which retracts towards and extends away from a vehicle body wherein the mirror compensates for the change in position so that the same perspective is maintained. The mirror assembly comprises the vehicle body in which a mirror housing that surrounds a mirror backing plate having a mirror glass is retracted and expanded to and from the vehicle body. A second support bracket and a stationary bracket are connected and move in relation to one another in order to rotate the mirror backing plate and mirror so that the mirror maintains the same perspective while the mirror assembly is being retracted and expanded to and from the vehicle body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to provisional patent application No. 60/784,436, filed Mar. 21, 2006, and titled “Retractable Mirror.” The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to retractable mirrors and their use in doors of motor vehicles. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Adjustable mirrors are used on various types vehicles to adjust the position of the mirror. Having an adjustable mirror allows for, among other things, compensation for different sized drivers, and for changing the seat position inside the vehicle. When a different person operates a vehicle it may be necessary to change the position of the mirror to compensate for that person&#39;s height, or other characteristic that may affect how they view the reflection in the mirror. Also, it is common for seats to be adjustable in passenger vehicles as well. Changing the seat position will also have an effect on how the reflection is seen in the mirror. If the mirror is adjustable, these problems can be compensated for by adjusting the mirror so that the desired image is reflected in the mirror. 
   Another problem relevant to mirrors is that vehicles used for shipping, construction, and other industrial-type applications are often very large, and it is an advantage to have a mirror that is not only adjustable, but retractable into the vehicle body as well. The purpose of having an adjustable mirror is to allow for the vehicle to comply with packaging constraints. It is common for mirrors on large vehicles, such as trucks, to be prohibited from extending outwardly from the vehicle. Thus, the retractable mirror allows the vehicle to comply with the regulations since the retractable mirror does not extend outwardly from the vehicle. 
   Furthermore, mirrors that extend outwardly, beyond the width of the vehicle&#39;s frame, can prevent the vehicle from accessing certain locations, such as a garage. Thus, the vehicle can fit into tight spaces, such as a garage, with greater ease when the mirrors are retractable and reduce the overall width of the vehicle. In addition, mirrors cause wind resistance, which reduces the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, due to extending outwardly from the vehicle frame. The fuel efficiency can be increased by retracting the mirrors and reducing the overall width of the vehicle and thus the wind resistance. 
   However, when a mirror is retracted or extended outwardly from the vehicle the image in the mirror is changed. Thus, after the vehicle occupant has adjusted the mirror they are hesitant to retract or expand the mirror because the mirror image is altered and the mirror must be readjusted. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a retractable/expandable mirror assembly that maintains the same image in the mirror as the mirror is being retracted or expanded. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a retractable mirror assembly for a vehicle which retracts towards and extends away from a vehicle body. As the mirror retracts or expands, the mirror assembly compensates for the change in viewing range of the mirror by changing the angle of the viewing surface as the mirror retracts or expands so as to allow for what is seen in the mirror to remain constant. 
   The present invention accomplishes this compensation for change in viewing angle by pivoting the mirror about a vertical axis at the center of the mirror as it retracts toward the vehicle. The mirror is supported by a first support bracket at which the mirror can pivot about a vertical axis. Mounted on the backing plate on the portion of the backing plate closest to the side of the vehicle is another support bracket which has a groove. The groove is used in conjunction with a roller pin. The roller pin is stationary, with respect to the backing plate. As the mirror is retracted, the roller pin slides through the groove and the groove is configured such that as the mirror changes position, the mirror rotates about its vertical axis. 
   Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a mirror assembly; and 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of an alternate embodiment of the mirror assembly. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , an exterior mirror assembly for a motor vehicle is generally shown at  10 . A vehicle body  12  has an inlet  14  in which a mirror housing  16  is inserted and removed from the inlet  14 . Thus, the mirror housing  16  is received and projects from the vehicle body  12 . The mirror housing  16  encloses a mirror backing plate  18  which has a reflective element or mirror glass  20  mounted on a exterior side  22  of the mirror backing plate  18 . In a preferred embodiment, the mirror housing  16  encloses all sides of the mirror backing plate  18  except for the side of the exterior side  22  on the mirror backing  16 . Thus, the mirror glass  20  that is mounted to the exterior side  22  is visible and not enclosed by the mirror housing  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the mirror housing  16  is made of a material with adequate strength to withstand the forces applied to an exterior vehicle mirror. Similarly, the mirror backing plate  18  is preferably made of a material with adequate strength to support other components of the mirror assembly  10 , described below. 
   A first support bracket  24  is mounted to the mirror backing plate  18 . In a preferred embodiment, the first support bracket  24  is mounted to the center of the mirror backing plate  18  in order to give the mirror glass  20  the maximum amount of support. An arm  25  is connected to the first support bracket, such that the arm  25  retracts and expands the mirror assembly  10  into and from the vehicle body  12  through the inlet  14 . Thus, the arm  25  is operably connected to a device (not shown) in the vehicle body  12  which changes the position of the arm  25 . In a preferred embodiment, the arm  25  telescopically expands and retracts upon itself as the arm  25  moves the mirror housing  14 . However, the arm  25  can also have hollow cylindrical piece so that electrical wiring for mirror lights (not shown), a mirror heater (not shown), or similar components extend through an axial bore (not shown) in order for the components to be electrically connected to the vehicle&#39;s electrical system. Preferably, the mirror housing  16  is connected to the first support bracket  24  so that the mirror housing  16  moves with the first support bracket  24  as the arm  25  is extended and retracted. The mirror housing  24  can also be connected to the portion of the arm  25  that is not telescopically retracted into the arm  25 . 
   In addition, a second support bracket  26  is mounted to the mirror backing plate  18 . In a preferred embodiment, the second support bracket  26  is mounted to the mirror backing plate  18  between the first support bracket  24  and the vehicle body  12 . Thus, the second support bracket  26  is mounted on the same side as the mirror backing plate  18  as the first support bracket  24 . However, the second support bracket  26  can be mounted anywhere on the mirror backing plate  18  so long as the remaining components of the mirror assembly  10  are configured accordingly. 
   Moreover, a stationary bracket  28 , which is separate from the mirror backing plate  18 , is connected to the second support bracket  26 . The second support bracket  26  and the stationary bracket  28  move in relation to one another so that the mirror glass  20  changes positions when the mirror housing  16  is inserted or removed from the vehicle&#39;s body  12 . As the arm  25  moves with respect to the vehicle body  12 , the mirror housing  16  also moves with respect to the vehicle body  12 . As the position of the mirror housing  16  is altered, the angle of the mirror glass  20  with respect to the mirror backing plate  16  is changed. Therefore, the image in the mirror glass  20  remains the same when the mirror housing  16  changes positions. 
   In a first embodiment, the second support bracket  26  has a groove  30  which extends along the length of the second support bracket  26 . The stationary bracket  28  has a roller pin  32  at the end of an extension  30  of the stationary bracket  28 . The extension  30  extends from the bracket  28  and contacts the second support bracket  26 , such that the groove  30  accepts the roller pin  32 . Thus, the roller pin  32  slides along the groove  30  when the second support bracket  26  and the stationary bracket  28  move in relation to one another as the arm  25  retracts or expands the mirror assembly into or from the vehicle body  12 . In a preferred embodiment, the groove  30  is shaped so that the angle of the mirror glass  20  will be altered as the mirror housing  16  is inserted or removed from the vehicle body  12 . Thus, the image reflected in the mirror glass  20  will not be altered as the mirror housing  16  is changing position. In order for the mirror glass  20  to reflect the same image as the mirror assembly  10  is being retracted or expanded, the mirror glass  20  moves about a vertical axis of the first support bracket  24  while the roller pin  32  slides along the groove  30 . In a preferred embodiment, the groove  30  is shaped so that the angle of the mirror glass  20  will be altered approximately 3° as the mirror assembly  10  moves into and out of the vehicle body  12 . Thus, the angle alteration of 3° is sufficient to maintain the same image in the mirror while the mirror assembly  10  is being moved. 
   In an alternate embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 2 , the exterior mirror assembly for a motor vehicle  10  also comprises of a first support bracket  24 , a second support bracket  26 , and a stationary bracket  28 . However, in this embodiment the second support bracket  26  has an extension  34  that extends from the back of the mirror backing plate  18  towards the arm  25 . At the end of the extension  34 , the second support bracket  26  has a roller pin  32  which connects to the stationary bracket  28  in the groove  30 . Thus, the groove  30  of the stationary bracket  28  has a groove  30  which accepts the roller pin  32 , and the roller pin  32  slides along the groove  30  as the mirror assembly  10  is changing positions. Similar to the embodiment described above, the groove  30  has a particular shape so that as the roller pin  32  slides about the groove  30  the second support bracket  26  will cause the mirror glass  20  to change positions in order to maintain the same image while the mirror assembly  10  is being moved. 
   Therefore, the mirror glass  20  maintains the same image or view perspective as the mirror assembly  10  changes positions with respect to the vehicle body  12 . As the arm  25  moves the first support bracket  24 , the first support bracket  24  moves the mirror backing plate  18 . As the mirror backing plate  18  moves the stationary bracket  28  causes the second support bracket  26  to move in a particular direction. This is caused by the roller pin  32  sliding along the groove  30  which is formed in a particular shape in order to cause the mirror backing plate  18  to move in the particular direction. Thus, the mirror backing plate  18  and the mirror glass  20  move along a vertical axis of the first support bracket  24  in order to maintain the same view perspective. 
   The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.