Patent Publication Number: US-2016229344-A1

Title: Vehicular viewing device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-21132 filed on Feb. 5, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a vehicular viewing device that aids viewing by a vehicle occupant. 
     2. Related Art 
     In a vehicle door mirror device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2013-163498, a spherical face shaped inner peripheral face at a pivot center side of a mirror holder is supported, so as to be capable of pivoting, by a spherical face shaped outer peripheral face at a case inner side. By displacing a drive rod, the mirror holder and a mirror are pivoted to change a mirror face angle of the mirror. 
     Note that, in such vehicle door mirror devices, it is preferable that the mirror can be pivoted smoothly when the drive rod starts to be displaced. 
     SUMMARY 
     In consideration of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicular viewing device in which a viewing means can be pivoted smoothly when a displacement body starts to be displaced. 
     A vehicular viewing device of a first aspect of the present invention includes: a support body that is supported at a vehicle body side and that is provided with a support face; a viewing means that is provided, at a pivot center side, with a pivot face supported by the support face so as to be capable of pivoting, and that aids viewing by an occupant of the vehicle; a displacement body that is connected to the viewing means and that is displaced such that the viewing means is pivoted and a viewing direction of the occupant aided by the viewing means is changed; and a limiting cavity that is provided at at least one of the support body or the viewing means, that is disposed at an opposite side from the support face or the pivot face across a center axis line passing through a pivot center of the viewing means parallel to a displacement direction of the displacement body, that has a dimension about the center axis line at least equal to the dimension of the support face or the pivot face, and that limits input from the viewing means to the support body of displacement force of the displacement body. 
     In the vehicular viewing device of the first aspect of the present invention, the support face is provided at the support body that is supported at the vehicle body side, the viewing means is provided at the pivot center side with the pivot face that is supported by the support face so as to be capable of pivoting, and the viewing means aids viewing by the vehicle occupant. The displacement body is connected to the viewing means, and the displacement body is displaced such that the viewing means is pivoted and the viewing direction of the occupant aided by the viewing means is changed 
     Note that the limiting cavity provided at at least one of the support body or the viewing means is disposed at the opposite side from the support face or the pivot face across the center axis line passing through the pivot center of the viewing means parallel to the displacement direction of the displacement body, has the dimension about the center axis line at least equal to the dimension of the support face or the pivot face, and the limiting cavity limits input from the viewing means to the support body of displacement force of the displacement body. This enables the viewing means to be pivoted with respect to the support body, when the displacement body starts to be displaced, and enables the viewing means to be pivoted smoothly. 
     A vehicular viewing device of a second aspect of the present invention is the vehicular viewing device of the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the limiting cavity is disposed at a displacement body side of the center axis line, or at an opposite side of the center axis line to the displacement body. 
     In the vehicular viewing device of the second aspect of the present invention, the limiting cavity is disposed at the displacement body side of the center axis line, or at the opposite side of the center axis line to the displacement body. This enables the viewing means to be effectively pivoted with respect to the support body, when the displacement body starts to be displaced, and enables the viewing means to be pivoted more smoothly. 
     A vehicular viewing device of a third aspect of the present invention is the vehicular viewing device of the first aspect or the second aspect of the present invention, wherein the limiting cavity is a recessed portion. 
     In the vehicular viewing device of the third aspect of the present invention, the limiting cavity is a recessed portion. This enables the rigidity of the at least one of the support body or the viewing means to be increased, and enables the supporting rigidity of the viewing means by the support body to be increased. 
     A vehicular viewing device of a fourth aspect of the present invention is the vehicular viewing device of any one of the first aspect to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein the support body is configured to move. 
     In the vehicular viewing device of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the support body is configured to move. This enables the viewing means to be pivoted easily with respect to the support body, when the displacement body is displaced, and enables the pivot action of the viewing means to be stabilized. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-section (a cross-section along line  1 - 1  in  FIG. 2 ) viewed from below, illustrating a mirror face adjustment device of a vehicle door mirror device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a face-on view viewed from the vehicle rear, illustrating the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a face-on view viewed from the vehicle rear, illustrating a case, and so on of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4A  is a side view illustrating a support pivot of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4B  is a lower face view illustrating the support pivot of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5A  is a side view illustrating a first modified example of a support pivot of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5B  is a lower face view illustrating the first modified example of the support pivot of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6A  is a lower face view illustrating a second modified example of a support pivot of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is a lower face view illustrating a third modified example of a support pivot of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6C  is a lower face view illustrating a fourth modified example of a support pivot of the mirror face adjustment device of the vehicle door mirror device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-section (a cross-section along line  1 - 1  in  FIG. 2 ) viewed from below, illustrating relevant portions of a vehicle door mirror device  10  according to an exemplary embodiment applied with a vehicle mirror device of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a face-on view viewed from the vehicle rear, illustrating relevant portions of the vehicle door mirror device  10 .  FIG. 3  is a face-on view viewed from the vehicle rear, illustrating some of the relevant portions of the vehicle door mirror device  10 . Note that in the drawings, the arrow FR indicates the vehicle front, the arrow WO indicates the vehicle width direction outside, and the arrow UP indicates upward. 
     The vehicle door mirror device  10  according to the present exemplary embodiment is installed at the outside of a door (side door) of a vehicle, and a mirror face adjustment device  12 , serving as a changing means, is provided at the interior of the vehicle door mirror device  10 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the mirror face adjustment device  12  includes a substantially semispherical container shaped case  14 , made from resin and serving as an outer peripheral support body, and the case  14  is fixed to the interior of the vehicle door mirror device  10 . A vehicle rear side face of the case  14  is open in a circular shape, a bottom wall (vehicle front side wall) of the case  14  has a circular flat plate shape, and a peripheral wall  14 A (outer peripheral support portion) of the case  14  is curved in a spherical wall shape. The vehicle rear side face (opening), the bottom wall, and the peripheral wall  14 A of the case  14  are disposed coaxially to a center axis line L (see  FIG. 1 ) parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction, this being the center axis line of the case  14 . The peripheral wall  14 A of the case  14  curves centered on a pivot center O (see  FIG. 1 ) on the center axis line L. 
     A container shaped case inner  16 , made from resin and serving as an outer support body, is fixed to the bottom wall inside the case  14 , and a vehicle front side face of the case inner  16  is open. A circular tube shaped fixing tube  18  is integrally provided at a bottom wall (vehicle rear side wall) of the case inner  16 . The fixing tube  18  projects out toward the vehicle rear side, and is disposed coaxially to the center axis line L. 
     A substantially circular tube shaped support wall  20 , serving as an outer support section, is integrally provided at the bottom wall of the case inner  16  at the outer peripheral side of the fixing tube  18 . The support wall  20  projects out toward the vehicle rear side, and is disposed coaxially to the center axis line L. An inner peripheral face of a vehicle rear side portion of the support wall  20  configures a spherical face shaped outer support face  20 A, and the outer support face  20 A is curved in a recessed shape centered on the pivot center O. 
     A pair of motors  22 , serving as drive means, are provided inside the case  14 , and the motors  22  are fixed between the bottom wall of the case  14  and the bottom wall of the case inner  16 . A worm  24  is fixed to an output shaft of each motor  22 . 
     A pair of substantially circular tube shaped wheel drives  26 , serving as engagement members, are provided inside the case  14 . Each wheel drive  26  is supported between the bottom wall of the case  14  and the bottom wall of the case inner  16  so as to be capable of rotating about its axis. The inside of each wheel drive  26  is open toward the vehicle rear side of the case inner  16  through the bottom wall of the case inner  16 . 
     A worm wheel  26 A is formed to each wheel drive  26 , and the worm  24  of the respective motor  22  is meshed (engaged) with the worm wheel  26 A. Thus, by driving the motors  22  to rotate the worms  24 , the worm wheels  26 A are rotated to rotate the wheel drives  26 . 
     A specific number (four in the present exemplary embodiment) of meshing claws  26 B, serving as engagement portions, are provided at each wheel drive  26 . The specific number of meshing claws  26 B are disposed at equal spacings around the circumferential direction of the wheel drive  26 . The meshing claws  26 B extend out from the wheel drive  26  toward the vehicle rear side, and have elasticity. A leading end (vehicle rear side end) of each meshing claw  26 B projects out toward the radial direction inside of the wheel drive  26 . 
     A substantially circular column shaped drive rod  28 , serving as a displacement body, is coaxially inserted inside each wheel drive  26 . The drive rod  28  projects out from the case inner  16  toward the vehicle rear side, and rotation about its axis is restricted. One of the drive rods  28  is disposed with its axial direction parallel to the center axis line L above (or below) the center axis line L, and the other drive rod  28  is disposed with its axial direction parallel to the center axis line L at the vehicle width direction outside (or at the vehicle width direction inside) of the center axis line L. 
     A portion of the drive rod  28  other than a leading end portion (vehicle rear side end portion) configures a thread  28 A, and the leading ends of the meshing claws  26 B of the respective wheel drive  26  are meshed (engaged) with the thread  28 A. Thus, by rotating each wheel drive  26  (including the meshing claws  26 B) as described above, a meshed position of the leading ends of the meshing claws  26 B with the thread  28 A is changed, such that the drive rod  28  is displaced along the vehicle front-rear direction (axial direction). 
     A resin mirror holder  30  with a bottomed, substantially circular tube shape, serving as a pivot member configuring a viewing means, is provided at the vehicle rear side of the case  14 . The mirror holder  30  is disposed coaxially to the center axis line L. A vehicle front side face of the mirror holder  30  is open in a circular shape, a bottom wall (vehicle rear side end wall) of the mirror holder  30  has a substantially circular flat plate shape, and a peripheral wall  30 A (outer peripheral pivot section) of the mirror holder  30  is curved in a spherical wall shape centered on the pivot center O. The peripheral wall  30 A of the mirror holder  30  is disposed at the inner peripheral side of the peripheral wall  14 A of the case  14 , and the peripheral wall  30 A of the mirror holder  30  is supported by the peripheral wall  14 A of the case  14 . 
     A substantially circular tube shaped inner wall  32 , serving as a pivot section (inner peripheral pivot section), is integrally provided at a center portion of the bottom wall of the mirror holder  30 . The inside of the inner wall  32  is open toward the vehicle front side and the vehicle rear side. The inner wall  32  is curved in a spherical wall shape centered on the pivot center O, and the inner wall  32  is disposed at the inner peripheral side of the support wall  20  of the case inner  16 . An outer peripheral face of the inner wall  32  configures a spherical face shaped outer pivot face  32 A, and an inner peripheral face of the inner wall  32  configures a spherical face shaped inner pivot face  32 B, serving as a pivot face. The outer pivot face  32 A is supported by (is in face-to-face contact with) the outer support face  20 A of the support wall  20 . 
     A resin support pivot  34  with a bottomed, substantially circular tube shape, serving as a support body (inner support body), is provided inside the inner wall  32 , and the inside of the support pivot  34  is open toward the vehicle rear side. The fixing tube  18  of the case inner  16  coaxially penetrates the inside of the support pivot  34 , and the support pivot  34  is disposed coaxially to the center axis line L. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , a portion of the support pivot  34  other than a vehicle front side end configures an inner support section  36 , serving as a support section. The inner support section  36  is disposed coaxially to the center axis line L, and its outer diameter gradually increases on progression toward the vehicle rear. 
     Three inner support faces  36 A, each serving as a support face, are formed to an outer peripheral face of the inner support section  36 . The three inner support faces  36 A respectively extend across the entire axial-circumferential direction of the inner support section  36 , this being centered on the pivot center O and passing through the center axis line L, and are disposed at equal spacings centered on the center axis line L. The inner support faces  36 A are each curved in a spherical face shape centered on the pivot center O, and the inner supporting faces  36 A are in face-to-face contact with the inner pivot face  32 B of the inner wall  32  of the mirror holder  30 , and support the inner pivot face  32 B. 
     Limiting recessed portions  36 B, serving as limiting cavities, are formed to the outer peripheral face of the inner support section  36  between the inner support faces  36 A about the center axis line L. The limiting recessed portions  36 B are open from a vehicle rear side end of the inner support section  36 , and, at the vehicle rear side end (maximum diameter portion) of the inner support section  36 , each has a dimension about the center axis line L that is larger than that of the respective inner support face  36 A. The limiting recessed portions  36 B are disposed across the center axis line L on opposite sides to the respective inner support faces  36 A. One of the inner support faces  36 A is disposed at the other (the vehicle width direction outside) drive rod  28  side of the center axis line L, and the corresponding limiting recessed portion  36 B is disposed at the opposite side of the center axis line L to the other drive rod  28 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a thread portion  38 A of a screw  38 , configuring an attachment means, is coaxially screwed inside the fixing tube  18  of the case inner  16 . The thread portion  38 A of the screw  38  also coaxially penetrates inside a circular ring flat plate shaped washer  40 , configuring the attachment means, and the washer  40  is clamped between the fixing tube  18  and a head portion  38 B of the screw  38 . A coil spring  42 , serving as a biasing means (movement means), spans across between the washer  40  and a bottom wall (vehicle front side wall) of the support pivot  34 . The coil spring  42  is compressed, and biases the support pivot  34  toward the vehicle front side. Thus, due to the biasing force of the coil spring  42 , the inner wall  32  of the mirror holder  30  is clamped between the outer support face  20 A of the support wall  20  of the case inner  16  and the inner support faces  36 A of the inner support section  36  of the support pivot  34 , and the peripheral wall  30 A of the mirror holder  30  is press-contacted to the peripheral wall  14 A of the case  14 , attaching the mirror holder  30  to the case  14  and to the case inner  16 . The support pivot  34  is configured to move toward the vehicle rear side against the biasing force of the coil spring  42 . 
     The bottom wall (vehicle rear side wall) of the mirror holder  30  retains the leading end portion (vehicle rear side end portion) of each drive rod  28  so as to be capable of pivoting. By driving each motor  22  to displace the respective drive rod  28  along the vehicle front-rear direction as described above, the mirror holder  30  is pivoted about the pivot center O. 
     A mirror  44 , serving as a main body section configuring the viewing means, is fitted so as to be capable of being attached and detached to the vehicle rear side of the bottom wall of the mirror holder  30 . The mirror  44  is capable of pivoting integrally with the mirror holder  30 . A mirror face  44 A (the surface of a reflective layer at a back side) of the mirror  44  faces the vehicle rear side, and the mirror  44  is capable of aiding viewing of the vehicle rear side by a vehicle occupant. 
     Explanation follows regarding operation of the present exemplary embodiment. 
     In the mirror face adjustment device  12  of the vehicle door mirror device  10  with the above configuration, by driving each motor  22  to rotate the worm  24 , the wheel drive  26  (including the worm wheel  26 A and the specific number of meshing claws  26 B) is rotated to displace the drive rod  28  along the vehicle front-rear direction. Thus, by pivoting the mirror holder  30  and the mirror  44  in at least one direction of the up-down direction and the vehicle width direction using the drive rods  28 , an angle of the mirror face  44 A of the mirror  44  is adjusted in at least the one direction of the up-down direction and the vehicle width direction (the viewing direction of the occupant aided by the mirror  44  is changed). 
     Note that the inner pivot face  32 B of the inner wall  32  of the mirror holder  30  is supported by the inner support faces  36 A of the inner support section  36  of the support pivot  34  due to the biasing force of the coil spring  42 . 
     Note that the limiting recessed portions  36 B of the inner support section  36  of the support pivot  34  are each disposed across the center axis line L at the opposite side from the respective inner support face  36 A, and, at the vehicle rear side end of the inner support section  36 , each has a larger dimension about the center axis line L than that of the inner support faces  36 A. Input from the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) to the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) of displacement force of the drive rods  28  toward the vehicle rear is thereby limited by the limiting recessed portions  36 B (portions around the center axis line L). 
     Thus, when the drive rod  28  starts to be displaced toward the vehicle rear, the mirror holder  30  can be suppressed from moving, against the biasing force of the coil spring  42 , toward the vehicle rear side integrally with the support pivot  34  in a state in which the displacement force of the drive rod  28  is input from the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) to the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) around the entire center axis line L such that the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) does not pivot with respect to the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ). This thereby enables the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) to be pivoted with respect to the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) when the drive rod  28  starts to be displaced toward the vehicle rear, and enables the mirror holder  30  and the mirror  44  to be pivoted smoothly. 
     Moreover, one of the limiting recessed portions  36 B is disposed across the center axis line L at the opposite side from the other (vehicle width direction outside) drive rod  28 . This enables the input from the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) to the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) of displacement force of the other drive rod  28  toward the vehicle rear to be effectively limited by this limiting recessed portion  36 B. This thereby enables the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) to be pivoted effectively with respect to the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) when the other drive rod  28  starts to be displaced toward the vehicle rear, and enables the mirror holder  30  and the mirror  44  to be pivoted even more smoothly. 
     The support pivot  34  is configured to move toward the vehicle rear side against the biasing force of the coil spring  42 . Thus, when the drive rod  28  is displaced along the vehicle front-rear direction, the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) can pivot easily with respect to the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ), and the pivot action of the mirror holder  30  and the mirror  44  can be stabilized. 
     The limiting recessed portions  36 B are each formed in a recessed shape that does not penetrate the peripheral wall of the inner support section  36  of the support pivot  34 . This enables the rigidity of the inner support section  36  to be increased, enables the supporting rigidity of the mirror holder  30  (inner wall  32 ) and the mirror  44  by the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) to be increased, enables the mirror face  44 A of the mirror  44  to be suppressed from shaking while the vehicle is travelling, and so on. 
     Note that in the present exemplary embodiment, one of the limiting recessed portions  36 B is disposed across the center axis line L at the opposite side from the other (vehicle width direction outside) drive rod  28 . However, one of the limiting recessed portions  36 B may be disposed at the other drive rod  28  side of the center axis line L. One of the limiting recessed portions  36 B may also be disposed across the center axis line L at the one (upper side) drive rod  28  side of the center axis line L, or at the opposite side from the one drive rod  28  side. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the maximum dimension of each of the limiting recessed portions  36 B about the center axis line L is larger than that of the inner support faces  36 A. However, it is sufficient that the maximum dimension of each of the limiting recessed portions  36 B about the center axis line L is at least that of the inner support faces  36 A. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the inner support faces  36 A of the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) extend in a axial-circumferential direction, which is centered on the pivot center O and passes through the center axis line L. However, as illustrated in  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , for example, the inner support faces  36 A of the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ) may be inclined in a direction that progresses around the center axis line L on progression along the axial-circumferential direction, which is centered on the pivot center O and passes through the center axis line L. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, three inner support faces  36 A and three limiting recessed portions  36 B are respectively provided at the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ). However, as illustrated in  FIG. 6A , for example, one or two inner support faces  36 A and one or two limiting recessed portions  36 B may be respectively provided at the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ). Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 6B , for example, four or more inner support faces  36 A and four or more limiting recessed portions  36 B may be respectively provided at the support pivot  34  (inner support section  36 ). 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the inner support faces  36 A are provided at the inner support section  36  of the support pivot  34  across the entire axial-circumferential direction, which is centered on the pivot center O and passes through the center axis line L. However, as illustrated in  FIG. 6C , for example, inner support faces  36 A may be provided at a portion (such as only an intermediate portion) of the inner support section  36  of the support pivot  34 , a portion along the axial-circumferential direction centered on the pivot center O and passing through the center axis line L, and limiting recessed portions  36 B may be provided at the axial-circumferential direction ends of the inner support faces  36 A. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the limiting cavities of the present invention are the limiting recessed portions  36 B. However, the limiting cavities of the present invention may be through-holes. 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the limiting recessed portions  36 B are provided at the inner support section  36  of the support pivot  34 . However, together with this, or instead of this, limiting recessed portions  36 B may be provided at the inner pivot face  32 B side of the inner wall  32  of the mirror holder  30 . 
     In the present exemplary embodiment, the vehicle door mirror device  10  is a vehicular viewing device of the present invention. However, a vehicular viewing device of the present invention may be another vehicle mirror device at the vehicle exterior or vehicle interior, or may be a vehicle camera device that aids viewing by a vehicle occupant using captured images.