Patent Abstract:
A motor vehicle rear view mirror comprising a housing, a mirror glass support supported by a pivot joint disposed in the housing to be pivotable relative to the housing and a mirror glass disposed on the mirror glass support. The mirror glass support defines an installation chamber sized to hold at least one servomotor for the remote-controlled pivotable adjustment of the mirror glass support and thus of the mirror glass relative to the housing.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a rear view mirror for motor vehicles, in particular for commercial vehicles, comprising a housing, a mirror glass support supported by means of a pivot joint disposed in the housing to be pivotable relative to the housing, and a mirror glass disposed on the mirror glass support. 
     2. Background Art 
     A rear view mirror of the generic type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,014. In this case, a pivot bearing in the form of an articulation ball fixed to the housing is disposed in the housing of the mirror, a substantially plate-shaped mirror glass support pivotally lodging on the articulation ball by means of a corresponding universal ball joint. A mirror glass is fixed on the mirror glass support and is adjustable by pivoting the mirror glass support relative to the housing. 
     In the prior art rear view mirror, a servomotor is provided between the mirror glass support and the housing, coupled to the mirror glass support by way of a spindle drive, which ensures a remote controlled pivotal adjustment of the mirror glass support and consequently of the mirror glass in relation to the housing. 
     In this prior art rear view mirror it is of disadvantage that the servomotor is disposed deep inside the housing between the latter&#39;s rear and the mirror glass support. As a result, the mounting of the servomotor is difficult and the rear view mirror offers little in terms of convenience of repair, for instance in the case of a defect of the servomotor, since the entire mirror glass support must be detached, which is accompanied by the release of the pivot joint union and the spindle drive coupling. 
     Further, the construction disclosed in the afore-mentioned U.S. patent is not fit to be used as a simple version without the servomotor. For, as a result of its structure, the pivot joint is comparatively unstable so that the spindle drive coupled with the servomotor is needed for additional stabilization of the mirror glass support. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the invention to further develop a rear view mirror of the generic type such that servomotors are particularly easy to mount or to retrofit and the rear view mirror is convenient to repair. 
     This object is attained in that the mirror glass support is a hollow defining an installation chamber, into which at least one servomotor is installable for the remote-controlled pivotal adjustment of the mirror glass support and thus of the mirror glass in relation to the housing. The mirror glass support being embodied as a hollow, this provides for a particularly easily accessible installation chamber of exposed arrangement for the accommodation of servomotors, which, in keeping with the object according to the invention, ensures the convenience of mounting and repair of the rear view mirror according to the invention. Moreover, this design offers the prerequisites for the rear view mirror according to the invention to be realized, in the way of a unit assembly system, as a manually adjustable mirror by omitting the servomotors in a simple version, or as a remote-controlled adjustable mirror by placing servomotors in the installation chamber of the mirror glass support in a luxury version. 
     Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the sub-claims and the ensuing description of examples of embodiment of the subject matter of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a lateral view of a first embodiment of a rear view mirror according to the invention, 
     FIG. 2 is a view of the mirror from the direction of the arrow II in accordance with FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 3 is a horizontal section through the mirror along the section line III--III in accordance with FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 is a horizontal section, analogous to FIG. 3, of a simple version without servomotors, of the rear view mirror, 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through a second embodiment of a rear view mirror, 
     FIG. 6 is a horizontal section of the mirror along the section line VI--VI in accordance with FIG. 5, 
     FIG. 7 is a horizontal longitudinal section through a third embodiment of a rear view mirror, and 
     FIG. 8 is a horizontal section of the mirror along the section line VIII--VIII in accordance with FIG. 7. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The three embodiments of a rear view mirror according to the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 have a housing 1 (FIG. 1 to 4) and 1&#39; (FIG. 5 to 8), respectively, the exterior of which presents the aerodynamically rounded pan shape usual with such mirrors. A pivot joint 2 in the form of a so-called universal joint is disposed about centrally in the housing 1, 1&#39;, a mirror glass support 3 (FIGS. 1 to 4) or Y (FIG. 5, 6) or Y&#39; (FIG. 7, 8), respectively, being arranged on the pivot joint 2 to pivot about two main pivot axes 4, 5 (FIG. 2). The mirror glass supports 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34; are disposed on the plane of the open side 6 of the housing 1, 1&#39;. They are configured as hollow pans, the mirror glass 7 being fixed in the vicinity of their open side 6. In the example of embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, the mirror glass 7 is caught by an encircling narrow annular projection 8 projecting inwardly from the mirror glass support edge 10 that defines the open side 9 of the mirror glass support 3. On its rear the mirror glass 7 has a heating foil 11 glued on, which is supplied with current by electric leads 12. 
     On a plane 13 extending in parallel to the mirror glass plane, the mirror glass support 3 according to FIG. 3 and 4 is divided into a base member 14 and a frame member 15 placed thereon. As outlined--the frame member 15 carries the mirror glass 7 in the vicinity of its open side 9. The base member 14 is united with the frame member 15 by means of a locking 16 formed by complementary locking recesses and projections of the base member 14 and the frame member 15. Supporting webs 18 supporting the rear 17 of the mirror glass 7 extend from the base member 14 towards the rear 17 of the mirror glass 7. Thus, the mirror glass 7 is retained in a stable position between the annular projection 8 and the supporting webs 18. 
     In the example of embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the mirror glass support 3&#39; is made in one piece, the mirror glass 7 being fixed in the open side of the mirror glass support 3&#39; by a retaining ring 19 slipped on to the edge 10&#39; where it is appropriately fixed. The retaining ring 19 again has an annular projection 8&#39; bent inwards and towards the mirror glass 7 and retaining the mirror glass 7. The rear 17 of the mirror glass 7 is again supported by supporting webs 18&#39; integrally molded on the base 20 of the mirror glass support 3&#39;. 
     In the example of embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the pan-shaped mirror glass support Y&#39; made in one piece only takes about half the height of the mirror glass 7 and about 2/3 of the latter&#39;s width. The fastening of the mirror glass 7 on the open side 9 of the mirror glass support 3&#34; is made by a holding plate 21 on to which the rear 17 of the mirror glass 7 is glued. For joining the holding plate 21 to the mirror glass support 3&#34;, complementary projections 22, 23 are provided on the open side 9 of the mirror glass support 3&#34; and on the rear of the holding plate 21, respectively, producing a so-called union of clamping engagement as it is the subject matter of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/245,952. Reference is made to this application so as to avoid unnecessary explanations. 
     Along its edge the holding plate 21 has a continuous collar 24 integrally molded thereon, by means of which the gap between the mirror glass 7 and the housing 1&#39; is restricted to the dimension necessary for the mirror glass to pivot unimpeded in the housing 1&#39;. In the examples of embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4 and 5, 6, respectively, this function is fulfilled by the side wall of the pan-shaped mirror glass support 2 or 3&#39;, respectively. 
     By reason of its design as a pan the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34; defines an installation chamber 25 into which to insert servomotors 26, 27. These servomotors 26, 27 usually are electric motors screwed on bearing sleeves 28 integrally molded on the base 20 of the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34;. The servomotors 26, 27 are stationary on the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34;. 
     The movable positioning member of the servomotors 26, 27 is formed by a crank disc 29 to which a connecting rod 31 is articulated by way of a crank joint 30. Each connecting rod 31 is guided within one of the bearing sleeves 32, 33 (FIG. 2) to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the latter. The two guide sleeves 32, 33 are integrally molded on a substantially triangular coupling plate 34, which is tightly united with the components, fixed to the housing 1, of the pivot joint 2 in a manner still to be specified. Consequently, the coupling plate 34 is supported, fixed to the housing 1. 
     On the one hand the pivot joint 2 designed as a spherical universal joint consists of a spherical bearing ring 35 formed integrally with the base member 14 and the base 20 of the mirror glass support 3 and 3&#39;, 3&#34;, respectively. The bearing ring 35 is clamped by frictional locking between a spherical bearing member 36 fixed to the housing 1 and located on the rear of the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34; and a spherical bearing cover on that side of the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34; turned towards the mirror glass 7. By way of a compression spring 38 the bearing cover 37 supports itself on an abutment cover 39 placed on a spacing sleeve 40. The latter projects centrally from the bearing member 36 and, by some clearance, passes through the inside opening 41 of the bearing ring 35 as well as the bearing cover 37. The abutment Cover 39 together with the coupling plate 34 and the spacing sleeve 40 are tightly screwed together. Consequently, the abutment cover 39 cooperates with the fastener 42 to form a support member, fixed to the housing 1, for the coupling plate 34. 
     In the example of embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the arrangement, fixed to the housing 1, of the bearing member 36 is realized in that the bearing member 36 is provided with a clamp bearing member 43 molded on integrally and cooperating with a clamp fitting 44. By means of the clamping device comprised of the clamp bearing member 43, the clamp fitting 44 and the fasteners 45, the mirror is clamped on to a holding pipe 46 passing through the housing 1 in the vertical direction and producing the union with the body (not shown) of the vehicle. By way of the fasteners 45 the housing 1 is simultaneously tightly joined to the clamp fitting 44 and thus to the bearing member 36. 
     In the embodiments according to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, 8, respectively, the bearing member 36 is an integral part of a support plate 47 having two clamp bearing members 43&#39; integrally molded on each with a corresponding the clamp fittings 44&#39; and the fasteners 45&#39; together form a clamping device for the fastening of the mirror on a mirror holding pipe (not shown in FIGS. 5 to 8). A pan-shaped housing base member 48, of which the continuous side wall 49 confines the volume swept by the pivoting of the mirror glass support 3&#39;, 3&#34;, is screwed on the support plate 47 from the side turned away from the mirror glass 7. From the rear of the base member 48 turned away from the mirror glass support 3&#39;, 3&#34; a cover member 50 is locked on to the housing base member 48 (locking 51 in FIGS. 6, 8). 
     As can clearly be shown by a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 4, the mirrors shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 are structured such as to be provided with servomotors 26, 27 in the way of a unit assembly system or to be conceived as purely manually adjustable mirrors without these servomotors. If a remote-controlled adjustable luxury mirror is demanded, the servomotors 26, 27 are inserted in the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34; as explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5 to 8. In this case, the servomotor 26 serves to pivot the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34; about the vertical main pivot axis 4, whereas the servomotor 27 serves to pivot the mirror glass support 3, 3&#39;, 3&#34; about the horizontal main pivot axis 5. Now, if for instance the servomotor 26 is actuated for the crank disc 29 to rotate clockwise, then the connecting rod 31 supports itself on the guide sleeve 32 fixed to the housing 1 so that the mirror glass support 3 is also pivoted clockwise about the vertical main pivot axis 4. To compensate the change of distance between the guide sleeve 32 fixed to the housing 1 and the crank joint 30, the connecting rod 31 moves out of the guide sleeve 32 by the corresponding length. 
     If the mirror, as a simple version, is only to be pivoted manually, the servomotors 26, 27 only have to be omitted together with the crank disc and the connecting rod and the coupling plate 34. Apart from that the complete structure of the mirror can be maintained. For the assembly of the pivot joint 2, the nut 52 (FIG. 4) only has to be screwed further on the fastener 42 or, respectively, the fastener 42&#39; has to be screwed further into the spacing sleeve 40 (FIG. 5 to 8). Such a manually adjustable mirror can very easily be retrofitted with the servomotors 26, 27.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8