Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US4913542?dq=7,446,777
Timestamp: 2015-05-30 13:25:20
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Patent US4913542 - Rear view mirror with two parallel displaced mirror parts - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsIn a rear view mirror intended primarily for mounting on a motor vehicle, the specular surface in order to obtain a limited transverse extension, is divided into at least two separate parts (4, 5), which are displaced relative each other, thus that they are situated in different planes....http://www.google.com/patents/US4913542?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US4913542 - Rear view mirror with two parallel displaced mirror partsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS4913542 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 07/148,558Publication dateApr 3, 1990Filing dateJan 26, 1988Priority dateJan 27, 1987Fee statusLapsedAlso published asDE3862392D1, EP0279221A1, EP0279221B1Publication number07148558, 148558, US 4913542 A, US 4913542A, US-A-4913542, US4913542 A, US4913542AInventorsRune AdolfssonOriginal AssigneeSkf Nova AbExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (6), Referenced by (39), Classifications (4), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetRear view mirror with two parallel displaced mirror parts
US 4913542 AAbstract
In a rear view mirror intended primarily for mounting on a motor vehicle, the specular surface in order to obtain a limited transverse extension, is divided into at least two separate parts (4, 5), which are displaced relative each other, thus that they are situated in different planes.
1. In combination with a vehicle, a mirror system comprising a first mirror part (4) having a first reflecting surface mounted on the exterior of the vehicle located at a predetermined distance from a viewer within the vehicle, a second mirror part (5) mounted exteriorly on the vehicle closer to the viewer than said first mirror part (4) and having a second reflecting surface parallel to said first reflecting surface, the outer side edge of the first mirror part (4) being generally parallel to and vertically disposed with the inner side edge of the second mirror part (5), said vertically disposed edges lying along a visual line (6) originating from a viewer within the vehicle, and said mirror parts (4, 5) located on opposite sides of a line (9) tangent to the exterior side of the vehicle.
2. The combination of claim 1 having said second mirror part (5) situated between a vehicle body side (2) and said line (9), said line (9) forming a tangent to the vehicle body side (2) at the broadest portion of the vehicle body.
The invention refers to a rear view mirror, which primarily is intended for location on a vehicle in front of a viewer.
In order to minimize the fuel consumption and to improve the performance of motor vehicles, particularly passengeer cars, the vehicle is often designed to give such a low air resistance as possible. It is thereby desired, that the surface of the vehicle projecting perpendicularly to the direction of motion of the vehicle is minimized. For traffic safety reasons external rear view mirrors form part of the compulsory equipment of passenger cars. A rear view mirror projects from the car body and thereby increases said surface and, therefore, the air resistance. The mirror must have a considerable horizontal extension for giving a sufficient area of visibility and it furthermore often must be located outside the car body side for allowing a free view straight rearwards, as the car body side is often curved and the mirror has to be located forward of the most broad portion of the car body.
Beside causing increased air resistance the projecting mirrors also form a maneuver obstacle, and they are also located thus that they are easily subjected to damages. They also may be dangerous for unprotected road users at a collision.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a rear view mirror, which gives a broad area of visibility without having a large width, and according to the invention this is achieved by dividing the specular surface into at least two separate parts which are displaced so that they lie in different planes.
A rear view mirror according to the invention is particularly suited for use externally on a vehicle having a vehicle body, which has its broadest part behind the rear view miror. Thus, the second mirror part is situated between the vehicle body side on a line which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and forms a tangent to the vehicle body at the most broad portion of the vehicle body, whereas the first mirror part is situated on the opposite side of said line. This arrangement provides a wide area of visibility at the same time as it projects a rather short distance from the vehicle body side.
Hereinafter the invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows an explanatory view of a rear view mirror according to an embodiment of the invention provided on the car body of a passenger car.
The figure shows schematically a passenger car with a longitudinal symmetry axis 1 and a car body side 2. A rear view mirror 4,5 is located obliquely in front of the viewer on the external car body side 2. The specular surface of the rear view mirror is divided into at least two separate parts 4 and 5, respectively, the first part 4 of which is located farther away from the viewer and the second part 5 of which is located closer to the viewer. The areas of visibility of both the parts adjoin to each other, when the viewer's eyes are in a given position. The position 3 is then such, that a visual line 6 passes through the left or the right edge respectively on the specular surfaces on the parts 4 and 5. Along this line are reflected parallel beams 7,8, which incide against the corresponding edge on said specular surfaces. The angle a formed by the lines 6 and 7 thus is equal to the angle B formed by the lines 6 and 8. This angle is the biggest angle formed by incident beams and by beams reflected on the mirror part 4 and perceived by the viewer 3. At the same time, this is the smallest angle formed by the incident beams and by beams reflected on the mirror part 5 and perceived by the viewer 3. All other incident beams and beams reflected against or from the part 4, respectively and perceived by the viewer from smaller angles than corresponding beams against or from the part 5, respectively. The part 4 may preferably be located thus that view directly rearwards is ascertained, even if the car body side 2 is curved to convex form, such as shown in the drawing, and the mirror is located forward of the broadest car body portion. The part 5 thereby is located between the car body side 2 and a line 9, which is parallel to the longitudinal vehicle axis 1, and forms a tangent to the car body side 2 at the broadest portion of the car body, thus that the part 5 will not block the beam inciding directly from behind and which coincides with the line 9 and is reflected in the mirror part 4 to the point 3 as beam 10. The mirror part 4 is located on the opposite side of the mentioned line 9, whereby this mirror part allows view directly rearwards. By means of the part 5 the area of visibility of the viewer is made wider, thus that it will be as wide as in a single mirror, comprising the part 4 increased with the intimated portion 11.
It is evident that a mirror incorporating the reflecting surfaces 4 and 11 and attachments to the car body, which hold the mirror at a sufficient distance from the car body, i.e. outside the line 9, form a bigger air resistance together than the mirror composed by the reflecting parts 4 and 5 and attachments for these parts. The part 5 is smaller than the imagined part 11 and may be located near the car body without the car body blocking the sight, whereby also the space between the line 9 and the car body can be used for location of a reflecting surface. This space in known rear view mirror designs is occupied by attachment members only.
The rear view mirror of course can be designed thus that the reflecting surface is divided into more than two parts if so is desired. If it is not required to have a view straight rearwards, it is possible to give the parts a more free location in relation to each other. A number of parts e.g. can be located in a row after each other, whereby the row extends about parallel to the line 9, or follows the car body side 2. The parts may thereby be located in or in connection to a side window in the car body. The specular surfaces may be curved in order to give a big angle of view. The curvature thereby does not need to be uniform, but may have varying radii. In the case the specular surfaces are plane, they are preferably located in parallel to each other. When the specular surfaces of parts 4 and 5 are parallel and plane it is obtained an overlapping of the visual field corresponding to the distance between the lines 7 and 8 in the figure. This has only a small practical importance when viewing objects situated at long distances from the mirror. If the mirror parts are made individually adjustable it is possible to adjust them thus that overlapping is avoided regarding objects situated behind a certain distance from the mirror. In that case is obtained a play in the visual field for objects situated farther rearward from the mirror, but instead the viewing angle rearwards is increased.
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Platzer, Jr.Compound automotive rearview mirrorUS7448764Aug 10, 2006Nov 11, 2008Platzer Jr George ECompound automotive rearview mirrorUS7594732Feb 7, 2008Sep 29, 2009Gm Global Technology Operations, Inc.Aerodynamic side mirror assemblyUS7636188May 16, 2008Dec 22, 2009Donnelly CorporationRearview mirror element assemblies and systemsUS7824045May 10, 2010Nov 2, 2010Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with wide angle portionUS7859738Nov 13, 2009Dec 28, 2010Donnelly CorporationRearview mirror systemUS7887204Sep 29, 2010Feb 15, 2011Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with wide angle portionUS7934843Aug 5, 2010May 3, 2011Donnelly CorporationExterior sideview mirror systemUS7934844Dec 17, 2010May 3, 2011Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with wide angle portionUS8021005Apr 29, 2011Sep 20, 2011Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with wide angle portionUS8061859Jul 27, 2011Nov 22, 2011Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with wide angle portionUS8102279May 13, 2011Jan 24, 2012Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Exterior mirror with indicatorUS8128243Oct 25, 2010Mar 6, 2012Donnelly CorporationExterior sideview mirror systemUS8128244Mar 24, 2011Mar 6, 2012Donnelly CorporationExterior sideview mirror systemUS8147077Mar 24, 2011Apr 3, 2012Donnelly CorporationExterior sideview mirror systemUS8242896Nov 7, 2011Aug 14, 2012Donnelly CorporationVehicle exterior rearview mirror system with a highly viewable display indicator for the driverUS8254011Dec 21, 2010Aug 28, 2012Donnelly CorporationDriver attitude detection systemUS8267534Dec 23, 2011Sep 18, 2012Donnelly CorporationExterior rearview mirror assemblyUS8267535Nov 7, 2011Sep 18, 2012Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with wide angle portionUS8305235Jan 19, 2012Nov 6, 2012Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Exterior mirror reflective element sub-assembly with signal indicatorUS8459809Sep 17, 2012Jun 11, 2013Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with auxiliary reflector portionUS8466779Aug 10, 2012Jun 18, 2013Donnelly CorporationVehicle exterior rearview mirror system with a highly viewable display indicator for the driverUS8491137Sep 17, 2009Jul 23, 2013Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Vehicle mirror assembly with wide angle elementUS8525697Oct 25, 2012Sep 3, 2013Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Exterior mirror reflective element sub-assembly with signal indicatorUS8550642Aug 21, 2012Oct 8, 2013Donnelly CorporationExterior rearview mirror assemblyUS8562157Feb 25, 2013Oct 22, 2013Donnelly CorporationExtended field of view exterior mirror element for vehicleUS8591047Feb 25, 2013Nov 26, 2013Donnelly CorporationExterior sideview mirror assemblyUS8608326Jun 3, 2013Dec 17, 2013Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with auxiliary reflector portionUS8736940Sep 27, 2012May 27, 2014Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Exterior mirror with integral spotter mirror and method of making sameUS8777430Dec 16, 2013Jul 15, 2014Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with auxiliary reflector portionUS8779937Aug 30, 2013Jul 15, 2014Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Exterior mirror reflective element sub-assemblyUS8783882Oct 15, 2013Jul 22, 2014Donnelly CorporationExtended field of view exterior mirror element for vehicleUS8786704Aug 7, 2008Jul 22, 2014Donnelly CorporationVehicle mirror assembly with wide angle elementUS8794774Jul 16, 2013Aug 5, 2014Donnelly CorporationVehicle mirror assembly with wide angle elementUS8801245Nov 12, 2012Aug 12, 2014Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Illumination module for vehicleUS8899762Jul 21, 2014Dec 2, 2014Donnelly CorporationVehicular exterior sideview mirror system with extended field of viewUS8939589Jun 30, 2014Jan 27, 2015Donnelly CorporationExterior mirror element with auxiliary reflector portionUS9013288Jul 14, 2014Apr 21, 2015Magna Mirrors Of America, Inc.Exterior mirror reflective element sub-assemblyClassifications U.S. Classification359/850International ClassificationB60R1/08Cooperative ClassificationB60R1/081European ClassificationB60R1/08DLegal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionJun 14, 1994FPExpired due to failure to pay maintenance feeEffective date: 19900403Apr 3, 1994LAPSLapse for failure to pay maintenance feesNov 2, 1993REMIMaintenance fee reminder mailedDec 13, 1989ASAssignmentOwner name: COMPASS BANK HOUSTON, TEXASFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:NCNB TEXAS NATIONAL BANK, A NATIONAL BANKING ASSOCIATION;REEL/FRAME:005049/0347Effective date: 19881230Mar 3, 1988ASAssignmentOwner name: SKF NOVA AB, S-415 50 GOTEBORG, SWEDEN, A CORP. OFFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:ADOLFSSON, RUNE;REEL/FRAME:004853/0655Effective date: 19880107Owner name: SKF NOVA AB, SWEDENFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ADOLFSSON, RUNE;REEL/FRAME:004853/0655Owner name: SKF NOVA AB, SWEDENFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ADOLFSSON, RUNE;REEL/FRAME:004853/0655Effective date: 19880107RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services