EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY AND MIRROR SETTING
MECHANISM
Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an external rear view mirror assembly, particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanical external side rear view mirror assembly with a novel mirror setting mechanism operable by lever mechanism with the help of pull type control cables for altering the position of mirror by the driver/co-driver for attaining the required rearwards field of vision.
Background of Invention
Rear-view mirrors are installed on the one or both the sides of the motor vehicle have been installed to allow the driver to see the rearward of the vehicle. The side rear view mirror assembly is installed out side the motor vehicle while the control lever for actuating the side rear view mirror assembly is installed inside the vehicle. The mirror can be adjusted by the driver or co-driver to a convenient position by which the driver can see the vehicle coming from rearward. The mirror adjustment is to be done by the driver for driver's side rear view mirror assembly and by the driver or co-driver for the co-driver's side rear view mirror.
Figures 1 to 5 shows an existing/conventional mechanism of rear view mirror assembly. As shown in figures 1 to 5, the rear view mirror assembly is provided with fixed component and rotating/ movable component. The rotating/movable component is to be moved/swivel/rotated over the fixed component through control cables. The fixed part is provided with four legs mounted on the fixed part and located at angularly spaced points 90° apart and said movable/ rotating part is provided with four slots located at angularly spaced points 90° apart. Said slots are constructed so as to cooperate with the legs provided on the fixed part. The pull typed control cables are connected with the movable part with their one ends while the other ends being connected with the control lever. Upon actuating the control lever, the cables pull the movable part which causes the movable part to swivel about the fixed part as shown in figure 5. As can be observed from figure 3, there is less contact area between the legs and the slots even in normal position of the mirror. The said less contact area between the legs and slots becomes the least
when the rotating/movable part is at the extreme position of any side of rotation as shown in figure 5. This problem of less contact area between the legs and slots results in inferior mirror setting of the mirror, unstable assembly, short life, maneuver difficulty in terms of non uniform force required to operate the lever etc.
Therefore, there exists a need to provide a side rear view mirror assembly which overcomes at least one of the above-mentioned problems of the existing/ convention mirror assemblies.
Objects of present invention:
The main object of the present invention is to provide a rear view mirror assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical external rear view mirror
assembly with a novel mirror setting mechanism.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical rear view mirror assembly
which overcomes at least one of the problems associated with the existing control mechanism.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mirror setting mechanism operable by
the control cables with smoother in operation.
Summary of the invention
The present invention provides a rear view mirror assembly which is mounted externally on one or both the sides of the motor vehicle. The side rear-view mirror assembly of the present invention includes a novel mirror setting mechanism which stable and smoother in operation.
Brief Description of the figures
Figures 1 to 5 illustrate conventional/existing mirror setting mechanism of rear view mirror
assembly.
Figure 6 shows a side rear view mirror assembly according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 7 shows a sectional view along plane C-C of the rear view mirror assembly as shown in
figure 6 according an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 shows a perspective view of fixed and movable member of the rear view mirror
assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9 shows a front view of the rear view mirror assembly according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 10 shows a sectional view taken along the plane D-D of rear view mirror assembly as
shown in figure 9 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11 illustrates front view of the rear view mirror assembly when rotating/movable member
is at one extreme point of rotation/swivel.
Figure 12 shows sectional view taken along plane E-E of the rear view mirror assembly as shown
in figure 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed description of the present invention:
Accordingly, the present invention provides an external rear-view mirror assembly of motor
vehicle, said rear-view mirror assembly comprising:
a housing;
a fixed member secured to the housing;
a movable member comprising a base plate for mounting a mirror;
a connecting means for pivotally securing the said movable member with the fixed member,
and said connecting means comprises:
a ball shaped element and a socket adapted to receive the said ball shaped element so as to form a universal ball joint between the fixed member and the movable member;
said ball shaped element is provided with three ribs at angularly spaced 120° apart points on the said ball shaped element, and the said socket is provided with three slots, at angularly spaced 120° apart points, adapted to cooperate with said ribs such that the movable member is movable about one or more orthogonal axis perpendicular to axis of the connecting means.
In an embodiment of the present invention the movable member comprises a substantially flat surface and peripheral side wall extending perpendicular to the flat surface so as to define a casing.
In another embodiment of the present invention the mirror is mounted on the said flat surface at outer surface so as to remain outside the casing of the movable member.
In still another embodiment of the present invention the flat surface of the movable member is provided with the socket at inner surface inside the casing and said socket being extending perpendicularly to the said flat surface.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention the socket is provided with a recess for receiving the ball shaped element and the three slots are adapted to receive the ribs provided on the ball shaped element.
In a further embodiment of the present invention the fixed member is fixedly secured to the housing with the help of fastening means.
In a further more embodiment of the present invention the fixed member comprises a mounting surface and curved thin peripheral side wall extending in substantially perpendicular direction of the said mounting surface so to form a cavity for receiving the movable member.
In another embodiment of the present invention the said flat surface of the fixed member is provided with the ball shaped element extending perpendicularly to the said flat surface in a direction in which the curved thin side walls of the fixed member substantially extends.
In still another embodiment of the present invention the side walls of the fixed member partially overlaps with the side wall of the movable member when the said ball shaped element is received in the recess of the socket.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention the said curved thin side wall of the fixed member is made flexible by providing plurality of slits for allowing angular movement of movable member about the universal joint formed by the ball shaped element and the socket.
The present invention is described with reference to the figures and specific embodiments; this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various alternate embodiments of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description
of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that such alternative embodiments form part of the present invention.
Figure 6 is an exemplary illustration of complete assembled external side rear-view mirror assembly. A sectional view, taken along section C-C, illustrating mirror setting mechanism is shown in figure 7. As shown in figure 7 the external rear view mirror assembly comprises a housing for accommodating the different parts of mirror assembly and mirror setting mechanism. Particularly, the external side rear view mirror assembly can be provided with a mirror setting mechanism housing for accommodating the mirror setting mechanism. The external rear view mirror assembly comprises a fixed member and a movable member. The fixed member is mounted onto the mirror housing and secured to the housing as shown in figure 7. A reflective part or a mirror is mounted over a mirror base provided on the movable member. The movable member is pivotally secured with the fixed member at a pivot with the help of a connecting means. Particularly, the connecting means is disposed between the movable member and the fixed member so to universally connecting the movable member with fixed member. In other words, the connecting member connects the movable member with the fixed member so that the movable member can swivel about the point of connection or the pivot.
The movable member is provided with three connectors located at angular spaced positions 120° apart, for connected ends of three pull type control cables. The control cable extends through three apertures provided on the fixed member and connected with the control lever at their other ends. Actuation of control lever pulls the control cables each one of which are assembled under force of springs, causes swiveling/rotating movement of the movable member about the pivot.
Figure 8 illustrates the fixed and the movable member of the rear view mirror assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the connecting means includes a ball shaped element and a socket including a recess for receiving the said ball shaped element so as to form universal ball-socket joint. As shown in figures 7 and 8, the ball shaped element is mounted on the fixed member and the socket is provided on the movable member according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ball shaped element is provided with three cylindrical ribs with spherical ends disposed symmetrically on the ball shaped element of the connecting means. According to an embodiment
of the present invention, the ribs are located at angularly spaced points 120° apart with respect to each other. The socket is provided with circular slots for receiving and guiding the said ribs. As can be understood from figures 7 and 8, the ribs are to be located on the socket at angularly spaced points 120° apart with each other so that the three ribs can be accommodated in the three slots. The slots are ribs are constructed so as to cooperate with each other and allows to the swiveling movement of the movable member about the universal ball-socket joint. The movable member swivels/ rotates about axes which are perpendicular to the axis passing through the said ball-socket joint. As can be understood clearly, there can be 'n' number of axes which are perpendicular to the axis passing through the ball-socket joint. The movable member can swivel about the n number of such axes according to the actuation of the control lever.
At any angle of rotation/swivel of rotating/movable member with respect of fixed part, the said cylindrical ribs of the fixed part always remain in contact with the said circular slots of the rotating/movable member resulting in increased contact area between fixed member and the movable member when assembled.
Figure 9 shows a front view of the rear view mirror assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 shows a sectional view taken along the plane D-D of rear view mirror assembly shown in figure 9 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in figure 10, when mirror position is at normal position or at nominal angle of rotation/swivel, there is approximately complete area of contact between the ribs and the corresponding circular slots.
Figure 11 illustrates front view of the rear view mirror assembly when rotating/movable member is at one extreme point of rotation/swivel. Figure 12 shows sectional view taken along plane E-E of the rear view mirror assembly as shown in figure 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in figure 12, when the movable member is at extreme end of the rotation or swivel of the mirror, a complete area of contact between the three ribs and corresponding three circular slots exists in the present invention. This complete area of contact furnishes the detail about the improved contact area between fixed member and movable member when in normal or at nominal angle of rotation as well as any point of rotation.
Moreover, the said ribs of the fixed member when assembled with the circular slots of movable member restrict the rotating/ movable member about vertical axis passing through the universal ball joint, effectively while the said rotation/ swivel about vertical axis of the universal ball joint is not restricted in the prior art mirror setting mechanism.
As shown in figure 8, the movable member comprises a substantially flat surface and peripheral side wall extending perpendicular to the flat surface so as to define a casing according to an embodiment of the present invention. The reflective part or the mirror can be mounted on to the said flat surface so as to remain outside the said casing. The flat surface of the movable member is provided with the socket at inner surface inside the casing. As shown in figure 8, the socket extends perpendicularly to the said flat surface.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the fixed member is secured to the housing with the help of fastening means. The fixed member comprises a mounting surface which can substantially flat surface or a curved surface. A curved thin side walls extend in substantially perpendicular direction of mounting surface so as to form a cavity for receiving side wall of the movable member. As shown in figure 9, the side wall of the movable member is received in the thin side walls of the fixed member. The ball shaped element is provided on the mounting surface and extends perpendicular to the said ball shaped element so as to remain surrounded between the thin side walls of the fixed member. As shown in figure 9, when the movable member is assembled with the fixed member by accommodating the ball shaped element in the recess provided in the socket, the thin side walls of the fixed member partially overlaps the side wall of the movable member. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the side wall of the movable member remains in contact with the thin side wall of the fixed member for all angles of rotation or swivel. In other words, in every rotation or swiveling of movable member rubs its side wall with the thin side walls of the fixed member. This rubbing action provides smoother and more accurate rotation or swivel of the movable member with respect to the fixed member.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, plurality of slits can be provided on thin side walls of the fixed member thereby dividing the said thin side walls into plurality of flanges
as shown in figures 8 and 9. The said flanges act as vibration dampener when in contact with the side wall of the movable member. Also, a some intentional interference can be provide to get the required friction for vibration damping.

We Claim:
1. An external rear-view mirror assembly of motor vehicle, said rear-view mirror assembly
comprising:
a housing;
a fixed member secured to the housing;
a movable member comprising a base plate for mounting a mirror;
a connecting means for pivotally securing the said movable member with the fixed member, and
said connecting means comprises:
a ball shaped element and a socket adapted to receive the said ball shaped element so as to form
a universal ball joint between the fixed member and the movable member;
said ball shaped element is provided with three ribs at angularly spaced 120° apart points on the
said ball shaped element, and the said socket is provided with three slots, at angularly spaced
120° apart points, adapted to cooperate with said ribs such that the movable member is movable
about one or more orthogonal axis perpendicular to axis of the connecting means.
2. An external rear view mirror assembly a claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the movable member comprises a substantially fiat surface and peripheral side wall extending perpendicular to the flat surface so as to define a casing.
3. An external rear view mirror assembly a claimed in claim 2, wherein the mirror is mounted on the said flat surface at outer surface so as to remain outside the casing of the movable member.
4. An external rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fiat surface of the movable member is provided with the socket at inner surface inside the casing and said socket being extending perpendicularly to the said flat surface.
5. An external rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the socket is provided with a recess for receiving the ball shaped element and the three slots are adapted to receive the ribs provided on the ball shaped element.

6. An external rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claims 1 -5, wherein the fixed member is fixedly secured to the housing with the help of fastening means.
7. An external rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fixed member comprises a mounting surface and curved thin peripheral side wall extending in substantially perpendicular direction of the said mounting surface so to form a cavity for receiving the movable member.
8. An external rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the said flat surface of the fixed member is provided with the ball shaped element extending perpendicularly to the said flat surface in a direction in which the curved thin side walls of the fixed member substantially extends.
9. An external rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the side walls of the fixed member partially overlaps with the side wall of the movable member when the said ball shaped element is received in the recess of the socket.
10. An external rear view mirror assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the said curved thin side wall of the fixed member is made flexible by providing plurality of slits for allowing angular movement of movable member about the universal joint formed by the ball shaped element and the socket.
11. An external rear-view mirror assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.