US3653276A — Remote-control mirror system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 349 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by a length of flexible Bowden cable means, each of said units comprising a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and including means for local attachment to a different part of the vehicle, a movable control member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of one male member, a movable mirror member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of the other male member; said Bowden cable means comprising outer flexible-conduit means axially referenced to said male members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed-center, said Bowden cable means further comprising inner flexible-cable means connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding Angular locations offset from the median axis, the inner-cable connections at one unit being substantially normal to a plane normal to the median axis and near the fixed center at said one unit; and fixedly preset resilient means located at said one unit symmetrically about the median axis at said one unit and preloading the spherical surface engagements to a level less than that desired when installed in a vehicle in which the straightline distance between said units is less than said length, said resilient means and adjacent inner-cable connections being fully and inaccessibly contained within said one unit, said preset resilient means being compressionally stressed to a first level when said system is preassembled with said Bowden cable means extended straight between said units, the stiffness of said resilient means and said first level of compressional stress being so selected that a predetermined greater compressional stress will be automatically achieved for a particular vehicular installation of said system in which the installed distance between said units is less than said straight-line distance; whereby merely by assembling said system to the vehicle, the desired tension is achieved in said cable means to establish a predetermined frictional relation of the bearing surfaces at said units.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 349 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by a length of flexible Bowden cable means, each of said units comprising a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and including means for local attachment to a different part of the vehicle, a movable control member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of one male member, a movable mirror member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of the other male member; said Bowden cable means comprising outer flexible-conduit means axially referenced to said male members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed-center, said Bowden cable means further comprising inner flexible-cable means connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding Angular locations offset from the median axis, the inner-cable connections at one unit being substantially normal to a plane normal to the median axis and near the fixed center at said one unit; and fixedly preset resilient means located at said one unit symmetrically about the median axis at said one unit and preloading the spherical surface engagements to a level less than that desired when installed in a vehicle in which the straightline distance between said units is less than said length, said resilient means and adjacent inner-cable connections being fully and inaccessibly contained within said one unit, said preset resilient means being compressionally stressed to a first level when said system is preassembled with said Bowden cable means extended straight between said units, the stiffness of said resilient means and said first level of compressional stress being so selected that a predetermined greater compressional stress will be automatically achieved for a particular vehicular installation of said system in which the installed distance between said units is less than said straight-line distance; whereby merely by assembling said system to the vehicle, the desired tension is achieved in said cable means to establish a predetermined frictional relation of the bearing surfaces at said units.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 19 words

A mirror system according to claim 1, in which said preloading means is located only at said mirror unit.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 351 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by corresponding lengths of plural flexible Bowden cables, each of said units comprising mounting means including a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and including means for local attachment to part of the vehicle, each of said units including a movable member having a truncated spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center bearing surface of the associated male member, one of said movable members including a control element and the other of said movable members including a mirror element; said Bowden cables each comprising an outer flexible conduit axially referenced to said mounting members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed center, said Bowden cables each further including an inner flexible strand connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding angular locations offset from the median axis; the axial reference at one of said units including a slide guided for movement with respect to the corresponding male member along substantially the median axis at said one unit, and spring means located at said one unit symmetrically about the median axis at said one unit and reacting between said slide and said corresponding male member and in fixedly preset preloading relation to the bearing engagements at both said units, said slide and spring means being fully and inaccessibly contained at said one unit, said spring means being preset in compressional stress to a first level when said system is preassembled with said Bowden cables extended straight between said units, the stiffness of said spring means and the first level of compressional stress being so selected that a predetermined greater compressional stress will be automatically achieved for a particular vehicular installation of said system in which the installed distance between said units is less than said straight-line distance; whereby merely by assembling said system to the vehicle, the desired tension is achieved in said cable means to establish a predetermined frictional relation of the bearing surfaces at said units.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 351 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by corresponding lengths of plural flexible Bowden cables, each of said units comprising mounting means including a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and including means for local attachment to part of the vehicle, each of said units including a movable member having a truncated spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center bearing surface of the associated male member, one of said movable members including a control element and the other of said movable members including a mirror element; said Bowden cables each comprising an outer flexible conduit axially referenced to said mounting members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed center, said Bowden cables each further including an inner flexible strand connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding angular locations offset from the median axis; the axial reference at one of said units including a slide guided for movement with respect to the corresponding male member along substantially the median axis at said one unit, and spring means located at said one unit symmetrically about the median axis at said one unit and reacting between said slide and said corresponding male member and in fixedly preset preloading relation to the bearing engagements at both said units, said slide and spring means being fully and inaccessibly contained at said one unit, said spring means being preset in compressional stress to a first level when said system is preassembled with said Bowden cables extended straight between said units, the stiffness of said spring means and the first level of compressional stress being so selected that a predetermined greater compressional stress will be automatically achieved for a particular vehicular installation of said system in which the installed distance between said units is less than said straight-line distance; whereby merely by assembling said system to the vehicle, the desired tension is achieved in said cable means to establish a predetermined frictional relation of the bearing surfaces at said units.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 261 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by a length of flexible Bowden cable means, each of said units comprising a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and inCluding means for local attachment to a different part of the vehicle, a movable control member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed center surface of one male member, a movable mirror member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of the other male member; said Bowden cable means comprising outer flexible-conduit means axially referenced to said male members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed-center, said Bowden cable means further comprising inner flexible-cable means connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding angular locations offset from the median axis; and fixedly preset resilient means preloading the spherical surface engagements to a level less than that desired when installed in a vehicle in which the straight-line distance between said units is less than said length; said preloading means being located only at said mirror unit and comprising a slide guided for limited reciprocation with respect to said male member and on the median axis at the mirror unit, the mirror-unit end of the Bowden cable means being referenced to said slide, and said preloading means comprising preloaded spring means reacting between said male member and said slide in the direction to maintain compressional seating of said bearing surfaces.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 261 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by a length of flexible Bowden cable means, each of said units comprising a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and inCluding means for local attachment to a different part of the vehicle, a movable control member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed center surface of one male member, a movable mirror member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of the other male member; said Bowden cable means comprising outer flexible-conduit means axially referenced to said male members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed-center, said Bowden cable means further comprising inner flexible-cable means connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding angular locations offset from the median axis; and fixedly preset resilient means preloading the spherical surface engagements to a level less than that desired when installed in a vehicle in which the straight-line distance between said units is less than said length; said preloading means being located only at said mirror unit and comprising a slide guided for limited reciprocation with respect to said male member and on the median axis at the mirror unit, the mirror-unit end of the Bowden cable means being referenced to said slide, and said preloading means comprising preloaded spring means reacting between said male member and said slide in the direction to maintain compressional seating of said bearing surfaces.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 52 words

A mirror system according to claim 4, in which mounting means at said mirror unit includes an elongated sleeve within which said slide is guided, said male member having sleeve-flange means abutting an end of said sleeve and coaxially locating the same, whereby said spring means is fully contained within said sleeve.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

A mirror system according to claim 5, in which said mounting means includes a shrouded shall peripherally surrounding said mirror member and integrally related to said sleeve.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 39 words

A mirror system according to claim 6, in which said mounting means includes a body-mounting pedestal abutting said shell and through which said cable means passes, and externally accessible means for selectively clamping said male member against said shell.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 174 words

A mirror system according to claim 5, in which said spring is preloaded in compression between said slide and said sleeve-flange means, and in which abutment means at the inner end of said sleeve determines a rear limiting position of said slide; and further in which, for the condition of said system unassembled to a vehicle and with said Bowden cable means elongated straight between said units, a clearance is established between said slide and said abutment to a predetermined relatively small extent which will allow the slide to be forcibly further displaced when accommodating the intended circuitous path of cable alignment in the ultimate vehicle installation, whereby in the course of installation of said system in a vehicle, said slide will be forced into greater clearance with respect to said abutment and the preloaded fixed-center seating of said mirror member and of said control member may both depend upon the preloading reaction between compression of said conduits against tension of the flexible cables associated therewith, both before and after installation in a vehicle.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 76 words

A mirror system according to claim 4, in which said mirror member includes a backing plate to which said inner-flexible cable means is locally secured within a given radial offset from the local concave spherical bearing surface, and an annular flexible boot having sealed engagement at one end to said backing plate at a location outside said given radius and extending in axially overlapping sealed relation with the location of flexible-conduit reference at the mirror unit.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 105 words

A mirror system according to claim 4, in which said means for local attachment of said control unit comprises an elongated body having a sleeve portion at one end, the convex spherical surface of said male member being positioned within and in radial-clearancE relation with said sleeve portion, said control member at bearing engagement with said convex spherical surface being also positioned within and in such radial-clearance relation with said sleeve as to provide a desired solid angle of adjustment of control-member angularity within said sleeve, and means on said sleeve for securing said control unit to the edge of a circular vehicle body-wall opening.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

A mirror system according to claim 10, in which said last-defined means includes a radial flange at substantially the radial plane which includes the fixed center of the pivotal support of said control member.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

A mirror system according to claim 10, in which said inner-cable means is connected to said control member within said sleeve.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 40 words

A mirror system according to claim 12, in which said inner-cable means is connected to said control member at substantially that radial plane about the control-member axis which includes the fixed center of the pivotal support of said control member.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

A mirror system according to claim 10, in which said body includes Bowden conduit receiving sockets at equal angular locations about the median axis of control-member freedom.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

A mirror system according to claim 10, in which said body includes Bowden conduit receiving sockets at equal angular locations about an axis at substantially 90* to the median axis of control-member freedom.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 39 words

A mirror system according to claim 10, in which said body is radially ported to permit assembly of said cable ends through said sleeve, and a resilient seal member circumferentially surrounding said body and substantially closing said radial porting.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 248 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by a length of flexible Bowden cable means, each of said units comprising a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and including means for local attachment to a different part of the vehicle, a movable control member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed center surface of one male member, a movable mirror member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of the other male member; said Bowden cable means comprising outer flexible-conduit means axially referenced to said male members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed-center, said Bowden cable means further comprising inner flexible-cable means connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding angular locations offset from the median axis; and fixedly preset resilient means preloading the spherical surface engagements to a level less than that desired when installed in a vehicle in which the straight-line distance between said units is less than said length; said mirror member including a backing plate and said preloading means including a resilient stabilizing insert having a central opening by which said stabilizing insert is located about the median axis of said male member, said stabilizing insert having plural angularly spaced axially resilient radian arms in axially stressed wiping contact with angularly spaced local areas of said backing plate.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 248 words

A preassembled remote-control mirror system for vehicular installation, comprising a mirror unit and a control unit interconnected only by a length of flexible Bowden cable means, each of said units comprising a male member having a fixed-center truncated spherical convex bearing surface and including means for local attachment to a different part of the vehicle, a movable control member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed center surface of one male member, a movable mirror member having a truncated concave spherical bearing surface riding the fixed-center surface of the other male member; said Bowden cable means comprising outer flexible-conduit means axially referenced to said male members at corresponding angular positions about a median axis of limited motion of each movable member about its fixed-center, said Bowden cable means further comprising inner flexible-cable means connected at opposite ends to each movable member at corresponding angular locations offset from the median axis; and fixedly preset resilient means preloading the spherical surface engagements to a level less than that desired when installed in a vehicle in which the straight-line distance between said units is less than said length; said mirror member including a backing plate and said preloading means including a resilient stabilizing insert having a central opening by which said stabilizing insert is located about the median axis of said male member, said stabilizing insert having plural angularly spaced axially resilient radian arms in axially stressed wiping contact with angularly spaced local areas of said backing plate.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-04-04	1975-10-04	1976-04-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-04-04	1979-10-04	1980-04-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-04-04	1983-10-04	1984-04-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Remote-control mirror system

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