Exterior driving mirror for an automobile vehicle

Claim 1

An exterior driving mirror for an automobile vehicle comprising a base for securing to a vehicle body, an arm having a first end portion and a second end portion, a mirror mounted on said first end portion of the arm, the base having a socket defining a bore having a longitudinal axis, means for securing said second end portion of the arm to said socket in such manner that a blow on the arm of a predetermined magnitude causes release of the arm from the base, said means comprising a first abutment surface on the arm, a second abutment surface on the base, the first abutment and second abutment surfaces being in abutting relation axially of the bore when the arm is assembled with the base, a retaining ring of deformable material having an inner surface and an outer surface which is engaged in and in contact with the bore, a ring-expanding collar having an outer surface which is convergent toward said second end portion of the arm and coaxial with the bore and engaged in the ring in contact with said inner surface, means defining a rigid axial abutment for the ring in the bore adjacent said second end portion of the arm, an element securing the collar to said second end portion of the arm and exerting on the collar a force axially of the bore toward said second end portion of the arm and urging the convergent outer surface of the collar axially of the bore and the ring and thereby clamping the ring against the bore and radially compressing the ring and axially compressing the ring against said axial abutment, the ring being capable of elastically deforming and withdrawing from between the collar and the bore upon application of said blow.