Framing and mounting means for a rear vision mirror

Claim 2

A mirror construction comprising a mirror element including first and second opposite side edges, a mounting plate of a plan shape corresponding to the plan shape of said element over one side of which said element is placed in plan registry therewith, shock absorbing means extending about the peripheries of said plate and element supporting said element from said plate in a manner cushioning said mirror element from shock experienced by said plate, said plate including first and second opposite side edges, one of said plate side edges corresponding to one of said element side edges, the other side edge of said plate corresponding to the other side edge of said element and including a right-angulated first flange extending therealong and projecting outwardly of said one side of said plate, said first flange including opposite end portions which progressively decrease in width toward said plate at continuously increasing rates, the free longitudinal edge portion of said first flange terminating outwardly in a second inwardly directed rightangulated flange overlying said one side of said plate, said shock absorbing means including a resilient inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral gasket extending about said mirror element and embracingly engaging the peripheral edges thereof with one side of said gasket abutting the opposing peripheral surfaces of said one side of said plate, and inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral mounting frame extending about the peripheries of said plate and gasket and embracingly engaging the remote sides thereof, said mounting frame including a pair of elongated channel-shaped sections, one of said sections extending along said one side edges of said plate and mirror element and the other frame section extending along the other side edges of said plate and mirror element, said one side of said gasket including portions thereof abuttingly engaged with the outer surface of said second flange, said mirror element including partial spherical opposite ends with said element being outwardly convex away from said one side of said plate, said other side edge of said plate being generally straight, said one sides of said plate and element including opposite end portions which converge toward the corresponding opposite ends of said other side edges of said plate and element, said plate including mounting means spaced inwardly from the marginal edges thereof for providing the sole support of said mirror construction from a suitable support structure.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a pair of threaded mounting studs spaced apart longitudinally of said plate and including corresponding base and free end portions, said base end portions and said plate including coacting means universally swivally supporting said base end portions oF said studs from said plate.

Claim 4

A mirror construction comprising a mirror element of generally rectangular plan shape including opposite longitudinal side edges, said element including a partial cylindrical center transversely extending section and a pair of co-extensive opposite end sections of partial spherical shape, said center and end sections having the same radius of curvature, one longitudinal side of said mirror element, when the latter is viewed in plan, including a generally straight central portion and substantially constant radius opposite end portions whose adjacent ends merge smoothly into the opposite ends of said central portion, the opposite ends of said curved portions terminating at the opposite ends of the other longitudinal side of said element at generally right angles relative thereto, a mounting plate of a plan shape corresponding to the plan shape of said element over one side of which the concave side of said element is placed in plan registry therewith, and shock absorbing means extending about the peripheries of said plate and element supporting said element from said plate in a manner cushioning said mirror element from shocks experienced by said plate, said plate including opposite longitudinal side edges, one of said side edges corresponding to said one longitudinal side of said mirror element, the other side edge of said plate including a right-angulated first flange extending therealong and projecting outwardly of said one side of said plate, said first flange including a constant width central portion and opposite end portions which progressively decrease in width toward the opposite ends of said other side edge of said plate at continuously increasing rates, the free longitudinal edge portion of said first flange terminating outwardly in a second inwardly directed right-angled flange overlying said one side of said plate, said shock absorbing means including a resilient inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral gasket extending about said mirror element and embracingly engaging the peripheral edges thereof with one side of said gasket abutting the opposing peripheral surfaces of said one side of said plate, and an inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral mounting frame extending about the peripheries of said plate and gasket and embracingly engaging the remote sides thereof, said mounting frame including a pair of elongated channel-shaped sections, one of said sections extending along said one side edges of said plate and mirror element and the other frame section extending along the other side edges of said plate and mirror element, said one side of said gasket including portions thereof abuttingly engaged with the outer surface of said second flange.

Claim 5

A mirror construction comprising a mirror element of generally rectangular plan shape including opposite longitudinal side edges, said element including a partial cylindrical center transversely extending section and a pair of co-extensive opposite end sections of partial spherical shape, said center and end sections having the same radius of curvature, one longitudinal side of said mirror element, when the latter is viewed in plan, including a generally straight central portion and substantially constant radius opposite end portions whose adjacent ends merge smoothly into the opposite ends of said central portion, the opposite ends of said curved portions terminating at the opposite ends of the other longitudinal side of said element at generally right angles relative thereto, a mounting plate of a plan shape corresponding to the plan shape of said element over one side of which the concave side of said element is placed in plan registry therewith, and shock absorbing means extending about the peripheries of said plate and element supporting said element from said plate in a manner cushioning said mirror element from shocks experienced by said plate, said plate including opposite longitudinal side edges, one of said side edges corresponding to said one longitudinal side of said mirror element, the other side edge of said plate including a right-angulated first flange extending therealong and projecting outwardly of said one side of said plate, said first flange including a constant width central portion and opposite end portions which progressively decrease in width toward the opposite ends of said other side edge of said plate at continuously increasing rates, the free longitudinal edge portion of said first flange terminating outwardly in a second inwardly directed right-angled flange overlying said one side of said plate, said shock absorbing means including a resilient inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral gasket extending about said mirror element and embracingly engaging the peripheral edges thereof with one side of said gasket abutting the opposing peripheral surfaces of said one side of said plate, and an inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral mounting frame extending about the peripheries of said plate and gasket and embracingly engaging the remote sides thereof, said mounting frame including a pair of elongated channel-shaped sections, one of said sections extending along said one side edges of said plate and mirror element and the other frame section extending along the other side edges of said plate and mirror element, said one side of said gasket including portions thereof abuttingly engaged with the outer surface of said second flange.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 3 including inclined braces extending transversely of said plate outwardly of said one side thereof and spaced longitudinally of said plate, said braces including a first set of corresponding ends anchored to the inner surfaces of said first flange and a second set of corresponding ends anchored to said one side of said plate intermediate the opposite longitudinal side edges thereof.

Claim 7

A mirror construction comprising a mirror element of generally rectangular plan shape including opposite longitudinal side edges, said element including a partial cylindrical center transversely extending section and a pair of co-extensive opposite end sections of partial spherical shape, said center and end sections having the same radius of curvature, one longitudinal side of said mirror element, when the latter is viewed in plan, including a generally straight central portion and substantially constant radius opposite end portions whose adjacent ends merge into the opposite ends of said central portion, the opposite ends of said curved portions terminating at the opposite ends of the other longitudinal side of said element at generally right angles relative thereto, a mounting plate of a plan shape corresponding to the plan shape of said element over one sidE of which the concave side of said element is placed in plan registry therewith, and shock absorbing means extending about the peripheries of said plate and element supporting said element from said plate in a manner cushioning said mirror element from shocks experienced by said plate, said shock absorbing means including a resilient inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral gasket extending about said mirror element and embracingly engaging the peripheral edges thereof with one side of said gasket abutting the opposing peripheral surfaces of said one side of said plate, and an inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral mounting frame extending about the peripheries of said plate and gasket and embracingly engaging the remote sides thereof, said mounting frame including a pair of elongated channel-shaped sections, one of said sections extending along the corresponding straight side longitudinal edges of said plate and mirror element and the other frame section extending along the remaining corresponding peripheral edges of said plate and mirror element, the longitudinal edge of said plate corresponding to said one longitudinal side of said mirror element including longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting bendable tabs, said other section of said mounting frame including longitudinally spaced openings formed therein through which the outer ends of said tabs project, the outer tab ends being bent laterally of the medial plane of said plate over the adjacent outer surfaces of said other frame section.

Claim 8

A mirror construction comprising a mirror element of generally rectangular plan shape including opposite longitudinal side edges, said element including a partial cylindrical center transversely extending section and a pair of co-extensive opposite end sections of partial spherical shape, said center and end sections having the same radius of curvature, one longitudinal side of said mirror element, when the latter is viewed in plan, including a generally straight central portion and substantially constant radius opposite end portions whose adjacent ends merge into the opposite ends of said central portion, the opposite ends of said curved portions terminating at the opposite ends of the other longitudinal side of said element at generally right angles relative thereto, a mounting plate of a plan shape corresponding to the plan shape of said element over one sidE of which the concave side of said element is placed in plan registry therewith, and shock absorbing means extending about the peripheries of said plate and element supporting said element from said plate in a manner cushioning said mirror element from shocks experienced by said plate, said shock absorbing means including a resilient inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral gasket extending about said mirror element and embracingly engaging the peripheral edges thereof with one side of said gasket abutting the opposing peripheral surfaces of said one side of said plate, and an inwardly opening and channel-shaped peripheral mounting frame extending about the peripheries of said plate and gasket and embracingly engaging the remote sides thereof, said mounting frame including a pair of elongated channel-shaped sections, one of said sections extending along the corresponding straight side longitudinal edges of said plate and mirror element and the other frame section extending along the remaining corresponding peripheral edges of said plate and mirror element, the longitudinal edge of said plate corresponding to said one longitudinal side of said mirror element including longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting bendable tabs, said other section of said mounting frame including longitudinally spaced openings formed therein through which the outer ends of said tabs project, the outer tab ends being bent laterally of the medial plane of said plate over the adjacent outer surfaces of said other frame section.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5 wherein said plate includes a pair of threaded mounting studs spaced apart longitudinally of said plate and including corresponding base and free end portions, said base end portions and said plate including coacting means universally swivally supporting said base end portions of said studs from said plate.