Wide-angle mirror for automobiles and the like

Claim 1

A wide-angle rear vision mirror that has a single contoured surface which is not spherically contoured and that is expressly designed and adapted for use on the right side or left side of passenger automobiles, vans and the like vehicles, comprising a composite reflective surface including: a single substantially planar reflective surface having a width and a height, said planar surface width being generally equal to said planar surface height; a single contoured reflective surface having a contoured surface height and a contoured surface width, said single contoured reflective surface being continuous with said planar surface, said single contoured surface being an integral extension of said planar surface in a direction away from the vehicle, said contoured reflective surface being a single generally convex cylindrically contoured surface, said cylindrical contour being that of a right cylinder having a radius of curvature of 8 inches plus or minus about 121/2 percent; said composite reflective surface has a composite width that is substantially identical to the planar surface width plus the contoured surface width; said composite reflective surface is straight-lined throughout its vertical extent; said planar surface width is about 3/5 of said composite reflective surface width, and said contoured surface width is about 2/5 of said total reflective surface width; said composite reflective surface has a composite height identical to said planar surface height and also to said contoured surface height; said composite reflective surface is unseamed throughout its composite width; and said composite reflective surface has a composite height and a composite width such that the wide angle rear vision mirror overlies substantially the entire surface area of an external automobile rear view mirror.