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US4932766A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Exterior mirror for motor vehicle

Assignee: SMR Automotive Systems France SA
•
Filing: 1989-04-28
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Granted: 1990-06-12
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Expires: 2009-04-28
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Abstract

Abstract An exterior mirror for a motor vehicle has a base member adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body, a housing containing a reflective member and having an end face to confront the base member with a peripheral edge serving as an abutment edge which engages the base member for relative pivotal movement. A link is pivotally connected at one end to the base member and a tension spring is connected between the link and an attachment point in the interior of the housing to urge the abutment edge on the housing into abutment with the base member. The end of the link opposite to the end connected to the base member is pivotally connected to the housing and the spring is connected to an intermediate point on the link. The base member and housing are shaped to conceal the abutment edge of the housing when said peripheral edge is in engagement with the base member around its entire periphery. The base member has a cam surface shaped to engage the abutment edge on one side of the housing, thereby to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a predetermined direction.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jean-Michel Harry

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 07:46
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R1/00; B60R1/02; B60R1/06; B60R1/076; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S248/00; Y10S248/90

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 182 words
An exterior mirror for a motor vehicle, having a base member adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body, a housing containing a reflective member and having an end face to confront the base member with a peripheral edge serving as a rear abutment edge which engages the base member for relative pivotal movement, a link pivotally connected at one end to the base member and pivotally connected at its other end to the housing, and a tension spring connected between a point on the link between its ends and an attachment point in the interior of the housing to urge the rear abutment edge on the housing into abutment with the base member, the base member and housing being shaped to conceal the rear abutment edge of the housing when said peripheral edge is in engagement with the base member around its entire periphery and the base member having a first cam surface to engage the rear abutment edge of said housing to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a predetermined direction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 182 words
An exterior mirror for a motor vehicle, having a base member adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body, a housing containing a reflective member and having an end face to confront the base member with a peripheral edge serving as a rear abutment edge which engages the base member for relative pivotal movement, a link pivotally connected at one end to the base member and pivotally connected at its other end to the housing, and a tension spring connected between a point on the link between its ends and an attachment point in the interior of the housing to urge the rear abutment edge on the housing into abutment with the base member, the base member and housing being shaped to conceal the rear abutment edge of the housing when said peripheral edge is in engagement with the base member around its entire periphery and the base member having a first cam surface to engage the rear abutment edge of said housing to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a predetermined direction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 25 words
An exterior mirror according to claim1, wherein the first cam surface has a stop formation position to limit travel of the rear abutment edge therealong.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 54 words
An exterior mirror according to claim 2, wherein the base member has a second cam surface to engage a front abutment edge located on the opposite side of the housing, thereby to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 54 words
An exterior mirror according to claim 1, wherein the base member has a second cam surface to engage a front abutment edge located on the opposite side of the housing, thereby to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 252 words
An exterior mirror for a motor vehicle, having a base member adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body, a housing containing a reflective member and having an end face to confront the base member with a peripheral edge serving as a rear abutment edge which engages the base member for relative pivotal movement, a link pivotally connected at one end to the base member and pivotally connected at its other end to the housing, and a tension spring connected between a point on the link between its ends and an attachment point in the interior of the housing to urge the rear abutment edge on the housing into abutment with the base member, the base member and housing being shaped to conceal the rear abutment edge of the housing when said peripheral edge is in engagement with the base member around its entire periphery and the base member having a first cam surface to engage the rear abutment edge of said housed to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a predetermined direction, a stop formation positioned to limit travel of the rear abutment edge along the first cam surface, and a pawl mounted on a pivot pin which is journaled in a slot in the base member, the pawl being resiliently biased into a position in which it projects past the first cam surface so that the pawl engages the rear abutment edge to retain the mirror in its fully displaced position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 252 words
An exterior mirror for a motor vehicle, having a base member adapted to be mounted on a vehicle body, a housing containing a reflective member and having an end face to confront the base member with a peripheral edge serving as a rear abutment edge which engages the base member for relative pivotal movement, a link pivotally connected at one end to the base member and pivotally connected at its other end to the housing, and a tension spring connected between a point on the link between its ends and an attachment point in the interior of the housing to urge the rear abutment edge on the housing into abutment with the base member, the base member and housing being shaped to conceal the rear abutment edge of the housing when said peripheral edge is in engagement with the base member around its entire periphery and the base member having a first cam surface to engage the rear abutment edge of said housed to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a predetermined direction, a stop formation positioned to limit travel of the rear abutment edge along the first cam surface, and a pawl mounted on a pivot pin which is journaled in a slot in the base member, the pawl being resiliently biased into a position in which it projects past the first cam surface so that the pawl engages the rear abutment edge to retain the mirror in its fully displaced position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 56 words
An exterior mirror according to claim 5, wherein the stop formation is so shaped that a force applied to the mirror housing in a direction to displace its back towards its normal position causes the rear abutment edge to slide along the stop formation, displacing the pawl to allow disengagement thereof from the rear abutment edge.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 54 words
An exterior mirror according to claim 6, wherein the base member has a second cam surface to engage a front abutment edge located on the opposite side of the housing. Thereby to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 54 words
An exterior mirror according to claim 5, wherein the base member has a second cam surface to engage a front abutment edge located on the opposite side of the housing, thereby to displace the housing away from the base member as soon as pivotal movement commences in a direction opposite to said predetermined direction.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

DE3032392A1 Cited
JPS58214431A Cited
US4592529A Cited
US4740066A Cited
US4755033A Cited
EP0290232A2 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-06-11 1993-12-11 1994-06-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-06-11 1997-12-11 1998-06-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-06-11 2001-12-11 2002-06-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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