Claims
- 1. A mirror assembly for the exterior of an automobile having a hand set adjustment mechanism, said mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror,
- a mirror casing supporting said mirror,
- a base having a partially spherical center portion with a concave surface, said concave surface having an upwardly extending post, said base having outwardly extending mounting flanges defining a substantially nominal planar surface located closest to said mirror casing, said partially spherical center portion being depressed below said nominal planar surface away from said mirror casing,
- a mounting bracket contacting against said mounting flanges,
- a pivot cup having a central semi-spherical portion, said semi-circular portion being circumferentially bordered by a generally flat surface outwardly extending therefrom attached to said mirror casing, said semi-spherical portion having an centrally located opening through which said post extends, said semi-spherical portion being located adjacent to said concave surface of said base and being at least partially disposed below said nominal planar surface of said base away from said mirror casing,
- a sleeve being of a semi-spherical shape with an aperture through which said post extends, said sleeve having an outside and an inside surface, said outside surface being located against said semi-circular portion of said pivot cup, and
- means for forcibly compressing said pivot cup against said partially spherical portion of said base; whereby said pivot cup can pivotally move between said compression means and said partially spherical portion of said base.
- 2. The mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein said compressing means comprises:
- a retainer compressibly mounted upon said sleeve, said retainer having a partially spherical lower surface circumferentially bordered by a peripheral edge thereupon, said retainer having an orifice centrally located therein through which said post extends, said retainer having an upper surface thereupon, said upper surface being substantially flat with a central depression therein,
- a compression spring located within the central depression of said retainer and around said post,
- a spring retainer forcibly located on top of said compression spring, said spring retainer being attached to said post of said base; and
- said spring retainer forcibly retaining said compression spring against said retainer, said retainer forcibly pushing said sleeve against said pivot cup, said pivot cup being compressibly located against said concave surface of said base, whereby said pivot cup can pivotally move between said sleeve and said base.
- 3. A mirror assembly for the exterior of an automobile having a hand set adjustment mechanism, said mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror,
- a mirror casing supporting said mirror,
- a base having a partially spherical center portion with a concave surface thereupon, said concave surface having a post extending upwardly therefrom, said base having mounting flanges outwardly extending therefrom,
- a pivot cup having a semi-spherical portion centrally located therewithin, said semi-circular portion being circumferentially bordered by a generally flat surface outwardly extending therefrom attached to said mirror casing, said semi-spherical portion having an opening centrally located therein through which said post extends, said semi-spherical portion being located adjacent to said concave surface of said base,
- a sleeve being of a semi-spherical shape with an aperture therein through which said post extends, said sleeve having an outside and an inside surface thereupon, said outside surface being located against said semi-circular portion of said pivot cup,
- a retainer compressibly mounted upon said sleeve, said retainer having a partially spherical lower surface circumferentially bordered by a peripheral edge thereupon, said retainer having an orifice centrally located therein through which said post extends, said retainer having an upper surface thereupon, said upper surface being substantially flat with a central depression therein,
- a compression spring located within the central depression of said retainer and around said post,
- a spring retainer forcibly located on top of said compression spring, said spring retainer being attached to said post of said base; and
- said spring retainer forcibly retaining said compression spring against said retainer, said retainer forcibly pushing said sleeve against said pivot cup, said pivot cup being compressibly located against said concave surface of said base, whereby said pivot cup can pivotally move between said sleeve and said base.
- 4. The mirror assembly of claim 3 wherein:
- said spring retainer has a substantially flat outer shape with a centrally located void therein, said outer shape having inwardly projecting fingers therefrom.
- 5. A mirror assembly for the exterior of an automobile having a hand set adjustment mechanism, said mirror assembly comprising:
- a base having a partially spherical center portion with a concave surface thereupon, said concave surface having a post extending upwardly therefrom, said base having mounting flanges outwardly extending therefrom,
- a mirror,
- a casing which locates and retains said mirror thereupon,
- a pivot cup having a semi-spherical portion centrally located therewithin, said semi-circular portion being circumferentially bordered by a generally flat surface outwardly extending therefrom, said flat surface being peripherally bordered by an upturned wall, said flat surface being attached to said mirror casing, said mirror casing being an independent member from said pivot cup, said semi-spherical portion having an opening centrally located therein through which said post extends, said opening being substantially square shaped with rounded corners and having an inside edge thereupon, said semi-spherical portion having a channel longitudinally cut therein extending from said flat portion to said inside edge of said opening, said semi-spherical portion being located adjacent to said concave surface of said base,
- a sleeve being of a semi-spherical shape with an aperture therein through which said post extends, said aperture within said sleeve being generally square-shaped with rounded corners, said sleeve having an outside and an inside surface thereupon, said outside surface having a rib mounted thereon, said rib extending from a peripheral edge of said sleeve to an inside edge of said aperture within said sleeve, said rib acting cooperatively with the channel of said pivot cup to maintain directional pivoting alignment, said inside surface of said sleeve having a groove therein extending from the outside edge to a second inside edge of said sleeve aperture, said groove being proximately perpendicular to said rib on said outside surface, said outside surface being located against said semi-circular portion of said pivot cup,
- a retainer compressibly mounted upon said sleeve, said retainer having a partially spherical lower surface circumferentially bordered by a peripheral edge thereupon, said retainer having a substantially square orifice centrally located therein through which said post extends, said lower surface having a second rib protruding therefrom, said second rib extending from said second peripheral edge to a third inside edge of said orifice, said second rib responding to said sleeve groove for pivoting directional alignment, said retainer having an upper surface thereupon, said upper surface being substantially flat with a central depression therein,
- a compression spring located within the central depression of said retainer and around said post,
- a spring retainer forcibly located on top of said compression spring, said spring retainer having a substantially flat outer shape with a centrally located void therein, said outer shape having inwardly projecting fingers therefrom for attachment to said post of said base; and
- said spring retainer forcibly retaining said compression spring against said retainer, said retainer forcibly pushing said sleeve against said pivot cup, said pivot cup being compressibly located against said concave surface of said base, whereby said base can pivotally move between said sleeve and said base.
- 6. A mirror assembly for the exterior of an automobile having a hand set adjustment mechanism, said mirror assembly comprising:
- a base having a partially spherical center portion with a concave surface thereupon, said concave surface having a post extending upwardly therefrom,
- a pivot cup having a semi-spherical portion centrally located therewithin, said semi-circular portion being circumferentially bordered by a casing mounting surface outwardly extending therefrom, said semi-spherical portion having an opening centrally located therein through which said post extends, said semi-spherical portion being located adjacent to said concave surface of said base, said semi-spherical portion having a channel longitudinally cut therein extending from said casing mounting surface to said inside edge of said opening,
- a sleeve being of a semi-spherical shape with an aperture therein through which said post extends, said sleeve having an outside and an inside surface thereupon, said outside surface being located against said semi-circular portion of said pivot cup, said outside surface having a rib mounted thereon, said rib extending from a peripheral edge of said sleeve to an inside edge of said aperture within said sleeve, said rib acting cooperatively with the channel of said pivot cup to maintain directional pivoting alignment,
- a retainer compressibly mounted upon said sleeve, said retainer having a partially spherical lower surface circumferentially bordered by a peripheral edge thereupon, said retainer having an orifice centrally located therein through which said post extends, said retainer having an upper surface thereupon, said upper surface being substantially flat with a central depression therein,
- a compression spring located within the central depression of said retainer and around said post,
- a spring retainer forcibly located on top of said compression spring, said spring retainer being attached to said post of said base; and
- said spring retainer forcibly retaining said compression spring against said retainer, said retainer forcibly pushing said sleeve against said pivot cup, said pivot cup being compressibly located against said concave surface of said base, whereby said pivot cup can pivotally move between said sleeve and said base.
- 7. A mirror assembly for the exterior of an automobile having a hand set adjustment mechanism, said mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror,
- a mirror casing supporting said mirror,
- a pivot cup having a centrally located semi-spherical portion, said semi-circular portion being circumferentially bordered by an outwardly extending casing mounting surface attached to said mirror casing, said semi-spherical portion having a centrally located opening through which a post extends toward a nominal planar surface defined by said mirror casing,
- an elongated mechanical force transmitting member coupled to at least one element from the group of: said mirror casing and said pivot cup, for allowing remotely operated hand set movement thereof,
- a shell, and
- at least a majority portion of a bracket being substantially hidden within said shell, said bracket being fixed relative to said shell, a section of said semi-spherical portion of said pivot cup extending at least partially within a partial spherical cavity of said bracket at least when said pivot cup is tilted, said pivot cup, said mirror casing and said mirror being movable relative to said shell;
- whereby said mirror casing is removable from said pivot cup without damage to said mirror casing and said pivot cup, said pivot cup is removable from said bracket without damage to said pivot cup and said bracket.
- 8. The mirror assembly of claim 7 further comprising:
- a semi-spherically shaped sleeve having an aperture through which said post extends, said sleeve having an outside and an inside surface, said outside surface being located against said semi-circular portion of said pivot cup,
- a retainer being compressibly mounted upon said sleeve, said retainer having a partially spherical lower surface circumferentially bordered by a peripheral edge, said retainer having a centrally located orifice through which said post extends, said retainer having a substantially flat upper surface with a central depression, and
- a compression spring located within the central depression of said retainer and around said post.
- 9. The mirror assembly of claim 8 further comprising:
- a spring retainer forcibly located on top of said compression spring, said spring retainer being attached to said post of said base; and
- said spring retainer forcibly retaining said compression spring against said retainer, said retainer forcibly pushing said sleeve against said pivot cup, said pivot cup being compressibly located against said concave surface of said base, whereby said pivot cup can pivotally move between said sleeve and said base.
- 10. A mirror assembly for the exterior of an automobile, said mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror,
- a mirror casing supporting said mirror,
- a base having a center portion with an upwardly extending post, said base having outwardly extending mounting flanges defining a substantially nominal planar surface located closest to said mirror casing, said center portion being depressed below said nominal planar surface away from said mirror casing,
- a pivot cup having a centrally located semi-spherical portion, said semi-circular portion being circumferentially bordered by an outwardly extending surface attached to said mirror casing, said semi-spherical portion having a centrally located opening through which said post extends, said semi-spherical portion being located adjacent to said center portion of said base and being at least partially disposed below said nominal planar surface of said base away from said mirror casing,
- a semi-spherically shaped sleeve having an aperture through which said post extends, said sleeve having an outside and an inside surface, said outside surface being located against said semi-circular portion of said pivot cup, and
- at least a majority of a biasing member being disposed between said pivot cup and said mirror casing.
- 11. The mirror assembly of claim 10 further comprising:
- a retainer compressibly mounted upon said sleeve, said retainer having a partially spherical lower surface circumferentially bordered by a peripheral edge, said retainer having a centrally located orifice through which said post extends, said retainer having a substantially flat upper surface with a central depression,
- said biasing member includes a compression spring located within the central depression of said retainer and around said post,
- a spring retainer forcibly located on top of said compression spring, said spring retainer being attached to said post of said base; and
- said spring retainer forcibly retaining said compression spring against said retainer, said retainer forcibly pushing said sleeve against said pivot cup, said pivot cup being compressibly located against said center portion of said base, whereby said pivot cup can pivotally move between said sleeve and said base.
- 12. The mirror assembly of claim 10 further comprising an elongated mechanical force transmitting member having a passenger accessible handle coupled to a first end and having at least one element taken from the group of: said mirror casing and said pivot cup, coupled to the other end.
- 13. The mirror assembly of claim 10 wherein said mirror casing is snap fit to said outwardly extending surface of said pivot cup.
- 14. The mirror assembly of claim 10 wherein said mirror, mirror casing, base, pivot cup and sleeve have a vibrational natural frequency of at least 105 Hertz.
- 15. The mirror assembly of claim 14 wherein the vibrational natural frequency is between 105 Hertz and 125 Hertz.
- 16. A mirror assembly for the exterior of an automobile, said mirror assembly comprising:
- a mirror,
- a mirror casing supporting said mirror,
- a base having a center portion with an upwardly extending post, said base having outwardly extending mounting flanges defining a substantially nominal planar surface located closest to said mirror casing, said center portion being depressed below said nominal planar surface away from said mirror casing,
- a pivot cup having a centrally located semi-spherical portion, said semi-circular portion being circumferentially bordered by an outwardly extending surface attached to said mirror casing, said semi-spherical portion having a centrally located opening through which said post extends, said semi-spherical portion being located adjacent to said center portion of said base and being at least partially disposed below said nominal planar surface of said base away from said mirror casing,
- a semi-spherically shaped sleeve having an aperture through which said post extends, said sleeve having an outside and an inside surface, said outside surface being located against said semi-circular portion of said pivot cup,
- a majority of a biasing member being disposed between said pivot cup and said mirror casing; and
- an elongated mechanical force transmitting member having a passenger accessible handle coupled to a first end and having at least one element taken from the group of said mirror casing and said pivot cup, coupled to the other end.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/061,618, filed May 12, 1993, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (6)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0352762 |
Jan 1990 |
EPX |
2119772 |
Aug 1972 |
FRX |
2334535 |
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FRX |
2554066 |
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GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
61618 |
May 1993 |
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