초록 ▼

A mirror assembly for trucks, vans and the like, for providing front or rear viewing as the vehicle is moving forward or is backing up, for example, into a truck loading dock area. The mirror assembly comprises a mirror unit that is connected by a mirror arm to a support structure, e.g., a flange or

A mirror assembly for trucks, vans and the like, for providing front or rear viewing as the vehicle is moving forward or is backing up, for example, into a truck loading dock area. The mirror assembly comprises a mirror unit that is connected by a mirror arm to a support structure, e.g., a flange or bracket, that is fixed to the vehicle. The support structure projects minimally sideways of the vehicle and pivotably supports the mirror arm in a manner whereby the mirror unit and its arm can swing about a pivot axis, enabling the mirror and its arm to lie alongside a side wall of the vehicle or tightly against the rear of the vehicle. A return or rebound mechanism returns the mirror unit to its normal operational position automatically, once contact with an obstruction that has pivoted the mirror unit from its normal position, has been removed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A mirror system for facilitating driving of a vehicle, the system comprising: a mirror assembly that is suitable for being mounted to a vehicle body, wherein the vehicle body has a right side and a left side; at least one mirror arm having a mirror holding portion and a mount

What is claimed is: 1. A mirror system for facilitating driving of a vehicle, the system comprising: a mirror assembly that is suitable for being mounted to a vehicle body, wherein the vehicle body has a right side and a left side; at least one mirror arm having a mirror holding portion and a mounting portion; a mirror unit mechanically coupled to the mirror holding portion of the mirror arm; a mounting bracket having a first portion that is securable to the vehicle body, the mounting bracket having a mirror arm holding portion that defines a receiving opening in which the mounting portion of the mirror arm is pivotably supported, the mirror unit being so mounted that the mirror unit is at least partially disposed outwardly relative to one of the right side and the left side of the vehicle body, the mirror arm having a predetermined angular position relative to one side of the vehicle where it is positioned, and a range of movement that allows the mirror unit to swing, in response to a force, in clockwise and counterclockwise directions relative to the predetermined angular position, to end positions at which the mirror unit is not disposed outwardly relative to either side of the vehicle body; and a rebounding mechanism which is structured to return the mirror unit to the predetermined angular position from any position between the end positions to which it is pivoted by the force, upon removal of the force; wherein the rebounding mechanism comprises an upper sleeve which is rotatably interfitted with a lower sleeve, the upper sleeve and the lower sleeve comprising corresponding and complimentary camming surfaces which are resiliently biased toward one another to cause the camming surface of the upper sleeve to rise or descend on the camming surface of the lower sleeve, coming to a rest at a position which returns the mirror unit to the predetermined position, the upper sleeve surrounding and receiving the lower sleeve and the respective camming surfaces of each of the upper and lower sleeves are V-shaped and complimentary to each other and the camming surfaces of the lower sleeve extending circumferentially over substantially the entire circumference of the lower sleeve. 2. The mirror system of claim 1, wherein the rebounding mechanism has a structure that returns the mirror unit to the predetermined position when the mirror unit swings in either the clockwise or counterclockwise directions over a range of not more than 90�� . 3. The mirror system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mirror arm comprises a re-entrantly bent mirror pole. 4. The mirror system of claim 1, wherein the rebounding mechanism includes a bracket with an upper inwardly directed flange and a lower flange and the upper and lower sleeves being mechanically disposed between the upper and the lower flanges. 5. The mirror system of claim 1, wherein the upper sleeve is constructed to fit over and surround, as well as receive, the lower sleeve. 6. The mirror system of claim 5, wherein the lower sleeve is mechanically fixed to a flange of the rebounding mechanism and the upper sleeve is mounted to be rotatable relative to the flange. 7. The mirror system of claim 6, wherein a distal portion of the at least one mirror arm is mounted so that it penetrates through the upper sleeve, the lower sleeve and the flange. 8. The mirror system of claim 1 wherein the upper and lower sleeves are resiliently biased toward one another with a spring. 9. The mirror system of claim 1, the mirror unit comprising a convex mirror. 10. The mirror system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mirror arm comprises a portion that is shaped to protect the mirror unit against contacting obstructions. 11. The mirror system of claim 1, in which the at least one mirror arm comprises a plurality of mirror support arms. 12. The mirror system of claim 1, in combination with a front fender of a vehicle, wherein the mounting bracket is attached to the front fender of the vehicle.