Fold-up two-position rear view mirror for a vehicle
OwnerWalter E. Perkinsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inside rear view mirror system (10) for motor vehicle (18) employs a two-position rotary-action solenoid (16) electronically activated from a switch (54) mounted on the steering wheel spoke (52) for momentarily locating the rear view mirror (36) in a down position when the switch (54) is depressed and releasing the solenoid (16) to rotate mirror (36) to a normally up position when the switch (54) is released.
Claims8
In combination with a motor vehicle an interior, electronically-operated, foldable, rear view mirror system located inside the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the system comprised of:
- a metal base having a first leg and a second leg, the first and the second legs generally perpendicular to one another;
- first attachment means for attaching the first leg of said metal base at or near the upper end of a windshield;
- a rotary-action solenoid with a rotating mounting plate thereon;
- second attachment means for attaching said rotary action solenoid to the second leg of said metal base;
- a mounting arm with a first end and a second end including means to attach at the first end thereof said mounting arm to the mounting plate of said solenoid;
- a rotatable joint attached to the second end of said mounting arm;
- a mirror housing for attachment to said rotatable joint;
- a mirror dimensioned to engage said housing;
- and
- a headliner having walls defining a storage pocket dimensioned to receive said mirror housing;
- wherein said solenoid maintains said mirror in a normally stowed position with said mirror against a headliner of the interior of the vehicle and when activated rotates said mirror to a down or use position the rotation of said mirror being in an arc, the plane of which is parallel to a plane bisecting the motor vehicle laterally.
A foldable, rear view mirror system, electronically operated by the electrical system of a motor vehicle, for locating inside the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle, the system comprising:
- a metal base;
- first attachment means for attaching said metal base at or near the head of a windshield of the motor vehicle;
- an intermittent, rotary action solenoid with a rotating plate mounted thereon;
- second attachment means for attaching said rotary action solenoid to said metal base;
- a mounting arm with a first end and a second end including at the first end thereof attachment means to attach said mounting arm to the rotating plate of said solenoid;
- a rotatable joint attached to the second end of said mounting arm;
- a mirror housing for attachment to said rotatable joint;
- a mirror dimensioned to engage said mirror housing;
- a stowage compartment dimensioned to substantially receive said mirror and said mirror housing therein, said stowage compartment located in the headliner of the motor vehicle;
- and
- a momentary switch wired in series with said rotary solenoid to hold said mirror in a down position when said switch is engaged and to return said mirror to said stowage compartment for maintaining said mirror in the stowed position when said momentary switch is disengaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.