Pivot with a detent

A pivot assembly connecting the mirror head and mirror mounting bracket of a rear vision mirror comprising:

• a spigot having a plurality of first radially spaced recesses;
• a plate having an aperture journalled to said spigot, wherein said aperture has a chamfered surface around the periphery of said aperture;
• one or more v-shaped notches located in said periphery of said aperture, wherein said v-shaped notches have a pair of ramped surfaces positioned at an angle with respect to the axis of said spigot;
• one or more balls positioned between said plate and said spigot that change from a locked position, where said plate is held with respect to said spigot, to a disengaged position by rotation of said plate with respect to said spigot, wherein said ramped surfaces cause said one or more balls to move away from said v-shaped notch while remaining engaged with said recesses in said spigot, wherein said one or more balls are held between said chamfered surface and said recess in said spigot when said v-shaped notches are moved out of alignment from said recesses in said spigot;
• a spring acting against said one or more balls to hold them in said locked position, said spring yielding to allow said one or more balls to move to a disengaged position as said plate is rotated with respect to said spigot;
• and
• attachment means on both said spigot and plate that allow said spigot to be secured to either one of said mirror head or said mirror mounting bracket and said plate to be secured to either one of said mirror head or said mirror mounting bracket to enable said mirror head to be held, or rotated, with respect to said mirror mounting bracket.

A pivot assembly connecting the mirror head and mirror mounting bracket of a rear vision mirror comprising:

• a spigot having a plurality of first radially spaced recesses;
• a plate having an depression comprising a substantially tubular wall extending from one side of said plate and a circular flange located at the end of said tubular wall spaced from said plate and extending radially inward from said tubular wall, the inner periphery of said flange comprises an aperture located within said depression and journalled to said spigot, wherein said aperture has a chamfered surface around the periphery of said aperture;
• one or more v-shaped notches located in said periphery of said aperture, wherein said v-shaped notches have a pair of ramp surfaces positioned at an angle with respect to the axis of said spigot;
• one or more balls positioned between said plate and said spigot that change from a locked position, where said plate is held with respect to said spigot, to a disengaged position by rotation of said plate with respect to said spigot, wherein said ramped surfaces cause said one or more balls to move away from said v-shaped notch while remaining engaged with said recesses in said spigot, wherein said one or more balls are held between said chamfered surface and said recess in said spigot when said v-shaped notches are moved out of alignment from said recesses in said spigot;
• a spring acting against said one or more balls to hold them in said locked position, said spring yielding to allow said one or more balls to move to a disengaged position as said plate is rotated with respect to said spigot;
• and
• attachment means on both said spigot and plate that allow said spigot to be secured to either one of said mirror head or said mirror mounting bracket and said plate to be secured to either one of said mirror head or said mirror mounting bracket to enable said mirror head to be held, or rotated, with respect to said mirror mounting bracket.

A pivot assembly connecting a mirror head and a mirror mounting bracket of a rear vision mirror comprising:

• a spigot having a flange at one end that extends radially outward from said spigot;
• a plate abutting against said flange, wherein said plate is attached to said mirror head;
• an aperture in said plate journalled to said spigot;
• a spigot plate from which said spigot projects that extends parallel to said plate containing said aperture, wherein said spigot plate is attached to said mirror mounting bracket;
• a detent between said plate and said spigot that changes from a locked position, where said plate is held with respect to said spigot, to a disengaged position by rotation of said plate with respect to said spigot;
• a spring acting against said detent to hold it in said locked position, said spring yielding to allow said detent to move to a disengaged position as said plate is rotated with respect to said spigot;
• an attachment means on both said spigot and plate that allows said spigot to be secured to either one of said mirror head or said mirror mounting bracket and said plate to be secured to either one of said mirror head or said mirror mounting bracket to enable said mirror head to be held, or rotated with respect to said mirror mounting bracket, wherein said attachment means further comprises:
• a plurality of tabs projecting from said spigot plate and said plate, and said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head further comprise a plurality of slots positioned so that each of said tabs locates within a slot to thereby position said pivot assembly with respect to said mirror head and mirror mounting bracket.

A pivot assembly connecting the mirror head and mirror mounting bracket of a rear vision mirror comprising:

• a first plate;
• an aperture in said first plate;
• a second plate;
• an aperture in said second plate that aligns both said aperture in said first plate;
• a shaft journalled through both said apertures, said first and second plate rotating and separating with respect to each other about and along the axis of shaft;
• a detent between said first and second plates that changes from a locked position, wherein said first and second plates are held with respect to each other, to a disengaged position by rotation of said first and second plates with respect to each other, said movement between said locked position to said disengaged position causing said first and second plates to disengage;
• a spring acting to push said first and second plates together and to resist separation of said first and second plates;
• and
• an attachment means on both said first and second plates that allow both to be attached to either said mirror mounting bracket or said mirror head, wherein said attachment means has a plurality of tabs projecting from said first and second plates, and said mirror mounting bracket and said mirror head further comprise a plurality of slots positioned so that each of said tabs are located within a slot to thereby position said pivot assembly with respect to said mirror head and said mirror mounting bracket.

A pivot assembly connecting the mirror head and mirror mounting bracket of a rear vision mirror comprising:

• a spigot;
• a plate;
• a depression in said plate having a substantially tubular wall extending from one side of said plate and a circular flange located at the end of said tubular wall spaced from said plate and extending radially inward from said tubular wall;
• an aperture formed from the inner periphery of said flange of said depression, wherein said aperture is journalled to said spigot;
• a detent between said plate and said spigot that changes from a locked position, where said plate is held with respect to said spigot, to a disengaged position by rotation of said plate with respect to said spigot, wherein said detent has a plurality of radially spaced recesses in said spigot, a plurality of v-shaped notches in said plate about the periphery of said aperture, wherein said v-shaped notches align with said recesses in said spigot, and a plurality of balls located between each said aligned v-shaped notch and said recess to lock said detent and move out of one of said recess or said v-shaped notch to disengage said detent;
• a spring comprising a concave circular disc located within said depression and connected to said spigot, that acts against said detent to hold it in said locked position, said spring yielding to allow said detent to move from a disengaged position as said plate is rotated with respect to said spigot;
• a washer between said plurality of balls and said spring, said plurality of balls moving against said washer and said spring as said pivot assembly moves from a locked to disengaged position;
• and
• attachment means on both said spigot and plate that allow said spigot to be secured to either one of said mirror head or mirror mounting bracket and said plate to be secured to either one of said mirror head or said mirror mounting bracket to enable said mirror head to be held, or rotated with respect to said mirror mounting bracket.