DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0033] Referring now to the drawings, a remotely adjustable side mirror assembly, in accordance with the present invention, is shown generally at 10 . The assembly 10 is particularly suited to be used in conjunction with a truck or bus (not shown) to enable the driver thereof to see things at the side and rear of the vehicle.

[0034] This discussion will first describe the component parts of the assembly 10 in a general overview, and then will discuss each component in greater detail. The assembly 10 includes a clamping member 12 which clamps on to a support pole 14 which is mounted to a fender (not shown) of a vehicle, in conventional fashion. The pole 14 may be included as an optional part of the assembly 10 , but is not required. A support member 16 abuts against the clamping member 12 , and an adjusting member, for adjusting the position of a mirror 20 , is fixedly mounted to the support member 18 . An intermediate spacer plate 22 may, optionally, be provided between the adjusting member 18 and the mirror 20 to cushion against shock. A cover 24 is also provided as a required part of the assembly 10 to protect the clamping member 12 , the support member 16 , and the adjusting member 18 from inclement weather.

[0035] Clamping and Support Apparatus

[0036] The clamping member 12 and support member 16 together make up a clamping and support apparatus 30 for mounting on a tubular shaft, such as the support post 14 . The clamping and support apparatus 30 is an independent subassembly according to the present invention, and could be used in other applications besides the mirror assembly discussed here. The clamping and support apparatus 30 includes a clamping member 12 having an open configuration, shown in phantom in FIG. 2 , and a closed configuration shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 . The open configuration of the clamping member 12 may be wider than what is shown in FIG. 2 , to accommodate a tubular shaft.

[0037] The clamping member 12 includes a base 32 , having a raised boss 34 thereon with an integral furrow 36 formed therein to receive a side of a tubular shaft, such as the support post 14 . The integral furrow 36 is arcuate in cross-section, as shown. The base 32 further includes a first flange 38 , extending laterally outwardly thereon, adjacent the raised boss 34 . The raised boss 34 extends out on the base 32 to form an arcuate side wall 35 of the base.

[0038] The clamping member 12 also includes a cap 40 , including a half sleeve 42 having an interior 44 and an exterior 46 . The half sleeve 42 is integrally formed with the base 32 , and cooperates therewith to define a hollow space 48 therebetween. The half sleeve 42 is attached to a high point of the side wall 35 , at a side of the integral furrow 36 opposite the first flange 38 .

[0039] The clamping member 12 has a V-shaped groove 50 formed therein at the attachment of the cap 40 to the base 32 . As shown in FIG. 2 , the V-shaped groove 50 faces toward, and communicates with, the hollow space 48 in the clamping member. The half sleeve 42 and the base 32 together define a living hinge 52 therebetween adjacent the V-shaped groove 50 , whereby the cap 40 may be pivotally moved, about the living hinge 52 and towards the base 32 , to form a substantially cylindrical bore in the hollow space 48 therebetween.

[0040] The cap 40 further includes a second flange 54 extending outwardly from the half sleeve 42 opposite the V-shaped groove 50 , the second flange being alignable with the first flange 38 when the clamping member is in the closed configuration thereof.

[0041] In the depicted embodiment, the cap 40 also has third and fourth flanges 56 , 58 extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof, and cooperating to define a receptor plate 60 on the exterior 46 of the half sleeve 42 . The receptor plate 60 is bounded on the side edges thereof by a pair of first and second raised ribs 62 , 64 . The receptor plate 60 and the first and second ribs 62 , 64 work together to provide a first contoured surface 66 , formed on the clamping member 12 , at the exterior 46 of the half sleeve 42 .

[0042] As noted, the clamping and support apparatus 30 hereof also includes a support member 16 for aligned abutting placement against the clamping member 12 . The support member 16 is generally formed in the shape of a flattened rectangular support plate 68 , in the depicted embodiment, with a pair of third and fourth ribs 70 , 72 extending outwardly thereon, the third and fourth ribs being inset a short distance from the side edges of the support plate 68 . The support plate 68 and the third and fourth ribs 70 , 72 work together to form a second contoured surface 74 on the support member 16 . The second contoured surface 74 is alignable and nestable with the first contoured surface 66 of the clamping member 12 , by placing the third and fourth ribs 70 , 72 inside the first and second ribs 62 , 64 , to restrict movement of the support member 16 with respect to the clamping member 12 . The third and fourth ribs 70 , 72 are spaced apart just enough to fit snugly in between the first and second ribs 62 , 64 , when the support member is abuttingly aligned with the base 12 .

[0043] Those who are skilled in the relevant art will realize that many different shapes, such as, e.g., raised bumps and corresponding valleys, cylindrical posts and bores, or non-linear ribs and corresponding grooves, to name but a few examples, could be used for the first and second contoured surfaces 66 , 74 , and would be equivalent to the depicted embodiment.

[0044] Adjustable Side Mirror Assembly

[0045] As previously noted herein, in a preferred embodiment hereof, the present invention provides a remotely adjustable side mirror assembly for mounting on to the side of a truck or bus. A side mirror assembly in accordance with the present invention, generally, includes the clamping and support apparatus 30 as previously described, plus an adjusting member 18 , a mirror 20 , and a cover 24 .

[0046] The adjusting member 18 is provided for adjusting spatial orientation of the mirror 20 , and attaches to the support member 16 using conventional fasteners 75 . The adjusting member 18 is preferred to be a remotely controllable electric mechanism which is electrically connectable to a power source (not shown) to provide for adjustment thereof. A suitable device which may be used as the adjusting member 18 hereof is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,899 to Oskam, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0047] Pivotal movement of the mirror 20 around both a vertical axis and a horizontal axis is achievable by the adjusting member 18 , as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 . FIG. 3 uses curved arrows to show that the mirror 20 is pivotally adjustable, on the support post 14 , about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis. FIG. 5 is a side view of the adjuster assembly and mirror, with a curved arrow and partial phantom outlines to show pivotal movement of the mirror 20 about a horizontal axis. FIG. 6 is a top view of the adjuster assembly and mirror, with a curved arrow and partial phantom outlines to show pivotal movement of the mirror 20 about a vertical axis.

[0048] For manual applications, a simple ball and socket joint (not shown) may be used in place of the adjuster member 18 .

[0049] An intermediate spacer plate 22 may, optionally, be provided between the adjusting member 18 and the mirror 20 , but the spacer plate 22 is not required. Where used, the spacer plate 22 is formed from a thin, flexible, semi-rigid plastic material, acts as a spacer and shock absorber, and is attached to the adjusting member 18 with conventional fasteners 76 . The mirror 20 is preferably formed from a reflective plastic material to resist breakage thereof. The mirror 20 may be glued, welded or otherwise attached to the spacer plate 22 where the spacer plate is used, or may be directly attached to the adjusting member 18 using glue or conventional fasteners where the spacer plate 22 is not used.

[0050] The cover 24 is provided for protecting the clamping member 12 , the support member 16 , and the adjusting member 18 from inclement weather. The cover has a hole formed in the bottom thereof to receive the support post 14 therein. The cover 24 is made of metal or plastic, is generally C-shaped in cross section, as shown in FIG. 4 , and is attached to the base 32 of the clamping member 12 in conventional fashion.

[0051] The side mirror assembly of the present invention may further include a support post 24 , mountable to a vehicle fender, for holding the mirror 20 at a preferred height.

[0052] When the side mirror assembly is being assembled, the clamping member is initially in its open configuration, and is placed over the top of the support post 14 . The clamping member is then closed around the support post, and the first and second flanges 38 , 54 are fastened together, such as by passing a rivet (not shown) through one or more holes 77 formed through both flanges. The attachment of the first and second flanges 38 , 54 together makes the clamping member grip the top of the support post 14 tightly to hold it in place thereon. Preferably, the cover 24 is attached to the clamping member by the same operation. Then, the intermediate spacer plate 22 is attached to the movable outside 80 of the adjustment member 18 , such as by fasteners 76 , and the support member 16 is attached to the fixed inside surface 82 of the adjustment member 18 . The mirror 20 is affixed to the spacer plate 22 , and the subassembly of the support member, the adjuster member, the spacer plate 22 and the mirror 20 is installed as a unit into the cover 24 in such a manner that the support member 16 abuts against the clamping member 16 in an aligned configuration. As previously noted hereinabove, the second contoured surface 74 of the support member 16 fits nestingly into the first contoured surface 66 of the clamping member, placing the third and fourth ribs 70 , 72 of the support member inside the first and second ribs 62 , 64 of the clamping member, to restrict movement of the support member 16 with respect to the clamping member 12 . An electrical power connector 84 plugs into a socket 86 on the adjuster member 18 to provide power thereto.

[0053] Although the present invention has been described herein with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, the foregoing description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art will realize that many modifications of the preferred embodiment could be made which would be operable. All such modifications which are within the scope of the claims are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention.