Driving Mirror Assembly

This invention relates to a driving mirror assembly having a carrier and mirror glass pivotable in relation to a base by two threaded spindles driven by electric motors. The mirror glass, mounted on a pedestal, is pivotable by means of the two electric motors about a universal joint (for example a ball joint or a cruciform joint) according to choice, about the region of intersection of pivoting axes. As coupling elements between the nuts of the threaded spindles and the carrier, there may be used cruciform joints mounted for pivoting one on each of the nuts.

The invention is characterised in that between the carrier of the mirror glass and the base, there extends a cross piece of spring sheet metal which engages around the universal joint, so that two posts of the carrier and two posts of the base, with the spring sheet metal cross piece, diagonally form a rotational securing for the carrier of the mirror glass.

The spring sheet metal cross piece keeps forces away from the two driving mechanisms, which therefore are of long-lasting operational reliability.

The invention will be explained in greater detail hereinafter by reference to an example of embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 represents the example of embodiment in plan view (a part of the mirror glass being broken away above the two drive mechanisms),

FIG. 2 shows the car mirror assembly according to FIG. 1 in cross section along the line B--B in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows the cross section along the line D--D in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 shows the cross section along the line C--C in FIG. 1.

As shown in the drawings, a carrier 1 for a mirror glass 20 is mounted on a base 2 by means of a universal joint which consists of a ball 4 and socket 7. Extending away from the carrier 1 towards the base 2 are a pair of posts 5 on diametrically opposite sides of the universal joint. Similarly a pair of posts 6 extend away from the base 2 towards the carrier 1. A spring sheet metal member 3 in the form of a cross, is mounted on the socket of the universal joint and has two opposite arms supported by the posts 6 and the other two arms supported by the posts 5. The carrier 1 is thus supported against rotation relative to the base 2, while the pivoting of the base about the universal joint remains possible as a result of the resilient nature of the sheet metal member 3.

Means for pivoting the carrier 1 about the universal joint include two spindles 10, 11 independently driven by electric motors (not shown). Mounted on the side of the carrier 1 which faces towards the base 2 is a ring 9 formed towards its end remote from the carrier with a pair of opposite inwardly extending pins 15. These pins support a case 8 in a manner which allows the case to pivot about the axis of the pins 15. Supported within the case 8 is a two part nut 18, 19 the two parts of which have pins 16 and 17 respectively extending radially outwardly therefrom and supported by the case in a manner which allows the nut to pivot about the axis of the pins 16, 17. The spindle 11 has a threaded end portion 13 which meshes with the nut 18/19. This arrangement ensures the pivoting of the carrier 1 relative to the base 2 when the spindle is rotated. The other spindle 10 carries a threaded end portion 12 which is operatively connected with the carrier 1 in a similar manner. The spindle 10 serves to pivot the carrier about a first axis passing through the universal joint 4, 7 while the spindle 11 serves to pivot the carrier about a second axis perpendicular to the first.

If one of the two electric motors is switched on, its threaded spindle 11 rotates so that the mirror 20 is pivoted. The mirror cannot rotate. The drive members are therefore designed to be light and cheap with delicate members.