WO1997020709A1

WO1997020709A1 - Side-view mirror assembly for automobiles

Info

Publication number: WO1997020709A1
Application number: PCT/KR1996/000164
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eui Tae Hwang
Original assignee: Eui Tae Hwang
Priority date: 1995-12-01
Filing date: 1996-09-23
Publication date: 1997-06-12
Also published as: KR970033417U

Abstract

Disclosed is a side-view mirror assembly (2) for automobiles including a mirror (4) having a spherical convex curved surface with a curved radius that increasingly gets smaller toward its bottom; and a plurality of guide lines (10, 12), formed horizontally at fixed locations on the mirror.

Description

SIDE-VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY FOR AUTOMOBILES

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a side-view mirror assembly for automobiles, and more particularly, to a side-view mirror assembly for automobiles which allows a driver to easily determine the location and distance of other vehicles appearing in the mirror to improve driving safety.

Generally, side-view mirrors are devices mounted to automobiles which improve safety by enlarging the driver's rear scope of vision. This enlarging of the rear scope of vision helps the driver to safely pass other vehicles, change lanes, and reverse. It is therefore preferable that side-view mirrors offer the widest view possible to the side and rear of the vehicle.

However, conventional side-view mirrors applied to vehicles are flat in shape and, as a result, the rear scope of vision is limited. Also, they have a large area which is not visible to the driver (i.e. a blindspot) . Therefore, the prior art side-view mirror assembly necessitates the use of great caution by the driver to avoid accidents .

Most drivers utilize both a rear-view mirror, mounted to a front windshield, together with the side view mirrors. Nevertheless, the blindspot to the right- rear and left-rear sides of the vehicle remains, making some driving maneuvers dangerous. Therefore, many designs have been offered recently for eliminating the blind spot. Examples of these designs are the Republic of Korea's Utility Model No. 89-3539 and the Japanese laid- open utility model No 59-18633 which fix supplementary convex mirrors to the inside and/or outside of the vehicle. Also, the Korean laid-open utility model 89- 3538 fixes supplementary mirrors whose angles can be adjusted to the outside portion of the primary reflecting surface of the side-view mirrors.

However, the mounting of supplementary mirrors m the above designs is not economical, and as the driver must look at both the main side-view mirrors and the supplementary mirrors simultaneously, these two different views can confuse the driver, negatively affecting driving safety.

Another example of the prior art is of a side-view mirror assembly that is itself convex-shaped As shown in Fig. 7, because objects 102 appear in a side-view mirror assembly 100 m an increasingly diminutive size relative to the distance of the subject (the farther the object 102, the smaller it appears) , it is difficult for the driver to discern the exact location of the object 102

Another drawback of this prior art concerns the way m which lane lines (L) appear in the mirror 100. As can be seen m the drawing, lane lines (L) at a distance appear small and at the top of the mirror 100, while as the lane lines (L) near the vehicle, they appear m the mirror 100 swerving to the outside. This problem is not remedied by lengthening the mirror 100 from top to bottom As a result, because objects swerve to outside on the mirror surface as they near the vehicle, they disappear into the blind spot, immensely diminishing driving safety. SUMMARY

The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a side- view mirror for automobiles which allows a driver to perceive the position and distance of vehicles appearing in the mirror, and which minimizes the blind spot, without increasing the size of the mirror from top to bottom, to enhance driving safety.

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a side-view mirror assembly for automobiles including a mirror having a spherical convex curved surface with a curved radius that increasingly gets smaller toward its bottom, and a plurality of guide lines, formed horizontally at fixed locations on the mirror.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle on which the present invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a front view of a side-view mirror assembly in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3A is a sectional view of the segment AA in

Fig. 2; Fig. 3B is a sectional view of the segment BB in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view of a side-view mirror assembly reflecting an object, in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a view of a discernment means according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a view of a discernment means according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 7 is a view of a side-view mirror assembly of the prior art reflecting an object.

DESCRIPTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings .

Referring to Fig. 1, reference numeral 2 refers to a side-view mirror.

The side-view mirror assembly 2 includes a mirror

4, mounted in and protected and concealed by a housing 6. The mirror 4 is fixed facing a rear of an automobile, and its placed toward a front and a middle height of a door 8.

The mirror 4 of the side-view mirror assembly 2 can be formed in a variety of ways (rectangular, square, round, etc.) , but in the present invention, an outside of the mirror 4 is rounded.

As shown m Fig. 2, Fig. 3A, and Fig. 3B, the mirror 4 of the present invention is formed such that an upper end is flat, and with a convex surface that is spherical-shaped having a curvature radius that gets smaller toward a bottom of the mirror 4

That is, as shown in Fig. 3A, a longitudinal section of the mirror 4 shows a curvature radius (r2) that increasingly decreases toward the bottom of the mirror 4, and is considerably smaller than an upper curvature radius (r2)

Additionally, as is illustrated Fig. 3B, a transverse section of the mirror 4 also shows a curvature radius decreasing toward an outside of the mirror 4. In this way, the entire mirror 4 is shaped having a convex curved surface of an elliptical sphere that increasingly diminishes in size toward the bottom and outside of the mirror .

The present invention is not limited to the above curvature shape and the spherical shaping of the mirror 4 can be done m a variety of ways.

As shown in Fig. 4, m the side-view mirror assembly of the present invention structured and shaped as in the above, objects 14 appear small m the upper part of the mirror 4 when they are at a distance, and increasingly larger m the lower part of the mirror 4 as the distance between the object 14 and vehicle is shortened.

In this way, m the process of reflecting objects m the mirror 4 of the present invention, as its lower portion has an elliptical curved surface, there is only a difference in size of the objects 14 or vehicle lane lines depending on their distance from the vehicle and not a difference of location on the mirror 4. As a result, the driver's scope of vision is enlarged and not distorted, with regard to location, as in the prior art.

Also, guide lines 10 and 12 are formed on the mirror 4 to let the driver easily know the distance of the objects 14. Therefore, if an object 14 appears between the guide lines 10 and 12, this indicates that it is close to the vehicle and it is not safe for the driver to change lanes, and if an object 14 appears below the bottom guide line 12, this is indicative of the object 14 being next to the driver's vehicle.

If the lower guide line 10 is aligned with a location where a rear bumper of the automobile appears in the mirror 4, and the upper guide line 12 is placed at a location corresponding to an area in which the mirror 4 reflects 50M behind the automobile, the reflecting parameters set between the two guide lines 10 and 12 are such that it is not safe to pass other vehicles or change lanes when an object 14 appears between the two lines 10 and 12 and below the lower line 12.

In the above, although there are two guide lines 10 and 12 formed in the mirror 4, the present invention is not limited to this number and additional lines can be drawn on the mirror 4 to further indicate to the driver the exact location of objects 14 appearing in the mirror 4.

Also, it is possible for a coating used for the guide lines 10 and 12 to be a different color than a surface of the mirror 4, or the guide lines 10 and 12 can be formed inside the mirror 4.

In addition, a discernment means 16 is formed behind the guide lines 10 and 12 to allow for easy spotting of the guide lines 10 and 12 at night.

As an example of the above discernment means 16, shown in Fig. 5, a reflecting layer 18 is coated on a back of a mirror 4 and the guide lines 10 and 12 are not coated. A reflecting material 20 is formed behind the above reflecting layer 18, and in this way, the guide lines 10 and 12 are able to be easily seen.

The reflecting material 20 can be made of a substance having a fixed hue, or of a luminous material, etc..

Also, as another preferred embodiment as shown in Fig. 6, a lighting fixture 22 can be formed behind the guide lines 10 and 12. The lighting fixture 22 is realized through a battery (not shown) , which supplies the lighting fixture 22 with its power, and a light bulb.

The above discernment means 16 allows for the guide lines 10 and 12 to be visible at night.

The present invention is not limited to use as a side-view mirror assembly on a vehicle, but can also be used as other types of mirrors .

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to the skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A side-view mirror assembly for automobiles, comprising an upper side, bottom, an inside, and an outside, wherein

a mirror having a spherical convex curved surface with a curved radius that increasingly gets smaller toward the bottom and the outside; and

a plurality of guide lines, formed horizontally at fixed locations on the mirror.

2. The side-view mirror assembly for automobiles of claim 1, wherein two guide lines, an upper guide line and a lower guide line, are formed having a fixed interval between them.

3. The side-view mirror assembly of claims 1 and 2, wherein the lower guide line is aligned with a location where a rear bumper of a vehicle appears in the mirror.

4. The side-mirror of claim 1, wherein a discernment means is mounted behind the guide lines.

5. The side-view mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein as the discernment means, if a reflecting layer is coated on a back of the mirror, the guide lines are not coated, and a reflecting material is formed behind the guide lines to allow them to be easily seen.

6. The side-view mirror assembly of claim 5, wherein the reflecting material is made of a substance having a fixed hue, or of a luminous material.

The side-view mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein the discernment means is realized through a lighting fixture.