Double pivot vehicle mirror assembly

Abstract

A mirror assembly especially designed for commercial vehicles including a support arm, a mirror head pivotally affixed to the support arm by first and second hinges having a pivot axis. The axes extend horizontally and transverse to the direction of vehicle travel. The first hinge allows a pivoting of the mirror head about its pivot axis only in a first direction A and the second hinge permits a pivoting of the mirror head only in a second direction B which is opposite to the direction A. By this means, it is possible that the two hinges can be simple and rugged in construction.

1 . A mirror assembly, especially for commercial vehicles, comprising: 
 a support arm,    a mirror head pivotally carried by said support arm;    a first hinge and a second hinge for pivotally carrying said mirror head;    a first axle of rotation provided by said first hinge extending generally horizontal and transverse to the direction of travel,    a second axle of rotation provided by said second hinge displaced from and extending generally parallel to said first axle of said first hinge,    said mirror head pivoting about said first axle only in a first direction, and said mirror head pivoting about said second axle only in a second direction which is opposite to said first direction.    
   
   
       2 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 1  including a carrier arm carried by said support arm said carrier arm being pivotally carried by said first and second hinges.  
   
   
       3 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 1  wherein said mirror head includes a first mirror, a second mirror, and a third mirror.  
   
   
       4 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first and second hinges include a spring for resisting rotation about said first and second swivel axes in said first and second directions, respectively.  
   
   
       5 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first and second hinges include a detent which limits rotation about said first axle.  
   
   
       6 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 5  wherein said detent of said first and second hinges include the axle of the respective other hinge.  
   
   
       7 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 6  wherein the fit of one of said first and second hinge is released upon a pivoting of the mirror head about the axle of the respective other hinge axle.  
   
   
       8 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 1  wherein said support arm includes a first arm and a second arm wherein between the first and the second support arm a third hinge is disposed, and said third hinge having a third swivel axle of rotation extending generally vertically in the vehicle mirror general assembly.  
   
   
       9 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 6  wherein the mirror head has a first end pointing towards the vehicle, a second end pointing away from the vehicle, and one of said first and second hinges is disposed between said first and second ends of the mirror head.  
   
   
       10 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 9  wherein the other of said first and second hinges is disposed at said first end of the mirror head pointing towards the vehicle.  
   
   
       11 . The vehicle mirror assembly of  claim 1  in combination with a commercial vehicle wherein the mirror assembly is mounted on the vehicle so that the mirror head has an operational position, wherein said mirror head projects at least partially into a safety zone which extends from the ground to above said projection, and said mirror head can be pivoted about one of said first and second axes to a generally non-operational position above the safety zone.