Vehicle pivot mirror

Abstract

A vehicular pivot mirror assembly comprises a reflective element assembly pivotably attached to a support arm to enable rotation of the reflective element assembly relative to the support arm about a pivot connection. A positioning assembly enables rotation of the reflective element assembly in response to a rotational force applied to the reflective element assembly and prevents rotation of the reflective element assembly when the rotational force is removed.

1 . A vehicular mirror assembly, comprising: 
 a reflective element assembly;    a support arm for supporting the reflective element assembly;    a pivot connection connecting the reflective element assembly to the support arm and enabling the reflective element assembly to be rotated between a first position and a second position relative to the support arm, the pivot connection including a retainer which prevents axial movement of the reflective element assembly relative to the support arm; and    a clutch assembly interposed between the reflective element assembly and the support arm for maintaining the reflective element assembly in one of the first position and the second position and permitting rotation of the reflective element assembly relative to the support arm between the first and second positions;    wherein said clutch assembly comprises a clutch cylinder and a pinion.    
   
   
       2 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 1  wherein the pivot connection comprises a pair of juxtaposed bearing sleeves associated with a respective one of the support arm and the reflective element assembly.  
   
   
       3 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 2  wherein the pair of juxtaposed bearing sleeves is made from a low-friction material.  
   
   
       4 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 3  wherein the retainer comprises a press-fit ring received on one of the support arm and the reflective element assembly and encapsulating the pair of juxtaposed bearing sleeves between the retainer and the other of the support arm and the reflective element assembly.  
   
   
       5 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 3  wherein the pinion is associated with one of the reflective element assembly and the support arm and a rack is associated with the other of the reflective element assembly and the support arm, wherein the pinion engages the rack during pivoting of the reflective element assembly between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       6 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 5  wherein the pinion comprises a shaft mounted to the pinion and a shaft retainer mounted to the one of the reflective element assembly and the support arm, wherein the shaft retainer axially receives the pinion shaft and is adapted to prevent rotation of the pinion shaft with respect to the shaft retainer until a preselected level of friction between the pinion shaft and the shaft retainer is overcome, whereby the preselected friction level prevents unintended rotation of the reflective element assembly with respect to the support arm.  
   
   
       7 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 6  wherein the shaft retainer further comprises a plurality of radially spaced fingers which axially receive the pinion shaft and a spring encircling the plurality of fingers to apply the desired friction level to the pinion shaft when the pinion shaft is received within the plurality of fingers.  
   
   
       8 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 3  and further comprising a threaded shaft associated with one of the reflective element assembly and the support arm and a follower nut received on the threaded shaft and associated with the other of the reflective element assembly and the support arm, wherein linear movement of the follower nut along the threaded shaft is translated into pivotal movement of the reflective element assembly with respect to the support arm.  
   
   
       9 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 8  and further comprising a motive-producing element connected to the threaded shaft for introducing rotation to the threaded shaft, and causing the nut follower to travel along the threaded shaft.  
   
   
       10 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 9  and further comprising a slip clutch located between the threaded shaft and the motive-producing element.  
   
   
       11 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 1  wherein the retainer comprises a press-fit ring received on one of the support arm and the reflective element assembly and encapsulating a bearing sleeve between the retainer and the other of the support arm and the reflective element assembly.  
   
   
       12 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 1  wherein the pinion is associated with one of the reflective element assembly and the support arm and a rack is associated with the other of the reflective element assembly and the support arm, wherein the pinion engages the rack during pivoting of the reflective element assembly between the first and second positions.  
   
   
       13 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 12  wherein the pinion comprises a shaft mounted to the pinion and a shaft retainer mounted to the one of the reflective element assembly and the support arm, wherein the shaft retainer axially receives the pinion shaft and is adapted to prevent rotation of the pinion shaft with respect to the shaft retainer until a preselected level of friction between the pinion shaft and the shaft retainer is overcome whereby the preselected friction level prevents unintended rotation of the reflective element assembly with respect to the support arm.  
   
   
       14 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 13  wherein the shaft retainer further comprises a plurality of radially spaced fingers which axially receive the pinion shaft and a spring encircling the plurality of fingers to apply the desired friction level to the pinion shaft when the pinion shaft is received within the plurality of fingers.  
   
   
       15 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 1  and further comprising a threaded shaft associated with one of the reflective element assembly and the support arm and a follower nut received on the threaded shaft and associated with the other of the reflective element assembly and the support arm, wherein linear movement of the follower nut along the threaded shaft is translated into pivotal movement of the reflective element assembly with respect to the support arm.  
   
   
       16 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 15  and further comprising a motive-producing element connected to the threaded shaft for introducing rotation to the threaded shaft, and causing the nut follower to travel along the threaded shaft.  
   
   
       17 . The vehicular mirror assembly of  claim 16  and further comprising a slip clutch located between the threaded shaft and the motive-producing element.