Blind spot side mirror

[54] BLIND SPOT SIDE MIRROR

[76] Inventor: Bob Stonecypher, 1383 Fahlander Dr. S., Columbus, Ohio 43229

[21] Appl. No.: 433,746
[22] Filed: May 4,1995

[51] Int. CI.6 G02B 5/08; G02B 7/182;

B60R 1/06

[52] U.S. CI 359/605; 359/855; 359/865;

359/872; 359/877

[58] Field of Search 359/603, 604,

359/605, 606, 607, 843, 855, 864, 865,

872, 877

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

2,916,967 12/1959 Husak 359/855

3,408,136 10/1968 Travis .

3,625,597 12/1971 Jones 359/606

3,826,563 7/1974 Davis 359/865

4,022,520 5/1977 Scifres 359/855

4,031,772 6/1977 Decastri 359/605

4,639,103 1/1987 Hill .

4,678,294 7/1987 Van Nostrand 359/865

4,711,538 12/1987 Ohs .

4,714,322 12/1987 Cook 359/606

4,917,485 4/1990 Baldwin .

4,936,670 6/1990 Yoo .

4,988,068 1/1991 Yamana.

5,115,352 5/1992 Do Espirito Santo 359/877

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0310261 4/1989 European Pat. Off. 359/865

3502203 7/1986 Germany 359/855

0562110 5/1975 Switzerland 359/855

Primary Examiner—Ricky D. Shafer
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Terry M. Gernstein

[57] ABSTRACT

A side mirror for a motor vehicle includes a day/night mirror having a planar reflecting surface and a blind spot mirror having a planar reflecting surface. The mirror includes a housing which covers the day/night mirror in a manner that prevents overhead lights from showing a double image. The day/night mirror reflecting surface is angled with respect to the blind spot mirror reflecting surface, and the blind spot reflecting surface is angled with respect to the day/night mirror reflecting surface in a horizontal plane when the mirror is mounted on the vehicle. Each of the mirrors is mounted on a spherical ball, and the mirrors can be moved independently of each other by a various systems having the controls remote from the mirror inside the vehicle. The systems include a cable system, or an electrical system or a mechanical system. The day/night mirror has an additional control to position the mirror for night driving as well as for day driving.

18 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets