WO2010136663A1 - Portable rear-view mirror - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a rear-view mirror device for a vehicle, comprising a mirror (4) and a removable attachment strap for removably attaching the mirror to the arm or hand of the vehicle user, the mirror having a focal line while the strap, when closed, defines a strap axis consisting of the perpendicular to the plane of the opening for inserting the arm or hand formed inside the closed strap, characterised in that the focal line is inclined relative to the strap axis.

Description

 PORTABLE MIRROR

The present invention relates to a rear view mirror device in the field of vehicles in which the driving of the vehicle requires holding with one or both hands a handlebar, for example a bicycle, a moped, a scooter, a three-wheeled scooter, a quad, motorcycle, sidecar, etc.

For example in the case of a bike, it is planned

/ today to have one or two mirrors-left and / or right on the handlebar, substantially at the level of

-handles intended to be grasped by the user.

^• These mirrors are most often mounted so

^• removable by a screw and nut system. It is common for these mirrors to be stolen by people who then use it for their own bike or scooter of the same brand, especially because they have broken theirs, or they themselves have been stolen. When they are not removable, these mirrors are often difficult to adjust perfectly to the dimensions of the person who uses the bike and, on the other hand, they can break quite easily, especially during a fall of the bike or when the we put the bike against a wall.

It becomes difficult to change this mirror which is mounted fixed. It has already been described, in the prior art, to produce a mirror removably fixed by means of removable attachment to a part of the body of the user, including the hand or the arm of the user. Such mirrors are described, for example, in International Application WO 86/01697, in French Patent Application No. 2,642,181, in Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-248379 and in the German Utility Model DE. 203 13 882. All these devices of the prior art allow certainly partially solve the problems mentioned above. However, they have several disadvantages. In particular, these mirrors do not guarantee great safety of use when driving a vehicle. The present invention aims to solve the above disadvantages by providing a removable mirror for attachment to the arm or hand of the user of the vehicle with a high degree of safety in use when driving the vehicle. According to the invention, the device is as defined in claim 1 in the case where the mirror is fixedly mounted in an average position (average in the sense that it is the only possible position and the average of a single position consists of said single position) without possibility of pivoting relative to the housing in which it is housed or as defined in claim 2 in the case where the mirror is pivotally mounted about a mean position.

By providing for inclining the focal axis, for example the axis perpendicular to the mirror in the case of a plane mirror, with respect to the axis of the bracelet, it is ensured that the field of view of the user is as large as possible and is well adapted to allow it to see behind it where it is most needed, especially avoiding as in the case of systems of the prior art to have to perform wrist movements to orient its mirror properly and avoid seeing especially the sky or himself. A mirror is thus obtained, the use of which during driving is made much safer, the user having only to concentrate on driving his vehicle and no longer on the relative positioning of his rearview mirror with respect to his eyes.

Preferably, in a section of the bracelet below the mirror, the thickness of the bracelet varies in the direction of travel, in particular decreasing from the back to the front.

Preferably, the assembly is such that the mirror is attached to the strap so as to be able to slide in a direction transverse to the axis of the user's arm, in particular perpendicular to the axis of the user's arm, when the device is fixed to the user and in particular there is provided means for combating vibrations constituted by the fact that at least a portion of the support section of the bracelet which is at the mirror and which supports the latter is say the section of the bracelet which lies, in the radial direction, between the inside of the bracelet and the mirror, has a thickness, measured in the radial direction, which is greater than the thickness of at least part of the rest the bracelet, in particular the rest of the bracelet, the bracelet being made of a flexible material.

Preferably, a plate made of a material that is more rigid than the material of the bracelet, in particular a metal bracelet, for example made of steel, is mounted on the bracelet, in particular fixed on the said support section of the mirror.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a housing in which is housed the rearview mirror, the housing having an opening in which the mirror is received, and a lower face of the housing being intended to come into contact with the plate. attached to the bracelet with possibility of sliding or relative sliding. Preferably, the attachment of the lower face to the sliding plate is achieved by magnetization of the plate and at least a portion of the housing, in particular the material of the lower face is a magnetizable material, especially steel.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a slot is formed in the lower face of the housing and a tenon is derived from the bracelet, in particular from the plate, and is guided in the slot, which allows the housing to slide relative to the bracelet being guided in the direction of the slot, while being held there by magnetization at any time. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, sound-horn means, for example electronic means, are mounted integral with the mirror or the bracelet.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention a flashing is mounted at the _end, outside of the mirror housing member 1 and the actuation of the flashing is carried out through actuation means, including a push button protruding of the bracelet substantially in a place accessible to the thumb when the bracelet is worn.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is included in the housing a power supply of the blinker bulb. Preferably, the strap of flexible material, especially elastic, for example rubber, also has a tongue which extends inside the bracelet, so that when the user wears the device, the bracelet being taken in the hand , the concave-shaped tongue having its convexity facing upwards comes against the palm of the hand and marries part or completely of the shape to improve the ergonomics of the device.

An example is now described preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention as mounted on the hand of a user; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bracelet of the device of Figure 1 in which the housing has been slid outward (to the right in the figure); Figure 3 is a top view in perspective of a device according to the invention identical to that of Figures 1 or 2 to be used for the left side of a user;

Figure 4 is a side perspective view of the device of Figures 1 to 3, in the unassembled state;

FIG. 5 is a side view in the direction of the focal axis of the mirror of another embodiment of the device according to the invention substantially identical to that of FIGS. 1 to 4, with the exception of the shapes of the housing, of the perimeter of the mirror, the turn signal, the turn signal control knob and the tenons and openings for closing the bracelet, the other characteristics, in particular those relating to the bracelet and the relative orientations of the focal axis and the axis of the bracelet being identical;

Figure 6 is a top view of the device of Figure 5, in the unmolded state of the mirror;

Figure 7 is a top view of the device of Figures 5 and 6, in the folded and rotated state of the housing and therefore the mirror relative to the bracelet;

Figure 8 is a sectional view along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 5, without the housing 2;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention;

Figure 10 shows another embodiment of a device according to the second aspect of the invention, wherein the mirror is not slidably mounted relative to the bracelet and wherein the horn is not actuated;

Fig. 11 shows the embodiment of Fig. 10 in which the horn is actuated; FIG. 12 represents, in exploded perspective view, the case and the mirror of a device identical to that of FIG. 5 in the case where the mirror is pivotally mounted (with the exception of one part of the flashing light which is not shown and partly because it is a left - handed device); and

Figure 13 is a sectional view from above of the housing and the mirror of Figure 12, when assembled. The two extreme positions of the mirror are represented in dashed lines when pivoting relative to an axis perpendicular to the plane of the figure (the vertical) and in thin lines the two extreme positions of the mirror when pivoting with respect to the mirror. left horizontal axis of the figure.

As seen in the figures, the rearview mirror device consists of a bracelet 1 of flexible polyurethane resin (rubber), and a housing 2, in particular a magnetizable metal material, for example steel. The bracelet is intended to be taken in the hand by the user by going around it by passing on the back of the hand and the palm, under the four fingers, and between the index finger and the thumb. The bracelet is fixed by hand through holes 11 and lugs 12 which penetrate the holes 11, the holes and the lugs being opposite parts to each other of the bracelet. It is thus possible to adjust, depending on the size of the hand of the user, the turn of the bracelet.

On the upper part or support of the bracelet (is meant by upper or support part intended to come into contact with the housing), it is mounted, in particular by gluing, a magnetized metal oblong plate 3, for example steel.

The housing 2 defines an interior space therein and has an opening 4 and a base face 5 intended to come into contact with the plate 3. A flasher 15 is mounted outside the housing. Instead of the blinker, it can provide a buzzer. We can also plan both at the same time. The base face 5 and the plate 3 are magnetized so as to attract each other to thereby ensure their mutual attachment by magnetization, the force of the magnetization being sufficient so that the housing does not fall of itself, but sufficiently weak so that by hand the user can slide the housing relative to the plate.

A mirror 7, pivotally mounted at a pivot point 18 so as to be pivotable with respect to the vertical (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 13) and horizontal (left horizontal right axis in FIG. 13) axes, is received within the scope of FIG. the opening 4. The pivoting of the mirror relative to the vertical axis is between two positions 7 'and 1' shown in dashed lines in FIG. 13 (the extreme position 7 'makes an angle of 10 ° relative to the 7 mean position of the mirror and the extreme position 7 '' makes an angle of -10 ° relative to the average position 7). Likewise, the range of rotation is identical with respect to the horizontal axis in the figure, the two positions 7 '''and7''''being represented extreme in thin lines in FIG. 13. In the average reference position of the pivoting, the focal axis of the mirror is perpendicular to the plane of the frame of the opening 4. The mirror 7 is plane, its axis F focal, that is to say the axis passing through its axis of symmetry and its focus (here at infinity), is perpendicular to the plane of the mirror. We could also provide a parabolic mirror.

According to another possibility, it is possible for the mirror to be fixedly mounted in the housing, and not to pivot. In the present invention, in such a case, it is understood that the mirror is also in its average reference position, knowing that this is its only possible position which therefore also by definition defines the average position (the average of a single value being equal to said value),

According to the invention, the mirror is pivotally mounted with respect to an average reference or fixed position in a single position which is also necessarily by definition its average reference position, the focal axis of the mirror in this average position of reference is inclined with respect to the axis of the opening of the bracelet.

The average reference position is the position in the middle of the range in which the mirror can be rotated, in particular relative to the housing, in each axis of tilting.

The lower face of the housing comprises a dovetail slot 8 into which a stud 9 coming from the plate 3 engages. The casing 2 is pivotally mounted on the post 9 so that, in the event of an impact, the casing 2 can to steal without breaking. The housing is held by its face 5 in contact with the plate 3 by magnetization. The casing can thus slide outwards with respect to the plate 3, while being guided by moving the tenon in the slot, a rotation relative to the post is also possible. In particular, the sliding of the mirror relative to the bracelet is parallel to the plane of the mirror or to the plane of the frame or edge of the opening 4 receiving the mirror. The user can properly position the mirror and this, regardless of its morphology, its manner of ^'holding the handlebars and the positioning of handlebars -report to the axis of the bicycle. In the interior of the housing 2, there is mounted a power supply battery (not shown) for supplying the lamp (not shown) of the flashing light 15. An actuating button 10 is housed in a recess in the recess. bracelet, to a place such that it can be operated easily by the thumb. This button is connected by an electric wire (not shown) passing through the bracelet, the tenon and penetrating into the interior of the housing, where it operates via a switch circuit, the ignition or closing of the lamp mirror, the circuit and the lamp being powered by the battery also received in the interior space of the housing.

The bracelet comprises, in its lower part, a tongue 13 having a concave shape (concavity facing downwards) of a shape substantially complementary to the shape of the palm of a hand, and which projects into the interior of the ring formed by the bracelet, so that when the bracelet is taken in the hand to surround the four fingers, the tongue 13 comes into contact with the palm of the hand and marries the shape to improve the ergonomics of the device. -

The section 14 of the bracelet that extends from the outer end of the plate 3 to the inner end of the plate 3 (outer and interior hearing with respect to the user when wearing the bracelet), that is to say substantially the section of the bracelet that supports the mirror, has a thickness (measured in the radial direction when the bracelet is worn) larger than that of at least a part of the rest of the bracelet, in particular the lower section of the bracelet, diametrically opposed to the support section 14. This improves the stability of the mirror in use, especially when there are vibrations related to rolling.

As shown in Figure 3, a device for the left hand is symmetrical as in a mirror of a device for the right hand (case shown in the other figures). The . The present invention also relates to a pair of mirror devices according to the invention, one for the left hand and the other for the right hand.

Figure 9 is substantially identical to Figure 1, except that a buzzer 25 is mounted in place of the flashing 15. This buzzer can be actuated by a push button 20. It could also be provided for the instead or in addition, a manual manual actuation, either with the other hand, or with one of the fingers of the hand carrying the device. This last case is represented in FIGS. 10 and 11. It is provided for actuation of the horn 25 'by extension of a finger of the hand, which acts on a flexible blade connected to the horn and which, when it is deformed by the action of the finger, actuates the alarm. According to another embodiment not shown, it can also be done so that an actuating lever protrudes sufficiently to be reached and actuated by the thumb of the hand carrying the device. We could also have the buzzer so that it is integral with the bracelet, including the plate, rather than the housing. One could additionally provide a flashing and a buzzer. It can be provided to combine the first and second aspects of the invention, that is to say, according to the second aspect of the invention which provides a buzzer, to make or not the sliding mirror to the outside compared to the bracelet. In Figure 5, there is shown the device seen from the side in the direction of the axis of the bracelet, that is to say perpendicular to the opening 100 for passage of the arm or the hand defined by the bracelet. In its upper part, below the housing 2, below the plate 3, the thickness of the bracelet varies in the transverse direction (left right in the figures) and in the direction of travel (perpendicular to the plane of the figures). In the direction of travel which is the axis of the bracelet (perpendicular to the planes of FIGS. 4 and 5), the thickness of the bracelet, at least on a section of the bracelet which is below the mirror, in particular of the plate 3, varies in decreasing from back to front. As seen in Figure 8, which is the sectional view along the line VIII VIII of Figure 5 without the housing, the thickness e2 of the wristband on the side of the user, in a section of the bracelet between the arm and the mirror, is larger than the thickness el on the other side, which is the side at the front of the vehicle. This beveled shape of this part of the bracelet thus makes it possible to incline the plane of the plate 3 upwards in the direction towards the rear and thus also the focal axis (here the perpendicular to the plane of the mirror 7 plane) towards the high relative to the axis of the bracelet, which optimizes the field of vision of the user and in particular he avoids having to make movements of his wrist to see behind him exactly where he wants rather than the ground or oneself, as is the case in the devices of the prior art. In particular, the respective different features of the embodiments shown and / or described herein may be combined together independently. For example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 10 and 11, the buzzer can be replaced by a blinker or by adding a blinker. It is also possible to provide a bracelet as described in the other figures instead of the simple bracelet described therein. It can also be provided that the mirror can slide. The bracelet has through holes 20, especially in its part which is not under the plate 3, to increase its flexibility and improve its ability to match the shape of the hand or the arm.

The mirror 7 can be mounted either fixed in the housing 2 or pivoted with respect to a pivot point, so that the mirror can be inclined with respect to an average position in which the mirror is perpendicular to the plane of the plate. this average reference position, the plane mirror is parallel to the plane defined by the outer edge of the housing which forms the opening of the housing where is disposed the mirror. In this middle position, the perpendicular to the mirror is also perpendicular to the plane defined by the outer edge which forms the opening of the housing. In the case where the mirror is not plane, it is the focal axis of the mirror which is perpendicular to the plane defined by the outer edge.

When the mirror is in this average position, the focal axis is inclined with respect to the axis of the bracelet.

Of course, when the mirror is fixed its unique position is also its average position.

Claims

A rearview mirror device of a vehicle having a mirror (4) fixedly housed in a housing and a detachable fastening strap for releasably securing the mirror to the arm or hand of the vehicle user; mirror having a focal axis while the bracelet, when closed, defines a bracelet axis constituted by the perpendicular to the plane of the passage opening of the arm or the hand formed inside the closed bracelet, is characterized in that the focal axis is inclined with respect to the axis of the bracelet. Mirror device of a vehicle comprising a mirror (4) housed in a housing and a detachable fastening strap for removably fixing the mirror to the arm or hand of the user of the vehicle, the mirror being mounted pivoting relative to the housing by having an average reference position, the mirror having a focal axis while the bracelet, when closed, defines a wrist axis consisting of the perpendicular to the plane of the passage opening of the arm or of the hand formed inside the closed bracelet, is characterized in that, in the average reference position of the mirror relative to the housing, the focal axis is inclined relative to the axis of the bracelet. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the focal axis is inclined upwards in the direction towards the rear. 4. Device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the angle of inclination of the focal axis is between 10 ° and 30 °, in particular is 15 °. 5. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in a section of the bracelet below the mirror, the thickness of the bracelet varies in the direction of travel, in particular decreasing from the back to the front. β. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the mounting is such that the mirror is attached to the strap so as to slide in a direction transverse to the axis of the user's arm, particularly perpendicular to the axis of the user's arm, when the device is attached to the user. 7. Device according to one of claims ^• 1 to β, characterized in that a portion of the section (14) for supporting the bracelet which is at the mirror and which supports the latter, that is to say the section of the bracelet which lies, in the radial direction, between the inside of the bracelet and the mirror, has a thickness, measured in the radial direction of the rear side, that is to say on the side of the user, which is larger than the thickness of at least a portion of the rest of the bracelet, including the rest of the bracelet, the bracelet being of a flexible material. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the flexible material is elastic, in particular rubber. 9. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a plate (3) of a material more rigid than the material of the bracelet (1), in particular metal, for example steel, is mounted on the bracelet, in particular fixed on said support section of the bracelet (1), between the bracelet (1) and the mirror. 10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the device comprises a housing (2) in which is housed the mirror, the housing having an opening (4) in which the mirror is received, and a lower face (5) of the housing being intended to come into contact with the plate attached to the bracelet with the possibility of sliding or relative sliding. 11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the bracelet has through holes, in particular in its part which is not under the plate (3), to increase its flexibility.