Asymmetric multiple constant radii of curvature convex mirrors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796335-B2
Application number	US-201715472192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2017
Priority date	Nov 1, 2006
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

An asymmetrical mirror lens, usable on front fenders of school buses and similar vehicles, which has a plurality of mirror sections, each having a distinct constant radius of curvature to reduce image distortion. Optional sections located between sections of the constant radius of curvature have a step-wise changing radii of curvature to smooth the image sizes as an object moves across the mirror lens.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An asymmetric convex mirror lens, comprising:
a convex mirror lens having a peripheral edge which defines a width-wise extending axis and an height-wise extending axis and a plurality of sections of constant radius of curvature arranged width-wise along the mirror lens, including a first section having a first constant radius of curvature, located to one side relative to the height-wise axis of the mirror lens and a second section having a second constant radius of curvature which is different from the first constant radius of curvature, located to the left of the height-wise extending axis of the mirror lens;
wherein the mirror lens comprises a plurality of height-wise extending sections, each having a respective constant radius of curvature measured along the height-wise extending axis; and
wherein said convex mirror lens further comprises a first distance from the height-wise axis to a right edge of the mirror lens at the peripheral edge that is different than a second distance from the height-wise axis to a left edge of the mirror lens, producing an asymmetric lens surface.

2. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge lying in the flat plane defines a closed curve which has a width and a height dimension, where the width dimension is measured along the width-wise axis and the height dimension is measured along the height-wise axis.

3. An asymmetric convex mirror lens, comprising:
a convex mirror lens having a peripheral edge which defines a width-wise extending axis and an height-wise extending axis and a plurality of sections of constant radius of curvature arranged width-wise along the mirror lens, including a first section having a first constant radius of curvature, located to one side relative to the height-wise axis of the mirror lens and a second section having a second constant radius of curvature which is different from the first constant radius of curvature, located to the left of the height-wise extending axis of the mirror lens;
wherein the mirror lens comprises a plurality of height-wise extending sections, each having a respective constant radius of curvature measured along the height-wise extending axis; and
wherein said convex mirror lens further comprises a cross-view mirror dome lens.

4. The asymmetrical mirror lens of claim 3 , wherein said convex mirror dome lens further comprises:
a support panel secured to said convex mirror lens; and
a mounting structure attached to said support panel and adapted to be to and external surface of a vehicle for viewing objects both in front of and alongside the vehicle or both in back of and alongside the vehicle.

5. An asymmetric convex mirror lens, comprising:
a convex mirror lens having a peripheral edge which defines a width-wise extending axis and an height-wise extending axis and a plurality of sections of constant radius of curvature arranged width-wise along the mirror lens, including a first section having a first constant radius of curvature, located to one side relative to the height-wise axis of the mirror lens and a second section having a second constant radius of curvature which is different from the first constant radius of curvature, located to the left of the height-wise extending axis of the mirror lens;
a support panel secured to said convex mirror lens; and
a mounting structure attached to said support panel and adapted to be to and external surface of a vehicle for viewing objects both in front of and alongside the vehicle or both in back of and alongside the vehicle;
wherein the mirror lens comprises a plurality of height-wise extending sections, each having a respective constant radius of curvature measured along the height-wise extending axis.

Assignees

• Rosco Inc

Inventors

• Englander Benjamin
• Serer Julian

Classifications

• G02B5/10

  with curved faces · CPC title

• B60R1/082 Primary

  using a single wide field mirror or an association of rigidly connected mirrors · CPC title

• B60R1/08

  involving special optical features, e.g. avoiding blind spots {, e.g. convex mirrors; Side-by-side associations of rear-view and other mirrors (B60R1/025, B60R1/10 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R1/06

  mounted on vehicle exterior {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R1/002

  specially adapted for covering the peripheral part of the vehicle, e.g. for viewing tyres, bumpers or the like (integrated in the windows B60R1/001; combined with rear-view mirrors B60R1/08) · CPC title