Murakami Kaimeido Co., Ltd.

Murakami Kameido Co., Ltd.

Omron Tateisi Electronics Co.

Fiat Auto S.p.a.

Kiyoshi Nakayama

Toshio Yoshioka

Tohru Yamana

Kiyotaka Yamaguchi

Toshiyuki Kumai

Yasutoshi Ito

Darbesio Luigi

Kazuhiko Sato

Tadayoshi Muto

A system for controlling the folded or erected rearview mirror position selectively by turning reversible motors (23,24) incorporated in the rearview mirrors by operating an operation switch (22) in the cabin of a motor vehicle, includes a door lock controller (10) locking the doors of the motor vehicle by an outer door lock switch (13,14) or inner door lock switch (15,16), a controller (20) for controlling the folded rearview mirrors, and switches (25,26,27,28) for detecting the folded or erected rearview mirror position mounted in the rearview mirror turning parts, in which an electrically foldable rearview mirror system is interlocked with the door lock controller (10) for controlling the folded rearview mirrors including a driving circuit (31,32) changing over the reversible motors between regular and reverse rotations, and a micro computer (30) controlling the driving circuit by processing the inputs from said switches. The rearview mirrors are folded or erected as a top priority by operating the operation switch (22) after the ignition switch (21) is actuated.

Electrically foldable rearview mirrors interlocked with door locks

An electrically driving system for the outer rearview mirror erects or folds the mirror body by the operation switch for rotating the incorporated motor normally or reversively. The system comprises a momentary operation switch, normal and reverse relays and limit switches for disconnecting self-holding circuits of the relays and motors from a power source independently of one another by detecting erected and folded states of the mirror. When the normal or reverse relay is rendered operative by the momentary operation switch, the incorporated motors are driven to cause rotation of a plurality of the mirrors. The mirrors are stopped independently with disconnection of motor circuit caused by the action of the limit switches when they reach to the erected or folded state.

Electrically driving system for foldable outer rearview mirrors of motor

The multi-position electrical switch includes a printed circuit (PC) board arranged in a casing and supporting an array of stationary contacts encircling a light emitting element fixed on the PC board. A resilient rubber sheet covers the PC board and supports an array of movable contacts arranged opposite the stationary contacts. A control knob having a central opening rests on the rubber sheet in the region of the movable contacts. The bottom of the knob is formed with a tubular projection communicating with the central opening of the knob and extending to the level of an opening in the rubber sheet around the light emitting element. The bottom of the knob is provided with four pin-shaped stoppers which delimit the tilting movement of the knob in four directions and the pressing surface portions of the bottom are inclined such as to evenly engage a depressed region of the rubber sheet when the knob is tilted in one of the four directions and the corresponding movable contacts are lowered and pressed against the opposite stationary contacts. The annular end face of the tubular projection has four inclined sections oriented according to the four tilting directions. In a tilted position of the knob, a corresponding inclined section fully engages the flat surface of the PC board thus safeguarding the actuation of the selected contacts only.

Multi-position electrical switch

An electrically driving system for the rearview mirrors, wherein the incorporated motors are rotated normally or reversibly in response to the operation of a operational switch, thereby erecting or folding the mirror bodies. The system comprises a momentary operational switch, a relay circuit, a group of limit switches for cutting off the relay circuit and motor circuit respectively by detecting erected and folded positions of the mirror bodies, and a circuit for judging a folded state. When the operational switch is pushed, any folded mirror is detected within delay time of the circuit for judging a folded state. And only when both of the left and right mirror bodies are in the fold positions, the erecting relay is actuated to rotate the motors in the erecting direction.

Electrically driving system for foldable rearview mirrors of motor

A multiple electrical switch comprising a casing, a control knob supported on the top edge of the casing for tiltable movement in four directions, a retainer horizontally mounted within the casing and a conversion knob tiltably supported by the retainer and having an upper portion projecting through the central aperture of the control knob. Upper and lower base plates are disposed on respective opposite sides of the retainer, with each of the upper and lower base plates defining a printed circuit board and having a plurality of fixed connecting contacts. The switch further comprise an insulating elastic sheet having a central portion for covering the upper portion of the conversion knob and opposite side peripheral portions for covering respective top surfaces of the upper base plate and each portion including a swell including a movable connecting contact corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of fixed connecting contacts of the upper base plate.

A control system for a foldable outside rearview mirror comprises an electric motor having an electric motor circuit, an operation switch, trigger element connected with the operation switch for outputting a trigger pulse in response to actuation of the operation switch, timer element connected with the trigger element for outputting a pulse of a predetermined pulse width to drive the electric motor only for a set time upon receipt of the trigger pulse from the trigger element, polarity changing element having a pair of outputs of high and low level and formed for reversely switching the electric motor by inverting the pair of the outputs upon receipt of the trigger pulse from the trigger element, and switching element for switching a voltage applied to the electric motor to react or fold a rearview mirror upon receipt of the output of the polarity changing element.

Control system for foldable outside rearview mirror

An electrically foldable door mirror comprising a base, a shaft erected on said base, a mirror body rotatably attached to said shaft, electric driving means for turning said mirror body, a pinion secured to the output shaft of said electric driving means, said pinion being engaged with a clutch gear attached to the upper portion of said shaft, means for automatically stopping said electric driving means, said stopping means being disposed between one surface of a fixed clutch fixed to the upper end of said shaft and a surface of said mirror body opposing said one surface of the fixed clutch, said stopping means comprising a printed circuit and contact pieces slidable thereon. The mirror body in the erected neutral position can be turned backward by actuating the electric driving means. When the mirror body has come to the position of the rear turning limit, the electric driving means is automatically stopped by the stopping means. The mirror body in the position of the rear turning limit can be returned to the erected neutral position by reversing the electric driving means. When the mirror body has come to the erected neutral position, the electric driving means is automatically stopped by the stopping means.

Electrically foldable door mirror

A switch suitable for use in the remote control of electrically driven rearview mirrors of a motor vehicle. The switch is adapted to close and open a plurality of switch elements by means of a single or divided operation member. The switch occupies only a small space in an instrument panel, etc. of a motor vehicle because the switch is thin and small. Fixed contact pairs (3a, 4a) to (3f', 4f') forming fixed contact components are printed approximately point symmetrically around a specific center on an insulating base plate. Movable contact means is disposed on top of the fixed contact components, said movable contact means being adapted to electrically connect each of the fixed contact pairs (3a, 4a) to (3f', 4') when said means is pushed. Said operation member is provided with pressing surfaces for pressing said switch elements comprising the fixed contact pairs (3a, 4a) to (3f', 4') and the movable contact means, and with means for automatically returning said operation member to its original position when it is not pushed.

Multi-position electric switch

A multi-position switch suitable for use as a remote control switch for electrically operated rearview mirrors of a motor vehicle. The switch of the invention comprises fixed contact components in the form of printed circuits disposed on an insulating base plate, a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber sheet (which becomes conductive only when and where it is pressed) being laid over the fixed contact components, whereby the fixed contact components and the rubber sheet forming switch elements, and an operating button adapted to be tilted with respect to the rubber sheet and having a tendency to return to its original position. Therefore, the switch of the invention can have a flat, thin shape. Also, the switch is easy to assemble and has satisfactory reliability because it consists of a small number of component parts. Furthermore, the operating button is adapted to have a tilting stroke and make clicks, so that the switch of the invention is easy to use and gives a reassuring feeling of use.

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Shizuoka, Japan

Kiyoshi Nakayama