Patents Examined by Tom Robbins
  • Patent number: 5497273
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a retractable rear under view mirror system for an automotive vehicle having a rear door mounted on a vehicle body and hinged at a rear upper portion thereof. There is provided rearward of the automotive vehicle, a deflector which is mounted on the rear door at its upper portion and on which a recess is formed. A mirror assembly is movably supported by the deflector, and selectively positionable from a retracted position to an extended position. A motor is provided for actuating the mirror assembly to be positioned in the retracted position or the extended position. The motor is controlled by an controller in response to an output of a detector for detecting a state of the rear door which is positionable in its open state and its closed state. Consequently, the mirror assembly is moved to a position responsive to the state of the rear door, such that the mirror assembly is automatically retracted when the rear door is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kogita, Masumi Nishikawa, Shoji Okada