The subject of the invention is a rear-view mirror device for vehicles, which is fitted with a streamlined mirror case, a mirror-plate frame, and a mirror-plate.

Having regard to the high traffic of motor vehicles on multi-lane roads, the emission of harmful pollutants by motor vehicles driven by an internal combustion engine has become an important and significant factor. The noise of motor vehicles is an environmental pollutant with regard to both the outside environment and the passengers and driver travelling in a vehicle. The level of noise emission is subject to effective regulatory requirements, and a motor vehicle may not enter into service without meeting such requirements. The thresholds specified by such requirements are getting lower and lower, and meeting those requirements often requires development works concerning apparently insignificant details. Reducing the wind resistance of the external rear-view mirrors is an important objective of such development efforts, which also often results in the reduction of noise. The general purpose of a rear-view mirror is to enable drivers to observe events taking place behind and next to a vehicle while driving. Rear-view mirrors are legally required components of motorbikes and passenger and commercial vehicles. A common solution is to install rear-view mirrors on two sides of a vehicle, so that the driver could clearly see events taking place behind and next to the vehicle. Rear-view mirrors are becoming larger and larger as a means of improving traffic safety, taking into consideration the increasing speed and intensity of traffic, and the safety need to observe traffic behind the vehicle concerned. With a view to satisfying the necessary needs, foldable rear-view mirrors are mounted onto the side or side window of currently available motor vehicles; regulatory requirements are in force concerning numerous parameters and the technical control of such mirrors. Pioneering proposals were already presented for using external rear-view mirrors with an advantageous design even before such requirements entered into force.

The state of the art includes the following solutions.

The state of the art includes numerous solutions for rear-view mirrors that attempt to reduce the movement-related noise of the vehicle by implementing the back-side of the mirror case in a manner that is suitable for generating an appropriate wind-flow. Such a solution is described, for example, in Japanese patent document No. JP2017007383 and Chinese patent document No. CN102529820. US patent document No. US2878726 describes an external rear-view mirror the case of which is implemented with an ideal streamlined circle cross-section and the mirror case of which is composed of two parts. The first part of the house is streamlined, it is mounted onto the car-body, and it holds the mirror; the second part of the house is made of a transparent material, it is streamlined, and it ends in a cone-like peak. This solution is primarily suitable for small airplanes where the need for large longitudinal space does can be satisfied easily.

US patent document No. US2015353017 describes the streamlined implementation of a rear-view mirror that is most suitable for trucks; the case holding the large mirror has a streamlined design that is similar to the entering edge of a wing profile, and the case part behind the mirror is made of a transparent material and has design that is similar to the exit edge of a wing profile.

The rear-view mirror described in US patent document No. US5179470 is also suitable for large vehicles primarily. In this solution, the mirror case is expanded vertically so that the rear-view mirror is given a streamlined design.

Japanese patent document No. JP2015178315 describes a rear-view mirror that is implemented so that it reduces aerodynamic noises that emerge while a vehicle is moving. The mirror case described in this document is designed similarly to rear-view mirrors used in road traffic, but its mounting is implemented in such a way that it results in a streamlined surface.

US patent document No. US5069538 describes a solution where the rear-view mirror mounted onto the side of a vehicle is fitted with a small spoiler, and the mirror case has a streamlined dome shape.

The rear-view mirror described in US patent document No. US4822157 is a long-shaped arched mirror with a convex surface, which is fitted with a light aerodynamic case component, and it was designed for use on school buses specifically.

According to the solution described in patent document No. EP0283467, the side mirror of a vehicle is fitted with an aerodynamic cover. The mirror may have a concave, convex, or round shape, taking into account the geometry of the given vehicle.

US patent document No. US4538851 describes a rear-view mirror fitted with an aerodynamic mirror case, which is implemented so that the entire mirror case is mounted onto the vehicle in and of itself, thereby ensuring a streamlined shape. The mirror also includes a transparent cover with a convex shape.

German patent document No. DE4212258 describes a rear- view mirror the mirror where the mirror case is implemented with a streamlined shape and the cover is made of transparent plastic. The above solutions reduce separation intensity behind the mirror-plate, which constitutes a considerable wind resistance factor and causes considerable noise when using a common external rear-view mirror. Maximum results could also be achieved by using a streamlined shape with low wind resistance and negligible separation flow, but an external rear-view mirror with such a shape may not be mounted onto a vehicle while it is tested for entry into service or onto a passenger vehicle due to its considerable length.

The purpose of creating this invention was to eliminate any and all disadvantages regarding the invention described below, unlike other solutions forming part of the state of art, that might prevent it from being mounted onto passenger vehicles currently in production, while preserving the assumed advantageous features of such solutions.

The purpose of the invention is to eliminate the shortfalls of known solutions and to implement a device that is capable of significantly reducing wind resistance and noise while driving, so that it meets all requirements concerning entry into service.

The inventive step is based on the recognition that an invention, which is more advantageous than the previous ones, may be created by implementing the device according to claim 1. This recognition makes it possible to implement a streamlined rear-view mirror that is fit for day-to- day use, can be mounted on any vehicle, and may be used in traffic.

In line with the desired purpose, the most general implementation form of the solution according to the invention may be realized according to claim 1. The various implementation forms are described in the dependent claims.

Generally, the solution is a rear-view mirror device for vehicles, which is fitted with a streamlined mirror case, a mirror-plate frame, and a mirror-plate. A distinctive feature of the invention is that a streamlined and transparent protective cover is mounted onto the mirror case on the side showing the mirror-plate, and the mirror case and the transparent protective cover create an air flow dome, and the width-to-height ratio of the transparent protective cover is a value between 0.5 and 0.9, advantageously a value between 0.6 and 0.8.

In another implementation form, an interface unit is located on the side facing the vehicle, which enables mounting onto various currently available vehicle types. In another implementation form, the interface unit is mounted onto the mirror case, and the interface unit includes a console, a mounting plate, and a mounting component, and the mounting component is connected to the vehicle, and the mounting component is fitted to the mounting plate, and the console is mounted onto the mounting plate, and the mounting plate is fitted to the mirror case.

Another distinctive feature may be that the mirror case includes a mirror-plate and a mirror-plate frame, and the mirror-plate is framed by the mirror-plate frame, and the mirror-plate frame is fitted into a turning bearings to which a turning component is connected, and a driving part and a driving component, which turn the mirror-plate, is connected to the turning component.

In another implementation form, there is an opening on the mounting plate, and it is connected to the driving component.

The invention is presented in more detail using a drawing of a possible implementation form.

On the attached drawings,

Figure 1 shows the side view of the device with streamlines,

Figure 2 shows the rear view of the device with a vertical plane,

Figure 3 shows the device with a driving part viewed from above.

As shown on Figure 1, the rear-view mirror device includes a mirror-plate 1, a mirror-plate frame 2, and a streamlined mirror case 3. The mirror case 3 contains the mirror-plate 1 and the mirror- plate frame 2. The mirror-plate 1 is framed by the mirror-plate frame 2. The mirror-plate frame 2 is connected to the mirror case 3 so that it can be moved, turned, adjusted, or fixed. A transparent protective cover 4 is mounted onto the mirror case 3 on the side showing the mirror-plate 1, and the mirror case 3 and the transparent protective cover 4 create an air flow dome, and the width L2 to height LI ratio of the transparent protective cover 4 is a value between 0.5 and 0.9, advantageously a value between 0.6 and 0.8. In this implementation form, this value, which is determined primarily by the dimensions of the mirror case 3, is 0.66. Together, the mirror case 3 and the transparent protective cover 4 produce an almost streamlined surface in the direction of the wind 17, when the rear-view mirror device is mounted in first position, in the direction of movement, on the window frame or side door of the vehicle. The direction of movement and the direction of the wind 17 is known in aerodynamics as wind direction. The mirror case 3 performs multiple functions; one of its functions is to ensure that the rear-view mirror device has a low wind resistance factor. With regard to the streamlined body that has a low and aerodynamically tested wind resistance factor, the cross-section/length ratio is an important factor in the section where the cross-section becomes smaller and smaller in the direction of the wind. The mirror case 3 is connected to a transparent protective cover 4, and the mirror case 3 and the transparent protective cover 4 together have an advantageous wind resistance factor. In some implementation forms, the transparent protective cover 4 of the mirror case 3 is made of transparent plastic without any distortion. The refraction can be minimized here by using moulding techniques. The transparent protective cover 4 protects the mirror-plate 1 from contamination, rain, and vapour precipitation. In some implementation forms, the transparent protective cover 4 of the mirror case 3 is made of flexible plastic, and they are connected to each other in a releasable manner so that they can be cracked apart. Pursuant to the desired result, the streamlines 16 appear, as indicated on the drawing, in the course of applying the invention when the vehicle reaches a speed of 120 km/h. In terms of the movement direction of the vehicle, the surface of the mirror-plate 1 is facing backward, and its size is subject to official regulations in each country. Most European countries apply uniform regulations. The shape of the cross-section of the flow dome 5 may be a geometrically or mathematically regular curve, and it may also be a curve, achieved through design factors and methods, that may not be determined by the means of geometry of mathematics. It is advisable to use a mathematically determined curve, advantageously is parabola, due to considerations concerning manufacturing and streamlines. The rear-view mirror device may be used on all types of vehicles as an external mirror in a right-sided or left-sided implementation.

Figure 2 shows the rear-view mirror device from the rear with a vertical plane, including, as seen on Figure 1, the mirror-plate frame 2, the mirror case 3, the transparent protective cover 4, the flow dome 5, the console 6, and the mounting plate 7. The mirror case 3 of the rear-view mirror device has at least two positions relative to the mounting plate 7 that is connected to the vehicle; the first position is the moving position where the vertical wind plane of the of the mirror case 3 is aligned with the direction of movement, and the second position is the idle position where the mirror case 3 is in a turned-in position relative to the mounting plate 7. In idle position, the mirror case 3 may also be in a turned position relative to the mounting plate 7 in another implementation form. On this drawing, the rear-view mirror device is in moving position. It is advisable to implement the flow dome 5 so that optical considerations are also taken into account extensively in addition to the requirements of streamlining. Consequently, the part of the flow dome 5 that is closer to the driver of the vehicle, also known as its side-view, has a top half and a bottom half, as it is common practice that the driver’s points of view are located above the rear-view mirror device, meaning that the driver of the vehicle observes the internal side of the flow dome 5 from above. Thus, in an advisable implementation form, the part of the flow dome 5 that faces the vehicle’s driver is perpendicular to the line defined by the driver’s point of view and the surface of the mirror-plate 1; it is also less convex and has a larger curve radius than the bottom half, which may have a smaller curve radius than the top half, if the back and side image seen by the vehicle’s driver is free of distortion.

Figure 3 shows the rear-view mirror device with a driving part 11 viewed from above. The figure shows the mirror-plate 1, the mirror-plate frame 2, the mirror case 3, the console 6, the mounting plate 7, the mounting component 8, the turning bearings 9, the turning component 10, the driving part 11, the driving component 12, the cable 13, and the opening 14. The console 6, the mounting plate 7, the mounting component 8, and the opening 14 form together the interface unit 15. The opening 14 located on the mounting plate 7 is implemented for the cable 13 that is suitable for adjusting the rear-view mirror device, from the driver-side window frame, door, or wall of the vehicle to the mounting plate 7 or the mirror case 3. The interface unit 15 enables a turnable connection, so that the first moving position and the second turned-in idle position of the rear view mirror device can be implemented, so that, in the latter case, the mirror case 3 of the rear view mirror device is turned in toward the window frame of the vehicle, thereby reducing the space required by the vehicle. The mounting component 8 fits into the corresponding shapes in the window frame, door, or side wall thereby ensuring stability, i.e. direction, relative to the moving direction of the vehicle when it is mounted onto the vehicle. The mirror-plate frame 2 is embedded in the turning bearings 9, and the latter is connected to the turning component 10, which includes an electric driving component 12 and is connected to the driving part 11 that turns that mirror-plate 1. The mirror-plate frame 2 of the mirror-plate 1 is turned by the driving part 11 which is mounted onto the mirror case 3 and the electric driving component 12 and cable 13 of which is connected to the electric network of the vehicle. The cable 13 may be an electric power supply or connected to a controller. The cable 13 is connected to the electric network of the vehicle, and it exits the rear-view mirror device through the opening 14. The cable 13 may also be connected to an electric heating device, so that the mirror-plate 1 could be heated. The driving part 11 and the driving component 12 is located in the mirror case 3. The mirror case 3 is a part that holds and contains the driving part 11 and the driving component 12 that adjust the mirror-plate 1 and, as the case may be, the mirror case 3 itself. The device described above has numerous advantages. An advantage of the invention is that the device, due to its design, implements a rear-view mirror that can be mounted onto the side wall of any vehicle currently available, so that the solution may be applied on the market with a relatively small initial investment, and no transformation is required in the vehicles for the use of the solution. Another considerable advantage of the invention is that it reduces the wind resistance factor during driving, thereby also reducing the noise generated during and the energy required for moving. This is advantageous because it makes travelling more comfortable for the driver and passengers of the vehicle, and it also reduces the noise emitted to the environment. Moreover, as the energy required to move the vehicle is also reduced, the vehicle can run longer on the same amount of energy, which is an advantage for all kinds of vehicles, in particular for electric vehicles. It is of particular importance for electric vehicles to increase the distance travelled using the energy available, considering that most roads are not equipped with a suitable number of charging stations for electric vehicles. Another advantage of the device is that, due to its size, it can provide a fairly large mirror surface for safe driving, and it meets the requirements a motor vehicle is to meet at the time of entry into service. Pursuant to the desired result, the streamlines indicated on Figure 1 appear in the course of applying the invention when the vehicle reaches a speed of 120 km/h, but the advantage of using the solution according to the invention is also detectable when the vehicle reaches a speed of 50 km/h. For this reason, it is advantageous to use device according to the invention on trucks and buses as well. In that vehicle category, external rear- view mirrors have a quadrangular shape, and the longer side of the quadrangular mirror is usually in a vertical position. In comparison to the wind resistance of the device according to the invention, wind resistance almost doubles after the transparent protective cover is removed.

The field of application of the invention includes rear-view mirrors used on vehicles moving and/or carrying any load on the ground, on water, and/or in the air.

In addition to the above examples, the invention can be implemented in other forms within the scope of protection.