IP Library Granted Patent US 11,175,476
Granted Patent B2
US 11,175,476 · App. 16/402,376 · Granted Nov 16, 2021

Adjustable mirror assembly for a boat

Inventors: Ryan D. Lake (Madisonville, TN); James G. Schultz (Lake Zurich, IL); Gregory A. Mackall (Wauconda, IL)
Assignees: MasterCraft Boat Company, LLC; Gere Marie Corporation
G02B7/198B60R1/06B60Y2200/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,175,476
App. No.
16/402,376
Granted
Nov 16, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An adjustable mirror assembly includes a mirror having a reflective surface. The adjustable mirror assembly may include a first locking mechanism configured to lock a support in a finite number of discrete positions. The support may be movable between a lowered position and a raised position. The mirror may be pivotally mounted to the support and may be configured to pivot about a second pivot axis to orient the reflective surface of the mirror in an aft-facing direction in both the lowered position and the raised position.

Claims (36)

1. A boat with an adjustable mirror assembly, the boat comprising:

a hull having a port side and a starboard side;

a windshield, at least a part of which is oriented in a transverse direction of the boat, the windshield having an upper edge; and

an adjustable mirror assembly mounted to the windshield, the adjustable mirror assembly including:

a movable support pivotable about a first pivot axis between a lowered position and a raised position; and

a mirror having a reflective surface, the mirror being pivotally mounted to the movable support and configured to pivot about a second pivot axis to orient the reflective surface of the mirror in an aft-facing direction in both the lowered position and the raised position,

wherein, in the lowered position, the mirror is located lower than the upper edge of the windshield, aft of the windshield, and between a port-most portion of the windshield and a starboard-most portion of the windshield, and

wherein, in the raised position, the mirror is located higher than the upper edge of the windshield.

2. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable mirror assembly is mounted to an upper portion of the windshield.

3. The boat according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustable mirror assembly is mounted to an upper edge of the windshield.

4. The boat according to claim 3 , wherein the windshield is sloped up in an aft-ward direction of the boat.

5. The boat according to claim 3 , wherein, in the raised position, the mirror is located forward of the upper edge of the windshield.

6. The boat according to claim 1 , further comprising a control console, a portion of the windshield being located above the control console and the adjustable mirror assembly being mounted to the portion of the windshield above the control console.

7. The boat according to claim 6 , wherein, the control console includes a steering wheel and, in the lowered position, the mirror is located forward of the steering wheel.

8. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the windshield includes a walk-through door and the adjustable mirror assembly is mounted to the walk-through door.

9. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable mirror assembly includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the movable support in at least one of the raised and lowered positions.

10. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable mirror assembly includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the mirror with the reflective surface facing aft such that the mirror is prevented from pivoting about the second pivot axis.

11. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the movable support includes a concave portion.

12. The boat according to claim 11 , wherein, in the lowered position, a portion of the mirror is located in the concave portion.

13. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable mirror assembly has a plurality of raised positions.

14. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustable mirror assembly has a plurality of lowered positions.

15. The boat according to claim 1 , wherein the mirror is connected to the movable support by a ball-and-socket joint such that the tilt of the mirror is adjustable in at least one of a fore-and-aft direction and a port-and-starboard direction.

16. The boat according to claim 15 , wherein the mirror includes a housing and a socket of the ball-and-socket joint is located within the housing of the mirror.

17. A boat with an adjustable mirror assembly, the boat comprising:

a hull having a port side and a starboard side;

a windshield, at least a part of which is oriented in a transverse direction of the boat, the windshield having an upper edge; and

an adjustable mirror assembly including:

a movable support pivotable about a first pivot axis;

a first locking mechanism configured to lock the movable support in one of two discrete positions such that the movable support is prevented from moving about the first pivot axis when the movable support is locked in the discrete position; and

a mirror having a reflective surface.

18. The boat according to claim 17 , wherein the mirror is connected to the movable support such that the tilt of the mirror is adjustable in at least one of a fore-and-aft direction and a port-and-starboard direction.

19. The boat according to claim 18 , wherein the mirror is connected to the movable support by a ball-and-socket joint such that the tilt of the mirror is adjustable in at least one of the fore-and-aft direction and the port-and-starboard direction.

20. The boat according to claim 19 , wherein the mirror includes a housing and a socket of the ball-and-socket joint is located within the housing of the mirror.

21. The boat according to claim 17 , wherein the mirror is pivotally mounted to the movable support and configured to pivot about a second pivot axis to orient the reflective surface of the mirror in an aft-facing direction, and the adjustable mirror assembly further includes a second locking mechanism configured to lock the mirror in a finite number of discrete positions such that the mirror is prevented from pivoting about the second pivot axis.

22. The boat according to claim 17 , wherein one of the discrete positions is a lowered position in which the mirror is located lower than the upper edge of the windshield, and wherein another one of the discrete positions is a raised position in which the mirror is located higher than the upper edge of the windshield.

23. The boat according to claim 22 , wherein the reflective surface of the mirror is oriented in an aft-facing direction in the raised position.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2021
From: NAUTIC STAR, LLC; CREST MARINE LLC; MASTERCRAFT BOAT COMPANY, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 056699/0271 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2019
From: SCHULTZ, JAMES A; MACKALL, GREGORY G
To: GERE MARIE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049609/0234 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2019
From: LAKE, RYAN D
To: MASTERCRAFT BOAT COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 049609/0259 →