Hinge actuator for wing mirror of motor vehicle
A hinge actuator for a wing mirror of motor vehicle, which is operative between an extreme fold-in position and an extreme fold-out position and between the extreme fold-out position and an extreme fold-over position, comprising a mirror base, provided with a frame with a frame part which extends around a base shaft and supported on a base flange. A first cam track located between the base shaft and the frame part, with at least one bearing element, is present, and a first elastic element extending on a side along this track. During a rotation of the frame relative to the base shaft between the extreme fold-in position and the extreme fold-out position, the first elastic element contact with the bearing element undergoes a deformation, while during a rotation between the extreme fold-out position and the extreme fold-over position, the first elastic element undergoes a further-going deformation.
1. A hinge actuator for a wing mirror of motor vehicles, which is operative between an extreme fold-in position and an extreme fold-out position and between the extreme fold-out position and an extreme fold-over position, comprising a mirror base ( 1 ), provided with a base shaft ( 2 ) and a base flange ( 3 ), and a frame ( 4 ) with a frame part ( 5 ) which extends around the base shaft ( 2 ) and is supported on the base flange ( 3 ), characterized in that a first cam track ( 6 , 23 ) located between the base shaft ( 2 ) and the frame part ( 5 ), with at least one bearing element ( 9 ), is present, and a first elastic element ( 7 , 24 ) extending on a side along said first cam track ( 6 , 23 ), wherein during a rotation of the frame ( 4 ) relative to the base shaft ( 2 ) between the extreme fold-in position and the extreme fold-out position the first elastic element ( 7 , 24 ) in contact with the bearing element ( 9 ) undergoes a deformation, and wherein during a rotation of the frame ( 4 ) relative to the base shaft ( 2 ) between the extreme fold-out position and the extreme fold-over position the first elastic element ( 7 ) in contact with the bearing element ( 9 ) undergoes a further-going deformation.
2. A hinge actuator according to claim 1 , characterized in that around the base shaft ( 2 ) and on the frame part ( 5 ) an annular coupling element ( 14 ) is arranged, while a second cam track ( 17 ) located between the base shaft ( 2 ) and the coupling element ( 14 ) is present, and a second elastic element ( 18 ) extending on a side along said second cam track ( 17 ), as well as a motor ( 15 ), fixedly connected with the frame ( 4 ), with transmission means ( 16 ), to enable, in cooperation with the coupling element ( 14 ), solely between the extreme fold-in position and the extreme fold-out position, a rotation drive of the frame ( 4 ) relative to the base shaft ( 2 ), wherein during this rotation drive the first elastic element ( 7 ) in contact with the bearing element ( 9 ) undergoes a deformation, and wherein during a further, manually effected rotation of the frame ( 4 ) together with the coupling element ( 14 ) relative to the base shaft ( 2 ) between the extreme fold-out position and the extreme fold-over position, both the first ( 7 ) and the second ( 18 ) elastic element in contact with the respective bearing element ( 9 , 20 ) undergo a further-going deformation.
3. A hinge actuator according to claim 2 , characterized in that said first cam track ( 23 ) is arranged between the frame ( 4 ) and the elastic element ( 24 ) and in the frame a groove is provided for the guidance of the bearing element.
4. A hinge actuator according to claim 2 characterized in that means ( 22 ) for exerting an axially downwardly directed pressure force on the top surface of the coupling element ( 14 ) are present in the form of, for instance, a cup spring.
5. A hinge actuator according to claim 2 , characterized in that at least one of the first and second elastic element ( 7 , 18 , 24 ) is designed as a soft plastic ring.
6. A hinge actuator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first cam track ( 6 ) is arranged between the base shaft ( 2 ) and the first elastic element ( 7 ), and the base shaft ( 2 ) a groove ( 10 ) is provided for the guidance of the bearing element ( 9 ).
7. A hinge actuator according to claim 1 , characterized in that around the base shaft ( 2 ) and on the frame part ( 5 ) an annular coupling element ( 14 ) is arranged in which at the underside a groove ( 25 ) is provided for the guidance of the bearing element ( 9 ) in the cam track ( 23 ), a motor ( 15 , fixedly connected with the frame ( 4 ), with transmission means ( 16 ), to enable, in cooperation with the coupling element ( 14 ), solely between the extreme fold-in position and the extreme fold-out position, a rotation drive of the frame ( 4 ) relative to the base shaft ( 2 ), wherein during this rotation drive the elastic element ( 24 ) in contact with the bearing element ( 9 ) undergoes a deformation and wherein during a further, manually-effected rotation of the frame ( 4 ) together with the coupling element ( 14 ) relative to the base shaft ( 2 ) between the extreme fold-out position and the extreme fold-over position, the first elastic element ( 24 ) in contact with the respective bearing element ( 9 ) additionally undergoes a further-going deformation in a different direction.
8. A hinge actuator according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one of the first and second elastic element ( 7 , 18 , 24 ) and the frame ( 4 ) or the mirror base ( 1 ) in which this elastic element is arranged are manufactured in one and the same production process, such as a two-component injection molding process.
9. A hinge actuator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing element ( 9 , 20 ) consists of one or more steel balls.
10. A hinge actuator according to claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing element ( 9 , 20 ) consists of one or more needle pivots.