GB2244685A

GB2244685A - Vehicle mirror rain hood

Info

Publication number: GB2244685A
Application number: GB9012732A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tsong-Ching Hwang
Original assignee: HWANG TSONG CHING
Current assignee: HWANG TSONG CHING
Priority date: 1990-06-07
Filing date: 1990-06-07
Publication date: 1991-12-11
Also published as: FR2663594A3; FR2663594B3; GB9012732D0

Abstract

A rain hood (1) for protecting a vehicle rear-view mirror (21) from airborne water droplets, which comprises a covering shaped according to the vehicle rear-view mirror to receive the hood (1) and having a visor-like broad brim (11) to protect the mirror from rain and a side strip (12) having engagement means for attaching the brim to a vehicle door window (22). <IMAGE>

Description

VEHICLE MIRROR RAIN HOOD DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to vehicle mirror hoods.

Vehicle rear-view/wing mirrors are generally mounted on the two front door or opposite front wings of a vehicle. While driving a car through rain, rain drops frequently remain on the mirrors, the door windows and the windscreen of a vehicle and act so as to interfere with the driver's vision. Accordingly, a car is generally equipped with a windscreen wiper for removing water from the windscreen. However, there is still no effective measure for preventing the view provided by the rear-view mirrors and the car door windows from being obstructed and interfered with by the rain.

The present invention seeks to provide means for overcoming the above disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a rain hood for protecting a vehicle mirror from airborne water, the hood comprising mounting means for mounting the hood with a peripheral region thereof engaged with a vehicle window so as to protect a portion of the window against airborne water.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a rain hood for protecting a vehicle rear-view mirror from airborne water comprising mounting means for mounting the hood around the mirror and a brim portion extending substantially symmetrically from the mounting means.

Advantageously, the rain hood for the vehicle rear-view mirror can be conveniently mounted on a vehicle rear-view mirror.

Preferably, the rain hood for the vehicle rearview mirror can be incorporated with a vehicle rearview mirror through shape moulding process during its production.

Advantageously, the rain hood for the vehicle rear-view mirror enhances the aesthetic qualities of the vehicle rear-view mirror.

In particular, the rain hood of the present invention is simple to manufacture, easy to install and practical to use.

The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of rain hood according to the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of rain hood of the present invention, mounted on a rear-view mirror of a motor vehicle; Fig. 3 and 4 are schematic structural views from two different directions of the embodiment of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 illustrates a third embodiment of rain hood of the present invention mounted on a rear-view of a motor vehicle.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the rain hood of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a partly sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 illustrates a fourth embodiment of rain hood of the present invention mounted on a rear-view mirror of a motor vehicle Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of rain hood according to the present invention; and Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the embodiment of Fig. 10 mounted on a vehicle rear-view mirror.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a rain hood 1 embodying the present invention, which is mounted on a rear-view or wing mirror 21 of a car so as to cover the whole body of such a rear-view mirror 21, and which includes a unitary broad brim 11 increasing in dimension in the direction away from the mirror, a unitary straight or curved side strip 12, attached with a rubber pad 13 to firmly press on a door window 22 which permits such a door window glass 22 to open and close without causing any damage.

Referring to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a second embodiment of a rain hood 3 according to the present invention is illustrated, which is mounted around the periphery of the mirror 21 with its lower portion fixedly secured to a car door 23 by a bolt 34, and which comprises a broad brim 31 which increases in dimension in a direction away from the mirror 21 and a unitary side strip 32, which can be straight or curved, attached with a rubber pad 33 to firmly press on a door window 22.

Either in the first or the second embodiment of the present invention, the broad brim 11, 31 of the respective rain hood 1, 3 is designed in such a manner that it does not interfere with the front and lateral side view from the driver's seat.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, there is illustrated a third embodiment of a rain hood 4 according to the present invention and specially designed for use with the rear-view mirrors of small commercial motor vehicles. As illustrated, the rain hood 4 comprises an upper fastening portion 41 and a lower fastening portion 42 respectively secured to a rectangular rear-view mirror 51, and a unitary side strip 43, provided either straight or curved, at one side and attached by way of a rubber pad 44 to the door window 52 so as to prevent access of rain water to the rear-view mirror 51 and the front lower area of the door window 52.

Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, a fourth embodiment of rain hood 7 according to the present invention is illustrated. The hood 7 is specially designed for the rear-view mirrors of Japanese sedans or motorcycles and is fixedly secured to a rear-view mirror 61 by two bolts 71, 72 and has a broad brim 73 extending backwardly of the mirror to protect the same from airborne water droplets.

Referring to Figs. 10 and 11, there is illustrated a fifth embodiment of a rain hood 8 according to the present invention, which is secured to a rear-view mirror 9 by two bolts 81 and 82 and has unitary side strip 83, which can be provided straight or curved, at one side and which firmly presses on a door window.

As described above, the present invention provides a rain hood for a vehicle rear-view/wing mirror, which is variably designed in shape according to the model of a vehicle to mount, so as to efficiently protect the vehicle mirror from airborne water droplets. The mounting means may comprise a suitably moulded portion of the hood.

Claims

1. A rain hood for protecting a vehicle mirror from airborne water, the hood comprising mounting means for mounting the hood with a peripheral region thereof engaged with a vehicle window so as to protect a portion of the window against airborne water.

2. A rain hood as claimed in claim 1, wherein means for engaging the vehicle window act so as to seal said peripheral region of the hood to the window.

3. A rain hood as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the hood engages the vehicle window by way of at least one rubber pad.

4. A rain hood for protecting a vehicle rearview mirror from airborne water comprising mounting means for mounting the hood around the mirror and a brim portion extending substantially symmetrically from the mounting means.

5. A rain hood as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mounting means comprises bolt means.

6. A rain hood for a vehicle rear-view mirror as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mounting means comprise screw means.

7. A rain hood as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mounting means comprises a moulded portion of the hood.

8. A rain hood as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the mounting means includes a moulded joint of the hood.

9. A rain hood as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hood is designed so as not to interfere with a vehicle driver's view.

10. A rain hood substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig.1, Figs. 2-4, Figs. 5-7, Figs.8 and 9 and Figs. 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.