Electrically controlled rear-view mirror with two coaxial rocking systems

Claim 1

An electrically controlled rear-view mirror comprising: a mirror unit including a mirror having a specular surface attached to a surface thereof, a first rocking system coupled to said mirror unit for continuously reciprocatively rocking said mirror unit or the specular surface of said mirror at a first cycle with a first axis as the center, a second rocking system coupled to said mirror unit for continuously reciprocatively rocking said mirror unit or the specular surface of said mirror at a second cycle which is different from said first cycle and with a second axis as the center, said second axis being at an angle to said first axis, a single electric driving means coupled to said first and second rocking systems for driving and stopping both of said first and second rocking systems simultaneously to stop said mirror at a position substantially in the desired direction, a substrate carrying both said first and second rocking systems and said driving means, and a center shaft mounted to said substrate, the longitudinal axis of said center shaft defining a central axis of said rear-view mirror, said first rocking system including a substantially cylindrical inner rotor rotatably supported by said center shaft, the inner rotor having an inner inclined-plate coupled to said mirror and which is inclined at a first prescribed angle to a principal plane of said rear-view mirror, said principal plane being perpendicular to said central axis and being located in the vicinity of said inner inclined plate, and an outside-toothed gear on said inner rotor, said second rocking system including a substantially cylindrical outer rotor coaxially and rotatably mounted on the outerside of said inner rotor, the outer rotor having an outer inclined-plate coupled to said mirror and which is inclined at a second prescribed angle to said principal plane, said first and second prescribed angles being different, and an inside-toothed gear on said outer rotor, and said electric driving means being coupled to said toothed gears for turning said respective rotors to adjust the position of the mirror.