Extendable rearview mirror

Abstract

An extendable rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a mirror housing for attachment to the vehicle. The mirror assembly includes a mirror frame disposed within the mirror housing in an inboard position and slidably movable from the inboard position to an outboard position relative to the mirror housing. The extendable rearview mirror assembly includes a first mirror disposed in the mirror frame and a second mirror disposed in the mirror housing and concealed behind the first mirror in the inboard position and exposed in the outboard position for providing improved lateral rearward viewing to an operator of the vehicle. A detent mechanism retains the first mirror in the inboard position.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An extendable rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprising:
 a mirror housing for attachment to a vehicle;   a mirror frame disposed within the mirror housing in an inboard position and slidably movable from the inboard position to an outboard position relative to the mirror housing;   a first mirror disposed in the mirror frame;   a second mirror disposed in the mirror housing and concealed behind the first mirror in the inboard position and exposed in the outboard position for providing improved lateral rearward viewing to an operator of the vehicle; and   a detent mechanism to retain the first mirror in the inboard position.   
     
     
         15 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 14  including a biasing member for urging the mirror frame and the first mirror against the mirror housing. 
     
     
         16 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 15  wherein the biasing member includes a bracket disposed in the mirror housing adjacent and behind the mirror frame and the first mirror, and the bracket applies a force against the mirror frame to urge the mirror frame in a groove of the mirror housing. 
     
     
         17 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 16  wherein the biasing member is a spring plate. 
     
     
         18 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 15  wherein the biasing member is a spring plate. 
     
     
         19 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 14  wherein the mirror housing has a width and the second mirror has a width that is less than the width of the mirror housing. 
     
     
         20 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 19  wherein the width of the second mirror is less than half the width of the mirror housing. 
     
     
         21 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 14  wherein the mirror housing includes a sleeve, an attachment member attaches the mirror housing to the vehicle, and the attachment member is received in the sleeve. 
     
     
         22 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 21  wherein the attachment member is a post. 
     
     
         23 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 14  wherein the detent mechanism includes a detent and a slot, and the detent is located along a lateral edge of the mirror frame, the slot is located along a lateral edge of the mirror housing, and the detent is received in the slot in the inboard position for retaining the first mirror in the inboard position. 
     
     
         24 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 14  wherein the mirror housing includes a groove, and the mirror frame includes a feature that is slidably disposed in the groove. 
     
     
         25 . The extendable rearview mirror assembly as recited in  claim 24  wherein the mirror frame further includes a stop disposed on a rear face of the mirror frame, wherein the stop prevents the mirror frame from sliding out of the groove in the mirror housing past the outboard position.