A folder and rearview mirror

Abstract

The application discloses a folder and a rearview mirror. The folder comprises a shell, an axle seat, a driving gear, a gear cover and a one-way locking ring. The axle seat is fixedly arranged and installed with a limiting assembly. The shell is rotationally installed on the axle seat. The gear cover is rotationally installed on the axle seat and is limitedly matched with the limiting assembly. The driving gear is arranged in the gear cover and axially contacts the shell. The driving gear is transmissionally matched with a driving mechanism arranged in the shell. The one-way locking ring is sleeved and installed on the driving gear or the gear cover and is locked, or is relatively rotated with the gear cover through elastic deformation. The rearview mirror comprises the folder. The folder has the beneficial effects that: the axial movement gap between the shell and the axle seat is generated in the reset folding process, the friction between the rearview mirror lens and the rubber pad is reduced, and the generation of frictional noise is avoided. The one-way locking ring is arranged, the same function is realized, the cost is effectively reduced, and the assembly process is simplified.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive parts technology, and in particular to a folding mechanism and a rearview mirror. Background Technology

[0002] Most car side mirrors now come with power folding functionality. It's necessary to ensure the mirrors can be switched between at least two positions: a driving position (expanded) and a parking position (folded). In the driving position, manual forward and backward folding is required to protect pedestrians from secondary injuries in the event of a collision. In the parking position, manual forward folding is also required. When the manual function is engaged, the clutch inside the folding mechanism disengages, leaving the mirror in a relaxed state. Power inward folding then resets the clutch mechanism to the locked position. Figure 1 As shown, in order to avoid wind noise during driving, a rubber pad 03 needs to be installed between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the mirror temple 02 to ensure that the rubber pad 03 is in a deformable and compressed sealed state when the lens is in the driving position.

[0003] However, existing rearview mirrors have the following technical drawbacks in use:

[0004] (1) In order to ensure the stability of the driving position, the folding device is equipped with a one-way locking mechanism; however, the existing one-way locking mechanism consists of one or more metal cylinders and one or more helical return springs. The parts are expensive to manufacture, the assembly process is complicated, and the elastic deformation is axial, which makes the axial space of the one-way locking mechanism occupy a large amount.

[0005] (2) Since the folding mechanism drives the rearview mirror lens 01 to switch between driving and parking positions multiple times, the surface of the rubber pad 03 is subjected to pressure and friction, resulting in surface wear and increased roughness, which can lead to friction noise. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One of the objectives of this application is to provide a folder that can solve at least one of the defects in the aforementioned background art.

[0007] Another object of this application is to provide a rearview mirror that can solve at least one of the defects in the above-mentioned background art.

[0008] To achieve at least one of the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: a folding device, comprising a housing, a bearing, a drive gear, a gear sleeve, and a one-way locking ring; the bearing is fixedly disposed, and a limiting component is installed on the bearing; the housing is rotatably mounted on the bearing; the gear sleeve is rotatably mounted on the bearing and performs a circumferential limiting engagement with the limiting component; the drive gear is sleeved on the gear sleeve and always axially contacts the housing, and the drive gear performs a transmission engagement with a drive mechanism built into the housing; based on the drive gear relative to the bearing... The gear sleeve changes its set position in the circumferential direction, and the limiting component is adapted to perform axial elastic compression or axial spacing with the drive gear; the one-way locking ring is sleeved and installed on the gear sleeve or the drive gear; when the one-way locking ring rotates with the housing to manually fold forward, it locks with the gear sleeve or the drive gear, thereby causing the gear sleeve to disengage from the limiting component; when the one-way locking ring returns to its original position with the housing to its original position, the one-way locking ring disengages from the locking through elastic deformation and rotates relative to the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

[0009] Preferably, the gear sleeve is provided with a sliding groove, and the drive gear is provided with a slider; or, the gear sleeve is provided with a slider, and the drive gear is provided with a sliding groove; the sliding groove and the slider slide together in a circumferential direction to form a position adjustment structure; the width of the sliding groove in the circumferential direction is greater than the width of the slider; by the sliding of the slider along the sliding groove in the circumferential direction, the drive gear can change its circumferential position relative to the gear sleeve.

[0010] Preferably, the position adjustment structure is disposed between the sidewalls of the drive gear and the gear sleeve that are rotatably engaged.

[0011] Preferably, a radially extending support platform is provided in the middle of the gear sleeve, and the drive gear is sleeved on the gear sleeve; the position adjustment structure is provided between the support platform and the lower end face of the drive gear.

[0012] Preferably, the limiting component includes an elastic element and a limiting sleeve; the limiting sleeve is axially slidably mounted on the shaft seat, and the limiting sleeve and the shaft seat are axially elastically connected through the elastic element; the limiting sleeve cooperates with the gear sleeve and the drive gear respectively, so that the limiting sleeve axially compresses the drive gear under the elastic force of the elastic element, and circumferentially limits the gear sleeve.

[0013] Preferably, the limiting sleeve has a first limiting groove on its end face near the drive gear, and the drive gear has a second limiting block on its end face near the limiting sleeve; or, the limiting sleeve has a second limiting block on its end face near the drive gear, and the drive gear has a first limiting groove on its end face near the limiting sleeve; the first limiting groove and the second limiting block are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped fits in the circumferential direction; based on the positional misalignment of the second limiting block and the first limiting groove, the limiting sleeve axially abuts against the drive gear; based on the alignment of the second limiting block and the first limiting groove, the limiting sleeve is axially spaced from the drive gear under the axial limiting of the gear sleeve.

[0014] Preferably, the bearing seat is provided with a positioning groove for positioning the housing, and a positioning block is correspondingly provided at the lower part of the housing; or, the bearing seat is provided with a positioning block for positioning the housing, and a positioning groove is correspondingly provided at the lower part of the housing; the positioning block and the positioning groove are positioned by axial engagement, and the engagement depth between the positioning block and the positioning groove is less than or equal to the axial distance between the limiting sleeve and the drive gear; the positioning block and the positioning groove are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped in the circumferential direction.

[0015] Preferably, the first limiting groove has a wedge-shaped first extrusion section on at least one side along the circumferential direction, and the second limiting block has a wedge-shaped second extrusion section on at least one side along the circumferential direction; the relative position of the first limiting groove and the second limiting block changes through the wedge-shaped extrusion engagement of the first extrusion section and the second extrusion section; wherein, the first extrusion section and the second extrusion section are parallel, and the inclination angle of the first extrusion section and the second extrusion section with respect to the radial plane is 5°~30°.

[0016] Preferably, the first limiting groove includes an inner movable area and an outer extrusion area along the opening direction. The extrusion area has a first extrusion section on at least one side along the circumferential direction. The second limiting block has a second extrusion section on one side of its front end. The movable area and the second limiting block are both inclined along the circumferential direction, and the inclination angle is between 30° and 90°. When the second limiting block is aligned with the first limiting groove, the projections of the first extrusion section and the second extrusion section along the circumferential direction overlap. At this time, the drive gear and the limiting sleeve are axially spaced through the movable area.

[0017] Preferably, the bearing includes a base and a support shaft, the support shaft being connected to the middle of the base; the gear sleeve and the housing are both rotatably mounted on the support shaft, and the positioning block and the positioning groove are provided between the lower part of the housing and the base.

[0018] Preferably, the limiting sleeve has a first limiting block near the end face of the gear sleeve; the gear sleeve has a second limiting groove near the end face of the limiting sleeve; or, the limiting sleeve has a second limiting groove near the end face of the gear sleeve; the gear sleeve has a first limiting block near the end face of the limiting sleeve; the gear sleeve is circumferentially limited by the axial engagement between the first limiting block and the second limiting groove; the first limiting block and the second limiting groove are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped in the circumferential direction so that the gear sleeve can disengage from the circumferential limiting engagement with the limiting sleeve under the action of external force.

[0019] Preferably, the one-way locking ring is provided with a locking part, and the gear sleeve or the drive gear is provided with a mating part; when the one-way locking ring is manually folded forward along the first direction with the housing, the one-way locking ring is locked by the locking part and the mating part; when the one-way locking ring is reset and folded back along the second direction opposite to the first direction with the housing, the one-way locking ring undergoes elastic deformation by the compression of the locking part and the mating part.

[0020] Preferably, the unidirectional locking ring is adapted to undergo radial elastic deformation during reset folding.

[0021] Preferably, the unidirectional locking ring is adapted to undergo outward elastic deformation along the radial direction.

[0022] Preferably, the locking part is disposed on the inner side or end of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is disposed on the outer side of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

[0023] Preferably, the one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo radial inward elastic deformation.

[0024] Preferably, the locking part is disposed on the outer side or end of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is disposed on the inner side of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

[0025] Preferably, the one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo elastic deformation along the axial direction during reset folding.

[0026] Preferably, the one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo downward elastic deformation along the axial direction.

[0027] Preferably, the locking part is disposed on the upper end face of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is disposed on the lower end face of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

[0028] Preferably, the one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo upward elastic deformation along the axial direction.

[0029] Preferably, the locking part is disposed on the lower end face of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is disposed on the outside of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

[0030] Preferably, the locking part is protruding, and the mating part is a protruding baffle or a recessed groove.

[0031] Preferably, the mating part is provided with a first abutting surface and a first pressing surface on both sides along the circumferential direction; the locking part is provided with a second abutting surface and a second pressing surface on both sides along the circumferential direction; the locking part is fitted and abutted against the first abutting surface of the stop through the second abutting surface to lock the gear sleeve; the stop is wedge-shaped or arc-shaped fitted with the second pressing surface through the first pressing surface to drive the one-way locking ring to elastically deform.

[0032] Preferably, the outer side of the one-way locking ring is provided with a stop block and a push block at circumferential intervals; the housing is provided with a stop seat at the corresponding position of the one-way locking ring; the stop seat is adapted to abut against the stop block when the housing is manually folded forward, so as to drive the one-way locking ring to rotate synchronously with the housing in a first direction; the stop seat is adapted to abut against the push block when the housing is reset and folded back, so as to drive the one-way locking ring to rotate synchronously with the housing in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

[0033] A rearview mirror including the aforementioned folding mechanism.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this application are as follows:

[0035] (1) By changing the relative position of the drive gear, the elastic force transmission path of the elastic element is adjusted, so that the housing and the bearing seat generate an axial movement gap during the reset and folding process, thereby reducing the friction between the rearview mirror lens and the rubber pad to reduce or avoid the generation of friction noise.

[0036] (2) By setting a one-way locking ring, the gear sleeve can be locked while also being able to rotate freely in the other direction through its own radial elastic deformation. Compared with the traditional multi-part one-way locking mechanism, this can effectively reduce costs, as well as reduce installation space and simplify assembly process. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 A partial structural diagram showing the fit between the rearview mirror lens and the rubber pad on the temple.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the folding device in this application.

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the exploded state of the folder in this application.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the lower shell structure in this application.

[0041] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the exploded state of the bearing in this application.

[0042] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting sleeve in this application.

[0043] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the gear sleeve in this application.

[0044] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of one example of the drive gear in this application.

[0045] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the engagement state between the drive gear and the gear sleeve in this application. Figure 1 .

[0046] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the limiting sleeve and the drive gear are axially abutting each other in this application.

[0047] Figure 11 This is a partial cross-sectional view of the folding device in this application.

[0048] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the engagement state between the drive gear and the gear sleeve in this application. Figure 2 .

[0049] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram showing the axial spacing between the limiting sleeve and the drive gear in this application.

[0050] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the drive gear moving axially upwards in this application.

[0051] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of one example of the one-way locking ring in this application.

[0052] Figure 16 For this application Figure 15 The diagram shows the locking part of the one-way locking ring located within the engagement rotation path.

[0053] Figure 17 For this application Figure 15 The diagram shows a state where the locking part of the one-way locking ring is located outside the engagement rotation path due to deformation.

[0054] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of another example of a one-way locking ring in this application.

[0055] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of another example of the drive gear in this application.

[0056] Figure 20 For the folding device in this application to function properly Figure 18 The one-way locking ring shown is Figure 19 The diagram shows the structure of the drive gears engaging.

[0057] Figure 21 For the folding device in this application to function properly Figure 15 The diagram shows the engagement state of the one-way locking ring and the gear sleeve.

[0058] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram showing the engagement state of the one-way locking ring with the lower housing and the gear sleeve when the folding device in this application is working normally.

[0059] Figure 23 For this application Figure 22 A magnified view of a portion of point A in the middle.

[0060] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram of the movement state of the lower housing when the rearview mirror is manually folded forward in this application.

[0061] Figure 25 When the rearview mirror is manually folded forward in this application Figure 15 The diagram shows the engagement state of the one-way locking ring and the gear sleeve.

[0062] Figure 26 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the movement of the gear sleeve when the rearview mirror is manually folded forward and then automatically folded, as per this application.

[0063] Figure 27 This diagram illustrates the engagement states of the folding mechanism with the lower housing and gear sleeve when the rearview mirror automatically folds after manual forward folding, as described in this application. Figure 1 .

[0064] Figure 28 This diagram illustrates the engagement states of the folding mechanism with the lower housing and gear sleeve when the rearview mirror automatically folds after manual forward folding, as described in this application. Figure 2 .

[0065] Figure 29 When the rearview mirror automatically folds after being manually folded forward, this application applies. Figure 15 The diagram shows the state of the one-way locking ring and the gear sleeve undergoing compressive elastic deformation.

[0066] Figure 30 This diagram illustrates the engagement states of the folding mechanism with the lower housing and gear sleeve when the rearview mirror automatically folds after manual forward folding, as described in this application. Figure 3 .

[0067] In the diagram: Rearview mirror lens 01, mirror base 02, rubber pad 03, housing 1, upper housing 11, lower housing 12, mounting hole 120, stop 121, support base 122, positioning block 123, clearance area 124, shaft seat 21, base 211, positioning groove 2110, support shaft 212, optical axis section 2121, limiting section 2122, slot 2123, limiting component 22, first limiting groove 2210, first limiting block 2211, first compression section 2212, limiting sleeve 221, spring. 222, 223, 23, 23, 23, 230, 231, 2311, 2312, 232, 23, 24, 24, 241, 2411, 2412, 242, 243, 244, 245, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 10, 11, 12, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 ... Detailed Implementation

[0068] The present application will now be further described in conjunction with specific embodiments. It should be noted that, in the description of this specification, the use of terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicates that the specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms should not be construed as necessarily referring to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification.

[0069] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "center", "lateral", "longitudinal", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., which indicate the orientation and positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and should not be construed as limiting the specific protection scope of this application.

[0070] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence.

[0071] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0072] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0073] The terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification and claims of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, for example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units that are explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such process, method, product, or device.

[0074] One aspect of this application provides a folder, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, one preferred embodiment includes a housing 1, a bearing 21, a drive gear 31, a gear sleeve 23, and a one-way locking ring 24. The bearing 21 can be fixedly mounted on a bracket for mounting a rearview mirror on the front side of the vehicle. The housing 1 is rotatably mounted on the bearing 21, the gear sleeve 23 is rotatably mounted on the bearing 21, the drive gear 31 is sleeved on the gear sleeve 23, and the one-way locking ring 24 is sleeved on the gear sleeve 23 or the drive gear 31.

[0075] The housing 1 is used to mount the rearview mirror lens 01, so that the housing 1 can drive the rearview mirror lens 01 to rotate around the bearing 21 under the drive mechanism 3 installed inside, thereby realizing the unfolding and folding of the rearview mirror. At the same time, the rearview mirror lens 01 and the mirror foot 02 used to mount the bearing 21 are in flexible contact through a rubber pad 03, so that when the housing 1 drives the rearview mirror lens 01 to be in the unfolded state, the rearview mirror lens 01 and the mirror foot 02 maintain a sealed contact through the compression of the rubber pad 03, thereby ensuring that no abnormal noise occurs between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the mirror foot 02 due to the fit gap when the vehicle is driving. That is, the deformation of the rubber pad 03 can compensate for the fit gap between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the mirror foot 02.

[0076] A limiting component 22 is installed on the bearing seat 21, and the gear sleeve 23 is circumferentially limited by the limiting component 22. Thus, when the rearview mirror is electrically unfolded and folded by the drive mechanism 3, the limiting component 22 can limit the gear sleeve 23, so that when the gear sleeve 23 is circumferentially limited, the driving force applied to the gear sleeve 23 by the drive mechanism 3 can react on itself, thereby causing the housing 1 and the rearview mirror lens 01 to rotate relative to the gear sleeve 23 around the bearing seat 21.

[0077] The drive gear 31 can engage with the drive mechanism 3 built into the housing 1, so that when the gear sleeve 23 circumferentially limits the drive gear 31, the drive mechanism 3 can drive the housing 1 to rotate around the shaft seat 21. The drive gear 31 can always be in axial contact with the housing 1, and the drive gear 31 can also change its position relative to the gear sleeve 23 in the circumferential direction. Based on the positional change of the drive gear 31 relative to the gear sleeve 23, the limiting component 22 can perform axial elastic compression or axial spacing with the drive gear 31. When the limiting component 22 performs axial elastic compression with the drive gear 31, the compression force applied by the limiting component 22 to the drive gear 31 can be transmitted to the housing 1, so that the housing 1 can drive the rearview mirror lens 01 to press against the mirror temple 02 and drive the rubber pad 03 to deform under the compression force of the limiting component 22. When the limiting component 22 is axially spaced from the drive gear 31, the drive gear 31 and the housing 1 are in an axially movable state. As a result, when the housing 1 drives the rearview mirror lens 01 to fold, an axially movable gap will be generated between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the mirror base 02, thereby reducing the friction between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the rubber pad 03 to reduce or avoid the generation of friction noise.

[0078] When the rearview mirror is manually folded forward, the housing 1 can drive the one-way locking ring 24 to rotate synchronously in the first direction. At this time, the one-way locking ring 24 can directly lock with the gear sleeve 23, or the one-way locking ring 24 can lock with the drive gear 31. Thus, based on the circumferential limiting of the drive gear 31 and the gear sleeve 23, the one-way locking ring 24 and the gear sleeve 23 are indirectly locked. Through the direct or indirect locking of the one-way locking ring 24, the gear sleeve 23 can be driven to rotate synchronously in the first direction along with the one-way locking ring 24 and the housing 1. At this time, the gear sleeve 23 can disengage from the limiting component 22 to avoid the rigid limiting of the gear sleeve 23 interfering with the manual folding of the rearview mirror, thereby preventing damage to the rearview mirror. After the rearview mirror is manually folded forward, when the rearview mirror is reset and folded by the drive mechanism 3, the gear sleeve 23 can be circumferentially limited again by the limiting component 22. The drive mechanism 3 can then drive the housing 1 to rotate relative to the gear sleeve 23 in a second direction opposite to the first direction. During this process, the housing 1 can again drive the one-way locking ring 24 to rotate synchronously in the second direction. At this time, the one-way locking ring 24 can elastically deform to disengage from the lock on the drive gear 31 or the gear sleeve 23, achieving synchronous rotation relative to the gear sleeve 23 or the drive gear 31. Through the setting of the one-way locking ring 24, while locking the gear sleeve 23, it can also achieve free rotation in another direction through its own elastic deformation. Compared with the traditional multi-part one-way locking mechanism, this effectively reduces costs, installation space, and simplifies the assembly process.

[0079] It is understood that in the technical solution of this application, the different positions of the drive gear 31 and the limiting component 22 are designed to ensure that the rearview mirror lens 01 can maintain a seal with the mirror base 02 when the rearview mirror is in the unfolded position. Simultaneously, when the rearview mirror is folded, the contact force between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the rubber pad 03 on the mirror base 02 can be reduced, thereby ensuring a quiet operation during folding and reducing wear on the housing 1 to improve its service life. The one-way locking ring 24 can directly or indirectly lock the gear sleeve 23 during manual forward folding of the rearview mirror, driving the gear sleeve 23 out of the limiting position and ensuring the safety of manual forward folding. When the rearview mirror is electrically and automatically reset via the drive mechanism 3, the one-way locking ring 24 can disengage from the gear sleeve 23 through radial elastic deformation to prevent the gear sleeve 23 from disengaging again due to locking with it. It should be noted that the radial elastic deformation of the one-way locking ring 24 is always within its own elastic limit, and the one-way locking ring 24 can be reset to its natural state after it is disengaged from the gear sleeve 23 through elastic deformation.

[0080] In this embodiment, as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, to ensure the safe operation of the gear sleeve 23, drive gear 31, and one-way locking ring 24, some parts of the folding device can be covered by the housing 1. To facilitate this covering, the housing 1 can be divided into upper and lower sections, i.e., the housing 1 includes an upper housing 11 and a lower housing 12. After the upper housing 11 and lower housing 12 are detachably and fixedly connected, an installation space can be formed inside. The drive mechanism 3 and the bearing seat 21 are located on opposite sides of the installation space inside the housing 1. The drive mechanism 3 can be fixedly installed on the upper housing 11 or the lower housing 12; in this embodiment, it is preferred that the drive mechanism 3 be installed on the lower housing 12. Simultaneously, the lower housing 12 and the bearing seat 21 are rotatably engaged.

[0081] It should be understood that the specific structure of the drive mechanism 3 is well-known to those skilled in the art. For ease of understanding, the specific structure of the drive mechanism 3 will be briefly described below. The drive mechanism 3 mainly includes a controller, an actuator, and a transmission assembly. The actuator is fixedly mounted on the housing 1 and is generally a servo motor, such as a permanent magnet bidirectional DC motor. The controller is fixedly mounted on the actuator or the housing 1 and is connected to the actuator via a signal connection. The controller can control the actuator to move according to the received signal. The transmission assembly is used to transmit the power of the actuator to the drive gear 31, so that the drive gear 31, under the action of being limited, can drive the drive mechanism 3 in the opposite direction to rotate the housing 1 and the rearview mirror lens 01 around the axle seat 21. There are various specific structural forms of the transmission assembly. To ensure safe and stable transmission, a specific example of the transmission assembly will be given below.

[0082] Specifically, the drive gear 31 can be a helical gear, and the transmission assembly includes a worm gear and a worm shaft mounted coaxially. The worm gear and worm shaft are mounted horizontally in the axial direction, while the actuator is mounted vertically. The actuator meshes with the worm gear through the worm section at its output end, and the worm shaft, coaxially mounted with the worm gear, meshes with the drive gear 31. This two-stage reduction effectively reduces the output rotation of the actuator, ensuring the rearview mirror rotates at an appropriate speed. The helical gear design of the drive gear 31 ensures transmission accuracy, and the worm gear transmission enables mechanical self-locking.

[0083] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 and Figure 5As shown, the bearing seat 21 includes a base 211 and a support shaft 212. The bearing seat 21 is fixedly mounted via the base 211. The support shaft 212 is integrally formed in the middle of the base 211, and the diameter of the support shaft 212 is smaller than the diameter of the base 211, so that the base 211 can support the housing 1 to be rotatably mounted on the lower part of the support shaft 212. The support shaft 212 includes a smooth shaft section 2121 and a limiting section 2122. The smooth shaft section 2121 is located at the lower part of the support shaft 212, and the gear sleeve 23 and the lower housing 12 are both rotatably mounted on the smooth shaft section 2121 to ensure smooth rotation of the gear sleeve 23 and the lower housing 12. The limiting component 22 is axially movable and mounted on the limiting section 2122, so that the limiting component 22 can cooperate with the gear sleeve 23 and the drive gear 31 through axial elastic deformation along the limiting section 2122.

[0084] There are various specific implementation methods for the drive gear 31 to press against the housing 1 under the action of the limiting component 22. For ease of understanding, a specific example will be used for detailed explanation below. Specifically, such as... Figure 4 and Figure 11 As shown, the lower housing 12 has a mounting hole 120 that rotatably engages with the support shaft 212, and a stop 121 is provided on the side of the mounting hole 120. After the drive gear 31 is sleeved and installed on the gear sleeve 23, it can make axial contact with the stop 121 through its lower end. When the rearview mirror is in the unfolded state, the axial pressing force of the limiting component 22 on the drive gear 31 can be transmitted to the lower housing 12 through the stop 121, so that the lower housing 12 can drive the rearview mirror lens 01 to make pressing contact with the rubber pad 03 installed on the mirror base 02, thereby causing the rubber pad 03 to undergo elastic deformation to ensure a seal.

[0085] In this embodiment, the limiting component 22 has various specific structures. For ease of understanding, one specific structure will be described in detail below. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the limiting component 22 includes an elastic element and a limiting sleeve 221; the limiting sleeve 221 can be axially slidably connected to the limiting segment 2122 in a manner similar to a spline connection; the elastic element is sleeved on the limiting segment 2122, and the two ends of the elastic element are respectively connected to the top of the limiting sleeve 221 and the top of the support shaft 212, so that the limiting sleeve 221 can cooperate with the gear sleeve 23 and the drive gear 31 under the elastic force of the elastic element, thereby realizing the axial compression of the drive gear 31 and the circumferential limiting of the gear sleeve 23.

[0086] It is understood that there are various types of elastic elements, such as spring 222 or spring sheet; in this embodiment, spring 222 is preferred. There are two main installation methods for spring 222: the first is that spring 222 drives the limiting sleeve 221 to engage with gear sleeve 23 and drive gear 31 respectively through tension; the second is that spring 222 drives the limiting sleeve 221 to engage with gear sleeve 23 and drive gear 31 respectively through compression. For the first installation method, the upper end of spring 222 needs to be connected to the limiting sleeve 221, and the lower end of spring 222 needs to be connected to the support shaft 212. For the second installation method, the upper end of spring 222 needs to abut or connect with the top end of support shaft 212, and the lower end of spring 222 needs to abut or connect with the limiting sleeve 221.

[0087] It should be understood that both installation methods of the spring 222 described above can meet the requirements of this application. For the first installation method of the spring 222, to avoid interference between the spring 222 and the gear sleeve 23, the spring 222 needs to be located between the gear sleeve 23 and the limiting sleeve 221. Therefore, to ensure that the limiting sleeve 221 can cooperate with the gear sleeve 23 and the drive gear 31, the axial dimension of the limiting sleeve 221 needs to be designed to be relatively long; and both ends of the spring 222 need to be fixedly connected. Therefore, in this embodiment, the second installation method described above is preferred for the spring 222. In the second installation method of the spring 222, to ensure the installation of the limiting sleeve 221, the limiting section 2122 is set with a constant diameter. Therefore, a retaining sleeve 223 for limiting the upper end of the spring 222 needs to be installed on the top of the limiting section 2122. For the installation of the limiting component 22, the limiting sleeve 221 can be installed on the limiting section 2122 first, then the spring 222 can be installed on the limiting section 2122, and finally the retaining sleeve 223 can be sleeved on the limiting section 2122 in a similar spline connection manner and engaged and fixed with the slot 2123 provided on the limiting section 2122.

[0088] In this embodiment, there are multiple ways to limit and engage the gear sleeve 23 and the limiting sleeve 221. For ease of understanding, one of these methods will be described in detail below. Figure 6 and Figure 7As shown, the gear sleeve 23 may have a second limiting groove 230 at its upper end near the limiting sleeve 221, and the limiting sleeve 221 may have a first limiting block 2211 at its lower end near the gear sleeve 23; alternatively, the gear sleeve 23 may have a first limiting block 2211 at its upper end near the limiting sleeve 221, and the limiting sleeve 221 may have a second limiting groove 230 at its lower end near the gear sleeve 23. The axial engagement between the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230 limits the circumferential rotation of the gear sleeve 23. The first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230 are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped in the circumferential direction. When the external force on the gear sleeve 23 is greater than the set threshold, the gear sleeve 23 can lift the limiting sleeve 221 in the axial direction so that the second limiting groove 230 and the first limiting block 2211 are disengaged, thereby releasing the limitation of the limiting sleeve 221 on the circumferential rotation of the gear sleeve 23. That is, the gear sleeve 23 can disengage from the circumferential limiting engagement with the limiting sleeve 221 under the action of external force.

[0089] It is understood that both of the above-described configurations of the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230 can meet the actual needs of this application, and those skilled in the art can choose according to their actual needs. For the sake of convenience in the following description, the following description will take the example of the second limiting groove 230 being set in the gear sleeve 23 and the first limiting block 2211 being set in the limiting sleeve 221. The number of corresponding second limiting grooves 230 and first limiting blocks 2211 can be one, but to ensure limiting stability, it is preferable to set multiple corresponding second limiting grooves 230 and first limiting blocks 2211, for example... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, there are three of each of the second limiting groove 230 and the first limiting block 2211, and the three second limiting grooves 230 and the first limiting block 2211 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0090] It is important to note that, in order to ensure that the gear sleeve 23 does not cause the second limiting groove 230 to circumferentially disengage from the first limiting block 2211 when the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230 are axially engaged, the axial limiting force of the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230 needs to be set. That is, the axial limiting force of the two needs to be greater than the driving force of the driving mechanism 3. The setting of the axial limiting force depends on the engagement angle between the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230. Taking the wedge engagement as an example, it depends on the inclination angle of the sides of the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230. Generally, it is necessary to ensure that the inclination angle of the sides of the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230 is greater than 30°. However, the tilt angle should not be too large. An excessively large tilt angle may cause excessive driving force required for manual folding, resulting in damage to the rearview mirror. Therefore, the side tilt angle of the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230 generally does not exceed 60°, and is preferably 45°.

[0091] In this embodiment, there are multiple ways for the drive gear 31 and the limiting sleeve 221 to cooperate. For ease of understanding, one of these methods will be described in detail below. For example... Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, the limiting sleeve 221 may have a first limiting groove 2210 on its lower end face near the drive gear 31, and the drive gear 31 may have a second limiting block 311 on its end face near the limiting sleeve 221. Alternatively, the limiting sleeve 221 may have a second limiting block 311 on its end face near the drive gear 31, and the drive gear 31 may have a first limiting groove 2210 on its end face near the limiting sleeve 221. The first limiting groove 2210 and the second limiting block 311 are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped fits in the circumferential direction. Due to the misalignment of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210, the limiting sleeve 221 axially abuts against the drive gear 31; due to the alignment of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210, the limiting sleeve 221 is axially spaced from the drive gear 31 under the axial limitation of the gear sleeve 23.

[0092] It is understood that both of the above-mentioned configurations of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 can meet the actual needs of this application, and those skilled in the art can choose according to their actual needs. For the convenience of the following description, the following content will take the first limiting groove 2210 being set in the limiting sleeve 221 and the second limiting block 311 being set in the drive gear 31 as an example. The first limiting groove 2210 and the second limiting block 311 can be disengaged by a wedge fit or by an arc fit, which can be selected according to the actual needs of those skilled in the art. In this embodiment, the wedge fit is preferred for disengagement. The number of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 can be set to one, but in order to ensure the balance of the contact force between the lower housing 12 and the base 211, the number of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 can preferably be set to multiple, for example... Figure 6 and Figure 8 As shown, there are three of each of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210, and the three second limiting blocks 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0093] Specifically, such as Figure 6 , Figure 8 and Figure 13 As shown, the first limiting groove 2210 has a wedge-shaped first extrusion section 2212 on at least one side along the circumferential direction, and the second limiting block 311 has a wedge-shaped second extrusion section 3111 on at least one side along the circumferential direction; the relative position of the first limiting groove 2210 and the second limiting block 311 changes through the wedge-shaped extrusion engagement of the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111. The first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 are parallel, and the inclination angle between the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 and the radial plane is 5° to 30°.

[0094] Those skilled in the art should know that the output torque of the drive mechanism 3 to the drive gear 31 is limited. Therefore, during the process of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 moving from position alignment to mutual misalignment, the inclination angle λ of the first pressing section 2212 and the second pressing section 3111 wedge-shaped disengagement engagement should not be too large, generally 5°~30°, preferably 15°.

[0095] It is understandable that the first extrusion section 2212 can be provided only on one side of the first limiting groove 2210, that is, the side where the second limiting block 311 contacts the first limiting groove 2210 when the drive gear 31 rotates relative to the limiting sleeve 221. Correspondingly, the second extrusion section 3111 can also be provided only on the side where the second limiting block 311 contacts the first limiting groove 2210. Alternatively, the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 can be provided on both sides of the first limiting groove 2210 and the second limiting block 311, respectively.

[0096] It should be noted that since the drive gear 31 is sleeved on the outside of the gear sleeve 23, the distances from the center of the first limiting groove 2210 and the first limiting block 2211 respectively provided on the limiting sleeve 221 are different to avoid interference during the fit. When the drive gear 31 is misaligned with the first limiting groove 2210 on the limiting sleeve 221 through the second limiting block 311, the drive gear 31 can abut against the end face of the limiting sleeve 221 through the second limiting block 311. At this time, there can be an axial gap between the first limiting block 2211 of the limiting sleeve 221 and the second limiting groove 230 on the gear sleeve 23. However, the distance of this gap is much smaller than the axial fit length between the first limiting block 2211 and the second limiting groove 230, so that the gear sleeve 23 can still be limited by the limiting sleeve 221 in the circumferential direction.

[0097] In this embodiment, there are multiple specific engagement methods for the drive gear 31 to change its circumferential position relative to the gear sleeve 23. For ease of understanding, one of these structures will be described in detail below. For example... Figures 7 to 9 As shown, the gear sleeve 23 may have a groove 232, and the drive gear 31 may have a slider 312; or the gear sleeve 23 may have a slider 312, and the drive gear 31 may have a groove 232. The position adjustment structure is formed by the sliding engagement of the groove 232 and the slider 312 along the circumferential direction. The width of the groove 232 along the circumferential direction is greater than the width of the slider 312; by sliding the slider 312 along the groove 232 in the circumferential direction, the drive gear 31 can change its circumferential position relative to the gear sleeve 23.

[0098] It is understood that both of the above-mentioned arrangements of the slide groove 232 and the slider 312 can meet the actual needs of this application, and those skilled in the art can choose according to actual needs. For the convenience of the following description, the following description will take the slide groove 232 being set on the gear sleeve 23 and the slider 312 being set on the drive gear 31 as an example. The number of slide grooves 232 and sliders 312 can be one, but to ensure stable cooperation between the drive gear 31 and the gear sleeve 23, it is preferable to set multiple slide grooves 232 and sliders 312, for example... Figure 7 and Figure 8As shown, there are three of each of the slide grooves 232 and sliders 312.

[0099] It is important to know that the specific location of the position adjustment structure depends on the installation method of the drive gear 31 and the gear sleeve 23; when the drive gear 31 is sleeved onto the gear sleeve 23, the position adjustment structure can be located between the side walls where the drive gear 31 and the gear sleeve 23 rotate and engage; specifically, as... Figures 7 to 9 As shown, the groove 232 can be disposed on the outer wall of the gear sleeve 23, and the slider 312 can be disposed on the inner wall of the drive gear 31. Alternatively, a support platform can be provided radially extending from the middle of the gear sleeve 23. After the drive gear 31 is fitted onto the outer side of the gear sleeve 23, the support platform is located below the drive gear 31. In this case, a position adjustment structure is provided between the lower end face of the drive gear 31 and the support platform; that is, the slider 312 is disposed on the lower end face of the drive gear 31, and the groove 232 is disposed on the support platform. It should be noted that since the drive gear 31 needs to transmit the spring force of the spring 222 to the housing 1, the drive gear 31 needs to maintain an axial distance from the support platform.

[0100] In this embodiment, during the folding process of the rearview mirror lens 01, although the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 are aligned, which can create an axial gap between the drive gear 31 and the limiting sleeve 221, releasing the elastic compressive force applied to the rearview mirror lens 01 by the spring 222, thus reducing the friction between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the rubber pad 03, there is still a certain amount of friction between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the rubber pad 03 under the action of gravity. Therefore, in order to further reduce the friction between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the rubber pad 03, a positioning and lifting structure can be provided between the lower housing 12 and the bearing seat 21. For ease of understanding, a specific structure will be described in detail below.

[0101] Specifically, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the positioning and lifting structure is disposed between the lower end face of the lower housing 12 and the upper end face of the base 211. The positioning and lifting structure includes a positioning block 123 and a positioning groove 2110; the positioning block 123 can be disposed on the lower end face of the lower housing 12 and the positioning groove 2110 can be disposed on the upper end face of the base 211; or the positioning block 123 can be disposed on the upper end face of the base 211 and the positioning groove 2110 can be disposed on the lower end face of the lower housing 12. In order to ensure that the lower housing 12 can rotate relative to the base 211, the positioning block 123 and the positioning groove 2110 need to be wedge-shaped or arc-shaped in the circumferential direction so that the lower housing 12 can drive the positioning block 123 to disengage from the positioning groove 2110 under a certain driving force to rotate relative to it. When the rearview mirror lens 01 is in the unfolded position, the positioning block 123 can axially engage with the positioning groove 2110, causing the housing 1 to move the entire rearview mirror lens 01 axially downward under the elastic force of the spring 222, thereby achieving a compression and sealing fit with the rubber pad 03 set on the mirror base 02. When the rearview mirror lens 01 is folded, the rearview mirror lens 01 can rotate around the shaft seat 21 with the housing 1. At this time, the positioning block 123 and the positioning groove 2110 are disengaged through wedge-shaped or arc-shaped compression, which allows the housing 1 to move the rearview mirror lens 01 upward on the shaft, thereby achieving no contact or minimal contact force between the rearview mirror lens 01 and the rubber pad 03.

[0102] It is understood that the two specific configurations of the positioning and lifting structure described above can be set according to the actual needs of those skilled in the art. For the sake of convenience in the following description, the following content will take the example of positioning block 123 being set in the lower housing 12 and positioning groove 2110 being set in the base 211. Based on the unfolded position of the rearview mirror, the number of positioning block 123 and positioning groove 2110 can be set to one, that is, at least to ensure that the rearview mirror can achieve stable sealing when it is in the unfolded position. Of course, in order to further enhance the positioning stability of the rearview mirror in the unfolded position, the number of positioning block 123 and positioning groove 2110 can be set to multiple, and the multiple positioning blocks 123 and positioning grooves 2110 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0103] It should be noted that when there are multiple positioning blocks 123 and positioning grooves 2110, the shapes of different positioning grooves 2110 and positioning blocks 123 are different, so that each positioning block 123 can only cooperate with the positioning groove 2110 with the corresponding shape. This ensures that during the entire reset process of the rearview mirror, the positioning blocks 123 and positioning grooves 2110 will not re-engage. That is, each positioning block 123 and the corresponding positioning groove 2110 can only engage axially when the rearview mirror is in the unfolded position.

[0104] It is also important to note that, such as Figure 11 and Figure 13As shown, the engagement depth between the positioning block 123 and the positioning groove 2110 can be set to H1. When the second limiting block 311 is aligned with the first limiting groove 2210, the axial distance between the limiting sleeve 221 and the drive gear 31 is H2. Therefore, in order to ensure that the positioning block 123 and the positioning groove 2110 can be stably disengaged, the engagement depth H1 between the positioning block 123 and the positioning groove 2110 needs to be less than or equal to the axial distance H2 between the limiting sleeve 221 and the drive gear 31.

[0105] It should be understood that, as can be seen from the foregoing, the inclination angle λ of the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 has been determined. Then, when the axial distance H2 between the limiting sleeve 221 and the drive gear 31 is limited, if the inclination angles of the entire side of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 are the same, that is, the entire side of the first limiting groove 2210 and the second limiting block 311 are the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 respectively; at this time, the lengths of the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 can be approximately H2 / sinλ.

[0106] When the tilt angle λ is small, the side lengths of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 become relatively long. Therefore, when the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 undergo circumferential relative rotational misalignment, their relative rotational length can be approximately H² / tanλ. This results in a longer circumferential length of the groove 232 on the gear sleeve 23, and an excessively large relative rotational angle of the drive gear 31, causing the action time for the drive gear 31 to return to axial compression from disengagement to restoration of axial compression with the limiting sleeve 221 to be too long. Therefore, in this embodiment, the specific structure of the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 has been improved, which will be described in detail below.

[0107] Specifically, such as Figure 6 , Figure 8 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 As shown, the first limiting groove 2210 includes an inner movable area and an outer extrusion area along the opening direction. At least one side of the extrusion area along the circumferential direction is provided with a first extrusion section 2212; the front end of the second limiting block 311 is provided with a second extrusion section 3111. When the second limiting block 311 is aligned with the first limiting groove 2210, the projections of the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 in the circumferential direction overlap. At this time, the drive gear 31 and the limiting sleeve 221 are axially spaced through the movable area.

[0108] It is understandable that when the rearview mirror lens 01 is folded, the housing 1 moves axially upward through the positioning and lifting structure, so that the drive gear 31 can move axially upward under the drive of the housing 1. At this time, the front end of the second limiting block 311 on the drive gear 31 can extend into the active area of ​​the first limiting groove 2210, thereby ensuring that the drive gear 31 will not interfere with the upward movement of the housing 1. When the rearview mirror lens 01 moves from the folded position to the unfolded position, the housing 1 can move downward first, so that the drive gear 31 can move downward synchronously with the housing 1. At this time, at least part of the front end of the second limiting block 311 is located in the compression area, so as to ensure that when the drive gear 31 rotates in a circle relative to the limiting sleeve 221, the first compression section 2212 and the second compression section 3111 can contact each other, so that the drive gear 31 drives the limiting sleeve 221 to lift under the small torque of the drive mechanism 3, thereby changing the elastic force path of the spring 222 from the limiting sleeve 221 to the gear sleeve 23 to the limiting sleeve 221 to the drive gear 31. Then the drive gear 31 can squeeze the housing 1 to drive the entire rearview mirror lens 01 to be tightly sealed with the rubber pad 03.

[0109] It should be noted that since the axial distance between the drive gear 31 and the limiting sleeve 221 is mainly provided by the movable area, the lengths of the first pressing section 2212 and the second pressing section 3111 do not need to be long, even when the inclination angle is small. It is sufficient to ensure that the limiting sleeve 221 can be slightly raised, that is, to ensure that the elastic force of the spring 222 can be transmitted to the drive gear 31. Considering that when the second limiting block 311 rotates from the axial pressing limiting sleeve 221 to the position corresponding to the movable area, in order to prevent the limiting sleeve 221 from instantly contacting the second limiting groove 230 on the gear sleeve 23 through the first limiting block 2211 under the action of the elastic force, the sides of the movable area and the second limiting block 3111 can be inclined. Simultaneously, when the rearview mirror is in the folded state, the second limiting block 3111 on the drive gear 31 extends into the active area. If the rearview mirror is manually folded forward at this time, in order to ensure that the engagement between the drive gear 31 and the active area does not affect the disengagement of the gear sleeve 23 and the limiting sleeve 221, it is also necessary to ensure that the second limiting block 3111 and the active area can be wedge-shaped engaged in the circumferential direction. That is, in this embodiment, the sides of the first limiting groove 2210 and the second limiting block 311 are set in a two-stage inclined configuration. The inclination angle of the side of the active area and the side of the second limiting block 3111 can be selected according to the actual needs of those skilled in the art; generally, the inclination angle of the side of the active area along the circumferential direction is between 30° and 90°, preferably 45° to 60°; accordingly, the side of the second limiting block 311 can also be inclined, and the inclination angle can be consistent with the inclination angle of the active area.

[0110] It should be noted that in order to ensure that the projections of the first extrusion section 2212 and the second extrusion section 3111 overlap in the circumferential direction, it is necessary to ensure that the lower end point of the first extrusion section 2212 along the axial direction is lower than the upper end point of the second extrusion section 3111, and that the upper end point of the first extrusion section 2212 along the axial direction is higher than the lower end point of the second extrusion section 3111.

[0111] In this embodiment, for ease of understanding, the process of the rearview mirror being lifted from its unfolded position by the drive mechanism 3 will be described in detail below. For ease of description, the rearview mirror on the left side of the vehicle will be used as an example, that is, in... Figures 9 to 13 In this context, the counterclockwise rotation of the lower housing 12 around the shaft seat 21 is the second direction for folding the rearview mirror, while the counterclockwise rotation is the first direction a for unfolding the rearview mirror.

[0112] When the rearview mirror is in the unfolded state, such as Figure 10 As shown, the gear sleeve 23 is circumferentially limited and engaged with the first limiting block 2211 on the limiting sleeve 221 via the second limiting groove 230. At this time, the drive gear 31 contacts the end face of the limiting sleeve 221 via the second limiting block 311, allowing the limiting sleeve 221 to axially apply the elastic force generated by the compression deformation of the spring 222 to the drive gear 31. Figure 11 As shown, since the drive gear 31 is always in contact with the stop 121 on the lower housing 12, the drive gear 31 can transmit the elastic compressive force it receives to the lower housing 12, so that the lower housing 12 can be stably positioned and engaged with the positioning groove 2110 on the base 211 through the positioning block 123. At the same time, the downward movement of the lower housing 12 can drive the rearview mirror lens 01 to be axially pressed against the mirror foot 02, achieving a sealing fit with the rubber gasket 03. At this time, as Figure 9 As shown, the slider 312 inside the drive gear 31 is near the end of the slide groove 232 along the second direction.

[0113] When the rearview mirror needs to be folded, that is, the housing 1, driven by the drive mechanism 3, needs to rotate the rearview mirror lens 01 around the pivot 21 in a second direction. Then, as... Figure 12 As shown, at this time, the driving force applied by the driving mechanism 3 to the driving gear 31 is along the first direction a; since there is a gap between the slider 312 and the slide groove 232 in the first direction a, the housing 1 can remain stationary at this time, and then the driving gear 31 can rotate around the gear sleeve 23 in the first direction a under the drive of the driving mechanism 3 until the slider 312 approaches the end of the slide groove 232 along the first direction a.

[0114] At this time, as Figure 13As shown, the second limiting block 311 at the upper end of the drive gear 31 is aligned axially with the first limiting groove 2210 on the limiting sleeve 221, so that the active areas within the second limiting block 311 and the first limiting groove 2210 form an axial gap H2. At this time, the axial length of the overlapping area of ​​the projection of the first pressing section 2212 and the second pressing section 3111 in the circumferential direction is ∆h. During this process, the limiting sleeve 221 can descend a small distance under the elastic force of the spring 222, so that the limiting sleeve 221 is axially engaged with the second limiting groove 230 on the gear sleeve 23 through the first limiting block 2211. That is, the gear sleeve 23 restricts the axial movement of the limiting sleeve 221, ensuring that an axial gap H2 can be formed between the drive gear 31 and the limiting sleeve 221. At this time, the elastic force of the spring 222 is applied to the gear sleeve 23, so that the drive gear 31 is in an axially free state. During the above process, the rearview mirror lens 01 remains stationary in the circumferential direction.

[0115] As the drive mechanism 3 continues to drive, the driving force applied by the drive mechanism 3 to the drive gear 31 is along the first direction a; such as Figure 12 As shown, at this time, the drive gear 31 and the gear sleeve 23 abut against each other in the circumferential direction through the slider 312 and the groove 232, so that the circumferential driving force applied by the drive mechanism 3 to the drive gear 31 is transmitted to the gear sleeve 23. At this time, the gear sleeve 23 is rotated and limited in the circumferential direction by the limiting sleeve 221, so that the driving force of the drive mechanism 3 reacts to the housing 1 to drive the rearview mirror lens 01 to start folding and rotating around the axle seat 21 in the second direction. During the process of the housing 1 rotating in the second direction, the positioning block 123 at the bottom of the housing 1 can gradually disengage from the positioning groove 2110, so that the housing 1 drives the entire rearview mirror lens 01 to perform an axial upward lifting action, and then as Figure 14 As shown, the drive gear 31 can also move axially upward synchronously with the housing 1, so that the second limiting block 311 on the drive gear 31 can fully extend into the active area of ​​the first limiting groove 2210 on the limiting sleeve 221, so as to ensure that the lifting process of the rearview mirror lens 01 is carried out smoothly.

[0116] In this embodiment, as Figures 15 to 17 As shown, the one-way locking ring 24 is provided with a locking part 241, and the gear sleeve 23 or the drive gear 31 is provided with a mating part; when the one-way locking ring 24 is manually folded forward along the first direction with the housing 1, the one-way locking ring 24 is locked by the locking part 241 and the mating part; when the one-way locking ring 24 is reset and folded along the second direction opposite to the first direction with the housing 1, the one-way locking ring 24 undergoes elastic deformation by the compression of the locking part 241 and the mating part.

[0117] Understandably, the function of the gear sleeve 23 is to limit the rotation of the drive gear 31 in the circumferential direction, so that the driving force of the drive mechanism 3 can react on the housing 1 to drive the rearview mirror lens 01 to fold or unfold. The purpose of manually folding the rearview mirror forward is to release the rotational limitation of the drive gear 31 by the gear sleeve 23. Since there is a circumferential limiting relationship between the drive gear 31 and the gear sleeve 23, the release of the limiting sleeve 221 between the gear sleeve 23 and the limiting sleeve 221 can be achieved by either the one-way locking ring 24 directly locking the gear sleeve 23 through the locking part 241, or by the one-way locking ring 24 locking the drive gear 31 through the locking part 241. Then, when the drive gear 31 rotates with the one-way locking ring 24, it causes the gear sleeve 23 to release the limiting sleeve 221. During the reset folding, the one-way locking ring 24 releases the lock on the gear sleeve 23 or the drive gear 31 through elastic deformation. This can be either radial elastic deformation or axial elastic deformation of the one-way locking ring 24.

[0118] Specifically, the direction of the radial elastic deformation of the one-way locking ring 24 during the reset and folding of the rearview mirror can be as follows: Figure 17 The radial outward elastic deformation shown could also be radial inward elastic deformation. For the one-way locking ring 24 to undergo outward elastic deformation, as shown... Figure 21 As shown, the one-way locking ring 24 can engage with the mating part provided on the outer side of the drive gear 31 or gear sleeve 23 through the locking part 241 provided on the inner side or end. When the one-way locking ring 24 elastically deforms inward, it can engage with the mating part provided on the inner side of the drive gear 31 or gear sleeve 23 through the locking part 241 provided on the outer side or end.

[0119] Specifically, regarding the direction of the axial elastic deformation of the one-way locking ring 24 when the rearview mirror is folded and reset, it can be a downward elastic deformation along the axial direction, or it can be an upward elastic deformation along the axial direction. As for the downward elastic deformation of the one-way locking ring 24, such as... Figure 20 As shown, the one-way locking ring 24 can engage with the mating part on the lower end face of the drive gear 31 or gear sleeve 23 via the locking part 241 on its upper end face. When the one-way locking ring 24 undergoes upward elastic deformation, it can engage with the mating part on the outer side of the drive gear 31 or gear sleeve 23 via the locking part 241 on its lower end face.

[0120] As can be understood from the above description, there are four main installation and combination methods for the one-way locking ring 24: the first is that the one-way locking ring 24 cooperates with the gear sleeve 23 and performs radial elastic deformation; the second is that the one-way locking ring 24 cooperates with the drive gear 31 and performs axial elastic deformation; the third is that the one-way locking ring 24 cooperates with the gear sleeve 23 and performs axial elastic deformation; and the fourth is that the one-way locking ring 24 cooperates with the drive gear 31 and performs radial elastic deformation. For ease of understanding, the first and second installation and combination methods will be explained in detail below.

[0121] Example 1:

[0122] In this embodiment, as Figures 15 to 17 As shown, the one-way locking ring 24 is sleeved on the gear sleeve 23 and engages with the mating part on the outer side of the gear sleeve 23 through the locking part 241 on the inner side. When the rearview mirror is manually folded forward, the one-way locking ring 24 can drive the gear sleeve 23 to rotate synchronously with the one-way locking ring 24 through the locking engagement of the locking part 241 and the mating part. When the rearview mirror is electrically folded back to its original position, the one-way locking ring 24 can rotate relative to the gear sleeve 23 by the compression of the locking part 241 and the mating part, causing the one-way locking ring 24 to undergo radial elastic deformation outward.

[0123] It should be noted that, considering that the one-way locking ring 24 needs to cooperate with the housing 1, and that the radial deformation of the one-way locking ring 24 requires sufficient space, in this embodiment, the locking part 241 is preferably disposed on the inner side of the one-way locking ring 24. Thus, when the one-way locking ring 24 rotates in the second direction, the one-way locking ring 24 can drive the locking part 241 to undergo radial outward elastic deformation, thereby ensuring that the locking part 241 can disengage from the locking with the gear sleeve 23.

[0124] It should be understood that the locking portion 241 on the one-way locking ring 24 can be a protrusion, a recess, or a perforation. Therefore, the structure of the mating portion on the gear sleeve 23 that engages with the one-way locking ring 24 can also vary, and the structure of the mating portion differs depending on the structure of the locking portion 241. For example, when the locking portion 241 is a protrusion, the mating portion can be a protrusion or a recess; when the locking portion 241 is a recess or a perforation, the mating portion must be a protrusion. Considering the structural strength of the one-way locking ring 24, in this embodiment, the locking portion 241 is preferably a protrusion, and the mating portion can be either a protrusion or a recess.

[0125] Specifically, such as Figure 7As shown, the mating part is a stop 231 provided outward on the outer side of the gear sleeve 23, and the locking part 241 is locked in place by abutting against the stop 231. Alternatively, the mating part is a groove provided inward on the outer side of the gear sleeve 23, and the locking part 241 extends into the groove to lock with the gear sleeve 23. Both of the above methods can meet the actual needs of this application, and the mating forms of the groove and the stop 231 with the locking part 241 are basically the same. Considering that the machining difficulty of the stop 231 is lower than that of the groove, in this embodiment, it is preferable to provide the stop 231 on the outer side of the gear sleeve 23 for locking with the locking part 241.

[0126] In this embodiment, there are various specific structures for the locking part 241 and the stop 231 to cooperate in order to lock the locking part 241 and drive the one-way locking ring 24 to deform radially. For ease of understanding, one of these structures will be described in detail below. Specifically, such as... Figures 7 to 17 As shown, the baffle 231 has a first abutting surface 2311 and a first pressing surface 2312 on both sides along the circumferential direction; the locking part 241 has a second abutting surface 2411 and a second pressing surface 2412 on both sides along the circumferential direction; the first abutting surface 2311 and the second abutting surface 2411 are both parallel to the radial direction of the one-way locking ring 24.

[0127] When the rearview mirror is manually folded forward to drive the housing 1 to rotate in the first direction, as Figure 16 , Figure 22 as well as Figure 23 As shown, the locking part 241 abuts against the first abutting surface 2311 of the stop 231 via the second abutting surface 2411 to lock the gear sleeve 23. That is, at this time, the rotation paths 400 of the gear sleeve 23 and the one-way locking ring 24 coincide. When the drive mechanism 3 drives the manually folding rearview mirror to reset and fold, as... Figure 17 As shown, the baffle 231 engages with the first pressing surface 2312 and the second pressing surface 2412 in a wedge-shaped or arc-shaped pressing fit to drive the one-way locking ring 24 to undergo radial elastic deformation. At this time, the rotation path 400 of the gear sleeve 23 relative to the one-way locking ring 24 does not contact the locking part 241 of the one-way locking ring 24, that is, the locking part 241 is located outside the rotation path 400 of the gear sleeve 23.

[0128] In this embodiment, to ensure stable locking, such as Figure 15 As shown, at least one locking part 241 is provided; to improve locking stability, multiple locking parts 241 can preferably be provided, with the multiple locking parts 241 being equally spaced along the circumferential direction of the one-way locking ring 24. Accordingly, as... Figure 7As shown, a corresponding number of stops 231 are also provided, and the stops 231 are equally spaced along the circumference of the gear sleeve 23. The specific number of locking parts 241 and stops 231 can be selected according to the actual needs of those skilled in the art, for example, 5 and Figure 15 As shown, the number of locking parts 241 and stop 231 is set to three.

[0129] In this embodiment, as Figures 15 to 17 As shown, the one-way locking ring 24 includes a first connecting section 244 and a second connecting section 245. The second connecting section 245 is disposed on both sides of the locking portion 241; the radial thickness of the first connecting section 244 is greater than the thickness of the second connecting section 245, and the axial height of the first connecting section 244 is less than the height of the second connecting section 245. Therefore, when the one-way locking ring 24 undergoes radial deformation, because the thickness of the second connecting section 245 is thinner than that of the first connecting section 244, the one-way locking ring 24 is more prone to radial elastic deformation at the position of the locking portion 241. To ensure the service life of the second connecting section 245, the axial height of the second connecting section 245 can be set higher, which can effectively improve the connection strength of the second connecting section 245.

[0130] It is understandable that the specific number of the first connecting segment 244 and the second connecting segment 245 is equal to the number of locking parts 241, that is, each locking part 241 is provided with a second connecting segment 245 on both sides, and a first connecting segment 244 is provided between two adjacent locking parts 241. The first connecting segment 244 can not only improve the bending strength of the one-way locking ring 24 away from the locking part 241, but also play a supporting role when installing the one-way locking ring 24.

[0131] Specifically, such as Figure 4 , Figure 15 and Figure 27 As shown, the lower housing 12 is rotatably mounted on the support shaft 212 of the bearing seat 21 through the mounting hole 120. A support seat 122 is provided on the side of the lower housing 12 at the mounting hole 120. The one-way locking ring 24 is sleeved on the gear sleeve 23 and supported on the support seat 122 through the first connecting section 244. The support seat 122 can be annularly arranged on the lower housing 12 or a segmented structure. Considering that the support seat 122 should not interfere with the radial deformation of the one-way locking ring 24, a segmented structure is preferred in this embodiment. Therefore, the specific number of support seats 122 corresponds to the number of first connecting sections 244, and the side of the mounting hole 120 of the lower housing 12 can form a clearance area 124 between two adjacent support seats 122 that does not interfere with the radial deformation of the one-way locking ring 24.

[0132] In this embodiment, as Figure 4 and Figure 15As shown, a stop block 242 and a push block 243 are arranged at circumferential intervals on the outer side of the one-way locking ring 24. A stop seat 121 is provided on the side of the mounting hole 120 of the lower housing 12 at the corresponding position of the one-way locking ring 24. When the rearview mirror is manually folded forward, as... Figure 22 and Figure 23 As shown, the lower housing 12 can abut against the stop block 242 of the one-way locking ring 24 via the stop seat 121, thereby driving the one-way locking ring 24 to rotate synchronously with the housing 1 in the first direction. When the rearview mirror is manually folded forward and then reset, as shown... Figure 28 and Figure 30 As shown, the lower housing 12 can abut against the push block 243 of the one-way locking ring 24 through the stop seat 121, so as to drive the one-way locking ring 24 to rotate synchronously with the housing 1 in the second direction.

[0133] It is understandable that the number of push blocks 243 and stop blocks 242 can each be set to one. However, to improve the driving stability of the one-way locking ring 24, the number of push blocks 243 and stop blocks 242 can also be set to multiple, and correspondingly, multiple stop seats 121 are provided on the lower housing 12. The specific number of stop blocks 242 and stop seats 121 can be selected according to the actual needs of those skilled in the art; for example... Figure 4 and Figure 15 As shown, the specific configuration of the stop block 242 and the stop seat 121 can be set to three; one of the stop seats 121 can also be used to drive the push block 243 on the outside of the one-way locking ring 24.

[0134] Example 2:

[0135] Compared to Embodiment 1, the difference in this embodiment is as follows: Figures 18 to 20 As shown, the one-way locking ring 24 is sleeved on the drive gear 31 and engages with the mating part on the lower end face of the drive gear 31 through the locking part 241 on the upper end face. When the rearview mirror is manually folded forward, the one-way locking ring 24 can drive the drive gear 31 to rotate synchronously with the gear sleeve 23 through the locking engagement of the locking part 241 and the mating part. When the rearview mirror is electrically folded back to its original position, the one-way locking ring 24 can rotate relative to the drive gear 31 by the compression of the locking part 241 and the mating part, causing the one-way locking ring 24 to undergo downward axial elastic deformation.

[0136] It is understandable that the elastic deformation direction of the one-way locking ring 24 during the reset and folding of the rearview mirror can be either downward along the axial direction or upward along the axial direction. Considering that the one-way locking ring 24 may deform upward, it may be necessary to install the one-way locking ring 24 on the upper end of the drive gear 31, which may cause interference between the one-way locking ring 24 and the limiting component 22. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is preferable that the elastic deformation direction of the one-way locking ring 24 during the reset and folding of the rearview mirror is downward along the axial direction.

[0137] It should be noted that, considering the mating installation of the one-way locking ring 24 and the drive gear 31, in this embodiment, the locking part 241 is preferably disposed on the upper end face of the one-way locking ring 24. Therefore, when the one-way locking ring 24 rotates in the second direction, the one-way locking ring 24 can drive the locking part 241 to undergo downward elastic deformation along the axial direction, thereby ensuring that the locking part 241 can disengage from the drive gear 31. The specific structure of the mating part and the specific structure of the locking part 241 are the same as in Embodiment 1, except that the protrusion direction of the locking part 241 and the mating part is different—it is an axial protrusion—so it will not be repeated here.

[0138] In this embodiment, when the locking part 241 is disposed on the upper end face of the one-way locking ring 24, the specific positions of the push block 243 and the stop block 242 on the one-way locking ring 24 for cooperating with the housing 1 can be disposed on the outer side of the one-way locking ring 24 or on the inner side of the one-way locking ring 24. For example Figure 18 As shown, the push block 243 is still located on the outside of the one-way locking ring 24, and the stop block 242 can be located on the lower end face of the one-way locking ring 24.

[0139] Those skilled in the art should know that the actions of manually folding and resetting the rearview mirror in Embodiments 1 and 2 are basically the same. To facilitate understanding of the technical solution of this application, the specific working process of the folding device of this application will be described in detail below using Embodiment 1 as an example. Since the working state of a rearview mirror includes both unfolded and folded states, and the rearview mirror is generally in the folded state when the vehicle is locked, there is generally no scenario requiring manual forward folding; therefore, the following description will use the rearview mirror in the unfolded state for manual forward folding and the electric reset process after manual forward folding as examples. For ease of description, the rearview mirror on the left side of the vehicle will be used as an example, i.e., in... Figures 21 to 30 In this case, the clockwise rotation of the lower housing 12 around the shaft seat 21 is the first direction a for manual forward folding, and the reverse is the second direction b for reset folding.

[0140] When the rearview mirror is in its normal unfolded state, such as Figure 21As shown, at this time, the gear sleeve 23 engages with the first limiting block 2211 of the limiting sleeve 221 through the second limiting groove 230, so that the gear sleeve 23 is in a state of restricted rotation in the circumferential direction. Meanwhile, as... Figure 22 and Figure 23 As shown, the one-way locking ring 24 contacts the first abutting surface 2311 of the stop 231 on the outer side of the gear sleeve 23 through the second abutting surface 2411 of the inner locking part 241; the one-way locking ring 24 abuts against the stop 121 provided on the lower housing 12 through the outer stop 242. For ease of understanding, the interval angle between the stop 121 on the lower housing 12 and the push block 243 on the one-way locking ring 24 can be assumed to be α.

[0141] If the car is locked at this time, i.e., the rearview mirror needs to be electrically folded, the drive mechanism 3 can drive the drive gear 31 with the gear sleeve 23 installed. Since the gear sleeve 23 is in a circumferential limit state at this time, the gear sleeve 23 can remain stationary, and the drive mechanism 3, together with the housing 1, rotates counterclockwise in the second direction b around the shaft seat 21. During this process, the stop 121 on the lower housing 12 gradually moves away from the stop block 242 outside the one-way locking ring 24, so that the one-way locking ring 24 is in a stationary state.

[0142] It should be noted that the angle from which the rearview mirror unfolds to when it is fully folded can be set as θ. If the interval angle α is less than θ, then after the rearview mirror automatically folds by an angle α, the lower housing 12 can abut against the push block 243 through the stop seat 121, thereby driving the one-way locking ring 24 to rotate synchronously along the second counterclockwise direction b by an angle of (θ-α) until the rearview mirror is fully folded.

[0143] like Figure 24 As shown, assuming the rearview mirror is manually folded forward in its normally deployed state, that is, the housing 1 along with the drive mechanism 3 rotates around the bearing 21 in the first direction a, and the angle of rotation can be set as β. For ease of understanding, we can assume that the position of the lower housing 12 when the rearview mirror is in its normally deployed state is X1; after the rearview mirror has completed the manual folding forward, the position of the lower housing 12 is X2, and the interval angle between positions X1 and X2 is β.

[0144] like Figure 22 , Figure 23 and Figure 25 As shown, during the rotation of the rearview mirror in the first direction a, because the one-way locking ring 24 abuts against the first abutting surface 2311 on the outside of the gear sleeve 23 through the second abutting surface 2411, the driving force on the gear sleeve 23 is greater than the set threshold, and thus the gear sleeve 23 disengages from the limiting sleeve 221 and rotates synchronously by an angle β along the first direction a. Figure 26As shown, for ease of understanding, we can assume that when the rearview mirror is in its normal unfolded state, the position of the gear sleeve 23 relative to the limit sleeve 221 is Y1; then after the rearview mirror is manually folded forward, the position of the gear sleeve 23 relative to the limit sleeve 221 is Y2, and the interval angle between position Y1 and position Y2 is β.

[0145] It should be noted that during this process, the drive mechanism 3 can rotate synchronously with the housing 1, that is, the drive mechanism 3 rotates synchronously with the drive gear 31 and the gear sleeve 23, ensuring that there is no transmission interference between the drive mechanism 3 and the gear sleeve 23.

[0146] It's important to know that, theoretically, the rearview mirrors should fold forward electrically when the car key is pressed. However, after the rearview mirrors are manually folded forward from the unfolded state, it's necessary to ensure that the rearview mirrors do not fold forward after the car key is pressed again, in order to ensure the safe use of the rearview mirrors.

[0147] In the technical solution of this application, after the rearview mirror is manually folded forward from its unfolded state, if the unlock button of the car key is pressed at this time, theoretically, the rearview mirror needs to perform a forward folding action, that is, the rearview mirror needs to rotate along the first direction a, that is, the drive mechanism 3 needs to drive the drive gear 31 to generate a tendency to rotate in the second direction b. Since the gear sleeve 23 is in a free state of circumferential rotation at this time, the rotation tendency of the drive gear 31 can be transmitted to the gear sleeve 23. During the manual forward folding process of the rearview mirror, the lower housing 12, the one-way locking ring 24 and the gear sleeve 23 rotate synchronously. Therefore, the one-way locking ring 24 still abuts against the stop 231 of the gear sleeve 23 through the locking part 241, and abuts against the stop seat 121 on the lower housing 12 through the stop block 242. Therefore, the rotation tendency of the lower housing 12 towards the one-way locking ring 24 along the first direction a is exactly abutted by the rotation tendency of the gear sleeve 23 towards the one-way locking ring 24 along the second direction b. At this time, the drive mechanism 3 and the gear sleeve 23 are locked by the one-way locking ring 24, causing the drive function of the drive mechanism 3 to fail. Then, after receiving the lock signal, the controller of the drive mechanism 3 can control the actuator to stop to ensure the functional safety of the rearview mirror.

[0148] If the rearview mirror is manually folded forward from its unfolded state and the car key's lock button is pressed, the drive mechanism 3 should apply a driving force along the first direction a to the drive gear 31 mounted on the gear sleeve 23; this allows the gear sleeve 23, under circumferential limitation, to react with the drive mechanism 3, together with the housing 1, to rotate around the bearing 21 along the second direction b. However, if... Figure 25As shown, at this time, the gear sleeve 23 is in a free rotational state, disengaged from the limit, and the stop 231 of the gear sleeve 23 is in a released state from the locking part 241 of the one-way locking ring 24 in the first direction a. Therefore, the gear sleeve 23 will rotate along the first direction a under the drive of the drive mechanism 3 until the gear sleeve 23 re-engages with the limit sleeve 221; as Figure 26 As shown, the gear sleeve 23 is positioned at Y3 relative to the limiting sleeve 221. Assuming that the limiting sleeve 221 has multiple second limiting grooves 230, and the interval angle between adjacent second limiting grooves 230 is γ, the rotation angle of the gear sleeve 23 from position Y2 to position Y3 is (γ-β).

[0149] like Figure 27 As shown, during the rotation of the gear sleeve 23 from position Y2 to position Y3, both the one-way locking ring 24 and the lower housing 12 remain stationary (the lower housing 12 is positioned and engaged with the base 211). This causes the stop 231 on the outer side of the gear sleeve 23 to move away from the locking part 241 on the one-way locking ring 24 at position Y2 and move closer to position Y4 of another locking part 241 adjacent to the one-way locking ring 24 along the first direction a. At this time, the interval angle between positions Y3 and Y4 is β; at the same time, the position of the push block 243 on the one-way locking ring 24 can be set as Z1.

[0150] Because the gear sleeve 23 engages with the limiting sleeve 221 again at position Y3, circumferential rotation is restricted. Then, under the continued driving force of the drive mechanism 3, since the gear sleeve 23 is stationary relative to the shaft seat 21, the drive mechanism 3, under the reaction force of the driving force, causes the housing 1 to rotate around the shaft seat 21 in the second direction b. Figure 27 As shown, when the lower housing 12 rotates in the second direction b with the drive mechanism 3, the stop 121 on the lower housing 12 can move away from the stop block 242 outside the one-way locking ring 24; simultaneously, one of the stop 121 can move closer to the push block 243 outside the one-way locking ring 24. This continues until the lower housing 12 rotates by an angle α along the second direction b, as... Figure 28 As shown, the stop 121 on the lower housing 12, near the push block 243, is located at position Z1 and contacts the push block 243.

[0151] like Figure 30 As shown, with the continued driving of the drive mechanism 3, the lower housing 12 can continue to rotate along the second direction b. During this process, the lower housing 12 can abut against the push block 243 through the stop 121 to drive the one-way locking ring 24 to rotate synchronously. When the one-way locking ring 24 continues to rotate along the second direction b with the lower housing 12 until the push block 243 reaches position Z2, the interval angle between positions Z1 and Z2 is β. During this process, as... Figure 29As shown, the locking part 241 at position Y4 on the one-way locking ring 24 can abut against the first pressing surface 2312 of the stop 231 at position Y3 on the gear sleeve 23 through the second pressing surface 2412. Under the pressing of the stop 231, the locking part 241 will drive the one-way locking ring 24 to undergo radial elastic deformation, so that the locking part 241 can pass over the stop 231. Then the one-way locking ring 24 can be deformed and reset. If the rearview mirror is not folded at this time, the drive mechanism 3 can continue to drive the housing 1 to rotate the rearview mirror in the second direction b until the rearview mirror is completely folded.

[0152] It should be noted that in the above description, it is assumed that the one-way locking ring 24 remains relatively stationary when there is no opposing driving force. In reality, the one-way locking ring 24 may rotate with the driving component (which can be the gear sleeve 23 or the lower housing 12) under the action of friction, but this does not affect the above-mentioned function of the one-way locking ring 24; it is only for the convenience of describing the above process.

[0153] Another aspect of this application provides a rearview mirror, one preferred embodiment of which includes the folding mechanism described above.

[0154] The basic principles, main features, and advantages of this application have been described above. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely the principles of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made to this application without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claims. The scope of protection claimed by this application is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A folding device, characterized in that, include: A shaft seat; the shaft seat is fixedly disposed, and a limit assembly is installed on the shaft seat; Housing; the housing is rotatably mounted on the bearing seat; Gear sleeve; the gear sleeve is rotatably mounted on the shaft seat and engages with the limiting component in a circumferential limiting manner; A drive gear; the drive gear is sleeved on the gear sleeve and always axially contacts the housing, and the drive gear is in transmission engagement with a drive mechanism built into the housing; based on the circumferential position change of the drive gear relative to the gear sleeve, the limiting component is adapted to perform axial elastic compression or axial spacing with the drive gear; and A one-way locking ring; the one-way locking ring is sleeved and installed on the gear sleeve or the drive gear; when the one-way locking ring rotates with the housing to be manually folded forward, it locks with the gear sleeve or the drive gear, thereby causing the gear sleeve to disengage from the limiting component; when the one-way locking ring is reset and folded with the housing, the one-way locking ring disengages from the lock through elastic deformation and rotates relative to the gear sleeve or the drive gear; The limiting component includes: A limiting sleeve; the limiting sleeve is axially slidably mounted on the shaft seat; Elastic element; the limiting sleeve and the bearing seat are axially elastically connected through the elastic element; The limiting sleeve cooperates with the gear sleeve and the drive gear respectively, so that the limiting sleeve axially compresses the drive gear under the elastic force of the elastic element and circumferentially limits the gear sleeve.

2. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The gear sleeve is provided with a sliding groove, and the drive gear is provided with a slider; Alternatively, the gear sleeve is provided with a slider, and the drive gear is provided with a groove; The groove and the slider slide together in a circumferential direction to form a position adjustment structure; The width of the groove along the circumferential direction is greater than the width of the slider; by sliding the slider along the groove in the circumferential direction, the drive gear can change its position relative to the gear sleeve in the circumferential direction.

3. The folding device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The position adjustment structure is disposed between the side wall where the drive gear and the gear sleeve rotate and engage.

4. The folding device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, A radially extending support platform is provided in the middle of the gear sleeve, and the drive gear is sleeved on the gear sleeve; the position adjustment structure is provided between the support platform and the lower end face of the drive gear.

5. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The end face of the limiting sleeve near the drive gear is provided with a first limiting groove, and the end face of the drive gear near the limiting sleeve is provided with a second limiting block. Alternatively, a second limiting block is provided on the end face of the limiting sleeve near the drive gear, and a first limiting groove is provided on the end face of the drive gear near the limiting sleeve. The first limiting groove and the second limiting block are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped in the circumferential direction; Based on the misalignment of the second limiting block and the first limiting groove, the limiting sleeve axially abuts against the drive gear; based on the alignment of the second limiting block and the first limiting groove, the limiting sleeve is axially spaced from the drive gear under the axial limiting of the gear sleeve.

6. The folding device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The bearing seat is provided with a positioning groove for positioning the housing, and a positioning block is correspondingly provided on the lower part of the housing; Alternatively, the bearing seat is provided with a positioning block for positioning the housing, and the lower part of the housing is provided with a corresponding positioning groove; The positioning block and the positioning groove are positioned by axial engagement, and the engagement depth between the positioning block and the positioning groove is less than or equal to the axial distance between the limiting sleeve and the drive gear. The positioning block and the positioning groove are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped in the circumferential direction.

7. The folding device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The first limiting groove has a wedge-shaped first extrusion section on at least one side along the circumferential direction, and the second limiting block has a wedge-shaped second extrusion section on at least one side along the circumferential direction. The relative position of the first limiting groove and the second limiting block changes through the wedge-shaped extrusion engagement of the first extrusion section and the second extrusion section; The first extrusion section and the second extrusion section are parallel, and the inclination angle between the first extrusion section and the second extrusion section and the radial plane is 5°~30°.

8. The folding device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that, The first limiting groove includes an inner active area and an outer squeezing area along the opening direction. The squeezing area is provided with the first squeezing section on at least one side along the circumferential direction. The second squeezing section is provided on one side of the front end of the second limiting block. The active area and the side of the second limiting block along the circumferential direction are both inclined, and the inclination angle is between 30° and 90°. When the second limiting block is aligned with the first limiting groove, the projection portions of the first extrusion section and the second extrusion section along the circumferential direction overlap. At this time, the drive gear and the limiting sleeve are axially spaced through the active area.

9. The folding device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The bearing includes a base and a support shaft, with the support shaft connected to the middle of the base; Both the gear sleeve and the housing are rotatably mounted on the support shaft, and the positioning block and the positioning groove are provided between the lower part of the housing and the base.

10. The folding device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The end face of the limiting sleeve near the gear sleeve is provided with a first limiting block; the end face of the gear sleeve near the limiting sleeve is provided with a second limiting groove. Alternatively, the end face of the limiting sleeve near the gear sleeve is provided with a second limiting groove; the end face of the gear sleeve near the limiting sleeve is provided with a first limiting block; The gear sleeve is circumferentially limited by the axial engagement between the first limiting block and the second limiting groove. The first limiting block and the second limiting groove are wedge-shaped or arc-shaped in the circumferential direction so that the gear sleeve can disengage from the circumferential limiting fit with the limiting sleeve under the action of external force.

11. The folding device according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is provided with a locking part, and the gear sleeve or the drive gear is provided with a mating part; When the one-way locking ring is manually folded forward along the first direction with the housing, the one-way locking ring is locked by the locking part and the mating part; When the one-way locking ring is reset and folded along the housing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the one-way locking ring undergoes elastic deformation due to the compression between the locking part and the mating part.

12. The folding device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo radial elastic deformation during reset folding.

13. The folding device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is adapted to outward elastic deformation along the radial direction.

14. The folding device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that, The locking part is located on the inner side or end of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is located on the outer side of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

15. The folding device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo radial inward elastic deformation.

16. The folding device as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, The locking part is located on the outer side or end of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is located on the inner side of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

17. The folding device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo elastic deformation along the axial direction during reset folding.

18. The folding device as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo downward elastic deformation along the axial direction.

19. The folding device as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that, The locking part is disposed on the upper end face of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is disposed on the lower end face of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

20. The folding device as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is adapted to undergo upward elastic deformation along the axial direction.

21. The folding device as claimed in claim 19, characterized in that, The locking part is disposed on the lower end face of the one-way locking ring, and the mating part is disposed on the outside of the gear sleeve or the drive gear.

22. The folding device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The locking part is protruding, and the mating part is a protruding baffle or a recessed groove.

23. The folding device as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that, The mating part is provided with a first abutting surface and a first pressing surface on both sides along the circumferential direction; the locking part is provided with a second abutting surface and a second pressing surface on both sides along the circumferential direction; the locking part is fitted and abutted against the first abutting surface of the stop through the second abutting surface to lock the gear sleeve; the stop is wedge-shaped or arc-shaped fitted with the first pressing surface and the second pressing surface to drive the one-way locking ring to elastically deform.

24. The folding device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The one-way locking ring is provided with stops and push blocks spaced apart along its circumference; the housing is provided with a stop seat at the corresponding position of the one-way locking ring; the stop seat is adapted to abut against the stops when the housing is manually folded forward, so as to drive the one-way locking ring to rotate synchronously with the housing in a first direction; the stop seat is adapted to abut against the push blocks when the housing is reset and folded back, so as to drive the one-way locking ring to rotate synchronously with the housing in a second direction.

25. A rearview mirror, characterized in that, Includes the folder as described in any one of claims 1-24.

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