Importance

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Abstract

A conventional exterior rear-view mirror is broken into vertical segments and collapsed into a stack in a plane roughly orthogonal to its original plane, so the frontal area is drastically reduced, thereby reducing drag and increasing fuel mileage. The total projected width of the vehicle is also reduced. In one embodiment of the invention, the exterior rear-view mirror is formed as part of a side window, thereby completely eliminating projections to achieve advanced streamlining, and also potentially decreasing manufacturing costs. In another embodiment, a rear view is provided from a sun roof. When formed as part of the canopy of an aircraft, a rear view is provided without significant weight or complexity. Another embodiment of the invention lies in a sheet of flexible adhesive-backed plastic which may be affixed to a window. In the context of a truck, the exterior rear-view mirror does not project significantly beyond the innermost edge of an equivalent conventional rear-view mirror, thereby reducing both drag and excess lateral dimension.

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First Claim