US20050052765A1 - Rearview mirror for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle comprises a holding component configured to attach to the vehicle, a first clamping part configured to attach to the holding component and a second clamping part configured to attach to the holding component disposed opposite of the first clamping part. The second clamping part is further configured to fastenably hold a mirror. A first connection element is carried by one of said first and second clamping parts; and a second connection element is carried by the other of the first and second clamping parts. The first and second elements are connectable to secure the first clamping part and the second clamping part together. The first and second clamping parts have a recess, and the recesses generally encase the holding component.

Description

• The invention concerns a rearview mirror, especially for motor vehicles in accord with the generic concept of Claim1.
• DE 198 40 004 A1 discloses a rearview mirror for motor vehicles, in which the mirror support element is a carrier plate with a honeycomb structure. The mirror housing with the mirror framing, the mirror element with its pane and the adjustment apparatus is fastened to this carrier plate. The carrier plate with the said honeycomb structure is secured to a holder by means of a clamping mechanism and the holder, in turn, is attached to the body of the vehicle. A mirror of this type possesses a high degree of stability, a relatively low weight, and only a small tendency toward vibration.
• A comparable mirror arrangement has been made known byEP 0 590 510 A1 andDE 40 10 083, which, likewise, each exhibit a carrier plate as the carrying element, but in which no honeycomb structure is to be found.
• A disadvantage of this type of mirror arrangement is found therein, in that the version ofEP 0 590 510 A1 possesses a comparatively high weight.
• The purpose of the present invention is to so improve the known rearview mirror of DE 198 40 004 A1, that it is provided with a lighter structure, but which, at the same time, exhibits necessary stability.
• The achievement of this purpose is accomplished through the features of Claim1.
• In a manner similar to that of the state of the technology, in the case of the present invention, the rearview mirror is secured to a holder, i.e. a holding tube, by means of a first and a second clamping component. The clamping bracket can be screwed to the mirror housing framing. Another possible fastening means is by riveting.
• Since the first clamping part is the mirror housing framing and the second clamping part is the clamping bracket itself, onto which the mirror element is fastened, a carrier plate may be dispensed with. Removing a carrier plate, which plate is conventional in the state of the technology, leads to a reduction in weight.
• Since no carrier plate is required anymore, again in comparison to the state of the technology, the number of the system parts or components is reduced, which results in a simpler mounting procedure and also reduces the costs of manufacture.
• In accord with an advantageous embodiment of the present invention as stated inClaim2, the clamping bracket is made out of a more rugged material than is the mirror housing framing, so that the said bracket becomes the essential carrying part of the construction. On to the bracket, as the carrying component, the characteristic mirror pane is fastened along with the positioning apparatus. Since, for the clamping connection, the entire extent of length or width of the mirror housing framing stands available, the clamping bracket can now be fashioned essentially in a large surface mode, so that it is possible to manufacture the said clamping bracket from a reinforced plastic, that is, glass fiber reinforced plastic. Alternatively, the clamping bracket can naturally be made of metal (in this connection, see Claim3).
• In accord with a preferred embodiment of the invention, as shown inClaim4, the clamping bracket fits into one side of the mirror framing with slip-in catches, and is screwed into the said mirror framing on the other side. This type of connection reduces the number of screwed connections and simplifies the mounting.
• Following another advantageous embodiment of the invention, according to Claim5, the mirror element includes a mirror pane, upon which a glass carrier plate is installed, which carrier plate is driven by a motor, preferably electric, for positioning adjustment. The positioning adjustment itself and thereby the entire mirror element, are screwed onto the reinforced clamping bracket which acts as the carrying element. This too contributes to simplifying the mounting.
• In accord with yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, in keeping withClaim6, a rimless glass carrier plate is employed, which allows the mirror pane to extend slightly beyond the said glass carrier plate and the carrier plate. Thus the glass carrier plate possesses no border or peripherally running rim which encloses the glass pane of the mirror. By means of dispensing with the enclosing rim for the glass carrier plate, with an outside design of the same dimensioning, optimum use is made of the glass area.
• In accord with yet another advantageous embodiment of the invention, as described in Claim7, the mirror housing includes a mirror housing cover, which is releasably bound, or can be so bound, to the mirror housing framing by means of a snap-in connection. Since the mirror housing cover plate fulfills no carrying function, this may be manufactured very thin walled and light in weight. By means of the snap-in connection, the said cover plate can be easily disconnected and can also be lacquered in a simple manner with colors specified by the customer.
• In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, in accord with Claim8, the clamping bracket and/or the mirror framing in the area, in which the holding part is located, engages securements in the form of projections or grooves, in/on complementary, respective grooves or projections on the holding tube. In this way, not only is the said slip-in clamping connection still available, but also a form-fit connection to the holding part is created.
• In accord with yet another embodiment of the invention, following Claim9, the clamping bracket possesses an opening. By corresponding arrangement of the said recess, the achievement may be gained, that when the mirror housing cover is removed, the adjustment apparatus is accessible through said opening. One advantage of this is that wiring to the position adjustment apparatus can be run through this said opening.
• Further details, features and advantages of the invention arise from the following description of preferred embodiments, with the aid of the drawings. There is shown in:
• FIG. 1 a side view of a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 2 a sectional drawing along the section line A-A ofFIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 a sectional drawing along the section line B-B ofFIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 a plan view of the mirror housing framing seen from the front,
• FIG. 5 a side view of a second embodiment of the invention, and
• FIG. 6 a view such as inFIG. 2 of a third embodiment of the invention.
• The FIGS.1 to4 show a first embodiment of the invention in various presentations.FIG. 1 shows a side view, depicting amirror housing2, which comprises amirror housing framing4 and a mirror housing cover5. In themirror housing2 is a placed amirror element6. The entire rear view mirror is fastened by means of a clamping connection8 on aholder tube2. The clamping connection8 comprises a first clamping part in the form of the saidmirror housing framing4 and a second clamping part in the form of aclamping bracket12.
• As may be inferred from the sectional drawings inFIG. 2 and3, themirror housing framing4 possesses a trough-like recess14 within which theholder tube2 is partially encased. Theclamping bracket12 possesses a similar trough-like recess16. Thus, as a result of the double, opposed trough-like structures14,16, the holder tube10-is nearly completely circumferentially encased, and a large surface is made available for the transmission of forces. Away from the described trough structure16 of the holding tube, extend, in a comblike fashion, a plurality ofhook elements18. On the other side of the trough structure16 extends apart20 of thebracket12 with provision for screw fastenings. Thehook elements18 fit into a corresponding hook opening22 in themirror housing framing4. As one can see inFIGS. 2 and 4, thepart20 of theclamping bracket12 is connected to themirror housing framing4 by means of fourscrew connections24.FIG. 3 shows, that themirror element6, inclusive of amirror pane30, aglass carrier plate32 and a electric motor drivenmirror positioning apparatus34, is connected to theclamping bracket12. In this way, themirror adjustment apparatus34 is fastened onto thepiece20 of theclamp bracket12. In accomplishing this, themirror positioning apparatus34 is screwed onto thepart20 of theclamping bracket12 by means of fourscrew connections26.
• The fourscrew connections26, i.e. screws, enter thepart20 of the clamping bracket12 (inFIG. 3) from the side proximal to themirror pane30. Theglass carrier plate32, with itsattendant mirror pane30 is fastened onto themirror positioning apparatus34 by means of adetent connection36. Theglass carrier plate32 is without a surrounding rim construction, as has been made known inEP 0 659 609 B1, and themirror pane30 extends slightly outward beyond saidglass carrier plate32. To this extent, acknowledgment is made in completeness to theEP 0 659 609 B1.
• FIG. 4 shows a view of themirror housing framing4 from the front, without themirror element6. Themirror housing framing4 possesses three openings38 for internal installation purposes and for weight reduction. The somewhatrectangular clamping bracket12 exhibits in its screwed-onpart20 an opening40, which overlaps the central opening38 in themirror housing framing4. In the remaining upper and lower edge strips42,44, are provided the fourscrew connections26 for the screw connection of the clamping bracket with themirror housing framing4. On the upper and the lower edge strips42,44, are respectively the fourscrew connections24 for the screw connection of the mirrorpositioning adjustment apparatus34 to the clampingbracket12.
• When the mounting of the mirror takes place, first the clampingbracket12 is pushed into the snap connections of themirror housing framing4. Subsequently, the holdingtube10 is clamped between the clampingbracket12 and themirror housing framing4, and the clampingbracket12 is screw attached to themirror housing framing4 from the back side of the mirror assembly forward [seeFIG. 2] by screws24. Thereafter, from the front position, themirror positioning apparatus34 is screwed onto theextensions48 of the clampingbracket12 byscrew connections26. Following this, theglass carrier plate32 with themirror pane30 is fastened onto themirror positioning apparatus34 by means of thedetent connections36. Finally, the mirror housing cover5 is snapped onto themirror housing framing4.
• In the case of the embodiment in accord withFIGS. 1-4, the connections, more closely defined as screw connections, between, first, themirror housing framing4 and the clampingbracket12 and second, themirror element6, that is, more exactly themirror positioning apparatus34 are made by means of two independent sets of screws.
• Alternative to this, but not shown, themirror positioning apparatus34, themirror housing framing4 and the clampingbracket12 can also be bound together by a screw connection common to all.
• FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the invention, in side view, similar to the presentation ofFIG. 1. This second embodiment of the invention differs from the first embodiment, in that the holding element is not a continuous holding tube, but is rather constructed as a two-piece holding component with a first and asecond holding arm50 and52. In this case, the first holding arm50 is secured by theupper edge strip42 of the clampingbracket12 and thesecond holding arm52 is secured by the lower edge strip44 of the saidclamping bracket12. Otherwise, the construction of the second embodiment agrees in all details with the first embodiment.
• FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the invention in a drawing similar toFIG. 3. The third embodiment differs from the first or the second embodiment essentially therein, in that the connection between the holdingparts10,50,52 and the clampingbracket12 are not made as auxiliaries to the clamping connection by means of a form-fit binding. In this case, in the trough-like recesses14 and16,additional projections56 are provided which fit intocomplementary recesses58 in the holdingparts10,50 and52. By this means, the mirror is secured additionally against rotational displacement on the holdingelements10,50,52. Additionally or alternatively,—not shown—in the holdingparts10,50,52, projections can be provided, which engage in corresponding recesses in the trough shaped recesses14 and16.
• Themirror housing framing4 and the mirror housing cover5 are advantageously made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The clampingbracket12 advantageously is manufactured from glass fiber reinforced plastic, polyamide (PA 6.6) glass fiber (GF35). Theglass carrier plate32 is advantageously made of ABS with a 30% portion of glass fiber and possesses a thickness in a range between 1 and 1.5 mm. The wall thickness of the remaining components varies within the limits of 2 and 2.5 mm. By means of these measures, weight and cost reductions are achieved. Furthermore, the vibration tendencies are also reduced.
• In certain cases, it can also be advantageous, to reinforce the trough shaped recess14 and the area of thescrew connections24 of themirror housing framing4 by means of an inlay of reinforced material or to make these areas out of glass fiber reinforced plastic.
Reference Number List
• 2 Mirror housing
• 4 Mirror housing framing
• 5 Mirror housing cover
• 6 Mirror element
• 8 Clamping connection.
• 10 Mirror holder, i.e. mirror holding tube
• 12 Clamping bracket
• 14 Trough-like recess (in4)
• 16 Trough-like recess (in12)
• 18 Hook elements
• 20 Part for screw fastening
• 22 Hook opening
• 24 Screw connection between12 and4
• 26 Screw connection between12 and34
• 30 Mirror pane
• 32 Glass carrier plate
• 34 Mirror position adjustment apparatus
• 36 Detent
• 38 Opening in4
• 40 Opening in12
• 42 Upper edge strip of12
• 44 Lower edge strip of12
• 48 Extensions on42 and44
• 50 A first holding arm
• 52 A second holding arm
• 56 Projections in14,16
• 58 Recesses in10,50,52

Claims (6)

1-9. Cancelled

10. A rearview mirror assembly for attachment to a vehicle via a holding tube, the assembly comprising:

a housing including a framing element configured to attach to the holding tube; and

a clamping part configured to receive the holding tube disposed opposite of the framing element;

said framing element and said clamping part cooperating to at least circumferentially enclose and clamp around said holding tube and releasably attach to each other, said clamping part further configured to fastenably hold a mirror element, a hook element carried on one of said clamping part and by the other of said clamping part and framing element, and framing element, a snap connection carried, said hook element and snap connection connectable to secure the framing element and the clamping part together.

11. The rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 10, wherein the clamping part is a bracket element having a recess adapted for receiving a portion of the circumference of the holding tube.

12. A rearview mirror assembly with a mirror element for a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a holding component configured to attach to the vehicle;

a first clamping part configured to attach to the holding component; and

a second clamping part configured to attach to the holding component disposed opposite of the first clamping part;

said first and second clamping parts cooperating to clamp about the holding component and releasably attach to each other;

said second clamping part further configured to fastenably hold the mirror element;

a first connection element carried by one of said first and second clamping parts;

a second connection element carried by either of said first and second clamping parts; and

said first and second element being connectable to secure the first clamping part and the second clamping part together;

said first clamping part having a recess, and said seconding clamping part having a recess, and said recesses of said first and second clamping parts generally encasing said holding component.

13. The rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 12, wherein the holding component is substantially circular in axial cross section.

14. The rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 12, wherein the bracket element is a material selected from the group consisting of reinforced plastic, fiberglass and metal.

Images