Adjusting instrument, exterior mirror unit, motor vehicle

• US 10,232,778 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V. (Flex, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: MCi (Mirror Controls International) Netherlands B.V. (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Brouwer, Stefan Frits, Hoogenboom, Rudolf Pieter, Hamming, Peter Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G
• Application Number:
  US15/509,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20170240115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 359841, 359871, 359872, 359881, 296 111
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0602 comprising means for cleaning or deicing
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/074 for retracting the mirror arrangements to a non-use position alongside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0215 Protecting, fastening and routing means therefor

Abstract

Adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle, comprising a foot for attachment to a fixed element of the motor vehicle, and a housing adjustably connected with the foot, the housing being adjustable around a rotation axis extending through the adjusting instrument, while around the rotation axis a passage opening is provided for passing through a cable tree, the housing being provided with a slot along a height thereof which provides lateral access to the passage opening and the foot being provided with a slot along a height thereof which provides lateral access to the passage opening, the housing being furthermore adjustable relative to the foot into an assembly position in which the slot of the foot aligns with the slot of the housing to provide lateral access to the passage opening for laterally introducing a cable tree into the passage opening.

Claims

1. An adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a foot configured for attachment to a fixed element of the motor vehicle;

a housing adjustably connected with the foot;

a rotation axis extending through the adjusting instrument around which the housing is adjustable;

a passage opening formed within the adjusting instrument around the rotation axis, the passage opening configured for passing through a cable tree;

a first slot extending along a height of the housing providing lateral access to the passage opening; and

a second slot extending along a height of the foot providing lateral access to the passage opening, wherein

the first slot of the housing aligns with the second slot of the foot upon adjustment of the housing relative to the foot to provide lateral access to the passage opening for laterally introducing a cable tree into the passage opening.

2. The adjusting instrument according to claim 1 further comprising a closing element for locking the cable tree in the passage opening.

3. The adjusting instrument according to claim 2, wherein the closing element is a filler piece, a ring, or a hook, and the filler piece is introduced into at least one of the first slot or the second slot to at least partially fill up the first and second slots following insertion of the cable tree into the passage opening.

4. The adjusting instrument according to claim 1 further comprising a passage tube receivable in the passage opening, wherein the passage tube comprises a third slot configured to provide lateral access for introducing the cable tree.

5. The adjusting instrument according to claim 4, wherein the passage tube is adjustable relative to the adjusting instrument such that the third slot of the passage tube may be aligned with the first slot and the second slot to provide lateral access to the passage tube, or not aligned with at least one of the first slot or the second slot to lock the cable tree in the passage tube.

6. The adjusting instrument according to claim 4, wherein the passage tube comprises a lower flange which extends in a direction transverse to a length of the passage tube.

7. The adjusting instrument according to claim 6, wherein the passage tube further comprises an upper flange which extends in a direction transverse to the length of the passage tube for locking the adjusting instrument in an axial direction between the upper and the lower flange.

8. The adjusting instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a drive unit for adjusting the housing relative to the foot.

9. The adjusting instrument according to claim 8, wherein the drive unit comprises a drive wheel along which the housing is adjustable, the drive wheel further comprising a fourth slot configured to provide lateral access to the passage opening.

10. The adjusting instrument according to claim 1, wherein the housing is biased towards the foot by at least one elastic element placed at a distance from the rotation axis or around the rotation axis.

11. The adjusting instrument according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting instrument comprises first cooperating elements and the fixed element of the motor vehicle comprises second cooperating elements, wherein the first cooperating elements are translatable relative to the second cooperating elements in one direction and block translation in an opposite direction for connection of the adjusting instrument with the fixed element of the motor vehicle.

12. A motor vehicle comprising the adjusting instrument according to claim 1.

13. An exterior mirror for a motor vehicle comprising the adjusting instrument according to claim 1.

14. The adjusting instrument according to claim 1, wherein the fixed element of the motor vehicle is a mirror shoe.

15. A method for assembling a cable tree in an adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle comprising:

adjusting a housing of the adjusting instrument relative to a foot of the adjusting instrument such that a first slot of the housing aligns with a second slot of the foot, wherein both the first slot and the second slot provide lateral access to a passage opening of the adjusting instrument; and

introducing the cable tree into the passage opening using the lateral access, wherein

the foot is configured for attachment to a fixed element of the motor vehicle,

the housing is adjustably connected with the foot,

the first slot extends along a height of the housing,

the second slot extends along a height of the foot, and

the passage opening is formed within the adjusting instrument around a rotation axis around which the housing is adjustable, wherein the passage opening is configured for passing through a cable tree.

16. The method for assembling a cable tree in an adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle of claim 15 further comprising locking the cable tree in the passage opening using a closing element of the adjusting instrument.

17. The method for assembling a cable tree in an adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving a passage tube within the passage opening, the passage tube having a third slot; and

adjusting of the passage tube within the passage opening such that the third slot aligns with the first slot and the second slot to provide lateral access to the passage tube.

18. The method for assembling a cable tree in an adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle of claim 17 further comprising locking the cable tree in the passage tube by adjusting the passage tube within the passage opening such that the third slot does not align with at least one of the first slot or the second slot.

19. The method for assembling a cable tree in an adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein the passage tube further comprises a lower flange and an upper flange which extend in a direction transverse to a length of the passage tube for locking the adjustment instrument in an axial direction between the lower flange and the upper flange.

20. The method for assembling a cable tree in an adjusting instrument for an exterior mirror of a motor vehicle of claim 15 further comprising inserting at least a first cooperating element of the adjusting instrument into a corresponding second cooperating element of the fixed element for attachment of the adjusting instrument to the exterior mirror.