Mirror adjustment mechanism with electrical connection

• US 20050141116A1
• Filed: 12/06/2002
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• 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: Schalkwijk, Johannes Andreas Petrus, Brand, Marius
• Granted Patent: US 7,473,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/881
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators

Abstract

A mirror adjustment mechanism for a wing mirror of a motor vehicle, comprising a base frame which can be fixedly connected with a motor vehicle, and a mirror connector for supporting a mirror element, which mirror connector is pivotally connected with the base frame through a hinge construction, while there is provided an electrical connection between the base frame and the mirror connector, the electrical connection comprising at least one pair contact during pivoting of the mirror connector relative to the base frame, while one of the contact parts of the siding contact is fixedly connected with the mirror connector.

Claims

1. A mirror adjustment mechanism for a wing mirror of a motor vehicle, comprising a base frame which can be fixedly connected with a motor vehicle, and a mirror connector for supporting a mirror element, which mirror connector is pivotally connected with the base frame through a hinge construction, and wherein there is provided an electrical connection between the base frame and the mirror connector, characterized in that the electrical connection comprises at least one pair of contact parts disposed movably relative to each other, which contact parts jointly form a sliding contact for maintaining the electrical contact during pivoting of the mirror connector relative to the base frame, and one of the contact parts of the sliding contact is fixedly connected with the mirror connector.

2. A mirror adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mirror connector forms part of a subassembly which further comprises a mirror plate and one or more electrical components.

3. A mirror adjustment mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the contact parts of the sliding contact is provided with a contact surface which is overdimensioned with respect to the surface of a conducting path over which the contact parts cooperate during pivoting.

4. A mirror adjustment mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding contact is integrated into two parts of the hinge construction which are disposed movably relative to each other.

5. A mirror adjustment mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a part of the binge construction is integrated into the mirror connector.

6. A mirror adjustment mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge construction comprises a ball hinge with two hinge parts cooperating as a ball and a socket.

7. A mirror adjustment mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hinge construction comprises a first hinge part which is fixedly connected with the base frame and is connected with a crosspiece so as to be pivotable about a first axis A, and comprises a second part which is fixedly connected with the mirror connector and is connected with the crosspiece so as to be pivotable about a second axis B, and wherein the two axes A and B are substantially perpendicular to each other and are situated in planes which are substantially parallel to the mirror plane.

8. A method for assembling a mirror adjustment mechanism, wherein a first subassembly which comprises a base frame is electrically and mechanically pivotably connected with a second subassembly which comprises a mirror connector and electrical components, and wherein the electrical connection is effected by bringing two contact parts of a sliding contact into engagement.