Interior rearview mirror assembly with polymeric components
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interior rearview mirror assembly for vehicles incorporates a rearview mirror housing assembly having a polymeric rearview mirror housing and a reflective mirror element, a polymeric rearview mirror support, a polymeric rearview mirror mount, and first and second polymeric ball pivot members received in respective sockets allowing pivotal adjustment of the rearview mirror housing assembly. At least one electrical conductor connects an electrical accessory in the mirror housing assembly to the vehicle electrical system. The rearview mirror support includes a cable-way such that the presence of the electrical conductor as it passes through the ball pivot members and the cable-way is concealed from view while being protected therein even while the ball pivot members are pivoted for adjustment. The various polymeric elements of the assembly are preferably molded in the same color such as black, or alternately in at least two different colors.
87 Citations
183 Claims
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1-128. -128. (canceled)
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129. An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle comprising:
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a rearview mirror mount formed from polymeric material having a first color, said rearview mirror mount adapted for attachment to one of a windshield portion of the vehicle and a header portion of the vehicle;
a rearview mirror housing assembly, said housing assembly including a rearview mirror housing formed from polymeric material having a second color and a reflective rearview mirror element;
a rearview mirror support formed from polymeric material having a third color;
a first ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fourth color;
a second ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fifth color;
said support being pivotal about said mirror mount by said first ball pivot member, said rearview mirror housing assembly being pivotal about said support by said second ball pivot member;
at least one of said mirror mount and said support including said first ball pivot member, the other of said mirror mount and said support including a first socket that receives and frictionally engages said first ball pivot member;
at least one of said rearview mirror housing assembly and said support including said second ball pivot member, the other of said mirror housing assembly and said support including a second socket that receives and frictionally engages said second ball pivot member;
wherein each of said mirror mount, said mirror support, said rearview mirror housing, said first ball pivot member, and said second ball pivot member is formed in its respective color by molding from polymeric material of that color;
at least one electrical accessory included in said rearview mirror housing assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one electrical conductor for electrically connecting said electrical accessory to the vehicle electrical system;
said rearview mirror support including a cable-way through which said electrical conductor passes, said electrical conductor passing through said first ball pivot member, said cable-way and said second ball pivot member for connection to the vehicle electrical system whereby the presence of said electrical conductor passing through said rearview mirror support and said first and second ball pivot members is concealed from view while being protected therein even while said ball pivot members are pivoted for adjustment of the position of said rearview mirror housing assembly. - View Dependent Claims (130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157)
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158. An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle comprising:
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a rearview mirror mount formed from polymeric material having a first color, said rearview mirror mount adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle;
a rearview mirror housing assembly, said housing assembly including a rearview mirror housing formed from polymeric material having a second color and a reflective rearview mirror element;
a rearview mirror support formed from polymeric material having a third color;
a first ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fourth color;
a second ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fifth color;
said support being pivotal about said mirror mount by said first ball pivot member, said rearview mirror housing assembly being pivotal about said support by said second ball pivot member;
at least one of said mirror mount and said support including said first ball pivot member, the other of said mirror mount and said support including a first socket that receives and frictionally engages said first ball pivot member;
at least one of said rearview mirror housing assembly and said support including said second ball pivot member, the other of said mirror housing assembly and said support including a second socket that receives and frictionally engages said second ball pivot member;
wherein each of said mirror mount, said mirror support, said rearview mirror housing, said first ball pivot member, and said second ball pivot member is formed in its respective color by molding from polymeric material of that color;
the torque required to move said first ball pivot member in said first socket being greater than the torque required to move said second ball pivot member in said second socket;
at least one electrical accessory included in said rearview mirror housing assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one electrical conductor for electrically connecting said electrical accessory to the vehicle electrical system;
said rearview mirror support including a cable-way through which said electrical conductor passes, said electrical conductor passing through said first ball pivot member, said cable-way and said second ball pivot member for connection to the vehicle electrical system whereby the presence of said electrical conductor passing through said rearview mirror support and said first and second ball pivot members is concealed from view while being protected therein even while said ball pivot members are pivoted for adjustment of the position of said rearview mirror housing assembly. - View Dependent Claims (159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169)
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170. An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle comprising:
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a rearview mirror mount formed from polymeric material having a first color, said rearview mirror mount adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle;
a rearview mirror housing assembly, said housing assembly including a rearview mirror housing formed from polymeric material having a second color and a reflective rearview mirror element;
a rearview mirror support formed from polymeric material having a third color;
a first ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fourth color;
a second ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fifth color;
said support being pivotal about said mirror mount by said first ball pivot member, said rearview mirror housing assembly being pivotal about said support by said second ball pivot member;
at least one of said mirror mount and said support including said first ball pivot member, the other of said mirror mount and said support including a first socket that receives and frictionally engages said first ball pivot member;
at least one of said rearview mirror housing assembly and said support including said second ball pivot member, the other of said mirror housing assembly and said support including a second socket that receives and frictionally engages said second ball pivot member;
wherein each of said mirror mount, said mirror support, said rearview mirror housing, said first ball pivot member, and said second ball pivot member is formed in its respective color by molding from polymeric material of that color;
at least one of said first ball pivot member, said first socket, said mirror support, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball pivot member and said second socket is formed from a first polymeric material and at least a second of said first ball pivot member, said first socket, said mirror support, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball pivot member and said second socket is formed from a second polymeric material;
the torque required to move said first ball pivot member in said first socket being greater than the torque required to move said second ball pivot member in said second socket;
at least one electrical accessory included in said rearview mirror housing assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one electrical conductor for electrically connecting said electrical accessory to the vehicle electrical system;
said rearview mirror support including a cable-way through which said electrical conductor passes, said electrical conductor passing through said first ball pivot member, said cable-way and said second ball pivot member for connection to the vehicle electrical system whereby the presence of said electrical conductor passing through said rearview mirror support and said first and second ball pivot members is concealed from view while being protected therein even while said ball pivot members are pivoted for adjustment of the position of said rearview mirror housing assembly. - View Dependent Claims (171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179)
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180. An interior rearview mirror assembly suitable for use in a vehicle comprising:
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a rearview mirror mount formed from polymeric material having a first color, said rearview mirror mount adapted for attachment to an interior portion of the vehicle;
a rearview mirror housing assembly, said housing assembly including a rearview mirror housing formed from polymeric material having a second color and a reflective rearview mirror element;
a rearview mirror support formed from polymeric material having a third color;
a first ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fourth color;
a second ball pivot member formed from polymeric material having a fifth color;
said support being pivotal about said mirror mount by said first ball pivot member, said rearview mirror housing assembly being pivotal about said support by said second ball pivot member;
at least one of said mirror mount and said support including said first ball pivot member, the other of said mirror mount and said support including a first socket that receives and frictionally engages said first ball pivot member;
at least one of said rearview mirror housing assembly and said support including said second ball pivot member, the other of said mirror housing assembly and said support including a second socket that receives and frictionally engages said second ball pivot member;
wherein each of said mirror mount, said mirror support, said rearview mirror housing, said first ball pivot member, and said second ball pivot member is formed in its respective color by molding from polymeric material of that color;
at least one of said first ball pivot member, said first socket, said mirror support, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball pivot member and said second socket is formed from a first polymeric material and at least a second of said first ball pivot member, said first socket, said mirror support, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball pivot member and said second socket is formed from a second polymeric material;
the torque required to move said first ball pivot member in said first socket being greater than the torque required to move said second ball pivot member in said second socket;
at least one electrical accessory included in said rearview mirror housing assembly, said interior rearview mirror assembly including at least one electrical conductor for electrically connecting said electrical accessory to the vehicle electrical system;
said rearview mirror support including a cable-way through which said electrical conductor passes, said electrical conductor passing through said first ball pivot member, said cable-way and said second ball pivot member for connection to the vehicle electrical system whereby the presence of said electrical conductor passing through said rearview mirror support and said first and second ball pivot members is concealed from view while being protected therein even while said ball pivot members are pivoted for adjustment of the position of said rearview mirror housing assembly;
wherein said electrical conductor extends from said rearview mirror housing assembly and passes through said second ball pivot member, said cable-way, and said first ball pivot member and wherein said electrical conductor also extends through said mirror mount;
wherein at least one of said first ball pivot member, said first socket, said support, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball pivot member and said second socket is formed from a first polymeric material and at least a second of said first ball pivot member, said first socket, said support, said rearview mirror mount, said second ball pivot member and said second socket is formed from a second polymeric material; and
wherein first polymeric material comprises a filled polymeric material. - View Dependent Claims (181, 182, 183)
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Specification