ACCESSORY MOUNTING SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR USE IN A VEHICLE
First Claim
1. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
- an assembly adapted for mounting at and demounting from a receiving structure at a portion of an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle;
a light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle, said light absorbing layer at least partially hiding said assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle when said viewer is viewing through the windshield with said assembly normally mounted at said receiving structure;
wherein said light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion;
a forwardly-viewing camera disposed at said assembly;
said forwardly-viewing camera viewing through said light transmitting portion of said light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle when said assembly is mounted at said receiving structure; and
wherein said assembly comprises a pivot element and wherein said pivot element has electrical wiring passing therethrough, said pivot element connecting to an interior mirror.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An accessory mounting system includes an assembly adapted for mounting or attachment at a portion of the windshield of a vehicle. A light absorbing layer at the portion of the windshield of the vehicle at least partially hides the assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle when the viewer is viewing through the windshield with the assembly at the portion of the windshield. The light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion, and a forwardly-viewing camera disposed at the assembly views through the light transmitting portion of the light absorbing layer at the portion of the windshield of the vehicle when the assembly is at the portion of the windshield. The assembly may comprise a pivot element for connecting to an interior mirror or the assembly may comprise a mirror assembly mount button received by a mirror mount of a single-pivot or double-pivot interior rearview mirror assembly.
148 Citations
61 Claims
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1. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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an assembly adapted for mounting at and demounting from a receiving structure at a portion of an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle; a light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle, said light absorbing layer at least partially hiding said assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle when said viewer is viewing through the windshield with said assembly normally mounted at said receiving structure; wherein said light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion; a forwardly-viewing camera disposed at said assembly; said forwardly-viewing camera viewing through said light transmitting portion of said light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle when said assembly is mounted at said receiving structure; and wherein said assembly comprises a pivot element and wherein said pivot element has electrical wiring passing therethrough, said pivot element connecting to an interior mirror. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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an assembly adapted for attaching at a portion of an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle; a light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle, said light absorbing layer at least partially hiding said assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle when said viewer is viewing through the windshield with said assembly normally attached at said portion of the windshield; wherein said light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion; a forwardly-viewing camera disposed at said assembly; said forwardly-viewing camera viewing through said light transmitting portion of said light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle when said assembly is attached at said portion of the windshield; wherein said assembly comprises a pivot element, said pivot element connecting to an interior mirror; wherein said pivot element comprises an element of a ball and socket pivot joint and said element of said ball and socket pivot joint is integral with said assembly; and wherein said interior mirror comprises an interior electrochromic mirror, said interior electrochromic mirror comprising a mirror housing including a mirror reflector, and wherein said mirror housing is adjustable about said pivot element to adjust a rearward field of view of said mirror reflector when said assembly is attached at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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an assembly adapted for attaching at a portion of an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle; a light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle, said light absorbing layer at least partially hiding said assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle when said viewer is viewing through the windshield with said assembly normally attached at said portion of the windshield; wherein said light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion; a forwardly-viewing camera disposed at said assembly; said forwardly-viewing camera viewing through said light transmitting portion of said light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle when said assembly is attached at said portion of the windshield; and wherein said assembly comprises a mirror assembly mount button and wherein said mirror assembly mount button is configured to be received by a mirror mount of an interior rearview mirror assembly. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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an assembly adapted for mounting at and demounting from a receiving structure at a portion of an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle; a light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle, said light absorbing layer at least partially hiding said assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle when said viewer is viewing through the windshield with said assembly normally mounted at said receiving structure; wherein said light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion; a forwardly-viewing camera disposed at said assembly; said forwardly-viewing camera viewing through said light transmitting portion of said light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle when said assembly is mounted at said receiving structure; wherein said assembly comprises a pivot element and wherein said pivot element has electrical wiring passing therethrough, said pivot element connecting to an interior mirror; wherein said interior mirror comprises an interior electrochromic mirror, said interior electrochromic mirror comprising a mirror housing including a mirror reflector, and wherein said mirror housing is adjustable about said pivot element to adjust a rearward field of view of said mirror reflector when said assembly is mounted at said receiving structure at said portion of the interior surface of the windshield of the vehicle; wherein at least one of (a) said pivot element comprises an element of a ball and socket pivot joint, (b) said pivot element comprises an element of a ball and socket pivot joint and said element of said ball and socket pivot joint is integral with said assembly, and (c) said pivot element has a conduit established therethrough for said electrical wiring; wherein said accessory mounting system further comprises a cover for said assembly; and wherein a rain sensor is encompassed by said cover when said assembly is normally mounted at said receiving structure. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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an assembly adapted for mounting at and demounting from a receiving structure adhesively attached at a portion of an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle; a light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle, said light absorbing layer at least partially hiding said assembly from view by a viewer external the vehicle when said viewer is viewing through the windshield with said assembly normally attached at said portion of the windshield; wherein said light absorbing layer includes a light transmitting portion; a forwardly-viewing camera disposed at said assembly; said forwardly-viewing camera viewing through said light transmitting portion of said light absorbing layer at said portion of the windshield of the vehicle when said assembly is attached at said portion of the windshield; and wherein said assembly comprises a mirror assembly mount button and wherein said mirror assembly mount button is configured to be received by a mirror mount of an interior rearview mirror assembly. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification