Mounting apparatus for rear-view mirrors and the like

• US 4,382,572 A
• Filed: 01/21/1981
• Issued: 05/10/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William E. Thompson
• Original Assignee: William E. Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schultz, William H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US06/226,622
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 248/484, 248/481, 248/483, 248/482, 248/73, 248/223.4, 248/224.1, 248/224.2, 403/333, 403/334, 403/56, 285/332, 285/332.1
• US Class Current: 248/484
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32032 Plural ball and socket

Abstract

A rear-view mirror mounting apparatus for attaching a rear-view mirror to a windshield includes a substantially flat, receiving member and a hollow, inserting member which is slidably received within the receiving member. The receiving member includes a tapered, dovetail-like receiving channel which is symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline of the receiving member. The inserting member is contoured at one end with a spherical element suitable for receipt by a pivot mechanism or similar interconnection means and the opposite end is contoured with a flared, conical shape. The bottom edge of this flared, conical shape includes a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion and two side edge portions. The two side edge portions are disposed in a first plane and the leading and trailing edge portions are disposed in a second geometric plane parallel to the first, the two side portions are suitably sized and spaced so as to fit beneath the undercut side edges of the receiving channel. Thus, as this inserting member is advanced downwardly in the direction of narrowing taper, the two side edge portions as well as the leading and trailing edge portions make contact with the receiving member at four primary points of contact interference which are approximately 90 degrees apart.

Claims

1. A mounting apparatus for attaching a first object to a second object comprising:

an inserting member having a first end adapted for attachment to a first object and a second, opposite end having a hollow, generally conical shape; and

a receiving member having a first surface adapted for attachment to a second object and a second, opposite surface defining therein a longitudinally extending receiving channel w hich tapers in the longitudinal direction such that its lateral width decreases, said receiving channel having undercut longitudinal edges, said tapered receiving channel including a bottom surface intermediate between said first and second surfaces and being adapted such that the undercut longitudinal edges slidably receive, in the direction of narrowing taper said second, opposite end and engage said second opposite end at two primary areas of interference contact, said inserting member and said receiving member being cooperatively adapted such that continued advancement of said inserting member in the direction of narrowing taper increases the interference contact at said two primary areas and forces said inserting member against said bottom surface into engagement at two additional primary areas of interference contact which are spaced from said first two primary areas.

2. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said four primary areas of interference contact are spaced approximately 90 degrees apart.

3. The mounting apparatus of claim 2 wherein said receiving channel is generally symmetrical about a longitudinal centerline and two of said four primary points of interference contact are located substantially on said centerline.

4. The mounting apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receiving member is a substantially flat plate and the undercut longitudinal edges of said receiving channel have a generally dovetail shape in cross section.

5. A mounting apparatus for attaching a first object to a second object comprises:

an inserting member having a first end adapted for attachment to a first object and a second, opposite end having a generally conical shape; and

a receiving member having a first surface adapted for attachment to a second object and a second, opposite surface defining therein a longitudinally extending receiving channel which tapers in the longitudinal direction such that its lateral width decreases and which includes undercut longitudinal edges, said tapered receiving channel including a bottom surface intermediate between said first and second surfaces, said inserting member and said receiving member being cooperatively adapted such that continued advancement of said inserting member in the direction of narrowing taper forces said inserting member into contact against said bottom surface at two primary points of interference contact and wherein said second, opposite end includes a bottom edge contoured with two upper side portions disposed in an upper plane and two lower edge portions disposed in a lower plane, said upper and lower planes being substantially parallel to each other, and said lower edge portions being forced into contact against said bottom surface by said advancement in the direction of narrowing taper.

6. The mounting apparatus of claim 5 wherein said two upper side portions are received by the undercut portions of said receiving channel.