Holding device of mirror element for rearview mirror

• US 4,877,214 A
• Filed: 01/12/1988
• Issued: 10/31/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Murakami Kaimeido Co Ltd (Murakami Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Murakami Kaimeido Co Ltd (Murakami Corporation)
• Inventors: Ito, Yasutoshi, Toshiaki, Kikuchi, Yamana, Tohru, Mochizuki, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): FOSS, J
• Application Number:
  US07/143,447
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 248/481, 248/482, 248/483, 350/605, 350/606, 350/611, 350/633, 350/634, 350/637, 350/636
• US Class Current: 248/483
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A holding device of a mirror element for rearview mirror includes an actuator unit for tiltably inclining a mirror, and a mirror element mounted through a pivot plate on the actuator unit. The mirror element has a mirror plate and a mirror holder, and an aperture of the size capable of engaging at least the central portion of the pivot plate at the center of the mirror holder. Hook type latch means is provided at the mirror holder and the upper portion of the pivot plate, and pawl engaging means utilizing undercuts are formed at the lower portion. The pivot plate is mounted by the supporting means of the actuator unit to form a subassembly. After the subassembly is fixed to the mirror body, the hook of the mirror element is engaged with the pivot plate, and the pawl is engaged while rotating the mirror element downward at the latch as a center to associate the mirror assembly.

Claims

1. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mirror element having a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, an aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline that is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element;

supporting means formed at said actuator unit means for tiltable supporting said mirror element;

pivot means mounted on said actuator unit means by said supporting means and mounted separately on said aperture portion, said pivot means having a pivot plate with an upper portion and a lower portion;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate;

pawl engaging means for engaging said undercut of said mirror holder with said lower portion of said pivot plate; and

said mirror holder being formed with a cutout for inserting a separating tool at a skirt of a peripheral edge thereof and with a contacting surface to be contacted with an end of said separating tool.

2. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mirror element having a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, an aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline that is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element;

supporting means formed at said actuator unit means for tiltably supporting said mirror element;

pivot means mounted on said actuator unit means by said supported means and mounted separately on said aperture portion, said pivot means having a pivot plate with an upper portion and a lower portion;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate;

pawl engaging means for engaging said undercut of said mirror holder with said lower portion of said pivot plate, said actuating unit means being driveable, said supporting means having upper and lower portions, said actuator unit means including anti-rotation pieces protruded at said upper and lower portions of said supporting means so as to prevent said mirror element from rotating in a plane perpendicular to said mirror element when said actuating unit means is driven; and

said holding device further comprising retainers arranged at said pivot plate for engaging said anti-rotation pieces.

3. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mirror element having a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, an aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline that is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element;

supporting means formed at said actuator unit means for tiltably supporting said mirror element;

pivot means mounted on said actuator unit means by said supporting means and mounted separately on said aperture portion, said pivot means having a pivot plate with an upper portion and a lower portion;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate;

pawl engaging means for engaging said undercut of said mirror holder with said lower portion of said pivot plate;

said actuator unit means including a front housing and a rear housing engaging each other, said front housing and said rear housing having inner walls facing each other, said supporting means including a cylinder extending longitudinally between said inner walls, said cylinder having an upper surface and a threaded cylinder protruding from said upper surface, said threaded cylinder having a periphery and a threaded center;

said holding device further comprising;

means for pivotably holding said front housing said rear housing together and including a spherical segment-shaped socket formed at said periphery of said threaded cylinder, a spherical segment-shaped pivot engaging said spherical segment-shaped socket and having a center area forming a recess, and a spherical segment-shaped cap engaging said recess; and

means for adjusting a desired engaging torque and including a helical spring container in said cap and also including a tapping screw inserted through said helical spring and threaded into said center of said threaded cylinder.

4. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mirror element having a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, an aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline that is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element;

supporting means formed at said actuator unit means for tiltably supporting said mirror element;

pivot means mounted on said actuator unit means by said supporting means and mounted separately on said aperture portion, said pivot means having a pivot plate with an upper portion and a lower portion;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate; and

pawl engaging means for engaging said undercut of said mirror holder with said lower portion of said pivot plate, each of said aperture portion and said pivot plate having upper right and left sides, said mirror holder having a back surface facing away from said mirror plate, said hook type latch means including hooks formed at said upper right and left sides of said aperture portion on said back surface of said mirror holder, said hook type latch means further including supporting rods formed at said upper right and left sides of said pivot plate so as to engage said hooks.

5. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mirror element having a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, and aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline that is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element;

supporting means formed at said actuator unit means for tiltably supporting said mirror element;

pivot means mounted on said actuator unit means by said supporting means and mounted separately on said aperture portion, said pivot means having a pivot plate with an upper portion and a lower portion;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate; and

pawl engaging means for engaging said undercut of said mirror holder with said lower portion of said pivot plate, said supporting means having a center, said mirror holder having a back surface facing away from said mirror plate, said aperture portion having lower positions on said back surface of said mirror holder, said pawl engaging means including a pair of pawl members protruding at symmetrical positions inclined at 45°

with respect to said center of said supporting means at said lower positions on said back surface of said mirror holder, said pawl engaging means further including a pair of openings formed at said pivot plate so as to engage said pawl members

6. The holding device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said openings have a rectangular shape.

7. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mirror element having a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, an aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline tht is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element;

supporting means formed at said actuator unit means for tiltably supporting said mirror element;

pivot means mounted on said actuator unit means by said supporting means and mounted separately on said aperture portion, said pivot means having a pivot plate with an upper portion, a lower portion, and a lower peripheral edge;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate;

pawl engaging means for engaging said undercut of said mirror holder with said lower portion of said pivot plate; and

means for guiding said pivot plate during mounting and including a strip longitudinally projecting from said mirror holder into said aperture portion and including a pair of projections contacting said lower peripheral edge of said pivot plate.

8. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a mirror element having a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, an aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline that is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element and including front and rear housings engaging each other;

supporting means formed at said actuator unit means for tiltably supporting said mirror element;

pivot means mounted on said actuator unit means by said supporting means and mounted separately on said aperture portion, said pivot means having a pivot plate with an upper portion and a lower portion;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate;

pawl engaging means for engaging said undercut of said mirror holder with said lower portion of said pivot plate; and

means for restricting said angle of incline of said mirror element and including a plurality of stoppers extending from said pivot plate and being in contact said rear housing.

9. The holding device as claimed in claim 8, wherein said aperture portion has center with a substantially thick cross shape.

10. A holding device of a mirror element for a rearview window, comprising:

a mirror element including a mirror plate and a mirror holder supporting said mirror plate, said mirror holder having a central area, an aperture portion formed at said central area, and an undercut, said mirror element having an angle of incline which is adjustable;

actuator unit means for adjusting said angle of incline of said mirror element;

a pivot plate for connecting said mirror element with said actuator unit means to enable adjustment of said angle of incline of said mirror element by said actuator unit means, said pivot plate having an upper portion, a lower portion and a portion mounted on said aperture portion of said mirror holder, said actuator unit means including means for tiltably supporting said pivot plate;

hook type latch means for engaging said mirror holder with said upper portion of said pivot plate; and

pawl means for engaging said undercut with said lower portion of said pivot plate.

11. The holding device as claimed in claim 10;

and further comprising;

a base;

a mirror body supported by said base, said actuator unit means being fixed to said mirror body and including a front housing and a rear housing engaging each other.