Pivot down vanity mirror assembly

• US 5,039,153 A
• Filed: 08/28/1989
• Issued: 08/13/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prince (Wellman Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Robbins, Craig, Lindberg, Kenneth M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Focarino, Margaret A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pike, Andrew C.
• Application Number:
  US07/398,946
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.7, 296/37.8, 296/97.5, 296/97.12, 296/97.13, 362/135, 362/136, 362/140, 362/141, 362/142, 362/144, 16/297, 16/303, 16/325, 16/341, 16/342, 16/344, 16/347, 350/604, 350/632
• US Class Current: 296/37.7
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A vanity mirror assembly includes a housing which is adapted to be mounted to the roof structure of a vehicle and a generally L-shaped pivot rod with one end locked to the housing and an opposite end pivotally mounted to a vanity mirror frame. The pivot rod includes an offset portion defining a cam which engages a cam surface on the frame to control the pivotal motion of the frame with respect to the housing.

Claims

1. A vanity mirror assembly comprising:

housing means attachable to a vehicle;

a vanity mirror frame assembly including a mirror mounted therein, said frame assembly including means for receiving one end of a pivot rod for pivotally mounting said rod therein; and

said pivot rod being generally L-shaped and having said one end extending into said vanity mirror frame assembly and a second end anchored to said housing means, said pivot rod including an axially offset segment for engaging said vanity mirror frame assembly to provide frictional torque therebetween for controlling motion of said vanity mirror frame assembly with respect to said housing means;

wherein said vanity mirror frame assembly further includes a pair of spaced mounting bosses having cylindrical apertures for receiving said pivot rod with said offset segment positioned between said mounting bosses.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said vanity mirror frame assembly further includes a camming surface positioned between said mounting bosses and adjacent thereto for engaging said offset segment of said pivot rod.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said vanity mirror frame assembly further includes a floor which carries said mounting bosses and said camming surface and wherein said floor includes means defining a channel aligned between said mounting bosses for snap-lock receiving said offset segment of said pivot rod when said vanity mirror frame assembly is in a lowered use position.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said one end of said pivot rod is tapered to facilitate assembly of said pivot rod within said mounting bosses.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said offset segment is offset approximately one half a diameter of said pivot rod.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said mounting bosses are made of resilient polymeric material.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said mounting bosses are made of polycarbonate.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said vanity mirror frame assembly further includes means for receiving a second pivot rod.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said second pivot rod is generally L-shaped.

10. A mounting assembly for a vehicle accessory comprising:

housing means attachable to a vehicle;

the vehicle accessory including means for receiving one end of a pivot rod for pivotally mounting said rod thereto; and

said pivot rod being generally L-shaped and having said one end extending into said accessory and a second end anchored to said housing means, said pivot rod including an axially offset segment for engaging said accessory to provide fictional torque therebetween for controlling pivotal motion of said accessory with respect to said housing means;

wherein said accessory further includes a pair of spaced mounting bosses having cylindrical apertures for receiving said pivot rod with said offset segment positioned between said mounting bosses.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said accessory further includes a camming surface positioned between said mounting bosses and adjacent thereto for engaging said offset segment of said pivot rod.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said accessory further includes a floor which carries said mounting bosses and said camming surface and wherein said floor includes means defining a channel aligned between said mounting bosses for snap-lock receiving said offset segment of said pivot rod when said accessory is in a predetermined use position.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said one end of said pivot rod is tapered to facilitate assembly of said pivot rod within said mounting bosses.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said offset segment is offset approximately one half a diameter of said pivot rod.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said mounting bosses are made of resilient polymeric material.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said mounting bosses are made of polycarbonate.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 wherein said accessory further includes means for receiving a second pivot rod.