Mirror drive unit

• US 5,311,368 A
• Filed: 11/30/1992
• Issued: 05/10/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Tsuyama, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBBINS, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/983,230
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 359/872, 359/874, 359/876, 359/877, 439/34, 74/502.1
• US Class Current: 359/874
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/115 U-shaped sockets having inwardly bent legs, e.g. spade type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20432 for moving a mirror

Abstract

Lead terminals of a plurality of motors disposed inside a drive unit casing are lead out through a plurality of elongated through-holes formed in the casing and connected to a plurality of power-supply sheathed wires by connecting terminals. A plurality of elongated concavities is formed adjoining to the corresponding through-holes on the outer surface of the casing. With the connecting terminals connected to the plurality of sheathed wires, the plurality of lead terminals extended from the motor are bent through a nearly right angle at the open ends of the through-holes along the outer surface of the casing and the connecting terminals are forcibly fitted on the side walls of the elongated concavities. Therefore, the electrical connection between the lead terminals extended from the plurality of motors and the plurality of power-supply sheathed wires needs no soldering. The sheathed wires can be very easily connected to the lead terminals of the motors and they can not be easily disconnected from the lead terminals.

Claims

1. A mirror drive unit, comprising:

a plurality of motors, each with a plurality of lead terminals, for tilting a mirror supported pivotably inside a mirror housing about the horizontal and vertical axes thereof;

a synthetic resin-made casing having upper and lower surfaces and housing the motors;

a harness including a plurality of wires, connected to the casing, to supply electric power to the plurality of motors in the casing;

said casing having formed therein a plurality of small through-holes through which the lead terminals of said plurality of motors directly extend from inside to outside thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to one of the upper or lower surfaces of the casing and also having a plurality of small concavities formed on an outer surface thereof, said plurality of small concavities adjoining said through-holes;

one end of each of said lead terminals of the plurality of motors, respectively, being exposed outside a through-hole and bent at an outside end of the through-hole at a substantially right angle so as to be received in an adjoining concavity; and

a plurality of connecting terminals each having a plurality of gripping pieces to mechanically connect exposed ends of the plurality of lead terminals and the plurality of wires in said harness, said connecting terminals being forcibly fitted on side walls of said concavities.

2. A mirror drive unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said connecting terminals further include a plurality of engagement pieces located on at least some of said plurality of gripping pieces and wherein said plurality of concavities includes a plurality of recesses formed in the side walls of said concavities, in which said engagement pieces are engaged.

3. A mirror drive unit, comprising:

a plurality of motors, each with a plurality of lead terminals, for tilting a mirror supported pivotably inside a mirror housing about the horizontal and vertical axes thereof;

a synthetic resin-made casing having upper and lower surfaces and housing the motors;

a harness including a plurality of wires, connected to the casing, to supply electric power to the plurality of motors in the casing;

said casing having formed therein a plurality of small through-holes through which the lead terminals of said plurality of motors directly extend from inside to outside thereof in a direction substantially perpendicular to one of the upper or lower surfaces of the casing and also having a plurality of small concavities formed on an outer surface thereof, said plurality of small concavities adjoining said through-holes;

one end of each of said lead terminals of the plurality of motors, respectively, being exposed outside a through-hole and bent at an outside end of the through-hole at a substantially right angle so as to be received in an adjoining concavity; and

a plurality of connecting terminals each having a plurality of gripping pieces to mechanically connect exposed ends of the plurality of lead terminals and the plurality of wires in said harness, said connecting terminals being forcibly fitted on side walls of said concavities;

wherein said connecting terminals further include a plurality of engagement pieces located on at least some of said plurality of gripping pieces and wherein said plurality of concavities includes a plurality of recesses formed in the side walls of said concavities, in which said engagement pieces are engaged.