Mirror support bracket
First Claim
1. A single ball joint support bracket for a vehicle rearview mirror housing, the mirror housing having a ball member extending therefrom, comprising:
- a mirror stay having a first end terminating in a single, generally spherical, ball joint socket;
a cup, substantially enclosing the ball member extending from the mirror housing, disposed within said generally spherical ball joint socket, and having a rear surface; and
a biasing member disposed in said generally spherical, ball joint socket behind said cup, to force said cup toward one end of said socket and compress about the ball to sustain a substantially constant clamping force on the ball through a range of ambient temperatures, said biasing member including at least one of a disk, rectangular, square, hexagonal, leaf, and coil spring.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mirror assembly for use in vehicles having a support bracket which provides an adjustment mechanism to position the mirror under a substantially constant clamping pressure over a wide range of ambient temperature conditions. The support bracket includes a generally spherical socket which receives a polymeric ball cup substantially enclosing a ball member extending from the mirror. A spring forces the cup and ball member into the socket and causes the polymeric cup to compress about the ball member. The bracket may be used on both header- and windshield-mounted mirror assemblies, and may include an adjustable clamping member forming a portion of the socket whereby the clamping pressure may be further adjusted.
327 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A single ball joint support bracket for a vehicle rearview mirror housing, the mirror housing having a ball member extending therefrom, comprising:
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a mirror stay having a first end terminating in a single, generally spherical, ball joint socket; a cup, substantially enclosing the ball member extending from the mirror housing, disposed within said generally spherical ball joint socket, and having a rear surface; and a biasing member disposed in said generally spherical, ball joint socket behind said cup, to force said cup toward one end of said socket and compress about the ball to sustain a substantially constant clamping force on the ball through a range of ambient temperatures, said biasing member including at least one of a disk, rectangular, square, hexagonal, leaf, and coil spring.
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2. A support bracket for a vehicle rearview mirror housing, the mirror housing having a ball member extending therefrom, comprising:
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a mirror stay having a first end terminating in a generally spherical socket, said socket being defined by a first portion from said first end, and a second cooperating portion coupled to said first portion; a cup substantially enclosing the ball member extending from the mirror housing, and disposed within said generally spherical socket; and a biasing member disposed in said generally spherical socket behind said cup, to force said cup toward one end of said socket and compress about the ball to sustain a substantially constant clamping force on the ball through a range of ambient temperatures. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
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a mirror housing having a back; a ball member extending from said back of said mirror housing; a mirror stay having first and second ends, said first end attached to the vehicle, said second end defining a first portion of a generally spherical clamp; a clamping member defining a second portion of said generally spherical clamp detachably coupled to said first portion and cooperating with said first portion to define a socket; a ball cup disposed about said ball member and received within said socket, said cup having at least one segment compressible about said ball member by said clamp; and a biasing member disposed between said ball cup and said socket for urging at least one segment about said ball member. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A breakaway rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, comprising:
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a securing member attached to the vehicle; a support arm having a first and second ends; a breakaway coupler extending through said securing member for releasably coupling said first end of said stay to said securing member and allowing said coupler to release and separate from said securing member upon impact by a force of predetermined magnitude acting on said stay; a ball-mount retention assembly defined at said second end of said support arm and defining a generally spherical cavity having an opening therein; a compressible liner cup disposed within said spherical cavity; a spring disposed between said spherical cavity and said compressible liner cup opposite said opening; and a ball mount extending from a rearview mirror, said ball mount being received in said liner cup through said opening and clamped in place in said spherical cavity by said compressible liner cup and spring. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification