Rearview mirror support bracket with retaining protrusion, rearview mirror case and reflective element

• US 5,572,354 A
• Filed: 03/18/1994
• Issued: 11/05/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Mirrors Limited
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Mirrors Limited
• Inventors: MacNamara, Patrick, Desmond, John, McCormack, Sean, Lawlor, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, VU ANH
• Application Number:
  US08/210,358
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 359/602, 359/603, 359/604, 359/605, 359/606, 359/877, 359/876, 359/214, 359/844, 359/607, 359/265
• US Class Current: 359/265
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/06 Ball-joints; Other joints having more than one degree of angular freedom, i.e. universal joints universal joints in which flexibility is produced by means of pivots or sliding or rolling connecting parts F16D3/16
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/0604 Construction of the male part

Abstract

A support bracket for mounting a mirror on a vehicle, the support bracket having at one end means for mounting the bracket onto a vehicle and means at the other end for mounting a mirror. The means for mounting the mirror comprises retaining means to substantially prevent disengagement of the mirror from the bracket. A rearview mirror case is disclosed wherein the case comprises a case body having an integrally formed socket for receiving one end of a complementary support bracket. A rearview mirror is disclosed comprising a reflective element actuatable between at least two reflective conditions and shock absorbing means abutting a rear surface of the reflective element.

Claims

1. A support bracket for mounting a rearview mirror on a vehicle, said support bracket having two ends, means at one end for mounting said bracket to a vehicle, and means at the other end for mounting the rearview mirror, said means for mounting the rearview mirror further including a generally spherical ball for insertion in a complementary socket provided in a mirror case of the rearview mirror, and retaining means for substantially preventing disengagement of said spherical ball from the socket, said retaining means including a protrusion on said spherical ball, said protrusion having a free end adapted to project into an aperture in the socket in the mirror case, the socket aperture having a predetermined width, said protrusion having a width less than the width of the socket aperture whereby movement of said spherical ball out of the socket is prevented.

2. A support bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rearview mirror is a vehicle interior rearview mirror.

3. A support bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusion includes a generally cylindrical member integrally formed with said spherical ball.

4. A support bracket as claimed in claim 1 in combination with the vehicle rearview mirror, said rearview mirror including a reflective element actuatable between at least two reflective conditions.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein said reflective element has a shock absorbing means for absorbing shocks abutting a rear surface of said reflective element.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 4, wherein said reflective element has a resilient means for providing resiliency abutting a rear surface of said reflective element.

7. A support bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rearview mirror is of the type including a mirror case having a case body and an integrally formed socket for receiving said spherical ball.

8. A support bracket for mounting an article on a vehicle, said support bracket having means at one end for mounting the bracket onto a vehicle and means at the other end for mounting a vehicle rearview mirror, said means for mounting the rearview mirror further comprising retaining means to substantially prevent disengagement of the rearview mirror from said bracket;

said means for mounting the rearview mirror including generally a spherical ball for insertion in a complementary socket provided in a mirror case of the rearview mirror;

said retaining means including a protrusion provided on the spherical ball, said protrusion acting to substantially prevent disengagement of the mirror case from said bracket, said protrusion including a generally cylindrical member integrally formed with said spherical ball and flange means for further preventing disengagement of said mirror case from said bracket.

9. A rearview mirror case, wherein said case comprises a case body having an integrally formed socket for receiving one end of a complementary support bracket, said socket projecting rearwardly of said mirror case and including a first wall defining at least a partially spherical recess for accommodating a spherical ball provided on one end of the support bracket, and a second wall extending rearwardly of said first wall, said second wall being of lesser thickness than said first wall and having an inherent resilience to enable the spherical ball of the bracket to be forced into said partially spherical recess, said second wall having a plurality of slots which extend slightly into said first wall such that said second wall comprises a plurality of wall portions.

10. A rearview mirror case as claimed in claim 9, wherein a resilient split ring is provided to embrace said wall portions of said second wall to cause said second wall portions to close slightly around said spherical ball of said bracket when said spherical ball is accommodated in said socket.

11. A rearview mirror case as claimed in claim 9, wherein said mirror case supports a reflective element and a shock absorbing means for absorbing shocks abuts a rear surface of said reflective element.

12. A rearview mirror as claimed in claim 9, wherein said mirror case supports a reflective element and a resilient means for providing resiliency abuts a rear surface of said reflective element.

13. A reflective element for a rearview mirror, said reflective element comprising a reflective element having a rear surface and being actuatable between at least two reflective conditions, and shock absorbing means abutting said rear surface of said reflective element;

said shock absorbing means including a layer of foam material adhered to said rear surface of said reflective element, said layer of foam material having an adhesive rear surface;

said reflective element also including a circuit board attached to said adhesive rear surface, said circuit board containing a circuit for controlling the reflective condition of said reflective element.

14. A reflective element as claimed in claim 13, wherein said foam material comprises a cross-linked polyethylene foam.