Motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror

• US 6,170,957 B1
• Filed: 07/03/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Hohe GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Hohe GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Kaspar, Rudolf
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US09/111,253
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 359/877, 359/872, 359/873, 359/874, 359/841, 248/476, 248/477
• US Class Current: 359/877
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A motor-adjustable rear-view mirror has a housing, a mirror glass assembly, at least one mirror adjustment drive that effects alignment of the mirror adjustment drive to the reinforcement plate, in which the fastening device has at least one section for transmission of electrical energy and/or electrical signals to the mirror adjustment drive.

Claims

1. A motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror, comprising:

a housing,

a mirror glass assembly,

at least one mirror adjustment drive (3) that effects alignment of said mirror glass assembly,

a reinforcing plate (4), and

a fastening device that fastens said mirror adjustment drive to said reinforcing plate, in which,

said fastening device has at least one section for transmission of at least one of electrical energy and electrical signals to said mirror adjustment drive, wherein said fastening device extends through said reinforcing plate and through an opening in said mirror adjustment drive (3) into a nut (7) placed behind said opening.

2. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 1, in which said fastening device includes at least three connecting elements that, at least in a section, hold said mirror adjustment drive (3) in at least one of a direct and indirect seating on said reinforcing plate (4).

3. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 2, in which at least one of said connecting elements is electrically conductive at least in one section.

4. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 2, in which said at least three connecting elements are arranged so as not to be in direct electrical contact with each other.

5. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 2, in which said mirror adjustment drive includes a motor, and at least one of said connecting elements in the vicinity of one end thereof is electrically connected with a connecting lead of said motor and in the vicinity of a second end thereof is electrically connected to a wiring harness that supplies power and/or data signals to said mirror adjustment drive.

6. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 2, in which at least one of said connecting elements is a screw (5) that is screwed into said nut (7), and at least said mirror adjustment drive (3) and said reinforcing plate (4) are arranged between a head of said screw and said screw nut (7).

7. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 2, in which at least one of said connecting elements comprises two parts that interengage to form a rotary snap closure, and at least said mirror adjustment drive (3) and said reinforcing plate (4) are arranged between two ends of said connecting element when said rotary snap closure is closed.

8. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 2, further comprising a printed circuit board (8) arranged in direct or indirect abutment with said reinforcing plate (4) and having contact places electrically connected to respective ends of said connecting elements and electrically connected to a wiring harness that supplies power and/or data signals to said mirror adjustment drive.

9. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 8, in which a nut (7) is arranged on said printed circuit board (8) and at least one of said connecting elements is screwed into said nut (7).

10. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 8, further comprising a mirror glass heating system (12) with first contacts (16) and second contacts (15) that are arranged on said printed circuit board (8) and are associated with said mirror glass heating system (12) and extend through at least one opening in said mirror adjustment drive (3) as far as said first contacts (16) of said mirror glass heating system (12).

11. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 8, in which said mirror glass assembly (2) includes a mirror glass carrier (10), a mirror glass (11) arranged on said mirror glass carrier (10), said mirror glass heating system (12) being applied to a back side of said mirror glass (11), and electrical contacts (16) on said mirror glass heating system that pass to a back side of said mirror glass carrier (10);

and said printed circuit board (8) includes at least two resilient contact pins (15) electrically connected to respective heating leads of a wiring harness;

said contact pins (15) extending through said mirror adjustment drive (3) substantially parallel to said connecting elements and pressing on said associated electrical contacts (16) on said back side of the mirror glass carrier (10).

12. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 8, further comprising a material injected around at least said printed circuit board (8).

13. The motor-adjustable vehicle rear-view mirror according to claim 12, in which said material comprises a permanently elastic melt adhesive.