Vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly with actuator

• US 6,325,520 B1
• Filed: 09/13/2000
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kam Truck Components, Inc. (Hadley Products Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kam Truck Components, Inc. (Hadley Products Corporation)
• Inventors: Sizemore, David N., Gahan, Edward A., Hanft, Karl H.
• Primary Examiner(s): SIKDER, MOHAMMAD YUNUS
• Application Number:
  US09/661,177
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 359/855, 359/864, 359/865, 359/874, 359/875, 359/877, 248/476, 248/481
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0612 by electrically actuated means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A vehicular exterior rearview mirror assembly for large vehicles, such as trucks, includes a reflective element, a support bracket, and an actuator mounting the reflective element to the support bracket. A mirror housing is secured to the support bracket. The electrical actuator is mounted to the support bracket by a plurality of fasteners and includes an actuator housing, which has a peripheral surface extending around the fasteners. The support bracket provides bearing contact for at least a portion of the peripheral surface of the housing to reduce the vibration and improve the stability of the mirror assembly. The electrical actuator includes a movable member which supports the reflective element for movement therewith and which extends into the actuator housing and frictionally engages the housing to minimize vibration of the movable member when it pivots. The electrical actuator preferably includes a biasing member to enhance the friction between the movable member and the housing to further reduce the vibration of the movable member and, therefore, the reflective element supported thereon.

Claims

1. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for large vehicles, such as trucks and vans, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a reflective mirror element;

a support bracket being adapted for mounting to a vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said support bracket;

an actuator having an actuator housing and a movable portion for engaging said reflective element, said movable portion provided at one side of said actuator housing, said actuator housing having a recessed central portion and a raised peripheral portion having a planar surface extending around said central portion and facing said bracket from said central portion and on an opposite side of said actuator housing from said movable portion, said central portion of said actuator housing being mounted to said support bracket, said reflective mirror element being supported by said actuator, said casing providing a housing for said support bracket, said actuator, and said reflective mirror element;

bearing contact being provided between said support bracket and at least a portion of said planar surface of said actuator housing, said planar surface contacting said bearing contact whereby said assembly has reduced vibration and improved stability.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said support bracket includes a mounting surface and a resilient member interposed between said mounting surface and said portion of said planar surface of said actuator housing to provide said bearing contact.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said resilient member comprises at least one resilient pad, said resilient pad being secured to said support bracket.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said resilient pad is secured to said mounting surface by an adhesive.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said resilient member compresses in a range of 10% to 30% when said actuator is mounted to said support bracket.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 3, wherein said resilient pad comprises a cellular urethane material.

7. The mirror assembly of claim 2, wherein said resilient member comprises a pair of resilient pads.

8. The mirror assembly according to claim 2, wherein said resilient member has a durometer in a range of approximately 12 to 18 Shore O.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said support bracket includes a corresponding plurality of projecting mounting bosses, said actuator being secured to said mounting bosses by fasteners.

10. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said support bracket provides bearing contact for at least 50% of said planar surface of said actuator housing.

11. The mirror assembly of claim 10, wherein said support bracket provides bearing contact for at least 75% of said planar surface of said actuator housing.

12. The mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said support bracket provides bearing contact for approximately 100% of said planar surface.

13. The mirror assembly of claim 12, wherein said support bracket includes an enlarged medial portion, said enlarged medial portion being at least as large as said planar surface of said housing and providing said bearing contact.

14. The mirror assembly according to claim 13, wherein said support bracket includes an adapter mounted thereto, said adapter providing said enlarged medial portion.

15. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said movable member extends into said housing and forms a friction contact with said housing, said movable member providing adjustment for said reflective element, and said actuator including a biasing member to urge said housing into said frictional engagement with said movable member to thereby enhance the friction between said movable member and said housing to reduce vibration of said movable member and of said reflective element.

16. The mirror assembly of according to claim 14, wherein said biasing member comprises a resilient annular member extending around said actuator housing to urge said actuator housing into frictional contact with said movable member.

17. The mirror assembly according to claim 16, wherein said resilient annular member comprises a rubber elastic ring.

18. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein support bracket comprises an elongated support bracket.

19. The rearview mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support bracket comprises a truss-type bracket.

20. The mirror assembly according to claim 19, wherein said support bracket includes a pair of elongated side members and interconnecting webs extending between said side members to form a rigid support bracket.

21. The mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein said support bracket comprises a bracket cast from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, aluminum alloy, and magnesium.

22. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror element comprises an electro-optic element adapted to reduce the amount of reflected light when electric voltage is applied to said element.

23. The mirror assembly of claim 22, wherein said mirror element comprises an electrochromic mirror element.

24. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said casing includes a rear wall and a peripheral rim spaced from said rear wall, said mirror element being recessed behind said peripheral rim toward said rear wall of said housing.

25. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said casing comprises a one piece resinous plastic casing.

26. The mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said casing comprises a metal casing.

27. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for large vehicles, including trucks and vans, said mirror assembly comprising:

a one-piece casing having opposing end walls and side walls and a rear wall;

a support bracket extending between and being secured to said opposing end walls of said casing;

a reflective mirror element;

an actuator supporting said reflective element in said housing, said actuator being mounted to said support bracket, said actuator including an actuator housing and a movable portion for engaging said reflective element, said movable portion provided at one side of said actuator housing, said actuator housing having mounting openings extending therethrough for receiving fasteners and a planar raised peripheral surface extending around said mounting openings and provided on an opposite side of said actuator housing from said movable portion;

bearing contact being provided between said support and at least a portion of said peripheral surface of said actuator, and said at least a portion contacting said bearing contact to provide a rigid mounting of said actuator in said mirror assembly.

28. The exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 27, wherein said support bracket includes a medial portion being at least the size of said peripheral surface of said actuator housing.

29. The mirror assembly according to claim 27, wherein said support bracket contacts at least 50% of said peripheral surface of said actuator housing.

30. The mirror assembly according to claim 29, wherein said support bracket contacts at least 75% of said peripheral surface.

31. The mirror assembly according to claim 30, wherein said support bracket contacts approximately 100% of said peripheral surface.

32. The mirror assembly according to claim 27, wherein said support includes an adapter, said adapter providing said bearing contact.

33. The mirror assembly according to claim 27, wherein said support bracket further includes a gasket for providing bearing contact with said peripheral surface.

34. The mirror assembly according to claim 33, wherein said gasket has a durometer in a range of 12 to 18 Shore O.

35. The mirror assembly according to claim 33, wherein said gasket comprises at least one resilient pad interposed between said support bracket and said peripheral surface.

36. The mirror assembly of claim 27, wherein said peripheral surface comprises an annular surface, said annular surface extending around said mounting openings and being spaced from said openings toward said support bracket.

37. The mirror assembly according to claim 27, wherein said support bracket comprises a metal truss-like bracket.

38. The mirror assembly according to claim 27, wherein said support bracket comprises a cast metal support bracket.

39. An exterior rearview mirror assembly for large vehicles, such as trucks and vans, said exterior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a reflective mirror element having a reflective surface of at least 50 square inches;

a support bracket being adapted for mounting to a vehicle;

a mirror casing secured to said support bracket, said mirror casing housing said support bracket and said reflective mirror element therein; and

an electric actuator mounted to said support bracket by a plurality of fasteners, said reflective mirror element being supported by said electric actuator in said casing, said electric actuator having an actuator housing and a movable member, said actuator housing having a base and a cover, said movable member provided at one side of said actuator housing, said base having a projecting rim, said movable member extending into said actuator housing between said rim and said cover and being frictionally engaged by said rim and said cover, said base having a planar raised peripheral surface extending around said fasteners inwardly of said rim and at an opposed side of said actuator housing from said movable portion, and said support bracket providing bearing contact for at least a portion of said peripheral surface of said housing, with said at least a portion contacting said bearing contact whereby said mirror assembly has reduced vibration and improved stability.

40. The mirror assembly of claim 39, wherein said support bracket includes a gasket providing said bearing contact.

41. The mirror assembly of claim 40, wherein said gasket comprises a resilient pad, said resilient pad compressing at least 10% when said actuator housing is mounted to said support bracket.

42. The mirror assembly of claim 41, wherein said resilient pad has a durometer in a range of 12 to 18 Shore O.

43. The mirror assembly according to claim 39, wherein said support bracket includes a planar bearing surface, said planar bearing surface contacting at least 50% of said peripheral surface.

44. The mirror assembly of claim 43, wherein said planar bearing surface contacts at least 75% of said peripheral surface.

45. The mirror assembly of claim 44, wherein said support includes an adapter, said adapter providing said bearing contact.

46. The mirror assembly of claim 44, wherein said planar bearing surface contacts approximately 100% of said peripheral surface.

47. The exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 39, wherein said support bracket comprises an elongated truss-like support bracket and further includes an enlarged medial portion, said enlarged medial portion providing said bearing contact.

48. The exterior rearview mirror assembly according to claim 47, wherein said enlarged medial portion is sized at least as large as said peripheral surface of said housing.