Vanity mirror of sun visor for automotive vehicle

• US 6,325,527 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Seung-kun
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/592,930
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 362/492, 362/135-137, 362/142-144, 362/155, 362/365, 362/368, 362/375, 362/394
• US Class Current: 362/492
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors

Abstract

Disclosed is a vanity mirror of a sun visor for an automotive vehicle. The vanity mirror includes a mirror body fitted in a recess provided at the sun visor and mounted with a mirror, the mirror body having a pair of recessed spring fitting portions and an engagement protrusion, a lamp body integral with the mirror body, the lamp body being mounted with a main lamp holding bracket, an additional lamp holding bracket coupled to the main lamp holding bracket, and an electric bulb held by the lamp holding brackets, a cover hingably coupled to the mirror body, the cover having, at respective upper corners thereof, a pair of hinge portions hingably fitted in the spring fitting portions of the mirror body, a pair of plate springs respectively fitted in the spring fitting portions of the mirror body and adapted to urge the hinge portions of the cover so that the cover is maintained in an opened or closed state, a mirror-end base plate mounted in the recess of the sun visor and provided with a groove for receiving the engagement protrusion of the mirror body, and a lamp-end base plate mounted in the recess of the sun visor and provided with cylindrical columns fitted in the circular holes of the lamp body, the cylindrical columns supporting the main lamp holding bracket by set screws threadedly coupled thereto via the main lamp holding bracket.

Claims

1. A vanity mirror of a sun visor for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a mirror body fitted in a recess provided at the sun visor and mounted with a mirror, the mirror body having a pair of recessed spring fitting portions at respective upper corners thereof and an engagement protrusion at one lateral end thereof;

a lamp body integral with the mirror body, the lamp body being mounted with a main lamp holding bracket, an additional lamp holding bracket coupled to the main lamp holding bracket, an electric bulb held by the lamp holding brackets, and a lens while having circular holes;

a cover hingably coupled to the mirror body in such a fashion that it is hinged between an opened position thereof and a closed position thereof, the cover having, at respective upper corners thereof, a pair of hinge portions hingably fitted in the spring fitting portions of the mirror body;

a pair of plate springs respectively fitted in the spring fitting portions of the mirror body and adapted to urge the hinge portions of the cover so that the cover is maintained in an opened or closed state;

a mirror-end base plate mounted in the recess of the sun visor and provided with a groove for receiving the engagement protrusion of the mirror body; and

a lamp-end base plate mounted in the recess of the sun visor and provided with cylindrical columns fitted in the circular holes of the lamp body, the cylindrical columns supporting the main lamp holding bracket by set screws threadedly coupled thereto via the main lamp holding bracket;

whereby the mirror body and the lamp body are fitted in the recess of the sun visor in an integral fashion.

2. The vanity mirror according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the plate springs has a U-shaped construction including an upper plate and a lower plate integral with each other, the upper and lower plates being fitted around a portion of an associated one of the spring fitting portions;

each of the spring fitting portions has an engagement groove; and

the lower plate in each of the plate springs has a protrusion adapted to be engaged with the engagement groove in an associated one of the spring fitting portions.

3. The vanity mirror according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch mounted to the mirror-end base plate and adapted to switch on and off the electric bulb, the switch having a moving terminal;

a switch actuating member provided at the cover and adapted to rotate in accordance with a hinging movement of the cover between the opened position and the closed position, thereby selectively depressing the moving terminal;

a cutout provided at the mirror body and adapted to provide a space allowing the rotating movement of the switch actuating member;

whereby the switch actuating member depresses the moving terminal of the switch when the cover is opened, thereby turning on the electric bulb.