Vehicle exterior mirror

• US 6,609,800 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Original Assignee: Schefenacker Vision Systems USA Incorporated (The Sumi Motherson Group)
• Inventors: Rehill, Graham, Assinder, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US10/068,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 359/841,871,872,877 248/475.1,477,478,479,483,488,900
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/90 Movable or disengageable on impact or overload

Abstract

A vehicle door mirror having a housing. The housing connects to a vehicle door via a stem. An intermediate member is inserted between the housing and the vehicle door to effect relatively smooth abutment between the intermediate member and each of the housing and the vehicle door. The cylindrical stem extends from the housing through the intermediate member and through the vehicle door. The stem includes primary engagement members to engage with complementary engagement members formed in a mounting hole of the door. The engagement members prevent removal from the mounting hole when the stem is in a predetermined orientation. A spring is compressed between the housing and the stem to cause retraction of the stem inward of the housing. Such inward movement urges the primary engagement members into engagement with the complementary engagement members.

Claims

1. A vehicle door mirror comprising:

a housing having a detent;

an intermediate member having an abutment surface adapted to abut against a complementary surface of a vehicle door;

a cyclindrical stem having a first end mounted to the housing for axial movement relative thereto, the stem having a second end projecting through a hole in the abutment surface so as to engage in a mounting hole in the vehicle door and having radial first primary engagement members adapted to engage with first complementary engagement members on the periphery of the mounting hole so as to prevent removal of the stem from the mounting hole when the stem is in a predetermined orientation with respect to the mounting hole, and wherein the first end of the stem has second primary engagement members, the second primary engagement members adapted to engage with second complementary engagement members formed on the housing to hold the stem in a protracted position, wherein angular movement of the housing relative to the door after engagement of the first primary and first complementary engagement members causes disengagement of the second primary engagement members;

a spring compressed between the housing and the stem to cause retraction of the stem inwardly of the housing, thereby urging the first primary and first complementary engagement members into engagement; and

a first set of electrical contacts arranged on the first primary engagement members and adapted to engage a second set of electrical contacts arranged on the first complementary engagement members;

wherein the stem couples the housing to the intermediate member and the detent in the housing maintains the housing in its normal orientation relative to the intermediate member, and wherein the detent is biased into its engaged position by the spring so that the housing is displaceable relative to the intermediate member in the event of impact.

2. The vehicle door mirror according to claim 1 further comprising:

a first electrical connector having interlocking formations adapted to engage with the periphery of the mounting hole; and

a second electrical connector mounted on the second end of the stem and adapted to engage the first electrical connector to cause disengagement of the interlocking formations from the periphery of the mounting hole to enable the stem to be inserted therein.

3. The vehicle door mirror according to claim 1 wherein the first primary engagement members have a bayonet shape, and the first complementary engagement members defined by a cut-out in the periphery of the mounting hole.

4. The vehicle door mirror according to claim 1 wherein the second primary engagement members are defined by a flange projecting from the stem having cut-out sections formed therein, and a second complementary engagement members are formed by a flange projecting from the housing having a cut-out section formed therein.

5. A vehicle door mirror comprising:

a housing having a detent;

an intermediate member having a surface adapted to abut against a surface of a vehicle door;

a cyclindrical stem having a first end in operable association with the housing for axial movement relative thereto, the stem having a second end in operable association with the intermediate member so as to engage the vehicle door and having radial first primary engagement members adapted to engage first complementary engagement members so as to prevent removal of the stem from the intermediate member when the stem is in a predetermined orientation with respect to the intermediate member, and wherein the first end of the stem has second primary engagement members adapted to engage second complementary engagement members formed on the housing to hold the stem in a protracted position, wherein angular movement of the housing relative to the door after engagement of the first primary and first complementary engagement members causes disengagement of the second primary engagement members;

a compressible member disposed between the housing and the stem operable to cause retraction of the stem inwardly of the housing, thereby urging the first primary and first complementary engagement members into engagement; and

a first set of electrically conductive members arranged on the first primary engagement members and adapted to engage a second set of electrically conductive members arranged on the first complementary engagement members;

wherein the stem couples the housing to the intermediate member and the detent in the housing maintains the housing in its normal orientation relative to the intermediate member, and wherein the detent is biased into its engaged position by the compressible member so that the housing is displaceable relative to the intermediate member in the event of impact.

6. The vehicle door mirror according to claim 5 further comprising:

a first electrical connector having interlocking formations adapted to engage with a surface of the intermediate member; and

a second electrical connector mounted on the second end of the stem and adapted to engage the first electrical connector to cause disengagement of the interlocking formations from the intermediate member to enable the stem to be inserted therein.

7. The vehicle door mirror according to claim 5 wherein the first primary engagement members have a bayonet shape, and the first complementary engagement members defined by a cut-out in a surface of the intermediate member.

8. The vehicle door mirror according to claim 5 wherein the second primary engagement members are defined by a flange projecting from the stem having cut-out sections formed therein, and a second complementary engagement members are formed by a flange projecting from the housing having a cut-out section formed therein.