Interior rearview mirror for vehicles, in particular, motor vehicles

• US 6,609,801 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Reitter & Schefenacker GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Rommel, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/852,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20010046095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 248/477, 248/478, 248/479, 248/481, 248/482, 248/483, 248/549
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror has a holding part and a mirror base connected by a snap connection to the holding part. A covering in the form of a sleeve encloses the mirror base and is configured to be received in a cover provided in the vehicle. The mirror base is adjustable relative to the holding part. The snap connection has a spring snap-connected to the holding part, wherein the spring has a coupling member and the mirror base is fixedly connected to the coupling member in a mounted position of the mirror base.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror comprising:

a holding part (6);

a mirror base (3) connected by a snap connection to said holding part (6);

a covering (24) enclosing said mirror base (3) and configured to be received in a cover (28) provided in a vehicle;

wherein said mirror base (3) is configured to be adjustable relative to said holding part (6); and

wherein said snap connection comprises a spring (5) snap-connected to said holding part (6), wherein said spring (5) comprises a coupling member (32) and wherein said mirror base (3) is fixedly connected to said coupling member (32) in a mounted position of said mirror base (3).

2. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said coupling member (32) is a pressure member (32) acting on said spring (5).

3. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said coupling member (32) has one or more insertion members (18, 19).

4. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said coupling member has two insertion members (18, 19) positioned spaced apart to one another in a longitudinal direction of said coupling member (32).

5. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said two insertion members (18, 19) are pins having a truncated cone shape.

6. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said two insertion members (18, 19) have free ends that are rounded.

7. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) having at least one insertion opening (40, 41), wherein said two insertion members (18, 19) project into said at least one insertion opening (40, 41).

8. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 7, wherein said two insertion members (18, 19) have a cross-sectional width that is smaller than a length of said at least one insertion opening (40, 41) transverse to a longitudinal direction of said connector (4).

9. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 8, wherein said length of said at least one insertion opening (40, 41) is at least twice large as a widest portion of said cross-sectional width of said two insertion members (18, 19).

10. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said at least one insertion opening (40, 41) widens in a direction toward said holding part (6).

11. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 4, further comprising a fastener (21), wherein said coupling member (32) has a receptacle (39) located between said two insertion members (18, 19) and configured to receive said fastener (21).

12. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 11, wherein said fastener (21) is a screw.

13. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 11, wherein said receptacle (39) is a threaded bore.

14. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 11, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) with a through opening (45), wherein said receptacle (39) is aligned with said through opening (45).

15. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 4, wherein said coupling member (32) has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section.

16. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 15, wherein coupling member (32) has a wide side and a narrow side wherein said two insertion members (18, 19) are connected to said narrow side and project away from said narrow side.

17. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 16, wherein said wide side has bead-shaped longitudinal edges (33, 34) projecting outwardly away from said coupling member (32).

18. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said spring (5) has spring legs (42, 43) with facing inner sides and wherein said coupling member (32) has edges (33, 34) resting against said inner sides of said spring legs (42, 43).

19. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said spring (5) has a U-shaped cross-section.

20. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 19, wherein said spring (5) has spring legs (42, 43) diverging in a direction of free spring ends (11, 12) of said spring legs (42,43).

21. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 20, wherein said free spring ends (11,12) of said spring legs (42, 43) are bent away from one another at an acute angle relative to said spring legs (42, 43).

22. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 21, wherein said free spring ends (11, 12) are supported on said holding part (6).

23. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 22, wherein said holding part (6) has shoulders (9, 10), wherein said free spring ends (11, 12) rest against said shoulders (9, 10).

24. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) configured to receive said coupling member (32), wherein said spring (5) has substantially the same length as said connector (4).

25. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 24, wherein said coupling member (32) has substantially the same length as said connector (4) and said spring (5).

26. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said coupling member (32) has substantially the same length as said spring (5).

27. The interior rearview mirror according to claim 1, wherein said mirror base (3) has a connector (4) configured to receive said coupling member (32), wherein said coupling member (32) has substantially the same length as said connector (4).