Vehicle mirror assembly

• US 6,962,420 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Inventors: Branham, Michael Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMARI, ALESSANDRO V
• Application Number:
  US10/663,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 359/875, 359/881, 359/841, 2484751-484
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/0617 foldable along the vehicle, e.g. in case of external force applied thereon

Abstract

A vehicle mirror assembly for mounting a mirror to a vehicle body includes a connection head, a positive lock assembly, and a holder. The holder and the connection head are attached to one or the other of a tie bar and a mirror support arm and rotatably secured together. Methods of assembling and using the vehicle mirror assembly are also provided.

Claims

1. An assembly for releasably securing a mirror support arm and a tie-bar together on a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a mirror support arm for supporting a mirror;

a tie-bar for connection between said support arm and the vehicle;

a connection head having a connection element carried by one of said support arm and tie-bar;

a holder carried by the other of said support arm and tie-bar for attaching with said connection element;

a positive lock assembly disposed proximate the connection element, the positive lock assembly having a locking element movable between a locking position in which the locking element protrudes from said positive lock assembly and a retracted position in which the locking element is at least partially withdrawn into said positive lock assembly, and said positive lock assembly having a biasing element urging said locking element into said locking position with respect to said holder and yielding to withdraw said locking element into said retracted position to allow the locking element to be moved in response to an external force so that said holder and connection element may be detached; and

said holder slidably receiving said connection element, said holder having a swivel face with a depression, said locking element positionable in said depression in said locking position, and said biasing element urging the positive lock assembly to said locking position in said depression so that the holder is detachably secured to said connection head.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the connection head includes a seat configured to receive the positive lock assembly, and a mounting element configured to mount the connection head to one of said support arm and tie-bar.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the positive lock assembly defines a flange configured for seating with the seat of said mounting element.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the positive lock assembly defines a ball-shaped cross-section.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tie bar and holder are configured for displacement along a longitudinal axis such that the holder and connection element are slidable together or apart to respectively couple or uncouple the holder and the connection element.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said holder includes a plurality of retaining projections having recesses defined between the retaining projections and said swivel face for slidably receiving said connection element, said retaining projections extending inwardly toward said depression of said swivel face.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the retaining projections are spaced apart from one another so as to swivably interlock the connection element of the connection head therebetween.

8. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the holder has a U-shaped cross-section.

9. The assembly of claim 1, including an open end defined in the holder and a guide channel defined in the open end, the open end configured to receive the connection element, the guide channel configured to receive and depress the positive lock assembly to swivably interlock the holder and the connection head.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the guide channel has a bowl-shaped cross-section.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein a width of the guide channel narrows from the open end in a direction of the depression.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said positive lock assembly includes a spring holder carried by said connection head said spring holder having a surface shaped complementary to one of said tie-bar and mirror support arm.

13. The assembly of claim 12, including a spring element disposed between said connection head and said spring holder, said spring holder defining a spring seat to seat said spring element.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein said spring holder defines a catch for attachment to said connection head to retain said spring element between said connection head and spring holder.

15. A vehicle mirror assembly mounting a mirror to a vehicle comprising:

a mirror support arm for supporting a mirror;

a tie-bar carried between said vehicle and said support arm;

a connection head having a connection element carried by one of said tie-bar and support arm;

a holder carried by the other of said tie-bar and support arm for connection to said connection element;

a positive lock assembly carried by said connection element, said positive lock assembly having a biasing element vertically urging a locking element into a locking position with said holder; and

said holder having a swivel face with a depression formed therein, said locking element yieldable by application of an external force to movement and disengagement from said depression;

said biasing element urging said locking element into said locking position in said depression so that said holder is rotatably secured to said connection head.

16. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said connection head further defines a seat configured to receive said positive lock assembly.

17. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said locking element and includes a spring element configured to urge the locking mechanism towards said locking position.

18. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein said tie bar is configured for displacement along a longitudinal axis such that said holder and the connection element are slidable relative to each other to couple or uncouple the holder and the connection element.

19. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 15, wherein the holder includes two retaining projections having recesses for slidably receiving said connection element slidable between said recesses, said retaining projections extending inwardly toward said depression.

20. The vehicle mirror assembly of claim 15, further including an open end defined in the holder and a guide channel disposed in the open end, the open end configured to receive the connection element, the guide channel configured to receive and depress the positive lock assembly to swivably interlock the holder and the connection head.

21. A method for attaching a vehicle mirror assembly to a vehicle said assembly including a tie-bar for connection to the vehicle, a support arm for connection to said tie-bar, and a mirror carried by said support arm, the method comprising the steps of:

pivotally attaching a first end of a tie bar to a vehicle;

mounting a connection head to one of a second end of said tie bar and said mirror support arm for supporting a mirror wherein said connection head includes a connection element;

mounting a holder to the other end of said mirror support arm;

providing a locking element movable between a locking position and a retracted position, and a biasing element having a spring constant urging said locking element into said locking position between said connection element and said holder and said spring constant yielding to allow said locking element to move to said retracted position during engagement of said connection element and said holder; and

sliding the holder and the connection element together, so that said locking element engages in said locking position with a depression formed in a swivel face of said holder so that said holder and said connection head are rotatably secured together.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising the step of displacing said tie bar along a longitudinal axis of the tie bar for one of sliding the holder and the connection element apart or for sliding the holder and the connection element together.

23. The method of claim 21, includes providing a holder having a plurality of retaining projections having recesses and sliding said recesses over the connection element.

24. The method of claim 21, further including the step of depressing the positive lock assembly providing a holder having an open end and a guide channel disposed in the open end, the open end configured to receive the connection element, the guide channel configured to receive and depress the positive lock assembly, and sliding the holder and connection head together.