Outside sideview mirror assembly with reduced wind noise

• US 7,025,920 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Issued: 04/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pavao, Leo W., Chu, Tun-Jen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Edmund H.
• Application Number:
  US10/133,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20020125737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 264/269, 264/275, 264/247, 264/250
• US Class Current: 264/250
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence

Abstract

A method of forming a composite shell member for a vehicular sideview exterior mirror assembly includes providing a decorative film substrate and a polymer resin. A shell is formed the decorative film substrate and the polymer resin to form the shell member. A discontinuity is formed in the polymer resin, with the film substrate conformed to the polymer resin to generally follow the edge definition of the discontinuity to form a surface discontinuity in an outer surface of the shell member having substantially the same edge definition of the discontinuity of the polymer resin.

Claims

1. A method of forming a composite shell, the shell forming a body for a vehicular sideview exterior mirror assembly, the body being adapted for mounting to a vehicle and defining a cavity and an opening for facing rearward of a vehicle when the body is mounted to a vehicle, and supporting a reflective element positioned in the opening for rearview viewing of the vehicle, and the body having a forward facing exterior side when mounted to a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a mold assembly with a mold cavity, said mold cavity including a discontinuity having an edge definition for forming a discontinuity in the composite shell and having a first molding surface and a second molding surface, the first molding surface for forming an inner surface of the composite shell, and the second molding surface for forming the outer surface of the shell for forming the forward facing exterior side of the body;

positioning a decorative film substrate in said mold cavity on said second molding surface, wherein the decorative film substrate extends over the discontinuity;

injecting a polymer resin in said mold cavity over said decorative film substrate; and

conforming said film substrate and said polymer resin to said mold cavity whereby said film substrate and said polymer resin conform to the mold cavity and, further, substantially conform to the edge definition of the discontinuity to thereby form the composite shell wherein at least a portion of the forward facing exterior side includes the decorative film conformed therewith, with the decorative film and the polymer resin substantially conforming to each other to reduce the wind noise of the sideview exterior mirror assembly when the body is mounted to a vehicle.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said providing a decorative film substrate includes providing a pre-formed decorative film substrate.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said providing a pre-formed decorative film substrate includes providing a pre-formed decorative film substrate with a surface discontinuity formed therein to reduce the stretching of the film substrate when molded in mold cavity.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said providing a pre-formed decorative film substrate includes pre-forming the decorative film substrate.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said pre-formed comprises pre-forming by vacuum pressing the film substrate into the pre-formed shape.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mold cavity includes a flange cavity portion, the flange cavity portion forming a flange in the composite shell, the flange providing a mounting flange for the composite shell.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising extending the film substrate over at least a portion of the flange to provide an anchoring surface for the film substrate.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein conforming the film substrate and the polymer resin includes forming a ridge across at least a portion of the composite shell.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein forming a ridge includes forming a step in the exterior surface of the composite shell.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising forming a ramp on a portion of the step.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein forming a ridge includes forming a ridge spaced from a perimeter from the composite shell.

12. A method of forming a composite shell, the composite shell forming a body for a vehicular sideview exterior mirror assembly, the body being adapted for mounting to a vehicle and defining a cavity and an opening for facing rearward of a vehicle when the body is mounted to a vehicle , and supporting a reflective element positioned in the opening for rearview viewing of the vehicle, and the body having a forward facing exterior side when mounted to a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a decorative film substrate;

providing a polymer resin;

forming the shell from the decorative film substrate and the polymer resin; and

forming a discontinuity having an edge definition in the polymer resin; and

conforming the film substrate to the polymer resin to generally follow the edge definition of the discontinuity to form a surface discontinuity in an outer surface of the shell having substantially the same edge definition of the discontinuity of the polymer resin, wherein at least a portion of the forward facing exterior side includes the decorative film substrate conformed thereto, the decorative film substrate extends over the surface discontinuity and substantially conforms thereto to reduce the wind noise of the sideview exterior mirror assembly when the body is mounted to a vehicle.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said providing a decorative film substrate includes providing a pre-formed decorative film substrate.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said providing a pre-formed decorative film substrate includes pre-forming the decorative film substrate with a discontinuity to reduce the stretching of the decorative film substrate when forming the shell member.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said forming a shell with the polymer resin and the decorative film substrate comprises:

providing a mold cavity;

positioning the decorative film substrate in the mold cavity; and

injecting the polymer resin in the mold cavity over the decorative film substrate.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein providing the mold cavity, includes providing a mold cavity with a discontinuity having an edge definition for forming the surface discontinuity of the shell member.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said injecting includes conforming the film substrate and the polymer resin to the mold cavity whereby the film substrate and the polymer resin substantially conform to the edge definition of the discontinuity of the mold cavity.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising forming an edge in the shell member, and spacing the surface discontinuity of the shell member from the edge.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein forming a discontinuity comprises forming an arcuate discontinuity.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein forming a discontinuity includes forming a step.

21. A method of forming a composite shell, the composite shell forming a body for a vehicular sideview exterior mirror assembly, the body being adapted for mounting to a vehicle and defining a cavity and an opening for facing rearward of a vehicle when the body is mounted to a vehicle, and supporting a reflective element positioned in the opening for rearview viewing of the vehicle, and the body having a forward facing exterior side when mounted to a vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a decorative film substrate;

providing a polymer resin;

forming the shell from the decorative film substrate and a polymer resin, the decorative film substrate forming an outer surface of the shell and conforming to at least a portion of the forward facing exterior side; and

forming a discontinuity in the outer surface of the shell, wherein the decorative film substrate extends over the discontinuity and substantially conforms thereo to reduce the wind noise of the sideview exterior mirror assembly when the body is mounted to a vehicle.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein forming a discontinuity includes forming an arcuate discontinuity in the outer surface of the shell member.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein forming a shell includes forming an edge, and spacing the discontinuity from the edge.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said forming a discontinuity includes forming a step in the outer surface of the shell member.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said forming a discontinuity includes tapering the discontinuity at opposed ends of the discontinuity to provide a smooth transition between the discontinuity and the outer surface of the shell member at the ends of the discontinuity.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein said forming a discontinuity includes wrapping the ends of the discontinuity inwardly.