Mirror apparatus for vehicle

• US 7,144,125 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Ichikoh Industries Limited (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Shinohara, Teruaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US10/606,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20040057139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 359/877, 359/841, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/479
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing

Abstract

A mirror housing, a base, and a unit bracket are formed as separate components. As a result, the mirror housing and the base can be painted with different colors.

Claims

1. A mirror apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror housing;

a base;

a unit bracket; and

a mirror unit, wherein

the mirror housing, the base, and the unit bracket are formed as separate components and are fixed to a body of the vehicle,

the mirror housing has a first opening where the mirror unit is mounted, and a second opening,

the base has a base portion, a first mounting portion, and a second mounting portion, wherein the first mounting portion is provided in one side of the base portion and mounted to the body of the vehicle, and the second mounting portion is provided in another side of the base portion, and to which the unit bracket is mounted,

the unit bracket has a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, wherein the first mounting portion of the unit bracket is mounted to the mirror housing, and to which the mirror unit is mounted, and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket protrudes from the second opening and mounted to the second mounting portion of the base, and

the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket are formed in the form of a narrow neck portion between the mirror housing and the base,

wherein a plate portion is integrated into a periphery of the second opening, and the plate portion is sandwiched by the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket, and the plate portion is fastened together with the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket.

2. A mirror apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror housing;

a base;

a unit bracket;

a mirror unit, wherein

the mirror housing, the base, and the unit bracket are formed as separate components,

the mirror housing has a first opening where the mirror unit is mounted, and a second opening,

the base has a base portion, a first mounting portion, and a second mounting portion, wherein the first mounting portion is provided in one side of the base portion and configured to be mounted to the vehicle, and the second mounting portion is provided in another side of the base portion, and to which the unit bracket is mounted,

the unit bracket has a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, wherein the first mounting portion of the unit bracket is mounted to the mirror housing, and to which the mirror unit is mounted, and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket protrudes from the second opening and is mounted to the second mounting portion of the base, and

the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket are formed in the form of a narrow neck portion between the mirror housing and the base, wherein the mirror housing is free of a neck portion that protrudes out from general shape of the mirror housing; and

a housing-base fixing unit, comprising at least a portion of the base, arranged to fix the mirror housing to the base.

3. The mirror apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a mounting axis of the first mounting portion of the base and a mounting axis of the second mounting portion of the base are substantially parallel to each other and are adjacent to each other.

4. The mirror apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second mounting portion of the unit bracket is mounted to the second mounting portion of the base such that the unit bracket suspends from the base.

5. The mirror apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a backlash prevention unit provided in any one of between the mirror housing and the second mounting portion of the base, between the mirror housing and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket, and between the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket.

6. The mirror apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a positioning unit that fixes the second mounting portion of the base to the second mounting portion of the unit bracket.

7. The mirror apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the positioning unit includes:

a first fixing unit that fixes the second mounting portion of the base to the second mounting portion of the unit bracket to prevent relative movement of the base and the unit bracket in a first direction; and

a second fixing unit that fixes the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket to prevent relative movement of the base and the unit bracket in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

8. The mirror apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising flat surfaces on an entire circumference of the second opening, and any one of the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the bracket, wherein the flat surfaces touch each other along the entire circumference.

9. The mirror apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an inner surface of the mirror housing includes a first surface that is adjacent to the first opening and a second surface other than the first surface, the mirror apparatus further comprising:

a coating of a first color on the first surface and an outer surface of the mirror housing; and

a coating of a second color, different from the first color, on the second surface, an outer surface of the base, and an outer surface of the unit bracket.

10. A mirror apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a mirror housing;

a base;

a unit bracket;

a mirror unit, wherein

the mirror housing, the base, and the unit bracket are formed as separate components,

the mirror housing has a first opening where the mirror unit is mounted, and a second opening,

the base has a base portion, a first mounting portion, and a second mounting portion, wherein the first mounting portion is provided in one side of the base portion and configured to be mounted to the vehicle, and the second mounting portion is provided in another side of the base portion, and to which the unit bracket is mounted,

the unit bracket has a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion, wherein the first mounting portion of the unit bracket is mounted to the mirror housing, and to which the mirror unit is mounted, and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket protrudes from the second opening and is mounted to the second mounting portion of the base, and

the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket are formed in the form of a narrow neck portion between the mirror housing and the base, wherein the second opening is in a side surface of the mirror housing that is substantially planar; and

a housing-base fixing unit, comprising at least a portion of the base, arranged to fix the mirror housing to the base.

11. The mirror apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a mounting axis of the first mounting portion of the base and a mounting axis of the second mounting portion of the base are substantially parallel to each other and are adjacent to each other.

12. The mirror apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the second mounting portion of the unit bracket is mounted to the second mounting portion of the base such that the unit bracket suspends from the base.

13. The mirror apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a backlash prevention unit provided in any one of between the mirror housing and the second mounting portion of the base, between the mirror housing and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket, and between the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket.

14. The mirror apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a positioning unit that fixes the second mounting portion of the base to the second mounting portion of the unit bracket.

15. The mirror apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the positioning unit includes:

a first fixing unit that fixes the second mounting portion of the base to the second mounting portion of the unit bracket to prevent relative movement of the base and the unit bracket in a first direction; and

a second fixing unit that fixes the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the unit bracket to prevent relative movement of the base and the unit bracket in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

16. The mirror apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising flat surfaces on an entire circumference of the second opening, and any one of the second mounting portion of the base and the second mounting portion of the bracket, wherein the flat surfaces touch each other along the entire circumference.

17. The mirror apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an inner surface of the mirror housing includes a first surface that is adjacent to the first opening and a second surface other than the first surface, the mirror apparatus further comprising:

a coating of a first color on the first surface and an outer surface of the mirror housing; and

a coating of a second color, different from the first color, on the second surface, an outer surface of the base, and an outer surface of the unit bracket.