Covered illuminated vanity mirror assembly

• US 7,311,427 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimay North America Automotive Engineering Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Ruiter, Andrew K., Stenman, Robert J., Fox, Mathias R., Kreuze, Kenneth D., Barker, Daniel L., Cieholski, Steven J., Baas, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Payne, Sharon E.
• Application Number:
  US10/535,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 362/492, 362/135, 362/137, 362/140, 362/144, 362/488, 362/371, 362/282, 362/136, 362/656, 362/274
• US Class Current: 362/492
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0278 structure of the body B60J3/0208, B60J3/0213 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 3/0282 specially adapted for a courtesy mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/252 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor

Abstract

A vanity mirror frame (70) has insert-molded electrical contacts (117, 118) for holding a lamp in place in the frame and which, when assembled to a visor core, makes aligned electrical connections with the visor core electrical supply. Further, the vanity mirror frame includes a unique socket (78) for pivotally receiving and holding a mirror cover in place. Detent springs extend between the frame and cover for snap opening and closing of the cover between closed and open positions. The cover includes an additional cam (95, 97) which cooperates with an electrical switch when the cover is open to provide operating power to the lamp.

Claims

1. A vanity mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror frame adapted to receive a mirror therein and a lamp for the illumination of said mirror, said mirror frame including an enclosed cylindrical socket and an open semi cylindrical socket longitudinally spaced from said closed cylindrical socket;

a cover having a first pivot axle extending within said enclosed cylindrical socket and a second pivot axle snap-fitted within said open semi cylindrical socket; and

a lens adapted to snap fit within said mirror frame over said lamp, said lens including an edge which engages said second pivot axle to hold said cover in engagement with said mirror frame.

2. The assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said mirror frame is molded of a polymeric material and includes an insert-molded electrical circuit including contacts adapted to engage conductors of a visor core when said vanity mirror assembly is mounted to a visor core.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said electrical circuit further defines a lamp socket for receiving said lamp.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said electrical circuit further includes a switch including a deflectable switch contact.

5. The assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said first and second pivot axles of said cover includes a switch cam which selectively engages said deflectable contact for actuating said switch when said cover is in an open position to provide operating power to a lamp positioned in said lamp socket.

6. The assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said frame includes at least one cover engaging spring and wherein said cover includes a cam engaging said spring for selectively holding said cover in open and closed positions.

7. The assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said cover includes a recess which surrounds the lens and allows the cover to move with respect to the frame and lens.

8. An illuminated vanity mirror assembly comprising:

a mirror frame adapted to receive a mirror therein, said mirror frame including a lamp for illuminating said mirror, said frame including a pair of spaced-apart cover receiving sockets near an edge of said frame, wherein one of said sockets comprises a cylindrical socket for captively holding a pivot axle therein and the other socket is an open socket for allowing the snap-in assembly of a cover to said frame, said frame further including at least one detent spring receiving socket;

a detent spring positioned in said detent spring receiving socket;

a cover including integrally formed first and second pivot axles wherein said first axle is inserted into said cylindrical socket and said second axle is snap-fitted within said open socket, said cover including a cam aligned with said detent spring for providing snap open and closed control of said cover; and

a lens coupled to said frame for holding at least one of said cover pivot axles within said frame.

9. The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said mirror frame is molded of a polymeric material and includes an insert-molded electrical circuit including contacts adapted to engage conductors of a visor core when said vanity mirror assembly is mounted to a visor core.

10. The assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein said electrical circuit further defines a lamp socket for receiving a lamp.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein said electrical circuit further includes a switch including a deflectable switch contact.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein one pivot axle of said cover further includes a switch cam which selectively engages said deflectable contact for actuating said switch when said cover is in an open position to provide operating power to a lamp positioned in said lamp socket.

13. A visor and vanity mirror assembly comprising:

a visor body having at least one electrical conductor for coupling to a vehicle electrical system; and

a mirror frame adapted to receive a mirror therein, wherein said mirror frame is molded of a polymeric material and includes a pair of spaced-apart cover receiving sockets near an edge of said frame, wherein one of said sockets comprises a cylindrical socket for captively holding a pivot axle therein and the other socket is an open socket for allowing the snap-in assembly of a cover to said frame, said frame further including at least one detent spring receiving socket;

a detent spring positioned in said detent spring receiving socket;

a cover including integrally formed first and second pivot axles wherein said first axle is inserted into said cylindrical socket and said second axle is snap-fitted within said open socket, said cover including a cam aligned with said detent spring for providing snap open and closed control of said cover, and said frame further including an insert-molded electrical circuit which is coupled to an electrical component within said mirror frame and wherein said electrical circuit includes at least one contact adapted to engage said conductor of said visor body when said frame is assembled to said visor body for coupling an electrical supply available in said body to said electrical component.

14. The assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said visor body includes at least one conductor holding ledge for positioning an insulated electrical conductor having a stripped end exposing the conductor in a position to be engaged by said contact of said electrical circuit.

15. A visor and vanity mirror assembly comprising:

a visor body having at least one electrical conductor for coupling to a vehicle electrical system; and

a mirror frame adapted to receive a mirror therein, wherein said mirror frame is molded of a polymeric material and includes an insert-molded electrical circuit which is coupled to an electrical component within said mirror frame and wherein said electrical circuit includes at least one contact adapted to engage said conductor of said visor body when said frame is assembled to said visor body for coupling an electrical supply available in said body to said electrical component, wherein said visor body includes at least one conductor holding ledge for positioning an insulated electrical conductor having a stripped end exposing the conductor in a position to be engaged by said contact of said electrical circuit, and wherein said visor body includes a first ledge including a hook for holding said conductor to said visor body and a second ledge including a notch for receiving and holding a stripped end of said conductor in a fixed position.

16. The assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein said contact of said electrical circuit includes a pair of spaced-apart spring loaded walls which extend over said second ledge of said visor body and compressibly engage said stripped end of said conductor held in said notch to make an electrical contact with said conductor when said frame is mounted to said visor body.

17. The assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein one of said walls of said contact includes a slot for surrounding said conductor when said frame is mounted to said visor body.

18. The assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said electrical circuit is made of stainless steel.

19. The assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein said frame includes locking tabs and said visor body includes slots for securing said frame to said visor body.

20. The assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein said electrical component is a lamp for illuminating said mirror.

21. The assembly as defined in claim 20 and further including a cover pivotally mounted to said mirror frame and wherein circuit further includes a switch including a movable contact engaged by said cover for actuating said switch when said cover is in an open position to provide operating power to said lamp.

22. The assembly as defined in claim 21 wherein said mirror frame includes an enclosed cylindrical socket and an open semi cylindrical socket longitudinally spaced from said closed socket, said frame further including at least one detent spring receiving socket;

and wherein said cover includes a first pivot axle extending within said closed cylindrical socket and a second pivot axle snap-fitted within said semi cylindrical socket, said cover including a cam associated with said cover; and

a detent spring positioned within said detent spring receiving socket of said mirror frame and extending between said mirror frame and engaging an associated cam of said cover for providing snap open and close control of said cover.

23. The assembly as defined in claim 22 and further including a lens coupled to said frame for holding said second pivot axle within said semi cylindrical socket.

24. A visor and vanity mirror assembly comprising:

a visor body;

a mirror frame adapted to receive a mirror therein and cover receiving sockets near an edge of said frame for allowing the snap-in assembly of a cover to said frame;

a cover having first and second pivot axles for extending within said sockets; and

a lens coupled to said frame for holding at least one of said cover pivot axles within said frame, wherein said sockets of said mirror frame include an enclosed cylindrical socket and an open semi cylindrical socket longitudinally spaced from said closed socket, and wherein said cover includes a first pivot axle extending within said closed cylindrical socket and a second pivot axle snap-fitted within said semi cylindrical socket; and

said lens holds said second pivot axle in said semi cylindrical socket.

25. The assembly as defined in claim 24 wherein said mirror frame includes a lamp for illuminating said mirror and wherein said mirror frame is molded of a polymeric material and includes an insert-molded electrical circuit including contacts adapted to engage contacts of said visor body when said vanity mirror assembly is mounted to said visor body.