Rearview mirror assembly for motor vehicles

• US 7,370,984 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2004
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Inventors: Seiboth, Wolfgang, Centmayer, Stefan, Lang, Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US10/767,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20040184172A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 359/877, 359/881, 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/477, 248/480
• 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 1/0605 specially adapted for mounting on trucks, e.g. by C-shaped support means

Abstract

A rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle is provided. The assembly has a holding component and clamping parts to clamp the mirror assembly to the holding component. Alternative embodiments of the holding component and clamping parts are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A rearview mirror assembly for attachment to a vehicle via a holding tube, the assembly comprising:

a mirror housing including a framing element defining a first recess configured to attach to the holding tube;

a clamping bracket defining a second recess configured to attach to the holding tube and disposed opposite of the framing element, the first recess of the framing element and the second recess of the clamping bracket cooperating to encase and clamp with the holding tube and releasably attach to each other;

the clamping bracket further configured to fastenably hold a mirror element;

wherein,

one of the clamping bracket and the framing element has a hook element and the other one of the clamping bracket and the framing element has a snap connection, the hook element and the snap connection being snap-connectable to secure the framing element and the clamping bracket together.

2. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 wherein said clamping bracket is a plastic housing having at least a first opening therethrough and said framing element has at least a second opening therethrough which aligns with said at least first opening, a connector passing through said clamping bracket and said framing element securing said at least a first opening of said clamping bracket and said at least a second opening of said framing element aligned and securing the first and second recesses with said holding tube.

3. A rearview mirror assembly removably attached to a vehicle comprising:

a holding element carried by said vehicle;

a mirror element having a mirror pane attached to a carrier plate;

a positioning apparatus supporting said carrier plate;

a framing having a configured area engaged with said holding element;

a bracket, including an upper strip, a lower strip and a configured area, said configured area of said bracket being adjacent said upper strip and said lower strip and engaged with said holding element; and

a plurality of connectors engaged with each of said positioning apparatus, said framing and said bracket, said connectors securing said framing and said bracket against said holding element and securing said positioning apparatus with said upper and lower strips of said bracket.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 3 wherein said holding element comprises a first arm separated from a second arm and said configured area adjacent said upper strip of said bracket is engaged with said first arm and said configured area adjacent said second strip of said bracket is engaged with said second arm.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 4 wherein said configured area of at least said framing comprises a recess, said recess cooperating with the configured area of said bracket and said upper and lower strips to secure said mirror assembly with said holding element.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 3 wherein said framing and said bracket include a hook and a snap connection, said hook and said snap connection cooperating to secure said framing and said bracket together.

7. The mirror assembly of claim 3 including a housing cover and a hook and hook connectors carried by said housing cover and said framing, said hook and hook connectors securing said housing cover with said framing in position covering said bracket.

8. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3 wherein, said configured area of said framing includes at least one of a projection and an indentation, and said holding element includes at least one of a projection and an indentation, wherein said projections and indentations inter-engage when said framing and said bracket are secured about said holding element securing said framing and said bracket against rotation.

9. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3 further comprising a housing cover releasably attached to the framing, the housing cover being made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and said framing being made of fiberglass reinforced plastic.

10. The rearview mirror assembly of claim 3 wherein the carrier plate is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and 30% fiberglass with a thickness of between one and one and one-half millimeters.