Interior rearview mirror assembly

• US 7,568,810 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Corporation (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Karner, Lee, Kulas, Jerry M., Andreozzi, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US11/828,192
• Publication Number:
  US 20080019007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 359/603, 359/604, 359/871, 359/872
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks

Abstract

An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle includes a reflective element and at least one attachment plate attached thereto. The attachment plate has first and second mounting members protruding therefrom. A mounting assembly is configured to mount the mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle. The mounting assembly includes a toggle portion and a cam actuator, with the toggle portion pivotally mounting to the first mounting member and the cam actuator pivotally mounting to the second mounting member. The toggle portion engages the cam actuator such that pivotal movement of the cam actuator relative to the second mounting member imparts a pivotal movement of the toggle portion relative to the first mounting member. The attachment plate may include at least one mounting member protruding through a circuit board for engaging a mounting assembly that mounts the mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle.

Claims

1. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a reflective element;

at least one attachment plate attached to said reflective element, said at least one attachment plate having first and second mounting members protruding from said at least one attachment plate; and

a mounting assembly that is configured to mount said mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle, said mounting assembly including a toggle portion and a cam actuator, said toggle portion pivotally mounting to said first mounting member whereby said toggle portion is pivotable about a generally horizontal pivot axis when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted to the interior portion of the vehicle, and said cam actuator pivotally mounting to said second mounting member whereby said cam actuator is pivotable about a generally vertical pivot axis when said interior rearview mirror assembly is normally mounted to the interior portion of the vehicle, said toggle portion engaging said cam actuator such that pivotal movement of said cam actuator about said generally vertical pivot axis and relative to said second mounting member imparts a pivotal movement of said toggle portion about said generally horizontal pivot axis and relative to said first mounting member.

2. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said reflective element comprises a prismatic reflective element.

3. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said cam actuator includes a receiving portion that receives a protrusion of said toggle portion.

4. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said first mounting member comprises a pair of receiving members for receiving respective portions of said toggle portion.

5. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 4, wherein said second mounting member comprises a receiving portion for pivotally receiving a portion of said cam actuator.

6. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 including an electronic circuitry element attached to said at least one attachment plate, at least one of said first and second mounting members protruding at least partially through said electronic circuitry element when said electronic circuitry element is attached to said at least one attachment plate.

7. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said electronic circuitry element comprises a circuit board.

8. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein said circuit board comprises a substantially rigid circuit board.

9. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 7, wherein said circuit board comprises a flexible circuit board.

10. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 6, wherein said electronic circuitry element comprises a printed circuit board.

11. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1 including an accessory pod attached to said mounting assembly.

12. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said accessory pod comprises a compass pod receiving compass circuitry therein.

13. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said accessory pod receives circuitry therein, said circuitry being electrically connected to an electronic circuitry element of said mirror assembly.

14. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 11, wherein said accessory pod comprises a unitarily formed pod that opens to receive circuitry therein and closes to substantially retain said circuitry within said pod.

15. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a reflective element;

at least one attachment plate attached to said reflective element, said at least one attachment plate having first and second mounting members protruding from said at least one attachment plate;

a mounting assembly that is configured to mount said mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle, said mounting assembly including a toggle portion and a cam actuator, said toggle portion pivotally mounting to said first mounting member and said cam actuator pivotally mounting to said second mounting member, said toggle portion engaging said cam actuator such that pivotal movement of said cam actuator relative to said second mounting member imparts a pivotal movement of said toggle portion relative to said first mounting member; and

wherein said cam actuator includes a receiving portion that receives a protrusion of said toggle portion, and wherein said receiving portion comprises an arcuate channel, whereby pivotal movement of said cam actuator imparts movement of said protrusion of said toggle portion along said channel to impart pivotal movement of said toggle portion relative to said first mounting member.

16. An interior rearview mirror assembly for a vehicle, said interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:

a reflective element;

at least one attachment plate attached to said reflective element, said at least one attachment plate having first and second mounting members protruding from said at least one attachment plate;

a mounting assembly that is configured to mount said mirror assembly to an interior portion of the vehicle, said mounting assembly including a toggle portion and a cam actuator, said toggle portion pivotally mounting to said first mounting member and said cam actuator pivotally mounting to said second mounting member, said toggle portion engaging said cam actuator such that pivotal movement of said cam actuator relative to said second mounting member imparts a pivotal movement of said toggle portion relative to said first mounting member; and

wherein said first mounting member comprises a pair of receiving members for receiving respective portions of said toggle portion, and wherein said respective portions comprise non-circular projections that are insertable through respective narrowed channels and into generally circular receiving openings of said receiving members.

17. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 16, wherein said toggle portion is pivotable relative to said receiving members to position said toggle portion generally along said at least one attachment plate when said cam actuator is engaged with said second mounting portion.

18. The interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 17, wherein said non-circular projections are not readily removable from said receiving members when said toggle portion is positioned generally along said at least one attachment plate.