Two ball mount with wiring passage
First Claim
1. A method of constructing a plurality of rearview mirror assemblies comprising:
- providing a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors having at least one pivot ball thereon;
providing a plurality of receivers, each of the receivers having a plurality of fingers defining a ball receiving area;
providing a plurality of springs, each of the springs forming a circle and having an interior diameter, with the interior diameter of each of the springs being equal;
at least a first one of the springs having a first characteristic and at least a second one of the springs having a second characteristic, the first characteristic being different than the second characteristic;
placing one of the springs around the plurality of fingers of one of the receivers; and
placing the at least one pivot ball into the ball receiving area of the one of the receivers having the spring around the fingers thereof;
wherein the first characteristic is a first gauge of a wire of the first one of the springs; and
the second characteristic is a second gauge of a wire of the second one of the springs, whereby the first one of the springs and the second one of the springs comprise wires having different gauges.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rearview mirror assembly comprises a two-ball connector having at least one pivot ball thereon, a receiver having a plurality of fingers defining a ball receiving area, and a spring forming a circle. The spring is placed around the fingers of the receiver and the at least one pivot ball is placed into the ball receiving area of the receiver. The two-ball connector can be made of a high strength material and formed on a screw machine. The receiver does not experience a weight loss changing the torque force between −40° Celsius and 85° Celsius, thereby substantially maintaining the torque force at a substantially constant level between −40° Celsius and 85° Celsius.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method of constructing a plurality of rearview mirror assemblies comprising:
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providing a plurality of connectors, each of the connectors having at least one pivot ball thereon; providing a plurality of receivers, each of the receivers having a plurality of fingers defining a ball receiving area; providing a plurality of springs, each of the springs forming a circle and having an interior diameter, with the interior diameter of each of the springs being equal; at least a first one of the springs having a first characteristic and at least a second one of the springs having a second characteristic, the first characteristic being different than the second characteristic; placing one of the springs around the plurality of fingers of one of the receivers; and placing the at least one pivot ball into the ball receiving area of the one of the receivers having the spring around the fingers thereof; wherein the first characteristic is a first gauge of a wire of the first one of the springs; and
the second characteristic is a second gauge of a wire of the second one of the springs, whereby the first one of the springs and the second one of the springs comprise wires having different gauges. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An interior rearview mirror assembly comprising:
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a two-ball connector comprising a center hollow tubular section, a first pivot ball at a first end of the center hollow tubular section and a second pivot ball at a second end of the center hollow tubular section, the two-ball connector being configured to be located between a mount and a mirror housing for allowing the minor housing to be pivoted relative to the mount along two axes of rotation, with a first axis of rotation being located within the first pivot ball and a second axis of rotation being located within the second pivot ball; a receiver having a plurality of fingers defining a ball receiving area, with one of the first pivot ball and the second pivot ball being located within the ball receiving area; and a circular spring surrounding the plurality of fingers and one of the first pivot ball and the second pivot ball being located within the ball receiving area, thereby applying a torque force to the one of the first pivot ball and the second pivot ball being located within the ball receiving area; wherein the receiver does not experience a weight loss changing the torque force between −
40°
Celsius and 85°
Celsius, thereby substantially maintaining the torque force at a substantially constant level between −
40°
Celsius and 85°
Celsius. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of forming a two-ball connector for use with an interior rearview mirror assembly, the two-ball connector being configured to be located between a mount and a mirror housing for allowing the mirror housing to be pivoted relative to the mount along two axes of rotation, the method comprising:
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providing a block of high strength material; and turning the block of high strength material on a screw machine to form a center hollow tubular section, a first pivot ball at a first end of the center hollow tubular section and a second pivot ball at a second end of the center hollow tubular section to form a wiring passageway that routes wires through the first pivot ball, second pivot ball, and center hollow tubular section. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification