Mirror for an automobile

• US 8,215,781 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Original Assignee: Murakami Corporation
• Inventors: Fukai, Akira, Kitagawa, Fumitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US12/619,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 359/871, 359/872, 219/121.63, 219/121.65
• US Class Current: 359/871
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/06 using friction, e.g. spin welding non-plastics elements to plastic elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1635 at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1641 making use of a reflector on the opposite side, e.g. a polished mandrel or a mirror pressing means reflective to electromagnetic radiation B29C66/81268
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/169 being a part of the joined article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/30221 said melt initiators being point-like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73341 at least one of the parts to be joined being glossy or reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/08 Polymers of acrylic acid esters, e.g. PMA, i.e. polymethylacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/002 Coloured
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0058 Mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/737 Articles provided with holes, e.g. grids, sieves nets B29L2028/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/02 Rear-view mirror arrangements periscope arrangements B60R1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors

Abstract

In a mirror for an automobile, the adoption of resin mirror body to a mirror plate can decrease the weight of the mirror body, and the mirror plate is fixed onto a mirror holder through the welding. Therefore, this eliminates the usage of both-sided adhesive tape or adhesive agent, makes assembly processes less complicated, and thus the reduction in production cost is achieved. Furthermore, since the mirror plate can be fixed onto the mirror holder firmly and strongly even when the mirror plate is not pressed strongly to the mirror holder, excessive load on the mirror holder or the mirror plate becomes avoided. In addition, at the time of the production stage, some dimensional variation in the edge part of the mirror holder or the peripheral edge of the mirror plate becomes easily acceptable.

Claims

1. A mirror for an automobile, comprising:

a casing having an opening; and

a reflection mirror comprising a mirror plate and a mirror holder, the mirror plate having a mirror body of a transparent resin and a reflection part provided on a rear surface of the mirror body, the mirror body and the mirror holder being positioned within the opening of the casing, the mirror holder supporting the mirror plate, an opening extending through a wall of the mirror holder adjacent to a peripheral edge of the mirror body, and

a surface of the mirror body is welded onto an inner wall surface of the mirror holder to define an abutting area between the mirror holder and the mirror body,

wherein the mirror holder comprises a resin that is capable of absorbing a laser beam and has an edge part, the edge part including the inner wall surface of the mirror holder, abutting on a peripheral edge of the surface of the mirror body, and upon irradiating the inner wall surface with the laser beam passing through the mirror body, the inner wall surface is melted onto the mirror body to define the welded abutting area that fixes the mirror holder to the mirror plate,

wherein the welded abutting area is formed by the laser beam which passes through the mirror body to reach the inner wall surface of the edge part after the laser beam passes through the opening extending through the wall of the mirror holder.

2. The mirror according to claim 1, the mirror holder comprising a peripheral flange that contacts the mirror body along a surface parallel to the reflection part.

3. The mirror according to claim 2, the opening extending through a wall that is transverse to the surface parallel to the reflection part.