Mirror base cover

• US 8,919,973 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Original Assignee: SMR Patents Sarl (SMR Patents)
• Inventors: Schmierer, Arne, Negel, Raimund, Herrmann, Andreas, Szmolenszki, Istvan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US13/163,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20110317295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 248/475.1, 248/476, 248/479, 248/485, 248/487
• US Class Current: 359/841
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/06 mounted on vehicle exterior B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors

Abstract

A mirror base cover for an exterior rear view mirror assembly of a motor vehicle is described, which is provided with an opening for a part on the mirror base side of an articulated connection of a base bracket, which is preferably housed in an exterior rear view mirror housing, to a mirror base, which is covered by the mirror base cover. The opening has a larger design than is necessary for the part on the mirror base side of the articulated connection. A section of the opening remaining between the edge of the opening and the part on the mirror base side of the articulated connection is closed by a mirror base cap assembly. The mirror base cap assembly consists of a mirror base cap, only partly covering the remaining section of the opening, and a seal, moulded onto the mirror base cap, overlapping a gap remaining between the mirror base cap and the edge of the opening. The mirror base cap extends at least partly to the edge of the opening, so that contact between the mirror base cap and the edge of the opening is made, at least in places.

Claims

1. An exterior rear view mirror assembly of a motor vehicle, the exterior rear view mirror assembly comprising:

a base bracket secured to the motor vehicle;

a mirror base fixedly secured to the base bracket, the mirror base defining a mirror base side;

a mirror base cover covering the mirror base, the mirror base cover including an opening defining a circumferentially closed edge, the opening receiving a part extending out from the mirror base side of the articulated connection of the base bracket, the part defining a periphery, wherein the circumferentially closed edge of the opening is larger than the periphery of the part on the mirror base side of the articulated connection, and a remaining section of the opening between the circumferentially closed edge of the opening and the part on the mirror base side of the articulated connection is closed by a mirror base cap assembly, which consists of a mirror base cap covering the remaining section of the opening, and a seal molded thereon, which overlaps a remaining gap between the mirror base cap and the edge of the opening,

wherein

the mirror base cap extends at least partly to the edge of the opening, so that contact between the mirror base cap and the circumferentially closed edge of the opening is made.

2. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mirror base cap included a periphery having extensions arranged, which in a case of the mirror base cap assembly installed in the opening, to lie in a surface spanned by the circumferentially closed edge of the opening, and reach to the edge of the opening.

3. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, the seal is moulded to the mirror base cap in a two-part or multi-part injection moulding process.

4. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mirror base cap includes a connecting link protruding outwards in a radial manner, which engages behind the circumferentially closed edge of the opening, seen from a top view of a surface spanned by the circumferentially closed edge of the opening.

5. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 4, wherein the mirror base cap includes a latch, which engages behind the circumferentially closed edge of the opening, seen from top view of the surface spanned by the circumferentially closed edge of the opening.

6. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 5, wherein the latch is arranged in a region of the mirror base cap which lies opposite the connecting link, protruding outwards in a radial manner on the mirror base cap, which engages behind the circumferentially closed edge of the opening, seen from a top view of the surface spanned by the edge of the opening.

7. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 5, wherein the latch arranged on the mirror base cap , assigned to a receiving pocket.

8. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mirror base cover includes a receiving pocket in a region of the opening for a protrusion, arranged on the section of the mirror base bearing the part on the mirror base side of the articulated connection.

9. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 8, wherein the protrusion and the receiving pocket are self-centering.

10. An exterior rear view mirror assembly according to claim 1, including a surrounding seal disposed between the part on the mirror base side of the articulated connection and the mirror base cap.