Accessory system for a vehicle

• US 9,487,161 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Mirrors of America Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rawlings, Donald S., DeBoer, Carol L., De Wind, Darryl P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LARSON, JUSTIN MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US14/504,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/12 Mirror assemblies combined with other articles, e.g. clocks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1223 with sensors or transducers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2001/1253 with cameras, video cameras or video screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

An accessory system for a vehicle includes a bracket configured for adhesive attachment at an in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield. The bracket includes an attaching portion having an aperture therethrough and includes a pair of attaching arms extending from the attaching portion. An interior rearview mirror assembly has a mounting base that is attached at the attaching portion of the bracket with the bracket adhesively attached at the windshield. With the mounting base attached at the attaching portion, a rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the windshield and the aperture of the attaching portion circumscribes the rain sensor. With the bracket adhesively attached at the windshield, a forward camera module is attached at the attaching arms of the bracket and generally at the in-cabin surface of the windshield so that an imager of the forward camera module has a field of view through the windshield.

Claims

1. An accessory system for a vehicle, said accessory system comprising:

a bracket configured for adhesive attachment at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;

wherein said bracket comprises an attaching portion having an aperture therethrough;

wherein said bracket comprises a pair of attaching arms extending from said attaching portion;

wherein an interior rearview mirror assembly has a mounting base that is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;

wherein, with said mounting base attached at said attaching portion, a rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield and wherein said aperture of said attaching portion circumscribes said rain sensor;

wherein said attaching portion comprises a generally planar attaching portion that extends along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield when said bracket is adhesively attached thereat, and wherein, with said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said attaching arms extend from a lower region of said attaching portion along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion;

wherein said attaching arms are spaced apart and extend from said lower region of said attaching portion of said bracket downward along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion, and wherein lower ends of said attaching arms are configured to engage respective receiving portions of a forward camera module; and

wherein, with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said forward camera module is attached at said attaching arms of said bracket and generally at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion, and wherein said attaching arms and said receiving portions are configured to attach said forward camera module at said bracket so that an imager of said forward camera module is below said bracket and has a field of view through the vehicle windshield.

2. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein, with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said mounting base of said mirror assembly is snap attached at said attaching portion of said bracket.

3. The accessory system of claim 2, wherein said mirror assembly comprises a mirror head that is pivotally mounted at said mounting base.

4. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said lower ends of said attaching arms comprise hooks and said forward camera module comprises protrusions, and wherein said forward camera module is attached at said bracket via said hooks engaging said protrusions of said forward camera module.

5. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket.

6. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said rain sensor is attached at said mounting base before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket.

7. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein, with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket.

8. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein, with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said rain sensor is attached at said mounting base before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket.

9. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said lower ends of said attaching arms comprise hooks and said forward camera module comprises recesses, and wherein said forward camera module is attached at said bracket via said hooks engaging said recesses of said forward camera module.

10. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein, with said generally planar attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said bracket supports at least said interior rearview mirror assembly and said forward camera module at the vehicle windshield.

11. The accessory system of claim 1, wherein said bracket comprises a metallic material.

12. An accessory system for a vehicle, said accessory system comprising:

a bracket configured for adhesive attachment at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;

wherein said bracket comprises a metallic material;

wherein said bracket comprises an attaching portion having an aperture therethrough;

wherein said bracket comprises a pair of attaching arms extending from said attaching portion;

wherein an interior rearview mirror assembly has a mounting base that is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;

wherein, with said mounting base attached at said attaching portion, a rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield and wherein said aperture of said attaching portion circumscribes said rain sensor;

wherein said attaching portion comprises a generally planar attaching portion that extends along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield when said bracket is adhesively attached thereat, and wherein, with said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said attaching arms extend from a lower region of said attaching portion along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion;

wherein said attaching arms are spaced apart and extend from said lower region of said attaching portion of said bracket downward along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion, and wherein lower ends of said attaching arms are configured to engage respective receiving portions of a forward camera module;

wherein, with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said forward camera module is attached at said attaching arms of said bracket and generally at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion, and wherein said attaching arms and said receiving portions are configured to attach said forward camera module at said bracket so that an imager of said forward camera module is below said bracket and has a field of view through the vehicle windshield; and

wherein, with said generally planar attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said bracket supports at least said interior rearview mirror assembly and said forward camera module at the vehicle windshield.

13. The accessory system of claim 12, wherein, with said generally planar attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said mounting base of said mirror assembly is snap attached at said attaching portion of said bracket, and wherein said mirror assembly comprises a mirror head that is pivotally mounted at said mounting base.

14. The accessory system of claim 12, wherein said lower ends of said attaching arms comprise hooks and said forward camera module comprise protrusions, and wherein said forward camera module is attached at said bracket via said hooks engaging said protrusions of said forward camera module.

15. The accessory system of claim 12, wherein said lower ends of said attaching arms comprise hooks and said forward camera module comprises recesses, and wherein said forward camera module is attached at said bracket via said hooks engaging said recesses of said forward camera module.

16. The accessory system of claim 12, wherein, with said generally planar attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, one of (i) said rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket, and (ii) said rain sensor is attached at said mounting base before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket.

17. An accessory system for a vehicle, said accessory system comprising:

a bracket configured for adhesive attachment at an in-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield;

wherein said bracket comprises a metallic material;

wherein said bracket comprises an attaching portion having an aperture therethrough;

wherein said bracket comprises a pair of attaching arms extending from said attaching portion;

wherein an interior rearview mirror assembly has a mounting base that is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield;

wherein, with said mounting base attached at said attaching portion, a rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield and wherein said aperture of said attaching portion circumscribes said rain sensor;

wherein said attaching portion comprises a generally planar attaching portion that extends along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield when said bracket is adhesively attached thereat, and wherein, with said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said attaching arms extend from a lower region of said attaching portion along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion;

wherein said attaching arms are spaced apart and extend from said lower region of said attaching portion of said bracket downward along the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion, and wherein lower ends of said attaching arms are configured to engage respective receiving portions of a forward camera module;

wherein, with said attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said forward camera module is attached at said attaching arms of said bracket and generally at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield below said attaching portion, and wherein said attaching arms and said receiving portions are configured to attach said forward camera module at said bracket so that an imager of said forward camera module is below said bracket and has a field of view through the vehicle windshield; and

wherein said lower ends of said attaching arms comprise hooks and said forward camera module comprise protrusions, and wherein said forward camera module is attached to said bracket via said hooks engaging said protrusions of said forward camera module.

18. The accessory system of claim 17, wherein, with said generally planar attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said mounting base of said mirror assembly is snap attached at said attaching portion of said bracket, and wherein said mirror assembly comprises a mirror head that is pivotally mounted at said mounting base.

19. The accessory system of claim 17, wherein one of (i) said rain sensor is disposed at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket and (ii) said rain sensor is attached at said mounting base before said mounting base is attached at said attaching portion of said bracket.

20. The accessory system of claim 17, wherein, with said generally planar attaching portion of said bracket adhesively attached at the in-cabin surface of the vehicle windshield, said bracket supports at least said interior rearview mirror assembly and said forward camera module at the vehicle windshield.