Mirror mounting assembly

• US 9,573,525 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Minikey, Danny L. Jr., Lock, Nigel T., Fogg, Jeremy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Doak, Jennifer L.
• Application Number:
  US14/011,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 359/843, 359871-877, 701/36, 701/49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0033 Rear-view mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/32 Belleville-type springs friction-clutch diaphragm springs F16D13/583
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A mirror mounting assembly for a rearview mirror, including a housing connector having a first pivot member operably connected with an extension tube. A mount includes a windshield bracket and a sensor assembly. The windshield bracket is proximate to the sensor assembly and supports the sensor assembly against the vehicle windshield. A second pivot member includes a first end operably connected with the extension tube and a second end operably connected with the mount.

Claims

1. A mirror mounting assembly for a rearview mirror, comprising:

a housing connector having a first pivot member which is operably connected with a first end of an extension tube;

a spring clip having a plurality of legs that each include a locating aperture and a distal end with an outwardly facing hook;

a mount operably coupled with the spring clip, the outwardly facing hook of each distal end engaging a windshield bracket, wherein the windshield bracket supports a sensor assembly having protuberances engaging the locating apertures of the spring clip against a vehicle windshield; and

a second pivot member having a first side operably connected with a second end of the extension tube and a second side operably connected with the mount.

2. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the rearview mirror is an electrochromic mirror.

3. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly includes a device chosen from the group consisting of:

a high resolution camera, a low resolution camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, a solar sensor, and an antenna.

4. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly includes at least two devices chosen from the group consisting of:

a high resolution camera, a low resolution camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, a solar sensor, and an antenna.

5. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly is centrally disposed between a first abutment portion and a second abutment portion of the windshield bracket.

6. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a windshield camera assembly extending from a second sensor supporting portion of the mount, wherein the windshield camera assembly includes a camera, a camera shroud and a non-reflective glare protector; and

a cover which at least partially encapsulates the windshield camera assembly and the mount.

7. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 6, wherein the camera is supported in contact with the vehicle windshield by the second sensor supporting portion of the mount.

8. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a camera engagement member extending downwardly from the mount for attaching a windshield camera assembly; and

a cover which encapsulates the mount, the camera engagement member, and the camera assembly, and which includes a forward window through which the camera assembly receives image information.

9. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover which at least partially encapsulates the windshield bracket and the sensor assembly, wherein the cover includes vents to permit air flow to the sensor assembly.

10. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the cover has a closed area between about 1250 mm² and about 35000 mm².

11. A mirror mounting assembly, comprising:

an extension tube having a first end with a first pivot member and a second end with a second pivot member;

a spring clip having a plurality of legs that each include a locating aperture and a distal end with an outwardly facing hook; and

a mount which is attached to the second pivot member, wherein the spring clip couples the outwardly facing hook of each distal end engaging external receiving members of a windshield bracket, wherein the windshield bracket supports the sensor assembly against a vehicle windshield and accommodates a plug end of the sensor assembly, the plug end being configured to releasably interface with a vehicle wiring harness.

12. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the sensor assembly includes at least two sensors from the group consisting of:

a high resolution camera, a low resolution camera, a humidity sensor, a rain sensor, a solar sensor, and an antenna.

13. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

a cam lock system to secure the mount to the windshield bracket, wherein the cam lock system includes the spring clip which is operably secured to the mount, the spring clip having legs with distal ends that are removably secured to the windshield bracket.

14. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 13, wherein sensor assembly is supported between the spring clip and the windshield bracket, and wherein at least a portion of the sensor assembly extends through a central aperture in the windshield bracket to contact the vehicle windshield.

15. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 14, wherein the central aperture in the windshield bracket is generally circular.

16. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the mount includes a forward facing camera mount to support a windshield camera assembly, and further comprising:

a cover which defines an interior space, and wherein the mount, the sensor assembly, the, windshield bracket, and the windshield camera assembly are at least partially disposed within the interior space, and wherein the cover includes vents to allow air flow into the interior space.

17. The mirror mounting assembly of claim 11, wherein the rearview mirror is an electrochromic mirror, and further comprising:

a throughway aperture disposed in the extension tube and adapted to receive wiring extending from the sensor assembly and traveling toward the rearview mirror.

18. A method of making a mirror mounting assembly, the method comprising:

operably connecting a mirror housing with an extension tube having a first end with a first pivot member and a second end with a second pivot member;

forming a windshield bracket having a central aperture defining a sensor receiving area;

operably securing a sensor assembly in the sensor receiving area of the windshield bracket;

providing a spring clip having a plurality of legs that each include a locating aperture and a distal end with an outwardly facing hook

operably connecting a mount with the spring clip;

engaging the outwardly facing hook of each distal end with an outer periphery of the windshield bracket; and

operably connecting the second pivot member to the mount.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of forming a windshield bracket with a sensor receiving area further comprises the steps of:

forming the sensor receiving area centrally inside the windshield bracket; and

forming first and second abutment portions on the windshield bracket.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

extending a camera mounting member downward from a forward portion of the mount; and

affixing a camera assembly to the camera mounting member.