Accessory mounting system for a vehicle
First Claim
1. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
- a plurality of individual fixing elements configured to be adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield of the vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system;
wherein, with said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, said fixing elements are spaced apart from one another at the surface of the vehicle windshield in a non-contiguous manner;
wherein each of said fixing elements comprises a base portion that is configured to be directly adhesively attached by an adhesive at the surface of the vehicle windshield and an elongated portion that extends from said base portion in a direction away from the vehicle windshield when said base portion is directly adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein the base portion of each of said fixing elements has an attaching surface area that is larger than the cross sectional area of the elongated portion that extends from the base portion;
a frame comprising a plurality of individual receiving portions;
wherein said receiving portions are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein each one of said receiving portions is configured to receive the elongated portion of a respective and corresponding one of said fixing elements;
wherein said plurality of individual fixing elements comprises at least three individual fixing elements and wherein said plurality of individual receiving portions comprises at least three individual receiving portions;
wherein said elongated portions of said fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of said receiving portions of said frame and cooperate with said receiving portions to attach said frame at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield;
wherein said frame comprises structure for receiving an accessory thereat;
said accessory comprising a camera;
wherein, when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame, the line of vision of said camera passes through an aperture existing in said frame;
wherein said aperture in said frame, when said frame is attached at said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, generally corresponds with a light transmissive aperture of a light absorbing layer of the vehicle windshield;
wherein, with said frame attached at said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, the line of vision of said camera passes through both said aperture in said frame and the light transmissive aperture in the light absorbing layer when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame; and
wherein said accessory mounting system is separate from an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An accessory mounting system includes a plurality of individual fixing elements configured to be adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield. With the fixing elements adhesively attached at the windshield, the fixing elements are spaced apart from one another. Each of the fixing elements includes a base portion that is configured to be directly adhesively attached at the windshield and an elongated portion that extends from the base portion in a direction away from the windshield when the base portion is attached at the windshield. A frame has a plurality of individual receiving portions. The elongated portions of the fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of the receiving portions of the frame to attach the frame at the windshield when the fixing elements are attached at the surface of the windshield. The frame comprises structure for receiving an accessory thereat.
363 Citations
37 Claims
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1. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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a plurality of individual fixing elements configured to be adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield of the vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; wherein, with said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, said fixing elements are spaced apart from one another at the surface of the vehicle windshield in a non-contiguous manner; wherein each of said fixing elements comprises a base portion that is configured to be directly adhesively attached by an adhesive at the surface of the vehicle windshield and an elongated portion that extends from said base portion in a direction away from the vehicle windshield when said base portion is directly adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein the base portion of each of said fixing elements has an attaching surface area that is larger than the cross sectional area of the elongated portion that extends from the base portion; a frame comprising a plurality of individual receiving portions; wherein said receiving portions are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein each one of said receiving portions is configured to receive the elongated portion of a respective and corresponding one of said fixing elements; wherein said plurality of individual fixing elements comprises at least three individual fixing elements and wherein said plurality of individual receiving portions comprises at least three individual receiving portions; wherein said elongated portions of said fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of said receiving portions of said frame and cooperate with said receiving portions to attach said frame at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said frame comprises structure for receiving an accessory thereat; said accessory comprising a camera; wherein, when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame, the line of vision of said camera passes through an aperture existing in said frame; wherein said aperture in said frame, when said frame is attached at said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, generally corresponds with a light transmissive aperture of a light absorbing layer of the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said frame attached at said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, the line of vision of said camera passes through both said aperture in said frame and the light transmissive aperture in the light absorbing layer when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame; and wherein said accessory mounting system is separate from an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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a plurality of individual fixing elements configured to be adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; wherein, with said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, said fixing elements are spaced apart from one another at the surface of the vehicle windshield in a non-contiguous manner; wherein each of said fixing elements comprises a base portion that is configured to be directly adhesively attached by an adhesive at the surface of the vehicle windshield and an elongated portion that extends from said base portion in a direction away from the vehicle windshield when said base portion of said fixing element is adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; a frame comprising a plurality of individual receiving portions; wherein said receiving portions are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein each one of said receiving portions is configured to receive the elongated portion of a respective and corresponding one of said fixing elements; wherein said plurality of individual fixing elements comprises at least three individual fixing elements and wherein said plurality of individual receiving portions comprises at least three individual receiving portions; wherein said elongated portions of said fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of said receiving portions of said frame and cooperate with said receiving portions to attach said frame at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said frame comprises structure for receiving an accessory thereat; said accessory comprising a camera; wherein said camera comprises a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imager; wherein, when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame, the line of vision of said camera passes through an aperture existing in said frame; wherein, when said frame is attached at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements, said aperture in said frame generally corresponds with a light transmissive aperture of a light absorbing layer of the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said frame attached at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements, the line of vision of said camera passes through both said aperture in said frame and the light transmissive aperture in the light absorbing layer when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame and when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said accessory mounting system is separate from an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said camera comprises a part of a collision avoidance system of the equipped vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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a plurality of individual fixing elements configured to be adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield of the vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; wherein, with said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, said fixing elements are spaced apart from one another at the surface of the vehicle windshield in a non-contiguous manner; wherein each of said fixing elements comprises a base portion that is configured to be directly adhesively attached by an adhesive at the surface of the vehicle windshield and an elongated portion that extends from said base portion in a direction away from the vehicle windshield when said base portion is adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein the base portion of each of said fixing elements has an attaching surface area that is larger than the cross sectional area of the elongated portion that extends from the base portion; a frame comprising a plurality of individual receiving portions; wherein said receiving portions are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein each one of said receiving portions is configured to receive the elongated portion of a respective and corresponding one of said fixing elements; wherein said plurality of individual fixing elements comprises at least three individual fixing elements and wherein said plurality of individual receiving portions comprises at least three individual receiving portions; wherein said elongated portions of said fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of said receiving portions of said frame and cooperate with said receiving portions to attach said frame at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said frame comprises structure for receiving an accessory thereat; said accessory comprising a camera; wherein, when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame, the line of vision of said camera passes through an aperture existing in said frame; wherein, when said frame is attached at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements, said aperture in said frame generally corresponds with a light transmissive aperture of a light absorbing layer of the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said frame attached at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements, the line of vision of said camera passes through both said aperture in said frame and the light transmissive aperture in the light absorbing layer when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame; wherein said structure of said frame is configured for receiving structure of said accessory; wherein said accessory mounting system is separate from an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, in order to enhance accurate spacing between each individual fixing element of said plurality of individual fixing elements relative to the others of said plurality of individual fixing elements when adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, the individual fixing elements of said plurality of individual fixing elements are configured to be mounted simultaneously against the surface of the vehicle windshield to be suitably secured in place by a suitable adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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a plurality of individual fixing elements configured to be adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield of a vehicle equipped with said accessory mounting system; wherein, with said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, said fixing elements are spaced apart from one another at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein each of said fixing elements comprises a base portion that is configured to be directly adhesively attached by an adhesive at the surface of the vehicle windshield and an elongated portion that extends from said base portion in a direction away from the vehicle windshield when said base portion is adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; a frame comprising a plurality of individual receiving portions; wherein said receiving portions are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein each one of said receiving portions is configured to receive the elongated portion of a respective and corresponding one of said fixing elements; wherein said plurality of individual fixing elements comprises at least three individual fixing elements and wherein said plurality of individual receiving portions comprises at least three individual receiving portions; wherein said elongated portions of said fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of said receiving portions of said frame and cooperate with said receiving portions to attach said frame at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said frame comprises structure for receiving an accessory thereat; said accessory comprising a camera; wherein said camera comprises a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imager; wherein, when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame, the line of vision of said camera passes through an aperture existing in said frame; wherein, when said frame is attached at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements, said aperture in said frame generally corresponds with a light transmissive aperture of a light absorbing layer of the vehicle windshield; wherein, with said frame attached at the vehicle windshield via said fixing elements, the line of vision of said camera passes through both said aperture in said frame and the light transmissive aperture in the light absorbing layer when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame; wherein said accessory mounting system is separate from an interior rearview mirror assembly of the equipped vehicle; and wherein said structure of said frame is configured for receiving structure of said accessory. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An accessory mounting system suitable for use in a vehicle, said accessory mounting system comprising:
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a plurality of individual fixing elements configured to be adhesively attached at a surface of a vehicle windshield; wherein, with said fixing elements adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, said fixing elements are spaced apart from one another at the surface of the vehicle windshield in a non-contiguous manner; wherein each of said fixing elements comprises a base portion that is configured to be directly adhesively attached by an adhesive at the surface of the vehicle windshield and an elongated portion that extends from said base portion in a direction away from the vehicle windshield when said base portion is directly adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; a frame comprising a plurality of individual receiving portions; wherein said receiving portions are spaced apart from one another in a manner that corresponds with the spacing apart of said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein each one of said receiving portions is configured to receive the elongated portion of a respective and corresponding one of said fixing elements; wherein said elongated portions of said fixing elements are at least partially received in respective and corresponding ones of said receiving portions of said frame and cooperate with said receiving portions to attach said frame at the vehicle windshield when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield; wherein said frame comprises structure for receiving an accessory thereat; said accessory comprising a camera; wherein, when said accessory is received at said structure of said frame, the line of vision of said camera passes through an aperture existing in said frame; and wherein, with said frame attached at said fixing elements when said fixing elements are adhesively attached at the surface of the vehicle windshield, the line of vision of said camera passes through the vehicle windshield. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification